After considerable discussion the six-member jury of the 2012 Piolets d'or has made six nominations for possible awards at the celebrations in Chamonix and Courmayeur from 21st - 24th March.

Due to the high number of quality ascents in fine style, representing all that was good about progressive alpinism during 2011, the decision to name just proved difficult, perhaps more so than in recent years.

Michael Kennedy and his jury have announced the following nominated climbs.

With great sadness, just as these were being released to the press, the Piolets d'Or organization learnt of the death of Bjorn-Eivind Aartun. A detailed tribute will shortly be posted on the Piolets d'Or website.

Torre Egger (2,850m)

Norwegians Bjorn-Eivind Aartun and Ole Lied climbed a spectacular ice route, Venas Azules, on the left side of the steep south face, overlooking the Col of Conquest. The pair first climbed 600m (6a and A1) of El Arca de los Vientos to the col, where they bivouacked. Next day, after an initial pitch of M5, they continued up very steep, ephemeral rime and blue ice plastered to the granite for six pitches to the summit. They then rappelled the face to their bivouac. Venas Azules has a total height gain of 950m, of which 350m were new at AI6 (95°) and M5. This is the first time the face above the col has been climbed since the original ascent by Americans in 1976.

Pik Pobeda (7,439m)

Kazakhs Gennadiy Durov and Denis Urubko climbed a new route on the North Face, right of the 1982 Dollar Route. The two completed the line, which had been eyed by Soviet mountaineers for nearly 30 years and which Urubko had dreamed of doing since 1993, in six days alpine style. They then descended the Normal Route to the west. The serious Dollar Rod (2,500m, but over 3,000m above base camp: Russian 6B: 6a M4/M5 WI2) was climbed in less than perfect weather. The technical difficulties were concentrated on three rock barriers but much of the upper section featured unprotected climbing. The route was awarded the 2011 Piolets d'Or Asia.

K7 West (6,615m)

Slovenians Nejc Marcic and Luka Strazar made the first ascent of the North West Face in a four-day round trip from their 4,200m base camp on the Charakusa Glacier. This is only the second route climbed to the summit, and was the third overall ascent of the mountain. The pair initially climbed steep ice runnels and mixed terrain left of the central spur to reach its crest, and after a difficult central section outflanked the headwall on the right. The route was named Dreamers of Golden Caves (1,600m: VI/5, M5 and A2) and came on their first visit to the Himalaya-Karakoram.

Saser Kangri II (7,518m)

Americans Mark Richey, Steve Swenson and Freddie Wilkinson made the first ascent of the world's second highest unclimbed independent mountain (attempts on the highest, Gangkar Puensum in Bhutan, are currently banned). Saser Kangri II is also the second highest peak to receive its first ascent in true alpine-style. The three climbed the South West Face - The Old Breed (1,700m: WI4 and M3) - with three bivouacs, the crux close to 7,000m. They descended the route, with another bivouac, largely by rappel. In 2009 Richey and Swenson had attempted the same line, reaching 6,500m.

Meru Central (6,310m)

Americans Conrad Anker, Jimmy Chin and Renan Ozturk completed one of the most attempted and most coveted lines in the entire Himalaya when they reached the summit of Meru Central via the 1,400m East Pillar a.k.a Shark's Fin. Since the first serious attempt in 1986, this compelling line had been tried well over 20 times by many of the world's foremost alpinists, including Anker twice before, and Chin and Ozturk once previously. The team climbed to the summit in 12 days capsule style with a portaledge, and took a further two days to descend the route. After an initial snow/ice face, the climbing involves hard free, mixed and aid to 6a, A4, WI5 and M6.

Xuelian North East (6,249m)

Slovenians Ales Holc, Peter Juvan and Igor Kremser made the first ascent of the last remaining unclimbed 6,000m peak in the Xuelian Group via the West Ridge - Arête of Trust (2,400m: ED2 AI5 and M5+). After two full days and then two half days they reached the summit in deteriorating weather after an effective climbing time of just over 36 hours. The three then made a largely blind descent of the South East Face (2,000m: AI3 60-80°), forcing a route through poor weather for another one and a half days to reach the glacier. They also climbed three other previously virgin peaks up to 4,700m.



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