Skip to main content
SeeChamonix

The Piolets d'Or - Celebrating Climbing History

This year the Piolets d'Or are more than the Oscars of Alpinism

featured in News & reviews Author Daniel Wildey, Guest Reporter Updated

Primarily the event is known for awarding the Golden Ice Axe to the stand-out ascents of the preceding year; in reality it has always been about celebrating alpinism as a culture. But in 2015 the Piolets d'Or will look to honour 150 years of alpine history.

The year 1865 is regarded as a benchmark for alpine climbing, and the start of the Golden Age of Alpinism, seeing first ascents of the Grand Jorasses, the Aiguille Verte and Mont Blanc via the Brenva Spur, among many other pioneering climbs across the Alps. As Chamonix prepares a summer of homage to that rich history it is fitting that the Piolets d'Or will launch the anniversary celebrations, holding its event jointly in Courmayeur and Chamonix, the home of alpinism.

One of the ways that the event acknowledges climbing history is by awarding a Piolets d'Or Carriere in recognition of a lifetime of achievement. In 2015 the recipient will be no less luminary a figure than British climber Sir Chris Bonington, for his promotion of mountaineering as much as for his personal achievements. Given that British climbers were instrumental in some of the ground breaking ascents of the Golden Age, it seems appropriate that Sir Chris Bonington will be honoured in this anniversary year.

In 2012 and 2013 there were the beginnings of a new Golden Age, with phenomenal achievements in mountaineering, but a combination of poor weather and politics saw the pace slow a little in 2014. Nevertheless, some notable ascents are shortlisted for this year which fit the charter of the Piolets d'Or, paraphrased on their website:

"The style should take precedence over the conquest of an objective. Success is no longer about getting to the summit at all costs, employing all possible financial and technical means, (oxygen, fixed ropes, doping products, etc) or large-scale human resources (high-altitude porters or sherpas). The Piolets d’Or event encourages imagination in searching for innovative routes using a maximum of economy of means, making use of experience and respecting man and nature. The Piolets d’Or is attached to making climbing a shared and valued richness all over the world, capable of attracting the best of human ambitions whilst encompassing moral values and edifying behaviour."

In other words they hope to promote a style of climbing in which "the end does not justify the means."

There is a formidable list of mountaineers who have judged the ascents which fit this criteria: Kazuki Amano (Japan), Valeri Babanov (Russia), Herve Barmasse (Italy), Stephane Benoist (France), Andy Houseman (UK), Michael Kennedy (USA), Ines Papert (Germany), Raphael Slawinsky (Canada), and Andrej Stremfelj (Slovenia).

And those judges have nominated the following three climbs from the list of 2014 ascents (the complete list is available at www.pioletsdor.com):

The traverse of the Fitz Roy Group, Argentina, Patagonia (3,405 m)

From 12th-16th February 2014, Tommy Caldwell and Alex Honnold (USA) succeeded in completing the full traverse of the Fitz Roy Group from north to south. They traversed seven summits: Aguja Guillaumet, Aguja Mermoz, Cerro Fitz Roy (3,405m), Aguja Poincenot, Aguja Rafael Juarez, Aguja Saint-Exupery and Aguja de l'S, a total of 4,000m of ascent at a maximum grade 7a, and with ice sections at 65°. Such a traverse could only be contemplated by very rapid climbers.

Thamserku - Nepal, Khumbu (6,618 m)

Alexander Gukov and Alexey Lonchinsky (Russia) made the first ascent of the 1,620m high Southwest Face. Their route, which required six bivouacs, has been named Shy Girl. They estimated the grade at Russian 6A/6B, with passages of steep ice, mixed sections of M4-M5, and four pitches of A2. The descent was via the South Ridge and Southwest Face, where they made twenty-two abseils.

Hagshu - India, Kisthwar (6,657 m)

Ales Cesen, Luka Lindic and Marko Prezelj (Slovenia) made the first ascent of the 1,350m North face at ED, 90° ice. On the first day the steepness and difficulty of the ice forced them to climb until two o’clock the following morning. They summitted the next day, 30th September, at 5pm, traversed to the main summit and then descended by the original route, first opened in 1989 by Poles.

We'll have full coverage of the event in Chamonix and Courmayeur from 9th - 12th April 2015. So stayed posted and keep up to date with our news and event review sections.