The Piolet d'or: 16 years of accomplishment
Piolet d'or 1991
The first Piolet d'or was awarded to the Slovenian duo Marko Prezelj and Andrej Stremfelj for the first ascent of a 3000m route on the Southern pillar of Kangchenjunga (Himalaya, 8 476 m).
Piolet d'or 1992
Michel Piola(CH) and Vincent Sprungli (F ) were rewarded for opening up a rocky route of an extreme difficulty in the Paine range ( Patagonia).
Piolet d'or 1993
Collective award for the high level young team of the Club Alpin Français (average age : 20 years old) and the success of their expedition in the Pamir Altaï range.
Piolet d'or 1994
François Marsigny (F) and Andy Parkin (GB) opened up a new ice line at the Pass of Hope (Cerro Torre, Patagonia) and for the long days of survival on the way down.
Piolet d'or 1995
Awarded to the team Andreas Orgler, Heli Neswabba et Arthur Wutsher (Germany) for opening up several extreme routes, in particular the South face of mount Bradley (Ruth Glacier, Alaska).
Piolet d'or 1996
Second award for Slovenia: Thomas Humar and Vania Furlan for opening up a new route on the North-West face of Ama Dablan, 6812m, one of the most graceful mountains of Nepal.
Piolet d'or 1997
First ascent of the West face of Makalu (8 841 m, Népal), achieved by the Russian expedition « Ville d'Ekaterinburg ».
Piolet d'or 1998
First ascent of the North face of Thalay Sagar, Northern India(6 904 m) by Athol Whimp (New-Zealand) and Andrew Lindblade (Australia).
Piolet d'or 1999
First ascent of the South-East face of the Burkett Needle (3 049 m, Alaska), by the French climbers Lionel Daudet and Sébastien Foissac.
Piolet d'or 2000
First direct itinerary of the Headwall on Shivling (6 543 m), India, by Thomas Huber (Germany) and Iwan Wolf (Switzerland).
Piolet d'or 2001
Valery Babanov (Russia) awarded for opening up a solitary itinerary on Meru Peak (6 310 m), India.
Piolet d'or 2002
Mike Fowler and Paul Ramsden (United Kingdom) awarded for opening up the North face of Siguniang (6 250 m), China.
Piolet d'or 2003
Valery Babanov et Yuri Koshelenko (Russia) awarded for the Southern pillar of Nupse (7703 m), Nepal.
Piolet d'or 2004
Expedition of 11 Russian mountaineers lead by Alexander Odintsov, for the first ascent of the North Face of Jannu (7 710m), Nepal.
Piolet d'or 2005
Steve House and Vince Anderson (USA), awarded for the first ascent of the Central pillar of Nangat Parbat (8 125 m, Pakistan) on its Rupal side.
Piolet d'or 2006
The Slovenian Marko Prezelj and Boris Lorencic were awarded for the first ascent in alpine style of the North West pillar of the Chomo Lhari (7326m, Tibet)
Piolet d'or 2007
Cancelled
