APU Alumnus August Franzen Awarded Most Prestigious International Mountaineering Award in 2025

August Franzen, an Alaska Pacific University Outdoor Studies alumnus, is part of a climbing team whose recent ascent of Yashkuk Sar in Pakistan’s Karakoram has been recognized among the highest honors in international mountaineering. Along with teammates Dane Steadman and Cody Winckler, Franzen completed the first ascent of the 6,667-meter peak via a demanding new line on the north pillar, which they named “Tiger Lily Buttress.” You learn read more about the ascent here.

The climb—marked by technical ice, sustained mixed terrain, and exposed high-altitude bivouacs—was completed in true alpine style, with the team navigating objective hazards including collapsing seracs and committing ridge systems in one of the most remote corners of the Batura Muztagh. Their route included steep ice, difficult mixed climbing, and a complex descent via rappels and traverses back to the glacier.

For this ascent, Franzen and his team were selected as one of only three recipients of the 2025 Piolets d’Or (French for “Golden Ice Axe”), the most prestigious international award in mountaineering. Often referred to as the “Oscars of mountaineering,” the Piolets d’Or honors the world’s most significant, innovative, and ethically sound alpine-style climbs from the previous year, recognizing both technical achievement and commitment to exploratory alpinism.

APU is incredibly proud of Outdoor Studies alumnus August Franzen and his team’s remarkable achievement on Yashkuk Sar in Pakistan’s Karakoram. This accomplishment highlights how APU graduates can turn their outdoor passions into meaningful, high-level careers that reach the international stage, demonstrating leadership, resilience, and excellence in some of the world’s most remote and challenging environments.