Instead of announcing a short group of nominees, the organizers of the Piolet d’Or Award have released what they call the “big list of significant ascents.”
While the favorite is likely the American team which opened a direct new route on the North Face of Jannu (Nepal, Kangchenjunga region) last fall, the list highlights a rich assortment of adventures. ExplorersWeb reported on nearly all of them and a few were already selected for our Best of 2023 list.
The Piolet d’Or list was compiled by Lindsay Griffin and Dougald MacDonald of the American Alpine Journal, and Rodolphe Popier, formerly of 8,000ers.com.
Sixty remarkable ascents
Activities around the world highlighted by the Piolet d’Or organizers.
The list includes seven ascents in Pakistan, six in India, ten in Nepal, one in Tibet, three in China, one in Georgia, two in Russia, two in Kyrgyzstan, three in Greenland (Denmark), six in Alaska (U.S.), two in the rest of the U.S., two in Canada, three in Peru, one in Bolivia, four in Patagonia (Argentina-Chile), one in New Zealand, four in Norway, and eight in the European Alps (France/Italy/Switzerland).
That makes for a grand total of 66 ascents and a tough job for the technical jury, comprising Lise Billon of France, Jack Tackle of the U.S., Mikel Zabalza of Spain, Genki Narumi of Japan, Toni Gutsch of Germany, Ales Cesen of Slovenia, and Enrico Rosso of Italy. However, if recent Piolet d’Or trends hold, the jurors will pick more than one ascent.
The organization committee also noted that they will include a Special Mention Award “to promote female alpinism.”
Women promoted but not nominated
Interestingly, there is not an all-female team among the eligible climbs. The only female representation comes from team members in seven of the 60 climbs:
14×8,000’ers summiter Nives Meroi of Italy, who climbed Kabru South (Kangchenjunga region, Nepal) with her husband Romano Benet and Slovak Peter Hamor.
Nives Meroi during the first ascent to Kabru South. Photo: Peter Hamor
Olga Lukashenko of Russia, who climbed Pik Ulun in Kyrgyzstan with Evgeny Murin and Ilya Penyaev.
Russian Marina Popova, who climbed Pik Breeze in the Pamir Alai with Denis Prokofiev.
American Michelle Dvorak and Brit Fay Manners, who climbed Greenland’s Ataatup Tower with the late Martin Feistl.
Silvia Loreggian of Italy, after her climb of Cemetery Spire (2,316m) in Alaska’s Kichatna Mountains, via Gold Rush (600m, 5.12a A1+), with Stefano Ragazzo.
Maria Teresa Llampa Vasquez of Bolivia, for a new route on the southwest face of Huallomen (5,463m), Bolivia’s Cordillera Real, with fellow Bolivian Ronaldo Choque and Italian Daniele Assolari.
Tribute to the fallen
On Dec. 6, the Golden Iceaxes will be awarded during a ceremony held in San Martino di Castrozza, in the Italian Dolomites.
There will be time to greet the winners and discuss the climbs of the year, but also to pay tribute to five climbers, all of them Piolet d’Or awardees, who lost their lives in 2024. Dmitry Golovchenko and Serguey Nilov of Russia perished in subsequent expeditions on Gasherbrum IV. A lightning strike killed Archil Adriashvili of Georgia while climbing Shkhelda. And Kazuya Hiraide and Kenro Nakajima of Japan lost their lives while trying to open a route on the West Face of K2.
Kazuya Hiraide (left) and Kenro Nakajima at one of their several Piolet d’Or ceremonies. Photo: Magorzata Telega
In a sad twist, Hiraide and Nakajima are among the eligible candidates for the Piolet d’Or this year. The pair are nominated for their first ascent of The Secret Line (2,200m) on the north face (and subsequent traverse) of Tirich Mir (7,708m) in the Hindu Kush. We chose their ascent as our top expedition of 2023.
