Ascensions lauréates 2020

UFO Line on the northwest face of Chamlang (7,321 meters). The seventh bivouac site - on the descent - is hidden.
©Andy Houseman (autumn 2012 photo)/American Alpine Journal

MAREK HOLEČEK-ZDENĚK HÁK (CZECH REPUBLIC)
NORTHWEST FACE, UFO LINE, 2,000M, WI5 M6, AND TRAVERSE OF THE MOUNTAIN, MAY 17-23 ROUND TRIP FROM BASE CAMP

Since he first saw it in 2001 Marek Holeček had dreamed of climbing the great northwest face of Chamlang in Nepal's Mahalangur Himal. Others had shared the same dream, and after more than half a dozen attempts the face had become one of the most coveted in the country. When Holeček and Zdeněk Hák arrived in spring 2019 it was obvious the face had little snow and a lot of hard water ice. Outflanking objective dangers in the lower section would prove to be one of the keys.

From a bivouac at 5,300m on the glacier below the face the two Czechs headed up more or less directly below the summit. On the fourth day they reached the upper east ridge and bivouacked 80m below the top. On May 21 they crossed the summit and spent the rest of the day trying to navigate the Original Japanese route on the south ridge. This proved more difficult than expected. Two more bivouacs - without food - and difficult down-climbing and rappelling in often poor visibility were needed to reach the valley.

The route was named UFO Line as a tribute to Reinhold Messner and Doug Scott, who in 1981, with Sherpas Ang Dorje and Pasang, were the first to climb the north side of the Chamlang massif and reach one of the middle summits. There, they were puzzled by a box-like object that hovered above them, shining magnificently in the midday sun.

MAREK HOLEČEK

Czech mountaineer, rock climber, documentary film maker, writer, photographer and lecturer. Marek was born and lives in Prague with his wife and daughter. He has done more than 30 expeditions to the Asian Mountains, South and North America, Antarctica. All in alpine style. Marek has completed 13 first ascents and solo ascent up the Japanese Couloir to Gasherbrum I so far. Marek was nominated for the Piolets d'Or 2014 award for the first ascent of Talung (7348m), Nepal. He also received honorable recognition Golden Piton Awards 2006 for the first ascent of Meru Central (6310 m n. m.), India. Marek received seven awards and five honorable recognition for the best climb of the year from the Czech Mountaineering Association. Marek is a author of the successful book, autor and co-autor of 6 documentary films. He often writes articles for Czech and foreign magazines and websites, prepares lectures for the public and motivational lectures for companies. In 2017 Marek established with Zdeněk Hák a new route up the Southwest Face of Gasherbrum I (8080 meters), Karakorum. The new route called Satistaction! was established in alpine style is rated ED+, M7, WI 5+. Awarded second place as the Czech Climber of the Year 2017. In 2018, Marek together with Hák established a new route up Kyazo Ri in Nepal, ED+ ,WI 4+,M6,3+UIAA.

Zdeněk Hák

Czech mountaineer, rock climber and ski alpinist. Zdeněk has been working as UIAGM mountain guide since 2010. He spent his childhood skiing and was member of junior Czech downhill ski team. Zdeněk started climbing and ski mountaineering racing in 1997 during his studies at the Hotel School in Turnov, Czech Republic. In 2016 Zdeněk skied down the highest mountain in Afghanistan Noshaq (7498m) for which he was awarded the Czech Climb of the Year Award in the category of ski mountaineering. In 2017, Zdeněk established with Marek Holeček a new route up the Southwest Face of Gasherbrum I (8080 meters), Karakorum. The new route called Satistaction! was climbed in alpine style and is rated ED+, M7, WI 5+. Zdeněk was awarded third place as the Czech Climber of the Year 2017 and 2019. In 2018, Zdeněk, again together with Marek Holeček established a new route up Kyazo Ri in Nepal, ED+ ,WI 4+,M6,3+UIAA. Zdeněk has three sons (13, 5 and 10 months) and lives with his wife in Malá Skála, Czech Republic. In his free time, Háček climbs sandstone towers in Český ráj.

©Tino Villanueva/American Alpine Journal

ALAN ROUSSEAU - TINO VILLANUEVA (USA)
WEST FACE, RELEASE THE KRAKEN, 1,600M, AI5 M5+, OCTOBER 13-17 ROUND TRIP FROM A GLACIER CAMP BELOW THE FACE.

In 2012, on their first expedition to the Himalaya, Alan Rousseau and Tino Villanueva made the first ascent of Langmoche Ri on the north ridge of Tengi Ragi Tau in Nepal's Rolwaling Himal. Walking below the west face of Tengi Ragi Tau they were mesmerized by its sheer magnitude and fine ice runnels through beautiful granite. They returned in 2014 to attempt a direct line, climbing to around 6,500m in less than ideal weather before retreating. Five years later and the face was now attracting the attention of several strong parties.

Starting out on day two on route - ©Tino Villanueva

After crossing the Tashi Laptsa pass and camping on the Drolambo Glacier, the two Americans climbed the initial dry-tooling pitches to access the snowy face, then made three bivouacs before reaching the summit. A tricky rappel descent was made down the line of ascent. With a multi-pitch ice crux high on the route, followed by steep flutings of unprotectable snow, this technical and elegant line on one of the most outstanding unclimbed faces of the Rolwaling was just reward for the perseverance of two experienced alpine guides. Their ascent was only the second of this difficult mountain and the first in alpine style.

TINO VILLANUEVA

Tino is an IFMGA/UIAGM mountain guide who makes his home in Seattle, WA and seasonally bases out of Chamonix, France during the summer and Cordova, AK during the winter.  A veteran of many expeditions, Tino has climbed on five continents, on remote and high altitude peaks from Krygyzstan to Kenya, with a particular focus on the Greater Ranges of Nepal and India. He also specializes in ski mountaineering and has a number of first ski descents and ski film projects to his name.  Tino’s climbs with partner Alan Rousseau made the Piolets D’Or list of significant climbs in 2012 with the first peak ascent of Langmoche Ri (6611m), 2014 with the first ascent of the west face of Pacharmo (6275m, AI4 M5), and 2017 with the first peak ascent of Rungofarka (6495m, WI4+ M6).  These climbs have been supported by the American Alpine Club, as well as grants from the Copp-Dash Inspire Award (2017, 2019), the Cutting Edge Award (2014, 2018), and the Mugs Stump Award (2017).

ALAN ROUSSEAU

Alan is an IFMGA guide, living in Salt Lake City, Utah. In addition to ski and ice climbing guiding near his home, Alan guides alpine climbing in Alaska and the European Alps. In addition to establishing new routes in the Himalayas, he has been an active climber in the Alaska Range including a first ascent on the East face of Mount Dickey, ‘Ruth gorge grinder’ (M7WI6+1600M).

(A) Changi Tower. (B) K6 Main. (C) Link Sar (7,041m) from the southeast, showing the line of the 2019 ascent, advanced base camp, and bivouacs.
 ©Matteo Della Bordella / American Alpine Journal

MARK RICHEY - STEVE SWENSON - CHRIS WRIGHT - GRAHAM ZIMMERMAN (USA)
FIRST ASCENT VIA THE SOUTHEAST FACE, 2,300M, AI4 M6+ 90°, JULY 31-AUGUST 8 ROUND TRIP FROM AN ADVANCED BASE AT 4,700M.

Another much-coveted problem, this time in the eastern Pakistan Karakoram, Link Sar had received at least eight attempts before 2019. But the difficulties are not just about climbing the peak: the Indo-Pakistan conflict has made this region an on-off affair (largely off) when it comes to obtaining a mountaineering permit.

Steve Swenson first attempted Link Sar in 2001 with a strong American team, and then again, after a number of failed permit attempts, in 2017 with Chris Wright and Graham Zimmerman. Having now discovered a feasible line of ascent, these three decided to reinforce the team in 2019 with the addition of Mark Richey.

Six days after setting out from Advanced Base, they reached the top. During that time they had waited out a 36+ hours storm, and on the summit day recovered from a 35m leader fall due to avalanche and overcome an ungradable final pitch of deep, steep and unstable "Peruvian" snow. A little over two days were then needed to reverse the route. These climbers succeeded because they were persistent, used their 126 years of combined climbing experience, and understood what partnership meant.

 ©Kenro Nakajima / American Alpine Journal

KAZUYA HIRAIDE - KENRO NAKAJIMA (JAPAN)
SOUTH FACE AND SOUTHEAST RIDGE, 4,000M FROM BASE CAMP, JUNE 27-JULY 3 ROUND TRIP FROM BASE CAMP.

The Hunza region of the Pakistan Karakoram holds a number of impressive mountains that fall only a few hundred metres short of the 8,000m mark. One of the most outstanding is Rakaposhi, first climbed via the southwest ridge in 1958. Whilst the south side of the mountain - leading to the crest of the great southeast ridge - had been reconnoitred in the past, it remained untouched, climbers unable to find a feasible route. An ascent from this less visible side of the mountain would be highly exploratory.

From a 3,660m base camp at the snout of the glacier, and in generally unstable weather, Kazuya Hiraide and Kenro Nakajima climbed the south face to 6,100m, both to acclimatize and confirm that their chosen line would go.

©Kenro Nakajima

On their second outing they took three days, strenuously climbing through often deep soft snow, to reach a camp at 6,800m on the southeast ridge, where they were forced to wait two days in bad weather. After this they climbed to the summit and back in a single long day, and on the following reversed their line of ascent all the way down to base camp.

Although the route does not feature the high technical difficulties of the three other awarded ascents, its huge length, and the commitment and style of Hiraide and Nakajima's determined ascent on a rarely-climbed mountain, makes it of equal merit for a 2020 Piolet d'Or.

Kazuya Hiraide

Kazuya was born in Nagano (Japan) in 1979.
- 2008 : South-East Face of Mt Kamet (7,756m) in India with Kei Taniguchi.This climbing got the Piolet d’Or in 2009 for the first time as an
Asian.
- 2017 : North-East Face of Mt Shispare (7,611m) in Pakistan with Kenro Nakajima (second time Piolet d’Or in 2018).
- 2019 : Unclimbed South side of Mt.Rakaposhi (7,788m) in Pakistan with Kenro Nakajima.

Kenro Nakajima

Kenro was born in Nara (Japan) in 1984.
- 2013 : K6 Northwest Face (Pakistan).
- 2016 : Loinbo Kangri (Tibet).
- 2017 : North-East Face of Mt Shispare (Pakistan). He received his first Piolet d’Or in 2018 for this ascent.