The all woman nature of the expedition was designed by Arlene and Alison Chadwick-Onyszkiewicz during a 1972 expedition on Noshaq. Arlene, who having previously been rejected from high altitude expeditions as a woman stated Few American women ever get a chance to climb that high, to lead, or even to participate in a major expedition. No American woman [had] ever climbed to 8000 meters, and only seven women from any country [had] ever climbed that high. We [hoped] this climb [would] give a number of women sufficient experience so that they can be invited on mixed expeditions, or organize their own.