Élisabeth Revol
Élisabeth Revol is an accomplished French high-altitude mountaineer who made history on January 25, 2018, as the first woman to summit Nanga Parbat in winter. Climbing in pure alpine style without supplemental oxygen or high-altitude porters, she completed an extraordinary ascent before enduring a harrowing survival epic. Her subsequent consecutive ascents of Everest and Lhotse established her as a titan of modern alpinism.
Mountain Safety & Conditions Disclaimer: High-altitude climbing, glacial travel, and technical ascents entail severe objective risks including avalanches, serac collapses, rapid weather collapse, and altitude illness. Historical route descriptions and summit claims on Mountanity reflect documented archival sources and must not be used as live operational safety assessments. Local regulations, permits, and physical glacial topography change continuously.
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Biographical Record & Archival Chronicle
Born on April 29, 1979, in Crest, Drôme, France, Élisabeth Revol discovered mountaineering in the French Alps and qualified as a physical education teacher. Revol dedicated herself to lightweight, non-commercial alpine-style ascents of the world's most daunting peaks. In 2008, she accomplished an astonishing solo hat-trick in the Karakoram, summiting Broad Peak, Gasherbrum I, and Gasherbrum II within sixteen days in alpine style without supplemental oxygen. In winter 2013, she turned her sights toward Nanga Parbat (8,126m), forming an enduring climbing partnership with Polish mountaineer Tomasz Mackiewicz. Together, they launched multiple winter bids in pure alpine style, battling extreme cold, blizzards, and financial hardship. On January 25, 2018, during their fourth joint winter attempt, Revol and Mackiewicz reached the summit of Nanga Parbat at 18:00 in -45°C temperatures, making Revol only the second woman in history to conquer an 8,000-metre peak in winter and the first on Nanga Parbat. On the summit ridge, Mackiewicz suffered catastrophic snow blindness, cerebral edema, and frostbite. Revol guided him down to a crevasse at 7,280 metres, provided him with all remaining shelter, and fought her way down alone through hallucinations and frostbite until being rescued at 6,000 metres by Polish climbers Denis Urubko and Adam Bielecki. In May 2019, following medical treatment for severe frostbite, Revol returned to the Himalayas and scaled Mount Everest and Lhotse consecutively without supplemental oxygen, cementing her standing as one of the most formidable female alpinists in history.
Notable Milestones & Ascents
- First woman to summit Nanga Parbat (8,126m) in winter, achieved on January 25, 2018, with Tomasz Mackiewicz
- Climbed Broad Peak, Gasherbrum I, and Gasherbrum II solo in alpine style without supplemental oxygen within 16 days in 2008
- Consecutive ascents of Mount Everest (8,848m) and Lhotse (8,516m) without supplemental oxygen in May 2019
- Second woman in mountaineering history to summit any 8,000-metre peak in winter
- Recipient of the Piolet d'Or Special Tribute for exemplary courage and high-altitude partnership
- Author of the internationally acclaimed mountaineering memoir To Live: Fighting for Life on the Killer Mountain
Key Statistics & Topographic Figures
- Historic Summit
- First female winter summit of Nanga Parbat (8,126m)
- Summit Date
- January 25, 2018
- Climbing Style
- Pure alpine style without supplemental oxygen
- Consecutive Peaks (2019)
- Everest and Lhotse without supplemental oxygen
- 16-Day Hat Trick (2008)
- Broad Peak, Gasherbrum I, Gasherbrum II solo
Archival Primary Source Quotations
“To live is not merely to breathe; it is to fight with every fiber of your spirit when the world has turned to ice.”
Defined Alpine Terminology & Concepts
- High-Altitude Cerebral Edema (HACE)
- A life-threatening swelling of brain tissue caused by severe hypoxia at extreme altitude, causing hallucinations and loss of motor coordination.
- Alpine Purism
- A philosophy emphasizing lightweight, self-sufficient climbing that eschews fixed ropes, supplementary oxygen, and sherpa support.
Frequently Asked Questions: Élisabeth Revol
Who is Élisabeth Revol and what historic milestone did she achieve?
Élisabeth Revol is a French alpinist who became the first woman in history to summit Nanga Parbat (8,126m) in winter on January 25, 2018.
Who was Élisabeth Revol's partner on her winter climbs of Nanga Parbat?
Polish climber Tomasz Mackiewicz, with whom she launched four joint winter campaigns in pure alpine style.
Did Élisabeth Revol use supplemental oxygen on Nanga Parbat?
No, she summited in pure alpine style without supplemental oxygen or high-altitude porters.
How did Élisabeth Revol survive her harrowing descent in 2018?
She sheltered Mackiewicz in a crevasse at 7,280 metres, descended alone through whiteouts and severe frostbite, and was rescued at 6,000 metres.
Which climbers rescued Élisabeth Revol on Nanga Parbat?
Denis Urubko and Adam Bielecki, who executed an extraordinary nighttime ascent up the Kinshofer Route to reach her.
What Himalayan feat did Élisabeth Revol complete in May 2019?
She climbed Mount Everest (8,848m) and Lhotse (8,516m) consecutively without supplemental oxygen just sixteen months after her ordeal.
What solo feat did Élisabeth Revol accomplish in the Karakoram in 2008?
She climbed Broad Peak, Gasherbrum I, and Gasherbrum II solo in alpine style without oxygen in sixteen days.
What is the title of Élisabeth Revol's published memoir?
To Live: Fighting for Life on the Killer Mountain, published internationally in multiple languages.
Associated Summits (6)
Mount Everest
Mount Everest is the highest mountain above sea level on Earth, standing at an official elevation of 8,848.86 meters (29,031.7 ft). Straddling the international frontier between Nepal and China, it is known locally as Sagarmatha in Nepali ('Goddess of the Sky') and Chomolungma in Tibetan ('Mother Goddess of the World'). The peak rises into the extreme upper troposphere, where oxygen levels drop to barely one-third of sea-level pressure. Climbers face hurricane-force jet stream winds, severe frostbite conditions, shifting ice crevasses in the Khumbu Icefall, and the dangerous Death Zone above 8,000 meters.
Lhotse
Lhotse, at 8,516 meters (27,940 ft), is the fourth-highest mountain on Earth, connected directly to Mount Everest via the South Col. Renowned for its sheer 3,200-meter South Face, one of the most imposing rock and ice walls in alpinism, the standard route tackles the grueling Lhotse Couloir from the Western Cwm.
Nanga Parbat
Nanga Parbat, at 8,126 meters (26,660 ft), is the ninth-highest mountain on Earth and the western anchor of the Himalayas in Pakistan. It boasts the Rupal Face, the highest vertical precipice in the world at 4,600 meters from valley floor to summit. Known for profound climbing history, highlighted by Hermann Buhl's legendary solo summit without supplemental oxygen in 1953.
Gasherbrum I
Gasherbrum I, at 8,068 meters (26,470 ft), is the eleventh-highest mountain in the world. Named 'Hidden Peak' by explorer William Martin Conway due to its concealment behind surrounding Karakoram giants, it stands on the border between Pakistan and China. The peak was first climbed in 1958 by an American team led by Nick Clinch, and in 1992 Nazir Sabir summited it with Rajab Shah and Mehrban Shah, marking his fourth Pakistani eight-thousander.
Broad Peak
Broad Peak, at 8,051 meters (26,414 ft), is the twelfth-highest mountain in the world. Located in the Karakoram directly across the Godwin-Austen Glacier from K2, it is famous for its 1.5-kilometre-long summit crest. First climbed in lightweight alpine style without supplemental oxygen or high-altitude porters in 1957 by an Austrian team.
Gasherbrum II
Gasherbrum II, standing at 8,035 meters (26,362 ft), is the thirteenth-highest mountain on Earth and the third-highest peak of the Gasherbrum massif in the Karakoram. Located at the head of the Baltoro Glacier on the Pakistan-China frontier, it features a classic pyramidal profile with challenging ice couloirs. First summited in 1956 by an Austrian team, it was famously climbed in pure alpine style in 1982 by Reinhold Messner, Nazir Sabir, and Sher Khan.
Pioneered & Associated Routes (13)
Normal Route (West Ridge & Northwest Face)
The Normal Route on Broad Peak ascends the rugged western spur from the Godwin-Austen Glacier, navigating steep mixed rock ribs before entering the upper glacial basin beneath the high saddle (the Col). From the Col at 7,800 meters, climbers enter the Death Zone to tackle the long, corniced summit ridge leading across the Foresummit to the true summit at 8,051 meters. First conquered in 1957 by an Austrian team in lightweight alpine style without bottled oxygen, and climbed in 1982 by Reinhold Messner, Nazir Sabir, and Sher Khan in a groundbreaking rapid alpine push.
Mount Everest North Face (Hornbein Couloir Direct)
The North Face of Mount Everest via the Japanese Couloir and the sheer Hornbein Couloir is one of the most direct and formidable ice lines in the Himalayas. Rising 3,000 vertical meters from the Rongbuk Glacier to the summit, it funnels through a narrow 60-degree snow-and-ice cleft slicing straight through the Yellow Band and upper limestone cliffs of the North Face. In August 1986, Swiss alpinists Erhard Loretan and Jean Troillet executed one of the most audacious speed climbs in mountain history: climbing the entire face in a single 31-hour push at night without supplemental oxygen, tents, or fixed ropes. After summiting on August 30, they glissaded down the 3,000-meter face on their backs and buttocks in just 3.5 hours, completing the entire round trip in an astonishing 43 hours.
North Col & Northeast Ridge Route
The historic northern route on Mount Everest (8,848.86m), ascending from the Rongbuk and East Rongbuk glaciers to breach the icy wall of the North Col (7,020m). From the col, the route traverses the wind-blasted Northwest Ridge onto the North Face before joining the razor-like Northeast Ridge, navigating the notorious First, Second, and Third Steps in the Death Zone. This was the stage of George Mallory and Andrew Irvine's fateful 1924 climb and was first definitively surmounted on May 25, 1960, by Chinese climbers Wang Fuzhou, Qu Yinhua, and Gongbu.
Mount Everest Southwest Face (Bonington Route)
The Southwest Face of Mount Everest (8,848.86m) rises 2,300 vertical meters from the Western Cwm to the summit, presenting one of the largest and most forbidding rock and ice faces in the world. Dominated by the vertical 300-meter 'Rock Band' at 8,200–8,500 meters, the face repelled six international attempts between 1969 and 1974. In autumn 1975, a legendary British expedition led by Chris Bonington breached the face when Paul Braithwaite and Nick Estcourt unlocked the key ramp through the Rock Band. On September 24, 1975, Doug Scott and Dougal Haston climbed to the South Summit and pushed on to the main summit, becoming the first Britons to conquer Everest. Trapped by nightfall during their descent, they survived an epic open bivouac at 8,760 meters without oxygen, sleeping bags, or frostbite.
Mount Everest Complete West Ridge (Yugoslav Direct)
The Complete West Ridge of Mount Everest is one of the most formidable and sustained technical routes on the mountain. Pioneered in spring 1979 by an elite Yugoslav expedition led by Tone Škarja, the route tackles the integral knife-edge crest directly from the Lho La col (6,026m) all the way to the 8,848.86m summit. Unlike the 1963 American West Ridge route which diverted into the Hornbein Couloir from the North Face, the Yugoslav line stayed strictly along the razor-edge crest of the West Ridge, surmounting technical rock buttresses up to Grade V+ at extreme altitude before traversing around the Yellow Band. On May 13, 1979, Andrej Štremfelj and Nejc Zaplotnik achieved the first ascent of the complete ridge, followed two days later by Stane Belak, Marjan Manfreda, and Ang Phu Sherpa in one of the greatest feats in Himalayan history.
Northwest Face & Japanese Couloir (Normal Route)
The Northwest Face via the Japanese Couloir is the standard and most frequently climbed line on Gasherbrum I (8,068m / Hidden Peak). Starting from the South Gasherbrum Glacier, climbers traverse the shared lower icefall into the Gasherbrum Cwm, then branch southward toward the forbidding northwest wall. The technical centerpiece is the Japanese Couloir—a sustained 50 to 60-degree gully of hard blue ice and shattered rock leading to the high col and summit slopes. First ascended in 1958 by Americans Pete Schoening and Andy Kauffman via the South Ridge, the Japanese Couloir line became the modern benchmark, climbed rapidly in 1992 by Nazir Sabir, Rajab Shah, and Mehrban Shah.
Southwest Ridge (Normal Route)
The Southwest Ridge is the standard and historically celebrated route on Gasherbrum II (8,035m). Starting from the South Gasherbrum Glacier, climbers navigate the heavily crevassed lower icefall into the Gasherbrum Cwm before tackling the technical crux of the route: the steep mixed snow and ice crest known as the Banana Ridge. Above Camp III, the route traverses expansive snow basins into the Death Zone, making a final push up a delicate diagonal couloir to the summit. First climbed in 1956 by an Austrian team, and completed in rapid alpine style in 1982 by Reinhold Messner, Nazir Sabir, and Sher Khan.
Kinshofer Route (Diamir Face)
The Kinshofer Route is the standard climbing route up the Diamir Face on Nanga Parbat's western side. First climbed in 1962 by German mountaineer Toni Kinshofer and his teammates, it is famous for its early vertical crux, the Kinshofer Wall, which sits low on the mountain between Camp I and Camp II. Once past the wall, climbers face a massive glaciated amphitheater leading up into the freezing upper Bazhin Basin and summit shoulder.
Lhotse Normal Route (West Face & Couloir)
The Normal Route on Lhotse shares the Everest South Col route through the treacherous Khumbu Icefall and across the Western Cwm up to Camp 3 on the Lhotse Face (7,200m). Beyond the Yellow Band, the route splits right from the South Col route and ascends directly into the notorious Lhotse Couloir—a narrow, 500-meter vertical gully of 45-to-50-degree hard blue ice funneling into the 8,516m summit.
Mazeno Ridge Complete Traverse
The Mazeno Ridge of Nanga Parbat is widely considered the longest and most demanding high-altitude ridge on any eight-thousander, stretching an unbelievable 10 kilometres in length and traversing eight subsidiary peaks exceeding 7,000 metres before meeting the final summit pyramid. Long dubbed the last great problem of the Western Himalaya, it defeated numerous elite expeditions over three decades until British veterans Sandy Allan and Rick Allen completed the first full integral traverse and summit push in pure alpine style over eighteen heroic days in July 2012.
Central Pillar of the Rupal Face Direct
The Central Pillar of the Rupal Face on Nanga Parbat is the greatest vertical mountain wall on Earth, rising an astounding 4,100 metres from the Rupal Valley floor to the 8,126-metre summit. First attempted over decades, it was conquered in pure, lightweight alpine style between September 1 and 8, 2005, by American alpinists Steve House and Vince Anderson without fixed ropes, high camps, or supplemental oxygen, earning them the prestigious Piolet d'Or.
Rakhiot Flank & East Ridge (Original 1953 Route)
The historic original route on Nanga Parbat (8,126m), ascending from the Rakhiot Glacier over the heavily crevassed Rakhiot Icefall to reach the colossal Silbersattel (Silver Saddle) at 7,450 meters. From the saddle, the route traverses an immense high snow plateau for over three kilometers before negotiating the Bazhin Gap and climbing steep mixed rock ribs up the summit pyramid. Immortalized by Hermann Buhl's epic 41-hour solo summit without supplemental oxygen in July 1953.
South Col & Southeast Ridge (Normal Route)
The South Col Route along the Southeast Ridge is the historic path of the 1953 first ascent and the most popular route on Mount Everest. Starting from Base Camp on the Khumbu Glacier in Nepal, climbers navigate the shifting seracs of the Khumbu Icefall into the Western Cwm. The route then scales the icy 45-degree slope of the Lhotse Face to the South Col at 7,925 meters, launching the final summit bid through the Balcony, South Summit, and Hillary Step to the summit of Earth at 8,848.86 meters.
Documented Expeditions (1)
2018 Nanga Parbat Winter Summit & Epic Night Rescue Expedition
On January 25, 2018, French climber Élisabeth Revol and Polish alpinist Tomasz Mackiewicz achieved the historic winter ascent of Nanga Parbat (8,126m); during a tragic descent in which Mackiewicz perished, Polish climbers Denis Urubko and Adam Bielecki executed a miraculous night rescue to save Revol.
Associated Chronicles & Stories (1)
Into the Void: Élisabeth Revol's Winter Nanga Parbat and the Heroic Night Rescue
On January 25, 2018, Élisabeth Revol became the first woman to summit Nanga Parbat in winter, surviving a harrowing ordeal before a legendary night rescue by Denis Urubko and Adam Bielecki.
Documented Sources & Archival Citations
- To Live: Fighting for Life on the Killer Mountain(Élisabeth Revol / Vertebrate Publishing)
Supporting claim: Autobiographical account of the winter summit on Nanga Parbat and high-altitude survival
Accessed/Documented: 2026 - American Alpine Journal: Nanga Parbat in Winter(American Alpine Club)
Supporting claim: Official climb report and timeline of the January 2018 winter ascent and rescue
Accessed/Documented: 2026