Piolets d'Or - Programme 2016 - Acces and accomodations

We are pleased and proud to welcome all of you to the Piolets d'Or 2023, in Briançon for the third consecutive year from 14 to 16 November !

Programme Registration (Gala evening)

2023 Awarded ascents & Special mention

The International Jury has chosen to make three Piolets d'Or Awards and one Special Mention. These are, in no particular order :

Jirishanca (ca 6,094m), south-southeast …

© Quentin Roberts First ascent of the south-southeast spur of Jirishanca, Cordillera Huayhuash, via Reino Hongo (1,000m, M7 AI5+ 90°) from July 21-23. Descent by the east buttress and lower southeast face It...

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Jugal Spire (aka Dorje Lhakpa II, 6,563m…

©Paul Ramsden First ascent of Jugal Spire (6,563m), Jugal Himal, via The Phantom Line (1,300m, ED) on the north face, from April 25-29. Descent was effected by traversing the mountain and...

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Pumari Chhish East (ca 6,850m)

©Victor Saucède The first ascent of Pumari Chhish East, Hispar Muztagh, via The Crystal Ship (1,600m, 6b A2 M7) on the south face and upper west ridge, from June 25-29. The...

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Special Mention 2023 - First ascent of t…

©Ramona Waldner The Piolets d’Or wishes to promote female alpinism, with the aim of inspiring future generations of female climbers. It also realizes the difficulty in finding a universally accepted mechanism...

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The Piolets d’Or wishes to promote female alpinism, with the aim of inspiring future generations of female climbers. It also realizes the difficulty in finding a universally accepted mechanism for doing so. From time to time, it makes one or more Special Mentions. These are not Piolets d’Or, but a recognition bestowed on an ascent that is deemed notable for different reasons, yet still fitting with the core values of the Piolets d’Or Charter.

2023 - George Lowe

Often cited as one of the greatest living North American alpinists, George Lowe began climbing at an early age when he joined his uncle Ralph Lowe, who was teaching his...

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©rogiervanrijn

Briançon, 14th-16th November 2023

We are pleased and proud to welcome all of you to the 2023 Piolets d’Or, which will be held in Briançon for the third consecutive year from 14 to 16...

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2023 - Significant ascents

There follows a representative list of significant, innovative ascents in most mountain regions of the World, climbed during 2022, in alpine (or in a few cases capsule) style and with...

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2023 International Technical jury

Lise Billon France - age 35 The first ascent of the east pillar of Cerro Riso Patron, a particularly isolated and inhospitable peak in Patagonia, was only the second route to be...

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Wednesday 13 April

Opening of the 2016 Piolets d’Or

Briançon – Briançon Theatre

• 6 pm: Forum “The spirit of international openness”

• 8:30 pm: “Modern alpinism in the region of La Meije”. Presentation of a dozen notable modern alpine ascents in the region of La Meije in the presence of the ascensionists.

Thursday 14 April

Inauguration of the Base Camp

Mess tent – La Grave

6 pm: Concert by the Poissons Voyageurs.
Dinner available in local restaurants.

• 8:30 pm: Film screening “K2 and the Invisible Footmen” (2015) by Iara Lee (USA). Follow in the footsteps of these invisible heroes: the porters of Pakistan…

K2 and the Invisible Footmen

• 10 pm: Film screening « Dreamline » by Bjarne Salen with Ptor Spricenieks.

Dream Line

Friday 15 April

Mountain activities

Outings proposed by mountain professionals, from the environs of La Meije, to the Col du Lautaret, the Vallons de la Meije, the glacier at 3,200 metres, and the south facing highlands above La Grave. Following in the footsteps of Gaspard de la Meije…

http://www.guidelagrave.com

La Grave Base Camp

Camp 2 - At the Col du Lautaret

• 10 am-6 pm: Galerie de l’Alpe: Exhibition “In the footsteps of Scott and Charcot”, the first Antarctic expeditions… More info.
• 1 pm-5 pm: public workshop in conjunction with Ecrins National Park

Camp 1 - In Villar d’Arène (Le Vannoir)

4 pm: Discussion “Mountains up high, mountains down low” with clips from the documentary “Tsering bergère au Ladakh” (Tsering, shepherdess in Ladakh) by Stanzin Dorjay (2015). Stanzin Dorjay filmed the life of his sister Tsering, one of the last shepherds in her village in Ladakh.

Tsering bergère au Ladakh

In La Grave

• 5:30 pm: Literary cafes, meetings with mountain authors and book signings in local cafés :
- Le sérac : “Mick et Vic“ (Éd. du Mont Blanc) with Mick Fowler, Victor Saunders, Catherine Destivelle, Eric Vola.
- Les Glaciers : “Un an de cabane“, “Un an de cavale“ (Ed. Guérin) with Olaf Candau.

2016 Piolets d’Or Ascents Evening

Mess tent – La Grave
• 6:30 pm: Drinks.
Dinner available in local restaurants.

• 8:30 pm: Presentation of the four ascents awarded a Piolet d’Or in 2016:
- Talung, 7348m (Nepal) with Nikita Balabanov (Ukr) and Mikhail Fomin (Ukr).
- Cerro Riso Patron, 2550m (Chile) with Lise Billon (Fr), Antoine Moineville (Fr), Diego Simari (Arg) and Jerome Sullivan (USA).
- Gave Ding, 6571m (Nepal) with Paul Ramsden (GB) and Mick Fowler (GB).
- Cerro Kitshwar’s, 6173m (India) with Hayden Kennedy (USA), Urban Novak (Slov), Manu Pellissier (Fr) and Marko Prezelj (Slov).

Concert by the Poissons Voyageurs.

Saturday 16 April

Mountain activities

• Noon: Lunch and activities at 3,200m” Mixed rope teams on the glacier. Following in the footsteps of Gaspard de la Meije…

La Grave Base Camp

 Camp 2 - At the Col du Lautaret

• 10 am-6 pm: Galerie de l’Alpe: Exhibition “In the footsteps of Scott and Charcot”, the first Antarctic expeditions… More info.
• 4 pm: “Vertical Ecology” conference

Camp 1 - In Villar d’Arène (Le Vannoir)

• 4 pm: Tea time with mountain comic books.

In La Grave

4:30 pm : Screening at Le Castillan of Super 8 film archives on local life in La Grave, from yesterday to today.
5:30 pm : Literary cafes, meetings with mountain authors and book signings in local cafés :
- L’Edelweiss : “Freedom climbers“ (Ed. Nevicata) with Bernadette McDonald and Voytek Kurtyka.
- Les Glaciers : “One day as a tiger“ (Ed. du Mont Blanc) with John Porter and Catherine Destivelle.

Piolets d’Or Lifetime Achievement Award Reception with Voytek Kurtyka

Mess tent – La Grave

7 pm: Full dinner at the Base camp.
Specialities of local chefs (15 euros)

8:30 pm: Celebration of the exceptional career of Voytek Kurtyka, with his friends and climbing partners.
- Award of the 2016 Piolets d’Or.
- Groove, Jazz brass - Radio Kayzman.

Sunday 17 April

Mountain activities

Outings proposed by mountain professionals, from the environs of La Meije to the Col du Lautaret, the Vallons de la Meije, the glacier at 3,200 metres, and the south facing highlands above La Grave…

http://www.guidelagrave.com

Film screening

La Grave Base Camp

• 1 pm:Tsering bergère au Ladakh” (Tsering, shepherdess in Ladakh) by Stanzin Dorjay (2015). Stanzin Dorjay filmed the life of his sister Tsering, one of the last shepherds in her village in Ladakh.

Tsering bergère au Ladakh

Accommodations during the Piolets d'Or

Hôtel Castillan
(La Grave)
04 76 79 90 04 Sur une base de 2 personnes : 45 euros petit déjeuner compris et/ou 64 euros en demi-pension par nuit
Black Sheep
(Les Hières)
04 76 79 80 21
06 99 77 15 51
06 26 07 59 59
15 euros par nuit pour l'ensemble des dates des Piolets d'Or
Hôtel Les Agneaux
(Villar d'Arène)
04 76 79 90 62 - Chambre simple : 40 euros
- Chambre double : 60 euros
- Chambre triple : 80 euros
- Chambre quadruple : 100 euros
Petit-déjeuner : 8.50 euros
Hôtel Le Faranchin **
(Villar d'Arène)
04 76 79 90 01 Avec le mot de passe "Piolet d'Or" :
- 2 nuits : -10%
- 3 nuits : -20%
- 4 nuits : -30%
Valable hors chambre éco
Le Grenier des Alpes
(La Grave)
06 77 06 22 99 90 euros la double (ménage quotidien, draps et serviettes)
Les Enfetchores
(La Grave)
06 80 07 11 76 10% sur les tarifs
Hôtel des Alpes
(La Grave)
04 76 11 03 18 - Chambre simple : 40 euros (petit dèj : 8 euros)
- Chambre double : 50 euros
- Chambre triple : 60 euros
 

Access to La Grave

DÉVIATIONS suite à la FERMETURE RD 1091- Grand Tunnel du Chambon (Mizoën-Isère)

1) Pour les longs trajets au départ du Nord de la France (Nantes - Paris - Lille - St Etienne - Lyon etc...) nous vous conseillons d'emprunter le tunnel du Fréjus; un tarif préférentiel a ete mis en place.

CLIQUEZ SUR L'IMAGE POUR PLUS D'INFOS ET RESERVATION

2) Si vous venez du Sud de la France (Valence, Marseille, Montpellier etc...) nous vous conseillons de passer par Gap puis Col du Lautaret.

3) La route de secours en rive gauche du Chambon vous permet de venir jusqu'à La Grave la Meije Villar d'Arène; cet itinéraire bis est une solution transitoire dans l'attente d'un rétablissement durable de la RD 1091.
CLIQUEZ SUR LES IMAGES POUR PLUS D'INFOS !

INFORMATIONS COLS ET ROUTES :

*Informations Col du Lautaret (Col ouvert toute l'année) : répondeur / 04 65 03 00 05
*Informations Col du Galibier (Col fermé pour l'Hiver / Réouverture debut Juin 2016 )

*Website Itinisère :http://www.itinisere.fr/fr/actualites/17/Disrupt/fermeture-rd-1091-grand-tunnel-chambonmizoen-isere/d12468 / Telephone : 0820 08 38 38

https://www.inforoute05.fr/wir3/alerte.html
Le département des Hautes-Alpes vous propose de recevoir gratuitement, par courrier électronique, des alertes concernant :
Les fermetures de routes pour des évènements programmés (travaux, épreuves sportives, exercices de sécurité...) Les coupures de routes pour des évènements non programmés (accidents, chutes de blocs, éboulements, avalanches...) Les fermetures et réouvertures hivernales des cols et des accès aux sites d'altitude.

DÉTAIL DES DÉVIATIONS POSSIBLES:

Sens Grenoble vers Briançon :
*Déviation depuis Vizille par la route nationale RN85 via La Mure, le Col Bayard et Gap (sauf pour les PL supérieurs à 26T non munis de dispositif ralentisseur homologué indépendant des freins de secours et des freins de service, interdiction valable depuis la limite Isère / Hautes-Alpes jusqu'à Gap), puis la RN94 en direction de Briançon et ensuite le Col du Lautaret jusqu'à Villar d'Arène et La Grave.

*Déviation par l'Autoroute A41 en direction de Chambéry ( Le col du Galibier étant fermé pour l'Hiver il vous faudra passer par le Tunnel du Fréjus)
Puis direction Turin, puis sur la droite A43/E70 Autoroute de La Maurienne en direction de Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne / Turin / Tunnel du Frejus.Apres le passage du Tunnel du Fréjus prendre en direction de Montgenèvre puis Briançon puis Villar d'Arène; La Grave par le Col du Lautaret.
Sens Briançon vers Grenoble :
*Déviation depuis Briançon par Gap et la RN85 via le col Bayard ( sauf pour les PL supérieurs à 26T non munis de dispositif ralentisseur homologué indépendant des freins de secours et des freins de service, interdiction valable depuis Gap jusqu'à la limite Isère / Hautes-Alpes), et La Mure jusqu'à Vizille ( descente de Laffrey ) sauf pour les PL de PTAC supérieur à 7,5T et autocars non autorisés qui devront emprunter, à La Mure, la RD529 via St Georges de Commiers.

*Déviation depuis Briançon par le Col du Montgenèvre puis direction Turin / Tunnel du Frejus
A la sortie du Tunnel du Fréjus prendre A43/E70 L'Autoroute de la Maurienne en direction de Chambéry; Lyon

IMPACT SUR LE RESEAU DE BUS
* de nouveaux horaires ont été mis en place au départ du Barrage du Chambon pour se rendre Bourg d'Oisans puis Grenoble ( Document téléchargeable au bas de cette page )
* une nouvelle ligne a été mise en place au départ Grenoble pour Villar d'Arène - La Grave via Le Tunnel du Fréjus dans les deux sens., RESERVATION OBLIGATOIRE !! http://www.transdev-dauphine.com/

Compagnies de transport à La Grave :
*Taxi de la Meije = 06 79 53 45 67
* Meije Autocar = 04 76 79 92 09 ( à partir de 6 personnes )

Location de voiture entre particuliers :
https://www.drivy.com/

Covoiturage :
https://www.blablacar.fr/search?fn=&tn=&comuto_cmkt=7FS6_JqSdyVr8xLOX254Ww

*Fermeture du tunnel du Chambon : Facebook page d'information sur les avancées des travaux https://www.facebook.com/communedesarenes

*Site Officiel - Le Collectif du Chambon

*Page de la prefecture des Hautes Alpes http://www.hautes-alpes.gouv.fr/fermeture-du-tunnel-du-chambon-infos-pratiques-a4583.html

 

What are the "Piolets d'Or" ?

A celebration of mountaineering

The purpose of the Piolets d'Or awards is to raise awareness about the year's greatest ascents across the world.  They aim to celebrate the taste for adventure, the bravery and sense of exploration that lie behind the art of climbing in the world's great mountain ranges. The Piolets d'Or draw their inspiration from mountaineering's rich history.  They are a celebration of a sense of partnership and solidarity, of shared experiences, and reward individual or collective achievement.

The Spirit of Modern Alpinism

More than just the recognition of a performance, the Piolets d'Or celebrates passion, spirit and values. The spirit of the Piolets d’Or draws its inspiration from the history of alpinism and the authenticity of true team spirit. 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. The Piolets d'Or event is therefore a celebration of an ethical alpinism, rich in emotion.

 

 

Les Piolets d'Or

Piolets d’Or Lifetime Achievement Award

In 2009, the first Lifetime Achievement Piolet d’Or was awarded to Walter Bonatti.  His style of mountaineering perfectly reflected the spirit of thePiolets d’Or.  He became a sort of godfather to those who would receive this award after him. In honour of the man and his spirit, it has been renamed the “Piolet d’Or Lifetime Achievement, Walter Bonatti Award”.

The Career Piolets d'Or was created to reward a career where the spirit has inspired the following generations, in the sense of criteria set down by the convention.
Recipients of the Piolet d'Or Career :
2009 : Walter BONATTI
2010 : Reinhold MESSNER
2011 : Doug SCOTT
2012 : Robert PARAGOT
2013 : Kurt DIEMBERGER
2014 : John ROSKELLEY
2015 : Chris BONINGTON
2016 : Wojciech KURTYKA
2017 : Jeff LOWE
2018 : Andrej ŠTREMFELJ
2019 : Krzysztof WIELICKI
2020 : Catherine DESTIVELLE
2021 : Yasushi YAMANOI
2022 : Silvo KARO

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2023 Organizers