The tenacious team of Paul Ramdsen and Mick Fowler, who already received a Piolet d’Or in 2002 for their ascent of Siguniang and another in 2013 for the Prow of Shiva, made the first ascent of this isolated summit on the northwest border of Nepal, which had seen no previous attempts. After studying the different ascent possibilities, the English climbers spent five days (from base camp to summit) putting up a very elegant new line on the north face. The route is protected from objective dangers. They reached the summit on 22 October and made the descent in two days by the west ridge and then a couloir on the north side. The overall difficulty of the 1,600 m route is estimated at ED+. Paul’s description of the line: “The first half is similar to the north face of the Eiger in terms of the complexity of the itinerary, the second half is similar to the Peuterey ridge.”
Mick Fowler
- UK
Mick was born in 1956. Since putting up a hard new route on Taulliraju in Peru in 1982, he has been on more than 20 expeditions to mountain ranges all over the world. All of his first ascents have been made in good style and without the use of bolts. His most significant first ascents include the Golden Pillar of Spantik, the north buttress of Tawache, the north face of Changabang, the northwest face of Siguniang, and the Prow of Shiva. Mick and his partner Paul Ramdsen were awarded the Piolet d'Or for the latter two ascents. Mick works for the British Tax Office. He is married with a son and daughter. He was president of the Alpine Club from 2011 to 2013.
Paul Ramsden
- UK
Paul was born in 1969 and has racked up an impressive list of new routes from Norwegian ice climbs to the Himalaya. Significant first ascents include Manamcho in Tibet (China), Sulamar in Chinese Xinjiang, the northwest face of Siguniang in the Sichuan (China), the Prow of Shiva (India) and the first winter ascent of Aguja Poincenot (Patagonia). Paul and his climbing partner Mick Fowler received the Piolet d’Or for their first ascents on Siguniang and the Prow of Shiva. He works full time as a health and safety advisor and is married with a young daughter.
