| For the 13th year running the French Parc National des Ecrins will host its famous ice climbing meeting at the start of January. Located deep in the Hautes Alpes, the international get together attracts roughly 800 ice climbers from all around the world and, to mark the start of a new era, has now officially been renamed Ice Climbing Event.
Experts and novices alike are invited to take part in this 5 day meet. Mini-buses will transport climbers to the 350 icefalls in the morning, while workshops, gear tests and dry tooling demonstrations will be laid on every afternoon in the ICEPO village.
The evening programs include the screening of the Banff Mountain Film Festival winning films, and the presentation of the prestigious Piolet d'Or 2002.
Last year's 11th Piolet d'Or was won by the Russian mountaineer Valery Babanov for his solo first-ascent of the north face of Meru Central Peak (6310m), located in India’s Garwhal. The nominees for the 12th Piolet d'Or, which according to reports will be awarded in Paris in January, are listed below:
NOMINEES PIOLET D'OR 2002
Ama Dablam, Nepal
Jules Cartwright & Rich Cross (GB)
Demanding first ascent of NW Ridge of Ama Dablam (6856m), Nepal.
Route length and grade: 2300m, with a long horizontal crest traverse at half-height. Total commitment.
Duration: 12 days in 2001.
Cerro Torre and Fitz Roy, Patagonia
Dean Potter (USA)
Speed integral solo ascents of Cerro Torre's SE arête (Compressor route) and Fitz Roy's West Face (California Roulette )and WSW Face (Supercouloir).
Length and grade: Supercouloir: 1600m, VI 6a A2 AI4+., Compressor route: 900m, VI 6a+ A2 AI3+, California Roulette: 1300m, VI 6a+ WI5.
Duration: Supercouloir on 17 January 2002, Compressor route on 23 January and California Roulette on 5-6 February.
Annapurna, Nepal
Jean Christophe Lafaille & Alberto Innurageti (France and Spain)
First ascent and descent of the South Face and East Ridge of Annapurna (8091m). The East Ridge was originally climbed by the Swiss duo Erhard Lorethan and Norbert Joos in 1984, who then descended via the 1950 North Face French route.
Length and grade: 3900m. 15km ridge between 7500m-8091m. No supplementary oxygen, 3 bivouacs, total commitment.
Duration: 11- 16 May 2002.
Siguniang, China
Mike Fowler & Paul Ramsden (GB)
First ascent of the Nord Face central couloir of Siguniang, descent via the North Ridge.
Length and grade: 1500m, ED+ VII/AI6/M6.
Duration: 14-21 April 2002. 7 days. 6 nights on the face, 2 days descent.
Huandoy Sud, Cordillera Blanca, Peru
First ascent of the South Face of Huandoy Sud (6130m), Peru by Pierrick Keller, Benoit Chanal, François Dupety & Yann Bonneville (France)
Length and grade: 900m. VI+/M5+, 6a, A4, X
Duration: 17 days capsule style with 600m fixed ropes in August 2002.
Arwa Spire Central & Arwa Spire West, Central Garhwal, India
Hasler, Harvey & Schaeli (Switzerland)
First ascents of Fior di Vite, NF of Arwa Spire Central (6193m) and Capsico, NF of Arwa Spire West.
Length and grade: 800m each. Fior di Vite V,6c,A2, 80°.
Capsico : VI, A3, M6+.
Duration: 2 days for Fior di Vite, 7 days for Capsico
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| | 13th Ice Climbing Event | 8 — 12 January 2002
Vallon du Fournel et de la Freissinières
Commune de l’Argentière - La Bessée
Parc National des Ecrins
Les Hautes-Alpes, France | | |
| Piolet d’Or 2003 | | Organised by the French GHM (Groupe de Haute Montagne) and Montagnes magazine, this prize is awarded for the most important alpine achievement of the year. | | Â Â Â | | Banff Mountain Film Festival | | Friday and Saturday evening |
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Copia link
