British Woman Conquers Eiger's Unclimbed Face

Fay Manners, a British alpinist, has achieved a significant milestone by opening a new climbing route on the Eiger North Face. She successfully established "Solar Eclipse," a 900-meter, 33-pitch route, alongside her Swiss climbing partner Roger Schaeli. This accomplishment marks Manners as the first British woman to create a new route on this iconic and challenging part of the Swiss Alps.

Manners described the process of establishing a new route as more significant than repeating an existing one, highlighting the creative and unknown aspects involved. She stated that her motivation extends beyond personal achievement, aiming to increase female representation in mountaineering. By opening new routes, she hopes to challenge stereotypes and encourage more women to engage in this aspect of climbing.

The Eiger North Face, known for its severe weather and rockfall, has a long and storied history in alpinism since the first successful ascent in 1938. Women have been part of its climbing history since 1964 when Daisy Voog became the first woman to climb the face. Manners' own journey to professional climbing involved a career shift from data science, influenced by sponsorships and a passion for the outdoors.

Manners plans to return to her newly established route and dreams of seeing all-female teams ascend it, further promoting women's achievements in the sport. Her aspiration underscores a broader goal of representation and empowerment within the alpinism community.