Adventurer goes viral after making a ‘Mountaineer Barbie’

By Ed Cullinane via SWNS

An adventurer has gone viral after making a Mountaineer Barbie to improve outdoor safety and encourage women to join mountain rescue.

Kelly Duffy, 42, used her design and crafting skills to amend one of the world-famous dolls in celebration of the Barbie film.

Photos show Mountaineer Barbie tackling the Pen-y-Pass, Yr Wyddfa (Snowdon), and Dinas Mot in Snowdonia in the UK where Kelly runs her own adventures company.

The box-office hit based on the Mattel-made dolls was released on July 21 to rave reviews, starring Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling.

Kelly, who started Kelly Duffy Adventures in 2021 after the COVID-19 pandemic, said that she hoped the doll would encourage girls to spend more time on their own outdoor adventures.

The personal trainer has even attracted the attention of the British Mountaineering Council, who shared her work on social media and celebrated her "safer Barbie."

Kelly, from Llanberis, North Wales, said: "I had a Barbie, and first of all the goal was to make her into a mountaineer - because there's no mountaineering Barbie.

"The closest there is is an 'outdoors Barbie' which isn't the same really - she's still in shorts and a t-shirt, not proper gear, even though she does have camping kit.

"I'm a crafter in my spare time, so I made a harness with a sewing machine and used some cord to create a proper rope for her.

"After I posted the picture online, the BMC picked up on it and shared it - and everyone loved it. So, I decided to take her on more adventures.

"I made her a little jacket and posed her up as 'mountain rescue Barbie', which seems to have topped previous one.

"I think the idea of it all really was that by putting her in waterproofs and properly kitting her out, I'd help encourage girls to take part in mountaineering more, and push themselves to try it out."

Kelly also hopes that the Barbie, pictured properly kitted up with a harness and purple helmet, will also encourage people to trek safely.

An adventurer has gone viral after making a Mountaineer Barbie. (Kelly Duffy via SWNS)

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She is promoting the work of the Mountain Training Association, and Mountain Rescue Team.

Her local Llanberis MRT has already been inundated with calls this year - seeing over 100 call-outs in the first five months of 2023, equivalent to 3,230 person hours on Yr Wyddfa (Snowdon) alone.

Kelly says that the Mountain Training Association are already facing their 'busiest year' on record after a boom in casual hiking.

She said: "Everyone in Mountain Training Association is trying to balance numbers in outdoor roles to address gender imbalance.

"It's been very male-dominated until recently, so I want to promote safety, and make taking part a bit more eye catching.

"Next I'm going to try and make an 'adventure hike' Barbie. I already have the bobble hat and waterproofs - and I've even made her a map."

To find out more about Kelly's work and keep up to date with her Barbie's adventures, you can visit her website here.