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Piolets D'Or
The Piolets d'Or (, "Golden Ice Axe") is an annual mountaineering and alpine climbing award organized by the (GHM), and previously with co-founder ''Montagnes Magazine'', since its founding in 1992. Golden ice axes are presented to the annual winners at a weekend awards festival based on their achievements in the previous year. It is considered mountaineering's highest honor and is referred to as the "Oscars of mountaineering". The Piolets have progressed from being a competition-like single-award event (Le Piolet d'Or) into a broader celebration of mountaineering and alpinism, with several awards made (Les Piolets d'Or). After a crisis in 2008, the Charter for the awards was rewritten to focus on the style and innovation of the nominations, respect for the mountain, environment, and future climbing generations, and to increase the independence and transparency of the award process; the official name was also changed to the plural. History At the start of the 1990s, it was di ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ice Axe
An ice axe is a multi-purpose hiking and climbing tool used by mountaineers in both the ascent and descent of routes that involve snow or ice covered (e.g. ice climbing or mixed climbing) conditions. Its use depends on the terrain: in its simplest role it is used like a walking stick, with the mountaineer holding the head in the center of their uphill hand. On steep terrain it is swung by its handle and embedded in snow or ice for security and an aid to traction. It can also be buried pick down, the rope tied around the shaft to form a secure anchor on which to bring up a second climber, or buried vertically to form a stomp belay. The adze is used to cut footholds, as well as scoop out compacted snow to bury the axe as a belay anchor. History The ice axe of today has its roots in the long-handled alpenstock that came before it. Not only is an ice axe used as a climbing aid, but also as a means of self-arrest in the event of a slip downhill. Most ice axes meet design a ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Poland
Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It extends from the Baltic Sea in the north to the Sudetes and Carpathian Mountains in the south, bordered by Lithuania and Russia to the northeast, Belarus and Ukraine to the east, Slovakia and the Czech Republic to the south, and Germany to the west. The territory has a varied landscape, diverse ecosystems, and a temperate climate. Poland is composed of Voivodeships of Poland, sixteen voivodeships and is the fifth most populous member state of the European Union (EU), with over 38 million people, and the List of European countries by area, fifth largest EU country by area, covering . The capital and List of cities and towns in Poland, largest city is Warsaw; other major cities include Kraków, Wrocław, Łódź, Poznań, and Gdańsk. Prehistory and protohistory of Poland, Prehistoric human activity on Polish soil dates to the Lower Paleolithic, with continuous settlement since the end of the Last Gla ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
National Geographic
''National Geographic'' (formerly ''The National Geographic Magazine'', sometimes branded as ''Nat Geo'') is an American monthly magazine published by National Geographic Partners. The magazine was founded in 1888 as a scholarly journal, nine months after the establishment of the society, but is now a popular magazine. In 1905, it began including pictures, a style for which it became well known. Its first color photos appeared in the 1910s. During the Cold War, the magazine committed itself to present a balanced view of the physical and human geography of countries beyond the Iron Curtain. Later, the magazine became outspoken on environmental issues. Until 2015, the magazine was completely owned and managed by the National Geographic Society. Since 2015, controlling interest has been held by National Geographic Partners. Topics of features generally concern geography, history, nature, science, and world culture. The magazine is well known for its distinctive appearance: a ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Hayden Kennedy (climber)
Hayden Kennedy (1990 – October 8, 2017) was an American rock climber and mountaineer who made difficult ascents in North America, Patagonia and in the Himalaya. He died by suicide in 2017 after the sudden death of his partner. He was the son of renowned writer and mountaineer Michael Kennedy and he won the Piolet d'Or for his ascent of The Ogre in 2013, and for ''Light Before Wisdom'' in 2016. Climbing career In 2012, Kennedy came to prominence following a "fair means" ascent of the Compressor Route on Cerro Torre during which he and his partner Jason Kruk chopped the bolt ladders left by Cesare Maestri on the first ascent. Kennedy and Kruk's actions created a local controversy in El Chaltén and they were arrested shortly after returning. Following their release from jail, their actions generated an ethics debate about bolting practices in the mountains in the international climbing community. The environmental and ethical motivations of their actions during this climb w ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Steve Swenson
Steve Swenson (born February 14, 1954) is an American rock climber, mountaineer, and author. Swenson served as the president of the board of directors for the American Alpine Club from 2009 to 2012. Climbing career Swenson is known for his big-mountain climbing expeditions to the Karakoram range, about which he wrote the book ''Karakoram: Climbing Through the Kashmir Conflict'', published by Mountaineers Books. Swenson has taken part in over 15 expeditions to the area. In 2012, Swenson along with Mark Richey and Freddie Wilkinson, made the first ascent of Sasser Kangri II. At the time, the peak was the second highest unclimbed mountain in the world. For their climbing, the team was awarded the '' Piolet d’Or''. In 2019, Swenson, along with Graham Zimmerman, Mark Richey, and Chris Wright, climbed Link Sar, for its first ascent. The team was awarded the Piolet d'Or in 2020, for their achievement. Swenson had attempted to climb it twice before, in 2000 and 2017. Steve is one o ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ueli Steck
Ueli Steck (; 4 October 1976 – 30 April 2017) was a Swiss rock climber and alpinist. He was the first to climb Annapurna solo via its South Face (though this is disputed by some), and set speed records on the North Face trilogy in the Alps. He won two Piolet d'Or awards, in 2009 and 2014. Having previously summitted Mount Everest, Steck died on 30 April 2017, after a fall during an acclimatizing climb for an attempt on the Hornbein route on the north face of Everest without supplemental oxygen. Climbing career At the age of 17, Steck achieved the 9th difficulty rating ( UIAA) in climbing. As an 18-year-old he climbed the North Face of the Eiger and the Bonatti Pillar in the Mont Blanc massif. In June 2004, he and Stephan Siegrist climbed the Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau within 25 hours. Another success was the so-called "Khumbu-Express Expedition" in 2005, for which the climbing magazine ''Climb'' named him one of the three best alpinists in Europe. The project con ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Mark Richey
Mark Richey (born 1958) is an American rock climber and alpinist with a history of significant first ascents around the world, and for which he won the Piolets d'Or, the highest award in mountaineering, in 2012 and in 2020. Richey was also made president of the American Alpine Club from 2003 to 2006. He is also the founder and president of Mark Richey Woodworking, a company based in Newburyport, Massachusetts. Climbing career Richey began climbing at age 15 in the Boston area and has completed more than forty expeditions to the Greater Ranges. In the early 1980s, he made the first ascents of the south face of Ocshapalca, and the east face of Cayesh in Peru. Other first ascents have been done in Greenland and India. Two of Richey's climbs in the Karakoram won Piolets d'Or, the best-known prize for alpine climbing. The first was for the first ascent of Saser Kangri II in 2011, with Steve Swenson and Freddie Wilkinson. The second was for the first ascent of the southeast face of ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Marek Holeček
Marek Holeček (born 5 November 1974) is a Czech mountaineer, explorer, author and documentary filmmaker. Holeček has received the 2018 award for his successful full ascent on the southwest face of Gasherbrum I with Zdeněk Hák, which he achieved in Alpine style. „My body has been systematically tortured for years in achieving one important skill for staying in the mountains, the art of hardship." Awards and honors * 2018 Piolet d'Or award for full ascent on the southwest face of Gasherbrum I with Zdeněk Hák. * Czech Mountaineering Association awarded the Best Ascent of 2017 – first ascent to the eight-thousander Gasherbrum I. in Alpine style. Co-climber: Zdeněk Hák * Nomination for the Piolet d'Or 2014 Prize (F & I) for the first ascent to Talung (7,348 m), Nepal. Co-climber: Zdeněk Hrubý * Honorable recognition at in 2006 (GB) for the first-ascent to Meru Central (6,310 m), India * Czech Mountaineering Association honorable recognition – 1997, 1999, 2001, 2 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Aleš Česen
Aleš Česen (born 26 April 1982) is a Slovenian climber, mountaineer, mountain guide and entrepreneur. Climbing career In 2015, Česen was awarded Piolet d'Or for the ascent of the north face of Hagshu along with Marko Prezelj and Luca Lindič. In 2019, he received the award again for the North ridge of Latok I in 2019 with his climbing partners, Tom Livingstone and Luka Stražar. In 2017, Česen was awarded Alpinist of the year award, by the Alpine Association of Slovenia. Personal life Česen has a PhD in Civil Engineering, and is an IFMGA/UIAGM mountain guide. and climbing instructor. Ales has two sons. His father is the Slovenian mountaineer, Tomo Česen. Notable ascents * 2018. Karakoram – North ridge on Latok I (7145 m / 23 442 ft) *2017. Indian Himalaya (Kishtwar) – New route on North Ridge of P6013 (6038 m / 19 809 ft) *2017. Indian Himalaya (Kishtwar) – New route on Arjuna (6250 m / 20 505 ft), 2nd ascent of the summit, 1st in alpine styl ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Kenro Nakajima
Takeo "Kenro" Nakajima (中島 健郎; October 19, 1984 – July 27, 2024) was a Japanese elite alpinist and cameraman who won three Piolets d'Or, Piolet d'Or awards, considered to be the highest achievement in mountaineering. In 2018, Nakajima and his climbing partner Kazuya Hiraide received the 26th Piolets d'Or, Piolet d'Or for their ascent of the unclimbed northeast face of Shispare, which they climbed in 2017. In 2020, the pair won their second Piolet d'Or for their ascent of Rakaposhi (7,788 m). They would win their final posthumous Piolet in 2024. Nakajima summitted six of the Seven Summits and three eight-thousanders: Cho Oyu, Manaslu, and Mount Everest. He was known for making first ascents on other remote peaks across the Himalayas and the Karakoram, Karokoram. Early life and education Nakajima was born on October 19, 1984 in Japan's Nara Prefecture. His interest in climbing came from his father, a keen climber who died when Nakajima was five years old. After his fathe ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Mick Fowler
Michael Fowler (born 1956) is a British rock climber, ice climber, mountaineer and climbing author. He is internationally noted for his alpine climbing and was awarded the Piolet d'Or three times, with Paul Ramsden (climber), Paul Ramsden, in 2003, 2013, and 2016, for alpine style, alpine-style first ascents of faces in the Himalayas. Fowler was one of the first British rock climbers to first free ascent, free an Grade (climbing)#British, E6-graded traditional climbing, traditional rock climbing route (''Linden'', 1976), and the first ice climber to free a consensus Mixed climbing#Scottish winter grades, grade VI mixed climbing, mixed Scottish winter route (''The Shield Direct'', 1979). In the British Isles, Fowler is also noted for unusual and esoteric climbing including crumbling sea cliffs and sea stacks and using mixed climbing techniques on White Cliffs of Dover, chalk cliffs. In 1989, Fowler was voted the "Mountaineers' Mountaineer" in a poll of his peers by ''The Observ ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Kazuya Hiraide
was a Japanese ski mountaineer, Alpine climber, and professional mountain cameraman. Hiraide won the Piolet d'Or mountaineering award on four occasions. Climbing career Hiraide became a serious mountain climber after joining a mountaineering club at his university. In 2001, he reached the eastern summit of Kula Kangri (7,381m) in Tibet. His list of accomplishments includes first ascents, reaching summits without oxygen, and skiing from mountain peaks. In 2009, he scaled the previously unclimbed southeastern wall of Kamet (7,756m) in India, and with his climbing partner Kei Taniguchi, became the first Japanese to receive the 17th Piolet d'Or Award, the "Academy Award" of mountaineering. He also won three other Piolet d'Or Awards with climbing partner Kenro Nakajima for their first ascent on an uncharted route with Shispare in 2017, Rakaposhi Rakaposhi (; ) also known as Dumani () is a mountain within the Karakoram range in Gilgit-Baltistan in Pakistan. It is situated i ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
