For Maud and her climbing partner Guillaume Lagier, the ascent at the end of June marked the culmination of a journey that extended far beyond the granite walls of the Karakoram.

 Maud and Guillaume at the summit of Nameless Tower, Pakistan. ©Archives Vanpoulle

Setting out by car in March, the pair travelled 12,500km across Europe and Central Asia, skiing iconic lines along the way – including the Ushba South Face in Georgia – and completing a first ski descent of Patkhor (6,083m) SW Face in Tajikistan, before reaching the towering Trango massif and their long-held goal.

Widely regarded as one of the most beautiful big-wall routes, ‘Eternal Flame’ traces an elegant line up the Nameless Tower, combining sustained technical climbing with the commitment and complexity that come with operating at altitude in one of the planet’s most challenging mountain environments.

Maud comments: “There were hard conditions on the route with a lot of ice and snow, but step by step, with determination – and a good weather window – it worked. The ascent was the perfect image of the rest of our trip: patience, determination, and the acceptance of slowness are key.”

An IFMGA mountain guide and experienced alpinist, Maud has built her climbing life around exploration, from major alpine objectives to expeditions in the Alps, Patagonia and North America. Her ascent of ‘Eternal Flame’ adds another significant achievement to an already impressive career.

While the ascent of ‘Eternal Flame’ marks a major milestone, Maud’s and Guillaume’s adventure is far from over, with thousands of kilometres still ahead and the possibility of further climbing objectives awaiting them on the journey home. Follow their journey HERE.