British alpinist completes world first ski route in Peru having been inaccessible for over four decades

Former data consultant turned elite alpinist, Fay Manners has once again made history as the first person to ski a new route high in Peruvian mountains on southwest ridge of Mt Ranrapalca, deemed inaccessible for more than 40 years due to dangerous glacial conditions.

Fay, who is originally from Bedford, completed the route alongside Italian ski mountaineer Marco Malcangi in Peru's Cordillera Blanca Mountain range whilst on expedition to explore and better understand the mountains, the snow, terrain and possibilities for future projects.

Fay explained; “After arriving in the region we began acclimatisation with a hike to 4,600m followed by some days of rock climbing. Our plan was to be a relatively straightforward acclimatisation ascent of Vallunaraju (5,686m), however during the approach, our attention shifted elsewhere.

“From our camp, a striking line descending from the col between Ranrapalca and Ocshapalca immediately stood out.

“The route presented a dramatic contrast in terrain. A wild lower section weaving through improbable steep crevasses and giant seracs [ice pillars] led into a wide, lower-angled upper face two completely contrasting terrains stacked on top of one another. Above it all sat a small steep summit coated in spring snow.

“From below, the line appeared surprisingly obvious, almost like a natural route leading directly toward the summit. Yet the chaotic glacier below suggested otherwise. Looking upward, we weren’t sure reaching the upper slopes would be possible.”

Curious about the route’s history, they asked a local guide, Cesar Vicuña, about the route. He explained that the line had not been climbed for decades and described previous attempts as complicated by impassable glacial terrain.

He himself had attempted it in 2022 without success and had since learnt that it was last climbed in 1980 by four Swiss climbers. Nobody had climbed it since and certainly nobody had attempted to ski it.

“We returned carrying equipment for several days in the mountains,” added Fay. “Me and Marco carried skis and ski boots, while the others had all of the mountaineering equipment and snow protection to climb up and down.

“Leaving camp at 4 a.m., we spent the day trail breaking and navigating through heavily crevassed terrain, establishing a safe line through the first section of the route before returning to camp in the afternoon.

“The following day, me and Marco returned for the summit push, carrying skis with the intention of skiing continuously from the summit to the end of the glacier below. Starting at 1 a.m., we climbed through the night.”

The ascent demanded constant adaptation: jumping crevasses, climbing sections of squeaky névé ice, trail breaking through powder and crust, skinning long glaciers, crossing fragile snow bridges and negotiating exposed terrain.

It became a true ski mountaineering route climbing awkwardly with skis attached to packs, moving precariously through technical terrain, and making an abseil through ice and over a crevasse too large to jump - them to above 6,000 metres.

“The ski from the summit was spectacular but technical. Wide and open at first and then very technical with huge crevasse. The exposure was very high.

“We had to abseil down 30 metres with our skis on, and in the lower section we had to jump over crevasses on our skis without being roped. It was quite technical, and you had to be fast because the conditions were warming and becoming more dangerous.”

Fay and Marco named the route Acceso Momentáneo (“Momentary Access”), reflecting their fortune in discovering the line unexpectedly and finding it in climbable condition.

Growing up in Blunham a village in Bedfordshire, Fay attended Bedford Girls School before leaving the region to study information science at Loughborough University.

“My passion was always in sport, but my parents told me there was no career in sports for females, so I went into a career of being a data scientist for 10 years.”

In 2015, Fay moved to Chamonix and became a remote data consultant setting up her own business. “I didn’t start climbing until I was in my 20s anddidn’t start skiing until I turned 30. Having developed a passion for the mountains I was honoured to get a sponsorship deal from The North Face three years ago which has allowed me to quit my job as a data consultant and become a full-time athlete.”

Since then, Fay has never looked back having now completed 21 new climbing and ski routes.

In 2024, disaster nearly struck when Fay and her climbing partner, Michelle Dvorak from the United States, were stranded at 20,000ft (6,096m) on Chaukhamba III mountain, northern India.

The pair had been attempting to forge a new route on the mountain's formidable South East buttress but after climbing for five days past steep and complex terrain, on the 2nd of October a falling rock cut their tagline, sending their key safety equipment into the void.

They spent two days stranded on the freezing mountain without food or equipment. A true survival story.

“Sometimes what happens in the mountains is simply out of your control. I knew that when I first started, and I know it just as deeply now,” said Fay. “Risk isn’t something reserved for the mountains; it’s part of life everywhere. We’re all exposed to it in different ways, every single day.

“For me, choosing the mountains isn’t about chasing danger, but about being honest with how I want to spend my time; engaged, present, and doing something that matters deeply to me.”

To find out more, visit https://www.faymanners.com/