During the next 2024 edition of the Piolets d’Or, the 16th Walter Bonatti – Piolets d’Or Lifetime Achievement Award will be presented to Spanish alpinist Jordi Corominas.
Kilian Jornet, who has just written a page in mountaineering by completing the 82 4000 of the Alps in 19 days, says of Corominas: « his achievements, like the Magic Line on K2, and his bold, uncompromising style have inspired several generations. I’ve been fortunate to learn from him during my initiation into high-altitude mountaineering, which has deeply influenced my vision of climbing. » A young Kilian was lucky enough to share an expedition to Nepal with Jordi Corominas (and Jordi Tosas) in 2013, an expedition about which Jornet wrote : « it was a game of renounce, getting as naked as possible to feel closer to those mountains.» Eleven years later, Jordi Corominas is celebrated by his peers.
The Piolets d’Or promotes alpine style, doing more with less. The Lifetime Achievement Award reflect this ethos but also champion a spirit of exploration, a high level of commitment . These are all perfectly exemplified by the career of Jordi Corominas, a long-time IFMGA mountain guide living in Benasque on the southern slopes of the Pyrenees. Born in Barcelona, he spent his youth climbing in the Pyrenees and the mountains of La Rioja, where he began creating new routes. It was during this time that couloir climbing and winter first ascents developed on the Pyrenean peaks. At the beginning of the 1990s he decided to commit fully to the mountains and became a professional guide.
He has deeply influenced my vision of climbing. Kilian Jornet
Jordi has made significant contribution to multiple areas of mountaineering, from his high-standard personal ascents in pure style, his long career as a professional guide [more than 30 years of guiding in the Alps], his role as director of the Spanish National Mountaineering Team from 2002 – 2010, to the training of new guides. Perhaps his most significant role is the use of his vision of alpinism – a lightweight, free climbing, modern progressive style – to influence the transition between two generations of Spanish climbers.
Someone reticent to speak
As the alpinist and journalist, Oscar Gogorza, writes : « Long before I met Jordi, he was already a legend in the small world of Spanish mountaineering. Yet he preferred to listen than to talk. I have known him for 25 years and I have never heard him say, “I’ve climbed this, or that”. Never. I have only just discovered the depth of his curriculum vitae, which he kept secret for so long. Jordi is the link between 20th Century Spanish mountaineers and those of the 21st Century.»
Jordi Corominas is reluctant to talk about himself, but his long ascents’ list speaks for itself. Let’s start with the Pyrenees.
Jordi repeated almost all the classic routes in the range, and in the 1980s and 90s made winter ascents of mythical routes such as the west-northwest face of the Grand Pic du Midi d’Ossau, north spur of the Pique Longue du Vignemale, the Central Dihedral on Peña Telera, and the north face of the Tour de Marboré, as well as two solo attempts on the Pilier de L’Embarradère on the Grand Pic du Midi d’Ossau. Climbed new routes in both summer and winter in the Ordesa, Bujaruelo, and Benasque regions.
Patagonia
2008. First ascent of the northeast face of 3,706m Cerro San Lorenzo (ED- to foresummit after joining the last section of the South African route on the east ridge).
2012. First ascents of the East Buttress of 2,640m Cerro Moyano (TD+) and East Buttress of 2,580m Cerro Norte (TD).
Perù
2003. First solo ascent of the Japanese route on the south face of 6,395m Chopicalqui (TD).
2005. New variants (at bottom and top) to the 1973 French Route on the northeast face of 6,654m Huascarán Norte (TD-, 12 hours round trip). Other speed solos in the same season: the first solo ascent (and very rare repeat) of the Ecuadorian Route (TD+) on the south face of 6,259m Santa Cruz in six hours and then a downclimb of the original German Route. (TD-) on the same face in three hours; solo ascent of the northwest face (TD-) on 6,127m Sarapo in three hours, then a downclimb of the northeast face (TD-) in two hours.
2007. First ascent of the west face of 6,265m Siula Chico (ED+) on his third attempt in five years. A new route on the north face of 6,768m Huascarán Sur (TD+). The first ascent of the south face of 6,188m Nevado Copa (ED, to summit ridge).
2011. First ascent of a Direct Finish to the French route on 6,001m Chacraraju Este (ED). A solo ascent of 6,025m Artesonraju.
Himalaya-Karakoram
All without supplemental oxygen
1991. Dhaulagiri(8,167m), normal route.
2004. Second ascent of the Magic Line (south-southwest ridge) on 8,611m K2, climbing alone from around 8,300m and then descending the Abruzzi Spur. At the time the Magic Line was considered to be the hardest technical ascent on the mountain and there has been no further ascent.
2006. Single push ascent of 8,035m Gasherbrum II via normal route.
1988. Reached 7,400m on the original Austrian route of Lhotse Shar.
2000. Attempt on the northeast ridge of Everest.
2006. Climbed west face and south ridge of Gasherbrum IV to around 7,200m in alpine style.
2010. Attempt on the Austrian Route on Lhotse Shar and the south face of Lhotse, both in alpine style.
2013. Attempt on the south face of Shishapangma in winter, alpine style, approaching from Nepal.
2019. Attempted alpine style ascents of the original route on the south face of Nuptse and, again, the Austrian route on Lhotse Shar.
Other Ascents – all in alpine style
1990. Third overall ascent and first in alpine style of the west ridge of 6,904m Thalay Sagar (V+ 60°).
1994. Second ascent of the southeast ridge (Bonington-Fotheringham route) of 6,501m Shivling West (ED-). First ascent of Kundalini, east face of 6,450m Meru North (6b, A2+ 85°).
2002. Attempted new routes on Meru South and Meru North.
2009. First ascent south pillar to south foresummit (6,600m) of Tengi Ragi Tau (ED). Second (solo) ascent of the east-southeast face/couloir [Steck route, M5 50-60°] on 6,495m Tawoche. A solo ascent of 6,812m Ama Dablam by the south face.
2011. First ascent of the west face and southwest ridge of 6,700m Cho Polu (TD).
2014. Second ascent of the west face (Infleti, TD) of 5,945m Chugimago North, and the first ascent of the Direct South Face of 6,257m Chekigo (AI5/5+ M6).
The 2024 edition of the Piolets d’Or will be held in San Martino di Castrozza, in Trentino (Italy), on December 8th to 11th.