Livingstone and Česen's first ascent on the West Ridge of Gasherbrum III awarded Piolet d'Or
Tom Livingstone and Aleš Česen's ascent has been awarded the highest mountaineering merit - the Piolet d'Or - for the mountain's third ever complete ascent. We caught up with Tom and heard his views about the award and his experience of the climb itself.
Tom’s 2019 blog entry on his website regarding his first Piolet d'Or for the first ascent of Latok I (7145m) with Aleš Česen and Luka Stražar in 2018, makes his stance on winning the Alpinism 'Oscars' clear: he’s ambivalent about the Piolet d’Or as an award, preferring the focus to be on the climb, the partnership, and the personal experience rather than external recognition. In his blog, he writes about the contradictions of celebrating risk, the discomfort of competition in alpinism, and the importance of style, authenticity, and honesty in storytelling.
"I do not appreciate how the Piolet d'Or 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."
His blog post ponders the concept of classifying what is 'best' in a sport which principally offers "freedom" over competition. "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?"
As it stands - with his second Piolet 'in hand' in 2025 - he still feels the same way. It's worth a full read of the blog for some good high alpine food for thought.
READ: Tom's Piolet d'Or blog post from 2019
His write up of the Edge of Entropy in Alpinist magazine, depicts an ascent that took a few years to achieve - this was their second attempt on the West Ridge after conditions humbled them in 2022. "We found ourselves at the base of the West Ridge, our tent shaken by winds that literally created a ripping sound as they tore over the mountain. 'You’d be blown over the border and into China,' we agreed grimly. Rationality prevailed, and we bravely 'ran away' to the northern aspect, hoping for shelter, but finding little."
Why Gasherbrum III? "What if you took the technical difficulty of routes found on peaks in the Alps, Alaska or the Canadian Rockies and supercharged the challenge by attempting that type of terrain at high altitude, say, 8000 meters? Of course, you couldn’t perform to the same standard—but that would be a real beast"
Two months set aside for the whole trip, and with an eventual seven-day journey to the summit and back, 7,958 metres later a new ascent was had - marking just the third complete ascent of Gasherbrum III ever.
READ: Tom's full write-up in Alpinist Magazine
Tom's thoughts on the climb a year on
We asked Tom for a few more insights of the ascent experience:
Was there a particular golden moment on the route that summed up the spirit of the expedition for you?
Over a year has passed since Aleš and I climbed Gasherbrum III, and my memory is already less clear! It’s funny how a special climb can be so vivid and now feel quite distant. There were many moments of doubt and satisfaction - no single instant stands out. As we climbed higher and further each day, it felt like I could somehow ‘play' with my mind. I could explore why I was happy, why I was scared, what the next section might bring.
I definitely remember trying really hard on some of the difficult pitches; one was only 50 metres below the summit, and at the end of that pitch I recall thinking we were actually going to get to the top. It hadn’t been certain until that moment. Aleš is an incredible climber and strong partner, able to retain those qualities throughout the ups and downs.
With this expedition lasting a couple of months, was enjoyment something that ran through the whole experience, or something more recognised in hindsight?
I’m very lucky that I am naturally very optimistic and motivated, so there were never really any seriously negative points of the expedition. Aleš seems to be the same, or he just didn’t show it!
If you could give advice to a young climber dreaming of making first ascents, what would you tell them?
I would encourage young climbers to build up slowly, taking their time to consolidate their experience. You’ve got plenty of years, so don’t rush. Having said that, I think it’s also important to climb as much as possible, and to embrace the freedom of youth! UK trad is really special and world class; the natural protection, funky rock, rope management and exciting atmospheres are all great preparation for the big mountains. Go to the Alps in all seasons, then explore places like Alaska, the Canadian Rockies and Patagonia. Try doing something original and unknown every once in a while. Explore the real parts of alpinism: rich experiences with good friends, getting cold, scared and hungry, without a topo, no social media, uncertainty and wilderness. Pathways such as the Conville Course or the Young Alpinist Group really help.
And - how was the view?
We didn’t get to see a view at the top since it was cloudy, unfortunately, but at other moments we could gape at endless peaks stretching into the horizon, no trace of humanity to be seen.