I appreciate when people acknowledge the years of effort and dedication associated with Aleš Česen, Luka Stražar and my ascent of Latok I (7145m) in 2018, but I don’t agree with the concept of awards in alpine climbing. To award a trophy is to signify that something is the best, implying others are not as worthy. Alpine climbing is a subjective activity; experiences change with weather, conditions and the prospect of (no) rescue. It’s also artistic and serious… how can there be winners or losers? Alpinism is, in the words of Voytek Kurtyka, “the art of freedom.”

An example is the Young Alpinist Group trip, an event taking place right now that I’ve organised. 20 young climbers are charging around the Alps, gaining experience. At the end of the trip, should I award the ‘best climb’? What is the ‘best’? There are some who bravely recognised their limitations and asked for help, or chose to turn back; they made sensible mountaineering decisions. But what about those who pushed themselves to get to the summit, but took greater risks? Is the experience, the top, or coming home the goal?

Some view the PdO as the ‘Oscars of Climbing,’ but it has a poor history. Initially, in the early 1990s, it provoked competitiveness and awarded very controversial ‘alpine style’ routes (sometimes not even in alpine style). It now seems to be more of a celebration of climbing and meeting of friends, which I like... but why still the awards? Alpinism is not a show for others, it’s not for sale. It’s deeply personal. Try this exercise: what is your best climb? Which would you award? It’s not so easy.

I respect Marko Prezelj, Rolo Garibotti and Ian Parnell, who have previously been ‘involved’ with the PdO. Part of me wishes to follow in their style and actions, by either rejecting the award or withdrawing from the competition… and part of me just wants to go climbing. I encourage people to read their articles and comments about the PdO.

To quote Marko Prezelj, but to use my own trips from last year: “I climbed in Canada, Scotland, Slovenia, Alaska, UK, Pakistan, India and America. I cannot decide which trip was the most... the ‘most what,’ in fact?” In Voytek’s article titled ‘The Shining Wall’ in Alpinist magazine, “does it make sense to declare a poem of the century? Did anyone repeat [Latok I] to confirm our illusion of it?”

I also do not appreciate how the PdO makes me feel. It plays on my human ego, which I feel is usually calm and under check. I already have a devil on my shoulder at the end of a run-out whispering, “uh oh, you’re gonna take a big one!” I don’t want another devil on the opposite shoulder offering me a golden trophy.

Sponsorship clouds the air, but not as much as you might think much. I am a sponsored climber (Brits would never say ‘athlete’). I post online and earn a living from sponsorship. But if all my sponsors dropped me tomorrow, I would still be doing exactly the same thing that I do now, and I’d likely go back to normal work. Sponsorship is also a scale: I try to let my routes speak for me, conducting myself with honesty and respect. I recognise that so much is about how we present our climbs. You can present all the facts with humility, or you can show the selected best parts of your climbs and describe them as if they are luminary. History is bursting with visionary climbs, efforts, tragedies, and should be the judge. In alpinism, context and perspective are key, but can be lost in a desire to shout the loudest. I ask only for humility and integrity.

I respect the views of others - I guess some may value this award. And I would like to offer my condolences to the families of David Lama and Hansjorg Auer, honoured posthumously in this years event. They were inspiring people and climbers. But I also want to remember Marc-Andre Leclerc, Jess Rosskelley, Tom Ballard, and many others, who also died recently, but now it may seem like they aren’t receiving recognition. You see, it’s a difficult concept: to award some whilst also saying to others, “you’re also worthy, it’s just that we’re not awarding you.”

If you really want to say “nice one,” then I would humbly accept your comment. But you must also understand the culture I grew up with. Climbers in the UK would never be boastful; friends quickly congratulate and then gently humiliate you, keeping your ego in check. We are British: stoic and fair. We do not exaggerate or boast.

The Latok trip was Luka and Aleš’s idea, and we shared an unexplainable, unquantifiable adventure in the mountains. Our experience was so rich, so intense. Everything changed, and yet, nothing: we started from base camp and returned to exactly the same spot seven days later. There’s no way we could reduce the climb to mere numbers. It was about feelings, emotions: uncertainty. This, to me, is alpinism. This trip to Pakistan will forever be burned into my memory. I am grateful to call them good friends.

I will not be at the PdO this year, which is fine by me - I’ll be on an expedition with other good friends, hopefully climbing in the mountains. Since Aleš and Luka are apathetic about the award, they will attend the PdO, and will accept their (second) trophy. I will follow their example and also accept.

But my heart and my head say: “thank you… but this is not for me.”

This piece has been revised in October 2025.

Piolet d'Or