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The 2019 recipients of climbing world’s most prestigious award, the Piolets D’Or, were announced yesterday. In recognition of their paradigm-shifting 2018 ascents and in celebration of their lives dedicated to climbing, two awards were given posthumously to David Lama and Hansjörg Auer, who died in an avalanche in the Canadian Rockies alongside Jess Roskelley this spring. A third award was given to the expedition team of Aleš Česen, Luka Stražar, and Tom Livingstone for forging a bold route up Latok 1.
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In October 2018, David Lama completed a solo ascent of 6895-meter Lunag Ri, one of the tallest unclimbed peaks in Nepal. He had bailed off the climb prior with Conrad Anker, after Anker suffered a heart attack halfway up. Auer’s award was given to recognize a similar effort in his solo ascent of the west face of 7157-meter Lupghar Sar, a highly technical peak in the Karakoram. Aleš Česen, Luka Stražar, and Tom Livingstone made the second ascent of Latok 1 in three days during August 2018, following a new route up the South Face and North Ridge.
Lama and Auer
were killed in an avalanche while climbing Canada’s Howes Peak in April 2019 with Jess Roskelley. The mountain community still mourns the loss of the three climbers. The awards will be presented at the Ladek Mountain Festival, which runs from September 19-22.
