Piolet d’Or 2025: 74 Top Climbs Celebrated Worldwide
Photo: Lucyna Lewandowska Fotografia
The Piolet d’Or jury has unveiled the long list of 74 outstanding mountaineering achievements from 2024. The winners of the world’s most prestigious climbing award will be selected from these expeditions. The official ceremony will take place from December 9 to 12, 2025, in San Martino di Castrozza, nestled in the Italian Dolomites.
This year’s list spans 14 regions across the globe – from the Himalayas to Greenland, South America, and China – celebrating climbs that embody innovation, commitment, and the minimalist spirit of alpine style. However, the jury emphasized that not every ascent on the list is eligible for the Piolet d’Or. Ascents resulting in fatalities during the expedition are disqualified.
Unsurprisingly, Nepal tops the list of regions with the most recognized climbs – 16 ascents in total, reaffirming its position as the epicenter of modern Himalayan alpinism. The European Alps follow closely in second place, ahead of Pakistan and South America.
A total of nine projects from Europe were listed, including remarkable first ascents in Tyrol, Northern Italy, and the Western Alps. Among them, Martin Sieberer and Lukas Waldner earned recognition for their bold first ascent of “Direttissima” (800m, AI6 M7) on the Schrammacher North Face.
Another standout is the ascent of “Aura” (1,000m, AI5 M6) on the Sassolungo, completed in February 2024 by Simon Gietl and the late Martin Feistl. Feistl had previously received a citation for the first ascent of “Stalingrad” on the Grubenkarspitze in the Karwendel with David Bruder.
For 2025, the jury introduced a new category, “Performance in the Alps,” celebrating exceptional endurance achievements completed without motorized assistance. Two remarkable feats were highlighted:
- Kilian Jornet’s 19-day traverse connecting all 4,000-meter peaks in the Alps.
- The Drus-Droites-Grandes Jorasses traverse by Benjamin Védrines and Léo Billon, a display of pure speed and self-sufficiency.
According to the committee, this category reflects the growing trend toward purist, human-powered alpinism and speed mountaineering.
This year’s long list includes several multiple nominees. Sean Villanueva O’Driscoll stands out with three nominations – for the first free ascent of “Riders on the Storm” on Torre Central del Paine, a new route on Greenland’s Mirror Wall, and his solo traverse of the four summits of Torres del Paine.
Similarly, French climber Baptiste Obino, a Guide de Haute Montagne, also earned three nominations for his challenging first ascents on Barre des Écrins and Petit Dru, highlighting his growing reputation among elite alpinists.
The “Special Mention” category, created in recent years to promote women’s mountaineering, has already revealed this year’s honorees.
Slovenian climbers Anja Petek and Patricija Verdev will receive recognition for their first ascent of “Here Comes the Sun” (2,000m, M6+ AI5+) on Lalung I (6,243m) in the Indian Himalayas. The pair successfully tackled the east ridge of the peak over five days, as part of a four-woman expedition – a testament to strength, endurance, and teamwork in extreme alpine conditions.
The 2025 Piolet d’Or jury comprises a distinguished panel of international alpinists:
Ines Papert (Germany), Ethan Berman (USA), Aymeric Clouet (France), Young Hoon Oh (South Korea), Enrico Rosso (Italy), Jack Tackle (USA), and Mikel Zabalza (Spain).
‘The announcement of winners – including the Piolet d’Or and the Walter Bonatti Lifetime Achievement Award – is expected in the coming weeks, ahead of the December ceremony.
With 74 bold ascents and a growing diversity of climbers, regions, and climbing philosophies, this year’s long list reaffirms that alpinism continues to evolve – blending tradition, exploration, and an unwavering pursuit of the unknown.