Marianne Chapuisat (born 17 January 1969) is a Swiss mountaineer. Chapuisat is recognized as being the first woman to summit an eight-thousander in the winter season.
Chapuisat was born in Vevey, Switzerland on 17 January 1969. [1] At age 17, she joined a local alpine club and began mountaineering. [2]
In 1991, Chapuisat summited Aconcagua, her highest summit to date. [3]
On 10 February 1993, Chapuisat successfully summitted Cho Oyu, becoming the first woman to summit one of world's highest peaks during the winter season. [4] It would take 25 years before another woman would match her accomplishment, when Elisabeth Revol summited Nanga Parbat in 2018. [5]
Chapuisat later described her successful summit as "beginner's luck", as she considered herself only a part time mountaineer. It would be several years before she returned to the Himalayas. In 2000, she attempted to be the first Swiss woman to summit Mount Everest. [1] [6] Chapuisat had to turn back 180 meters from the summit due to poor weather. [7]
In 2003, Chapuisat summited Gasherbrum II and Gasherbrum I. In 2005, she summited Nanga Parbat. [1] Chapuisat completed all of her four summits alpine-style, without using supplemental oxygen or high altitude porters. [7]