DiGuillian and Ordóñez make first female ascent of Bravo Les Filles (F8b), Madagascar
- Tuesday 8th July 2025
Sasha DiGuillian and Marianna Ordóñez make first female ascent of 600m Bravo Les Filles, Madagascar.
Originally climbed over a 15 day effort in 1999 by an all-female team of Lynn Hill, Lynn Hill, Kath Pike and Beth Rodden, Bravo Les Filles is a the 600m multi-pitch route on Tsaranoro Kelly in Madagascar. Sadly, and despite freeing all the moves, Lynne Hill was unable to link the crux pitch and hence the route was graded 5.12c, A0. At the time, Bravos Les Filles was one of the hardest multi-pitch big walls in the world put up by an all-female team. Five years later the Eneko and Iker Pou, made the first free ascent of the route grading it F8b.
Renowned for her penchant for multi-pitch climbing – especially in all female teams – Sasha DiGuillian, and her climbing partner Marianna Ordóñez, travelled to Madagascar in early June.
Posting on Instagram, DiGullian outlined her passion for Madagascar saying:
“In transit to Tsaranoro, Madagascar.
This place has held a special place in my heart since 2017, when I first came here to climb “Mora Mora.” I was blown away by the rugged, wild terrain, framed by a mountainous horizon dotted with epic granite walls.”
Posting again on June 19th DiGuillain confirmed her objective and the rationale behind her goal:
“I was first drawn to this line when @_linacolina_ told me stories from developing it in the late 90’s with Nancy Feagin, Kath Pyke and @bethrodden — while we were developing Queen Line in Boulder, CO together (ft in Here to Climb on @hbomax ). We had a lot of time to chat and learn about each others’ adventures. This trip stood out to me as remarkably inspiring — Lynn led an all female expedition to develop arguably the hardest big wall established by a team of women. And had the braveness to go and do it — halfway around the World. They spent their time here bolting and climbing the line. Then, they ran out of time before they could free the crux pitch of the route. Having already freed The Nose — there’s no doubt with more time, Lynn would have sent it. But she didn’t come back— and while she knows (😉) we would have loved to have her on this trip, I voyaged down here to attempt to free it. That’s what we are working on! Bravo Les Filles 🤩”
Just four days later DiGillian had unlocked the crux pitch:
“Crux unlocked! First 2 weeks in Madagascar… after the 4 days it took us to arrive here, it has been epic!
After the first full day after touchdown, we started working on the climb that we are attempting. It’s a 2 hour hike in from Tsarasoa, where we are staying, and the last 30 mins is bush whacking through dense jungle. Our first night out we got lost for 5 hours (lol after 💀).
On the route we learned quite quickly that it would require some courage… while there are bolts and the initial terrain isn’t so hard (up to ~5,12+) some of the pitches have 4 bolts per 180 feet or so…it took a little time to adjust. We quested up the first ~400m/1200ft to the bottom of the crux pitch.
We fixed static lines to be able to haul and to film on the route with @jan_novak_photography — and to be able to try the crux. We then spent a day hauling 21L of water (enough to supply us for 3 nights) for a push effort. Our plan is to free the crux pitch then go from the ground and free it again after climbing the preceding pitches.
A lot in between but yesterday after our day of hauling and a night on the portaledge, I sent the crux pitch! ⛓️ 😽
Now we are going to rest, then camp at the base of the wall, and get started on an attempt free climbing from the ground up!”
Success wasn’t long in coming, on June 26th, Sasha DiGuillian and Marianna Ordóñez topped out. Posting about their success DiGullian said:
“We did it!!!! Bravo Les Filles — 8b(5.13d), 600m / ~ 2000ft — First Female FREE Ascent!
It was an adventurous one… full of spicy run outs til the very end. The first day we climbed pitches 1-9, I led first, then Mango. We swung leads til the first 5.12+ pitch — which Mango fell on the final move of, so she lowered, we pulled the rope, and I freed it.
Then was the 5.13d crux pitch; I sent it my first try which felt super lucky. I freed the next 5.12 pitch then we lowered to our portaledge at the base of the 5.13d pitch, slept the night, then had the final 600 feet to onsight the next day.
I lead these pitches - each honestly more run out than the last - with overgrown bushes that I could dig out some gear placements for along the way. By the time we made it to the top, I couldn’t find an anchor, so I built one and belayed Mango up.
We celebrated our hard earned effort getting there; absolutely all of it! We then saved the final light (it’s dark at 5pm here) to rappel down safely to our portaledge where we spent our final night before cleaning our camp and gear the next day on our final adventure back to the ground.
Elated, proud, and grateful to have had such a memorable experience on a legendary line with an incredible friend!!! Also grateful for the amazing line established by Lynn Hill, Nancy Feagin, Kath Pyke and Beth Rodden!”
In September2022, Sasha DiGiulian, Matilda Söderlund and Brette Harrington repeated Rayu, in Picos de Europa, Spain becoming the first all-women team to ever climb a F8c/5.14b big wall. Click here for that report.