British climber swaps IT for mountaineering making history with 20th unexplored route, to inspire other female alpinists

Former data consultant turned elite alpinist, Fay Manners, has made history in the mountains having completed her 20th new route after defying early warnings that women could not build careers in sport.

Having moved from Bedford to Chamonix in 2015 to run a data consultancy business, Fay switched careers and has spent the last three years as a full-time, sponsored adventurer and alpinist.

Since making the switch Fay has become one of mountaineering’s most respected high-altitude technical climbers, specialising in an uncompromising self-sufficient alpine style, climbing previously unexplored terrain.

This week marks yet another milestone as Fay completed her 20th new route, with a first ascent of the north–north-east face on Tête Biselx in the Swiss Alps near Chamonix, a route they have since named “La Muse de Trient”.

Her latest climb is also the first all-female team to open any new mixed route climb in this region of the Swiss Alps.

“The name reflects the creative process behind the ascent and a subtle feminine presence which acknowledges the inspiration, intuition, and the collaborative energy that shaped the line,” said Fay.

“Climbing new routes allows me to reconnect with the most fundamental essence of mountaineering. We follow a completely new line, climbed entirely on previously unexplored terrain, and leave no trace of our presence.

“Nobody has ever climbed this line on Tête Biselx before.”

The two-day climb was highly technical, defined by mixed ice and rock, with Fay and her climb partner Ella Wright using ice tools and crampons and removable protection for safety.

It was a true test of their mental and physical resilience requiring precision, strength, and composure on steep, technical terrain; carrying heavy equipment and facing cold mountain conditions from the north-facing aspect of the route; and requiring all-round alpine skills in climbing, mountaineering and skiing.

Fay added; “Finding a viable line to only climb using natural features of the rock to secure an anchor system, without leaving permanent hardware, was the biggest challenge. We couldn’t risk committing to a route that might force us to retreat halfway.

“On day one, after a beautiful corner, the rockface turned into a technical slab with minimal protection, forcing us to take a long, committing traverse beneath a large roof. This is when uncertainty crept in and we really questioned what lay above and whether we’d be able to continue the next day. Fortunately, the mountain gods smiled on us, and we managed to find a safe and viable route forward.”

Having reached the summit of Tête Biselx at 3pm on 4th April, the team descended via a more established route allowing them to abseil and climb down to their skis, “so we didn’t leave a trace on the mountain”.

Fay is driven to change the perception of alpinism and challenge how women in mountaineering are represented. “I’m living proof that it’s possible to break boundaries and complete new technical routes in rock climbing, ice and mixed climbing, skiing, and endurance alpinism, regardless of where you come from or how you started.

She added, “I also want to inspire more women to step into exploratory mountaineering and feel that they fully belong there.

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, and didn’t start skiing until I was in my late 20s. 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 with 20 new routes completed.

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.”