Piolets d'Or

At the start of the 1990s, it was difficult to raise funds for major mountaineering expeditions in France. The French Federation of Mountaineering and Climbing could no longer fund expeditions (as it had done since the French Annapurna expeditions). Alpinist Jean-Claude Marmier, then president of the (or GHM), suggested an annual prize for "outstanding achievement in the world of alpinism" might increase the public profile (and thus sponsorship) of French mountaineering. He won the support of , then editor of the Grenoble-based French monthly climbing and mountaineering magazine, Montagnes, and in 1992 GHM and Montagnes announced the first Piolet d'Or award for the best alpine ascent of 1991 at the Autrans Mountain Film Festival. The situation came to a head during the 2007 Piolet d'Or awards over accusations by then GHM president, Leslie Fuscko, that Chaumereuil had imposed the shortlist, which led to the resignation of Jury President Andrej Štremfelj. Further controversy occurred when Marko Prezelj, a 2007 Piolet d'Or winner, wrote a public article criticizing the premise of the awards, and whether it was possible, or ethical, to have a single winner. The 2007 controversy led to a fundamental re-think of the structure of the awards, a long process that required the 2008 awards to be canceled. A new Charter was drawn up and the 2009 Piolet d'Or, the 17th awards, followed a very different format; multiple winners were announced (initially under different headings, but the headings were later dropped), a new "Lifetime Achievement Award" was announced (some awards were accused as being such an award in disguise), and the first female winner was announced. Jury President Doug Scott heralded the post-2008 Charter, saying: "This edition signals the rebirth of the Piolets d'Or. For us there are no winners, no losers. The honored are the ambassadors of an art, a passion." In 2013, the jury embraced the new Charter awarding Piolets to all six shortlisted nominees, an act that drew criticism from Montagnes. Since 2015, the winners have been announced in advance of the ceremony to emphasize that the ceremony was "a not a competition, but a celebration". In 2016, two of the award's biggest critics, Voytek Kurtyka and Marko Prezelj accepted their awards at the 2016 Piolets d'Or ceremony at La Grave; where only GHM remained from the original founders. In 2018, for the first time in its history, none of the award ceremony was held in France, when the Piolet d'Or ceremony was held at the Mountain Festival in Lądek-Zdrój, Poland. The awards in 2019 and 2020 were also presented at the festival in Lądek-Zdrój. The 2019 awards were overshadowed by the recent deaths of two of the three winners, David Lama and Hansjörg Auer. Multiple winners , Norway The following climbers have won more than one Piolet d'Or since its inception in 1992: • 5 times. Paul Ramsden (2003, 2013, 2016, 2017, 2023). • 4 times. Marko Prezelj (1992, 2007, 2015, 2016), Kazuya Hiraide (2009, 2018, 2020, 2024). • 3 times. Mick Fowler (2003, 2013, 2016), Kenro Nakajima (2018, 2020, 2024). • 2 times. (2002, 2004), Aleš Česen (2015, 2019), (2013, 2017), (2018, 2020), Marek Holeček (2018, 2020), (2013, 2017), (2011, 2022), Mark Richey (2012, 2020), Ueli Steck (2009, 2014), (2012, 2019), Steve Swenson (2012, 2020), Hayden Kennedy (2013, 2016). ==Criteria==

Post 2008, a new Charter was drafted to clarify the basis and values for deciding awards: ==Reception==

The Piolet d'Or is the highest honor in mountaineering and alpine climbing. In 2021, the New York Times described it as "Alpinism's biggest prize", and that even though it had some vocal critics, it had widespread support amongst the climbing community. They are often called the "Oscars of mountaineering". Criticism Over the years, a number of climbers have openly criticized and even rejected awards/or asked not to be considered: • In 2005, British climber Ian Parnell, who was nominated on several previous occasions, asked for his nomination to be withdrawn to allow what he considered to be superior American ascents to be shortlisted; in 2006, Parnell wrote a lengthy critique of the awards in Alpinist, and concluded "The Piolet d'Or is certainly here to stay; in fact, its recent controversy has elevated its profile ..." • In 2006, Italian climbers Alessandro Beltrami, Rolando Garibotti, and Ermanno Salvaterra asked their ascent of the north face of Cerro Torre not be considered, saying: "It was the essence of the experience that interested us most. An award such as the Piolet d'Or tries to quantify this essence and attempts to judge the quality of the experience.... How could there be any real value to such a subjective judgment? How to judge elusive concepts like elegance and imagination?" In 2008, Garibotti also asked the jury not to consider the Torre Traverse he completed with Colin Haley. • In 2007, multiple award winner Marko Prezelj publicly rejected the award on stage to express his opposition to competition in alpinism; Prezelj then wrote a brutal critique of the awards in Alpinist magazine, that finished with the line: "I apologize if I have offended anyone who is addicted to Miss Fame; she gets around so watch out for STDs." After the new Charter in 2009, Prezelj would later reconcile himself with the awards, and accepted his 3rd Piolet in 2015 in Chamonix, and his 4th Piolet d'Or in 2016 at the ceremony in La Grave. • In 2010, Polish climber Wojciech Kurtyka declined the invitation to accept the newly created "Lifetime Achievement Award" by GHM President Christian Trommsdorff, saying "I always had a sense of escaping to the mountains from everyday social bullshit, and now you propose to me to take part in it." Kurtyka was even more forceful in declining it in 2011 and 2012, saying: "Sorry. NO. NO! I will not be talking about Piolets d’Or anymore." However, in 2016, Kurtyka accepted the 8th "Lifetime Achievement Award" at the ceremony in La Grave. == 2024 award (32nd awards) ==

The 2024 Piolet d'Or winners were announced in October 2024 by a 7-person technical jury consisting of Lise Billon, Jack Tackle, Mikel Zabalza, Genki Narumi, Toni Gutch, Aleš Česen, and Enrico Rosso. • Jordi Corominas won the 16th Lifetime Achievement Award. • North face (Secret Line) of Terich Mir by Kazuya Hiraide and Kenro Nakajima. • North face and northwest ridge (Round Trip Ticket) of Jannu (2,700m, M7 AI5+ A0, 5 days) in the Kangchenjunga Himal by Matt Cornell, Jackson Marvell, and Alan Rousseau. • North face (Tomorrow Is Another Day) of Flat Top (1,400m, ED, 5c A2 WI4 M6) in the Kishtwar Himalaya by Hugo Béguin, Matthias Gribi, and Nathan Monard. • "Special Mention" for the first ascent of the west face (Diamonds on the Soles of the Shoes) on Kabru South by Romano Benet and Nives Meroi. Noted as 'most notable new route at altitude by a party involving a female alpinist. == 2023 award (31st awards) ==

The 2023 Piolet d'Or winners were announced in October 2023 by a 7-person technical jury consisting of Lise Billon, Ines Papert, Nikita Balabanov, Ales Česen, Martin Elias, Genki Narumi and Jack Tackle. • George Lowe won the 15th Lifetime Achievement Award. • South-southeast spur (Reino Hongo) of Jirishanca (1,000m, M7 AI5+ 3-days, alpine style) in the Cordillera Huayhuash by Alik Berg and Quentin Roberts. • North face (Phantom Line) of the Jugal Spire (1,300m, ED, 5-days) in the , Nepal, by Tim Miller and Paul Ramsden (5th Piolet). • South face (The Crystal Ship) of Pumari Chhish East (1,600m, 5.10+ M7 A2, 5-days) in the Hispar Muztagh by Christophe Ogier, Victor Saucède and Jérôme Sullivan. • "Special Mention" for the first ascent of the East face (Via Sedna) of the Northern Sun Spire (780m, 6b to 7b+) in East Greenland by Capucine Cotteaux, Caro North, and Nadia Royo; noted as 'minimal carbon footprint' expedition that used sailing boats. == 2022 award (30th awards) ==

The 2022 Piolet d'Or winners were announced in October 2022 by a 6-person technical jury consisting of Conrad Anker, Alex Bluemel, Genki Narumi, Paul Ramsden, Patrick Wagnon, and Mikel Zabalza: • Silvo Karo won the 14th Lifetime Achievement award. • Northwest face of Saraghrar (7,340m, ED2 5.10 A3+ M5+, 8-days, alpine style) in Hindu Kush, Pakistan, by Georgians Archil Badriashvili, Baqar Gelashvili, and Giorgi Tepnadze. • Moonwalk Traverse of the Cerro Chaltén Group (South-to-North, 5,000-metres, 10 summits, 5-days, rope solo) in Patagonia, by (2nd Piolet) • "Special Jury Award" for the Southeast Ridge (Patience) of Annapurna III (7,555m, 5.10a A3 M6, 16-days) in Nepal, by Ukrainians Mykyta Balabanov, Mykhailo Fomin, and Viacheslav Polezhaiko. == 2021 award ==

The 2021 Piolet d'Or winners were announced in October 2021 by a 6-person technical jury consisting of Ines Papert, Kelly Cordes, Victor Saunders, Valery Babanov, and Helias Millerioux: • won the 13th Lifetime Achievement award. • Emperor face (Running in the Shadows) of Mount Robson (2,500m, VI M6 AI5 A0, 2-days, alpine style) in the Canadian Rockies, by American Ethan Berman and Briton Uisdean Hawthorn. • South face and southwest ridge (Revers Gagnant) of Sani Pakkush (2,600m, M4+ WI 4+, 2-days, alpine style) in the Tolltar Valley, Pakistan, by French climbers Pierrick Fine and Symon Welfringer. • "Special Mention" for Catalan climber Silvia Vidal for her "cutting edge big wall solo ascents around the world". == 2020 award ==

The 2020 Piolet d'Or winners were announced in August 2020 by an 8-person technical jury consisting of Kazuaki Amano, Nikita Balabanov, Aleš Česen, Gerlinde Kaltenbrunner, Helias Millerioux, Enrico Rosso, Victor Saunders and Raphael Slawinski. • Catherine Destivelle won the 12th Lifetime Achievement award. • Northwest face (the UFO Line) of Chamlang (2,500m, WI5 M6, 6-days, alpine style) in Nepal, by Czech climbers Marek Holeček (2nd Piolet) and Zdeněk Hák (2nd Piolet). • West face (Release The Kraken) of Tengi Ragi Tau (1,600m, AI5 M5+, 4-days, alpine style) in Nepal, by American climbers Alan Rousseau and Tino Villanueva. • South face and southeast ridge of Rakaposhi (4,000m, 6-days, alpine style) in Pakistan, by Japanese climbers Kazuya Hiraide and Kenro Nakajima (2nd Piolet). • Southeast face of Link Sar (2,300m, AI4 M6+, 8-days) in Pakistan, by American climbers Mark Richey (2nd Piolet), Steve Swenson (2nd Piolet), Chris Wright, and Graham Zimmerman. ==2019 award (deaths of Lama and Auer) ==

The 2019 Piolet d'Or winners were announced in July 2019 by a 7-person technical jury consisting of Sandy Allan, Kazu Amano, Valeri Babanov, Jordi Corominas, Fred Degoulet, Ines Papert, Andrej Štremfelj; for a second time the awards were held at the Ladek Mountain Festival, but were overshadowed by the recent deaths of two of the winners, David Lama and Hansjörg Auer. • Krzysztof Wielicki won the 11th Lifetime Achievement Award. • West ridge and the first ascent of Lunag Ri (1,500m, 2-days, solo) on the border of Tibet and Nepal, by recently deceased Austrian climber David Lama; his award was accepted by his family. • West face and the first ascent of Lupghar Sar West (1,000m, M4, 1-day, solo) in the Hispar Muztagh, by recently deceased Austrian climber Hansjörg Auer; his award was accepted by his friends. • North ridge and South face of Latok I (2,500m, ED+, 8-days) in the Karakoram, by Slovenian climbers Aleš Česen (2nd Piolet) and Luka Stražar (2nd Piolet), and British climber Tom Livingstone. ==2018 award (leaves France) ==

The 2018 Piolet d'Or winners were announced at the new later time of August 2018 by a 7-person technical jury consisting of Valeri Babanov, Kelly Cordes, Jordi Corominas, Mick Fowler, Yannick Graziani, Silvo Karo, and Raphael Slawinsky; it was also announced that the ceremony would be held at the Ladek Film Festival in Poland, the first time there was no French ceremony. • Andrej Štremfelj won the 10th Lifetime Achievement award. • Southwest face (Satisfaction!) of Gasherbrum I (2,600m, ED+ WI5+ M7, 8-days) in Pakistan, by Czech climbers Marek Holeček and Zdeněk Hák. • Northeast face and traverse of Shispare (2,700m, WI5 M6, 7-days, alpine style) in Pakistan, by Japanese climbers Kazuya Hiraide and Kenro Nakajima. • South face of Nuptse Nup II (2,200m, WI6 M5+, 8-days, alpine style) in Nepal, by French climbers Frédéric Degoulet, Benjamin Guigonnet and . • "Special mention" for the southwest face of Nilkantha (1,400m, WI5 M6 A0, 5-days) in India, by American climbers Chantel Astorga, Anne Gilbert Chase, and Jason Thompson. • "Special mention" to Alex Honnold for outstanding contribution to climbing throughout the 2017 year. ==2017 award ==

The 2017 Piolet d'Or winners were announced in April 2017 by an 8-person technical jury consisting of Kazu Amano, Valery Babanov, Hervé Barmasse, Kelly Cordes, Andy Houseman, Thomas Huber, Sebastien Ratel, and Raphael Slawinski. • Jeff Lowe won the 9th Lifetime Achievement award. • North buttress and the first ascent of Nyainqentangla South East (1,600m, ED+) in Tibet, by British climbers Paul Ramsden (4th Piolet), and Nick Bullock. • North buttress of Thalay Sagar (1,400m, ED2, M7 WI5 5.10a A3, 8-days) in Gangotri, India, by Russian climbers (2nd Piolet), Dmitry Grigoriev, and (2nd Piolet). • "Special mention" for the south face of Gangapurna (1,500m, ED+) in Nepal, by Korean climbers Cho Seok-mun, Kim Chang-ho, and Park Joung-yong. • "Special mention" for the Travesia del Torre Cerro Torre Group (1,600m, 5.10c, C1, 1-day) in Patagonia, by American climbers Colin Haley and Alex Honnold. ==2016 award ==

The 2016 Piolet d'Or winners were announced in April 2016 by a 9-person technical jury consisting of Valeri Babanov, Hervé Barmasse, Seb Bohin, Simon Elias, Yasuhiro Hanatani, Silvo Karo, Michael Kennedy, Victor Saunders, and Raphael Slawinski. After several years of lobbying, Wojciech Kurtyka agreed to accept a "Lifetime Achievement Award". • Wojciech Kurtyka won the 8th Lifetime Achievement award. • North-northwest pillar (Daddy Magnum Force) of Talung (1,700m, ED+ M6 A3, 5-days, alpine style) on the Nepalese-Indian border, by Ukrainian climbers and . • North face and the first ascent of Gave Ding (1,600m, ED+, 5-days, alpine style) in Nepal, by British climbers Mick Fowler and Paul Ramsden (3rd Piolet for each). • Northwest pillar (Hasta las Webas) of Cerro Riso Paron (1,000m, ED-, AI5+ M5, 3-days) in Patagonia, by French Jerome Sullivan, , and Antoine Moineville, and Argentine Diego Simari. • East face (Light before Wisdom) of (1,200m, ED+, 5.11 WI6 M6 A2, 3-days) in the Indian Himalayas, by an international climbing team of Marko Prezelj (Slovenia; 4th Piolet), Hayden Kennedy (USA; 2nd Piolet ), Manu Pellissier (France), and (Slovenia). ==2015 award (pre-announced) ==

The 2015 Piolet d'Or winners were announced in March 2015 by a 9-person technical jury consisting of Kazuki Amano, Valeri Babanov, Hervé Barmasse, Stephane Benoist, Andy Houseman, Michael Kennedy, Ines Papert, Raphael Slawinski, and Andrej Štremfelj; in a departure from previous years, the winners were announced before the ceremony so the event was "not a competition, but a celebration". National Geographic noted that Alex Honnold's Piolet was the first to a climber who had never previously led an ice climb. • Chris Bonington won the 7th Lifetime Achievement award. • Southwest face (Shy Girl) of Thamserku (1,620m, M4/M5, A2, 8-days, alpine style) in Nepal, by Russian climbers Aleksander Gukov and Aleksey Lonchinskiy. • North face of (1,350m, ED, 2-days, alpine style) India, by Slovenian climbers Aleš Česen, Luka Lindič, and Marko Prezelj (3rd Piolet). • Fitz Traverse of the Cerro Chaltén Group (North-to-South and opposite of the Moonwalk Traverse, 5 km, 8-peaks, up to 5.11d C1, 4-days, alpine style) in Patagonia, by American climbers Tommy Caldwell and Alex Honnold. ==2014 award ==

The 2014 Piolet d'Or winners were announced in March 2014 by a 6-person technical jury consisting of George Lowe, Denis Urubko, Catherine Destivelle, Erri De Luca (the Italian writer), Karen Steinbach, and Lim Sung-muk; • John Roskelley won the 6th Lifetime Achievement award. but upheld by witnesses. • Northwest face and west ridge of K6 (2,700m, 5-days, alpine style) in Pakistan, by Canadian climbers Ian Welsted and Raphael Slawinski. ==2013 award (everybody wins) ==

The 2013 Piolet d'Or winners were announced in April 2013 by a 4-person technical jury consisting of Stephen Venables, Silvo Karo, Katsutaka Yokoyama, and Gerlinde Kaltenbrunner; in an unprecedented move, the jury announced that the entire short-list of six nominated ascents would receive a Piolet d'Or. Montagnes magazine issued a statement condemning the decision saying that it: "weakens the event and its status, blurs the image of mountaineering in the eyes of the public and does not reflect the true personality of mountaineers who make history". • Kurt Diemberger won the 5th Lifetime Achievement award. ==2012 award (20th awards) ==

The 2012 Piolet d'Or winners were announced in March 2012 by a 6-person technical jury consisting of Michael Kennedy, Valeri Babanov, Alberto Iñurrategi, Ines Papert, Liu Yong, and Alessandro Filippini (Italian journalist). The event was held in France and Italy and two Piolets were awarded from the short-list of 6 ascents, as well as a "Special mention". • won the 4th Lifetime Achievement Award. • Southwest face (The Old Breed) and the first ascent of Saser Kangri II East (1,700m, WI4 M3, 4-days) in Eastern Karakoram in India, by American climbers Mark Richey, Steve Swenson, and Freddie Wilkinson; at the time, it was the second highest unclimbed peak in the world (after Gangkhar Puensum, which is closed to climbing). • Northwest face (Sanjači zlatih jam) of K7 West (1,600m, VI/5, M5, A2, 6-days) in the Karakorum, by Slovenian climbers Nejc Marcic and Luka Strazar. • "Special mention" for the south face of Torre Egger (950m, 6b+ A1 AI6, 2-days) in Patagonia, by Norwegian climbers and Ole Lied. ==2011 award ==

The 2011 Piolet d'Or winners were announced in April 2011 by a 6-person technical jury consisting of Greg Child (Jury President), Enrico Rosso, Yannick Graziani, Simon Anthamatten, Michael Pause (German journalist), and Hiroshi Hagiwara (Japanese journalist); underlying the "new post-2008 Charter" for assessing ascents, the winners were very diverse expeditions underlining the "spirit of Alpinism". • Doug Scott won the 3rd Lifetime Achievement Award. • Southwest face (I-TO) of Mount Logan (2,500m, ED+, WI5 M6, 5-days, ultra-lightweight alpine style) in Canada, by Japanese climbers Yasushi Okada and . • , , and Olivier Favresse (Belgian), Ben Ditto (USA), and Bob Shepton (UK) for their "Greenland Big Walls" expedition. ==2010 award ==

The winners of the 2010 Piolet d'Or were announced in Chamonix (France) and Courmayeur (Italy) from 8–10 April 2010 by a 6-person technical jury consisting of Andrej Štremfelj (Jury President), Jordi Corominas, Lindsay Griffin (British journalist), Anna Piunova (Russian journalist), Robert Schauer, and Kei Taniguchi. In a break with tradition, Christian Trommsdorff, chairman of Piolets d'Or organizer Groupe de Haute Montagne, said at the ceremony that the winners exemplified the new post-2008 Charter, while the other nominees did not make the cut. Also at the ceremony, Reinhold Messner was supportive of the new Charter, saying: "Alpinism starts where tourism stops. Today's trade routes on the 8000-meter peaks—climbed by commercial expeditions using fixed ropes, camps and Sherpas—are pure tourism that has nothing to do with alpinism. The Piolet d'Or celebrates alpinism." • Reinhold Messner won the 2nd Lifetime Achievement Award. • Southeast face of Cho Oyu (2,600m, M6 6b A2/3) in Nepal, by Kazakh climbers Denis Urubko and Boris Dedeshko. • North face of Xuelian (2,650m, M6 WI5 5.7 R) in Chinese Tien Shan, by American climbers Jed Brown and Kyle Dempster, and Scottish climber Bruce Normand. ==2009 award (new Charter)==

The Piolet d'or 2009 took place in Chamonix-Mont-Blanc (France) and Courmayeur in the Aosta Valley (Italy) on the 24th and 25 April 2009 by a 6-person technical jury consisting of Doug Scott (Jury President), Dario Rodriguez, Dodo Kopold, Jim Donini, Peter Habeler, and Yong ImDuck. Jury President Doug Scott heralded the new post-2008 Charter, saying: "This edition signals the rebirth of the Piolets d'Or. For us there are no winners, no losers. The honored are the ambassadors of an art, a passion." Jury member Peter Habeler added: "It is not a question of reaching success at all costs, by using financial or technical means (such as oxygen, fixed ropes, Sherpas, doping products etc.…). What counts is the style. Today even if the summit hasn't been reached, the expedition can be honoured if it is innovative." In a new departure, three winners were announced under the headings of "Spirit of Exploration", "Commitment", and "Technical Difficulty" (this explicit sub-categorization would not be repeated in the future), a new "Lifetime Achievement Award" was created with Bonatti as the first recipient, and the first female Piolet winner, Kei Taniguchi, was announced. • Walter Bonatti won the first Lifetime Achievement Award. • North face (Checkmate) or Tengkampoche (2,000m, M7, WI5 5.10 A0) in the Khumbu Valley in Nepal, by Swiss climbers Ueli Steck and ; for "Technical Difficulty" award. • Southwest face (Samurai Direct) of Kamet (1,800m, M5+, WI5+, 12-days) in India, by Japanese climbers Kazuya Hiraide and Kei Taniguchi (first female winner); the "Spirit of Exploration" award. • North face of Kalanka (1,800m, M5) in India, by Japanese climbers Fumitaka Ichimura, Yusuke Sato, and Kazuki Amano; the "Commitment" award. ==2008 award (cancelled)==

After the controversy of the 2007 awards, Philippe Descamps, the editor of Montagnes, looked for a wider opinion on how to improve the awards. The three co-founders of the awards, the GHM, Montagnes and Guy Chaumereuil (the editor of Montagnes when the awards were founded), produced a new "Charter", and decided to hold the 2008 ceremony not exclusively in France, as in the past, but south of the border in the Val d'Aosta, in Italy. Concern still lingered over the need for stronger independent jury panels in deciding a winner, and whether there should be just a single winner. These issues could not be resolved easily, and in January 2008, it was announced that the 2008 Piolet d'Or would be canceled while these debates were still in process. ==2007 award (controversy)==