Kei Taniguchi perishes on Mount Kuro in Japan

The Japanese Alpine Club has described Taniguchi as "one of the world’s most skilled female climbers”. After her initial explorations and numerous successes worldwide, in 2008 she carried out an ascent that enshrined as one of the leading alpinists of her generation: together with Kazuya Hiraide she made the first ascent of the SE Face of Kamet, at 7856m the third highest mountain in India. The duo were the first to attempt this virgin 1800m and from 26 September to 7 October they forged their Samurai Direct in pure alpine style, breaching difficulties up to MI5+, AI5+. For this astounding undertaking and for their spirit of exploration the two received the Piolet d’Or 2009. Over a five-day period in 2012 this spirit prompted the two to establish a difficult new route on Namu-nani-feng (7694m) in Tibet. In 2010 Taniguchi formed part of the jury of the Piolet d’Or.


FROM PIOLETS D’OR
Born in Japan on 14th July 1972, Kei was drawn by a sense of adventure from an early age, admiring the explorer Naomi Uemura, the first Japanese to reach the summit of Everest, the North Pole and then the summit of Denali in Alaska (1970). After Uemura died during his second winter ascent of McKinley in March 1984, Kei decided to follow in his footsteps by going to Alaska. On reaching the summit of Denali in 2001, she decided from then on to devote her life to alpinism. It was not simply the high level of technical difficulty which attracted her, but more the exploration of undiscovered mountains all over the world.

She opened a first on Spantik in 2004, made the second alpine-style ascent of the East arête of Mustagh Ata (7564m, China) and climbed Shivling (6543m, India) in 2005. In 2006 and 2007, she was drawn towards the high altitudes of Manaslu and Everest. During the last 10 years, this self-employed personnel manager has been on expeditions all over the world. In 2009 in Chamonix she was awarded a Piolet d’Or for the first ascent in 2008 of the South-East face of Kamet (7756m, India), alpine style, with her fellow compatriot Kazuja Hiraide. In 2010, using this complicated and difficult style, she has twice renounced: on the West Face of Kunyan Chish (7400m, Pakistan) and on the East Face of Gaurishankar (7134m, Tibet). As a jury member, Kei represents the feminine side of the new generation of dedicated alpinists.