# Lara Neumeier First Female Ascent of Rhapsody

> Lara Neumeier becomes first woman to climb British E11 grade Rhapsody (E11 7a/5.14c) at Dumbarton Rock, Scotland.
- Title: Lara Neumeier First Female Ascent of Rhapsody · Climbing
- Summary: Lara Neumeier becomes first woman to climb British E11 grade Rhapsody (E11 7a/5.14c) at Dumbarton Rock, Scotland. Lara Neumeier made the first female ascent…
- Keywords: lara neumeier, seahawks, seattle, nfl, sports, travel, Lara, Neumeier, First, Female, Ascent, Rhapsody
- Source: Climbing — https://climbing.com/news/lara-neumeier-first-female-ascent-rhapsody
- Author: Natalie Berry
- Published: 2026-10-19T17:01:49+00:00
- Read time: 2 min
- Topics: lara neumeier, seahawks, seattle, nfl, sports, travel
## First Female Ascent
Lara Neumeier made the first female ascent of Rhapsody (E11 7a/5.14c) at Dumbarton Rock, Scotland on October 7, 2026.
## Historic Route
Rhapsody is a 35-meter trad line with a 7c+/5.13a hand crack and a 10-meter runout, graded E11 7a/5.14c.
## First Woman to Reach E11
Neumeier became the fifth woman to climb a 5.14c trad route, joining Beth Rodden, Barbara Zangerl, Hazel Findlay, and Emma Twyford.
## Historic Significance
Rhapsody was established by Dave MacLeod in 2006 as the world’s first E11 grade, with Neumeier being the first woman to climb it.
## Training and Preparation
Neumeier trained with Austrian climber Nemuel 'Nemo' Feurle over two visits to Scotland, climbing for five days on top rope before lead attempts.
## The Whippers
Rhapsody carries potential for huge 60 to 70-foot whippers, with Neumeier taking 20-30 falls during her attempt.
## Climbing Challenges
Neumeier described the top section as physically and mentally challenging, with small footholds that made her feel like she was going to slip.
## Route Comparison
Rhapsody is longer than Meltdown and has a crux at the top, making it harder than Magic Line in Yosemite.
## Historic Context
Dumbarton Rock is a 240-foot volcanic basalt plug with a 1,500-year-old castle, known for hard trad climbing.
## Celebration
Neumeier celebrated with pizza, whisky, and darts at a Scottish pub after her ascent.
## Historic Achievement
Neumeier became the first woman to climb the British E11 grade, joining a small group of women who have reached this level.
## Why Few Women Attempt
Rhapsody is known for being scary with big whippers, but Neumeier says the core climbing community knows it’s safe now.
## Future Plans
Neumeier plans to find another hard trad line for next year after her success with Rhapsody.
## Historic Impact
Rhapsody has inspired many climbers, with Neumeier noting it’s a special place for world-class hard climbing.
## The Route
Rhapsody involves an easy slab up to a 7c+/5.13a hand crack, followed by a 10-meter runout and a V11/8A crux headwall sequence.
## Key takeaway

Lara Neumeier made the first female ascent of Rhapsody (E11 7a/5.14c), becoming the fifth woman to climb a 5.14c trad route and first woman to reach the British E11 grade.