Piolets d’Or 2019 Goes to Lama, Auer, Livingstone, Strazar, Cesen
For their new routes up Latok I, Lunag Ri and Lupghar Sar
The 2019 Piolets d’Or goes to the late alpinists Dave Lama and Hansjorg Auer for individual solo ascents and to Tom Livingstone, Ales Cesen and Luka Strazar for their new route on Latok I.
The jury selected the three climbs out of a list of dozens of bold ascents from around the world, done by the best alpinists, from last year. The routes climb Latok I, Lunag Ri and Lupghar Sar. David Lama and Hansjorg Auer, along with Jess Roskelley, died in an accident on Howse Peak in the Canadian Rockies this spring. Lama and Auer’s family will receive the award on their behalf.
Lama’s first attempt on Lunag Ri was in 2015 with Conrad Anker, they made ti to within 300 metres of the summit before turning around. In 2016, they attempted again, but Anker suffered a heart attack and had to be flown out. Lama then attempted it solo that year, but had to return in 2018 to make the first ascent of one of the highest unclimbed peaks in Nepal.
Lupghar Sar was climbed in the late 1970s and in 1980, but no serious attempt was made until last year. After Auer spent time watching the wall, he advanced via the Baltbar Glacier to bivy near the west face of Lupghar Sar West.
The next day, he climbed the face to the ridge at 6,900 metres and onto the summit. The climbing involved mixed climbing on bad rock with a corniced right. He descended back to his base camp the same day.
Latok I’s north ridge had been attempted dozens of times before Livingstone, Cesen and Strazar opted to leave the ridge before the top to traverse onto the south face and onto the summit. The first attempt was in 1978 by Jim Donini, Michael Kennedy, George Lowe and Jeff Lowe over 21 days up 100 pitches. The first ascent of the peak was in 1979 by a Japanese team from the south, but the summit hadn’t been reached again until last year.
It took Livingstone, Cesen and Strazar five days to reach the summit and three to reverse their route. It was the first ascent of the mountain from the north. Also in 2018, Sergei Glazunov and Alexander Gukov nearly completed the ridge to its top. Tragically, Glazunov died on the descent and Gukov was rescued. Watch a video of the Russian ascent here.
The Piolets d’Or will take place from Sept. 19 to 22 during the Ladek Mountain Festival in Poland.
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