The following climbs appeared on the “Big List” of notable 2015 ascents in the Alps prepared for the annual Piolets d’Or jury by Lindsay Griffin, with help from Claude Gardien.

WESTERN ALPS

Ailefroide Orientale (3,847m), north face. On October 26, Alexandre Michel, Stefano Morino, and Pierre Sauget (France) put up Winter is Coming (700m, 550m new, 5 M5+ 80°).

Pic Sans Nom (3,913m), north face. Benjemin Brochard, Fred Degoulet, and Jonathan Joly (France) climbed Le Prestige des Écrins (1,000m, M6+ 6a) over three days in October.

Aiguille du Fou (3,501m). Fabien Dugit and Cédric Lachat completed the first free ascent of Balade au Clair de Lune (Bellin-Boivin-Moioli, 1983). After working the route, the two Frenchmen climbed it free in a day, with pitches of 7b+, 8b, and 7c+ and some serious runouts.

Six North Faces. Tom Ballard (U.K.) became the first person to solo the six “classic” north faces of the Alps in a single calendar winter.

Eiger (3,970m), north face. Simon Gietl, Robert Jasper, and Roger Schäli (Italian-German- Swiss) completed the Odyssee (1,400m, 33 pitches, 8a+). The route has been redpointed but awaits a continuous free ascent. [See full AAJ report.]

Matterhorn (4,478m), south face. Patrick Gabarrou (France) and various partners over 13 years, finishing with Pierre Gourdin, completed a new line: Padre Pio, Une Échelle Vers le Ciel (1,300m, 7a). 

EASTERN ALPS 

Monte Qualido (2,707m), east face. Paolo Marazzi, Luca Schiera, and Matteo de Zaiacomo (Italy) climbed King of the Bongo (ca 800m, 18 pitches, 7c+, no bolts).

Torre Venezia (2,337m), south face. Emanuele Pellizzari and Nicolas Tondini (Italy) made the first winter ascent of Rondo Veneziano (470m, IX-).

Civetta (3,220m), northwest face. Martin Dejori, Marta Mozzati, Titus Prinoth, Giorgio Travaglia, and Alex Walpoth (Italy) climbed Via Degli Studenti (1,000m, VIII- A0).

Schneefernerkopf (2,875m). In February, Joachim Feger and Michael Wohileben (Germany) climbed Optimist (1,300m, M6) on the west face of the Wetterstein massif in Austria.