2009 GOLDEN PITON AWARDS

Alpine

MIKHAIL MIKHAILOV AND ALEXANDER RUCHKIN

Russian climbers Mikhail Mikhailov and Alexander Ruchkin had journeyed to Sichuan, China, last spring hoping to climb Mount Edgar (a.k.a. E Gongga, 6,618m/21,713') — the same peak where Americans Jonny Copp, Micah Dash, and Wade Johnson would lose their lives in an avalanche just a few weeks later. In miserable weather, the Russian climbers waited two weeks without even seeing their target face. But during an acclimatization hike in a neighboring valley, the clouds suddenly parted to reveal a stunning granite pillar on unnamed Peak 6,134m. The Russians quickly switched plans, and when the gloomy weather cleared in mid-May, they raced up that pillar to bag the 20,125-foot virgin peak.

The south-facing pillar on Peak 6,134m is bigger than El Cap, with its base at over 16,500 feet and an overhanging headwall at nearly 20,000 feet. After a 12-hour approach to the pillar, the Russians climbed the 3,600-foot route over five hard days. Surprised and delighted by sunny, mostly snow-free rock, the two men climbed 90 percent of the route free, with vertical and overhanging pitches up to solid 5.11. But this was no California cruise: the men, climbing alpine-style, lugged heavy packs full of ice-climbing gear and extra food and fuel, and they carried a tent to endure the cold nights. (Even so, tiny ledges forced them to sit up for two bivouacs.) After a final bivy on Peak 6,134m’s southeast summit, they traversed over the top and descended the snowy southwest face in 24 hours of rappelling and downclimbing. Their route, Carte Blanche, was perhaps the most technical climb ever done in mountainous Sichuan Province. In early December, the climb won the Russian version of the Piolet d’Or, and now Mikhailov and Ruchkin can add a Golden Piton to their rack.

Click here to see photos from their ascent of Carte Blanche at Mountain.ru. 

Honorable Mentions:

• Dodo Kopold, of Slovakia, for his solo first ascent of the direct southeast face of 7,219-meter (23,684-foot) Annapurna South. Foiled by poor snow conditions on Annapurna Main’s south face, Kopold climbed this testy, 7,500-foot route on Annapurna South in a 40-hour, single-push round trip.
• Dave Turner, for soloing a 4,700-foot new route on Broad Peak in Baffin Island’s super-remote Sam Ford Fjord. Turner climbed the elegant north arête and headwall (VI 5.10 A3 60°) in a 39-hour push.