Editing First ascent (section)

== In mountaineering and alpinism==
[[File:First ascent.JPG|thumb|Danish climbers [[Kristoffer Szilas]] and Martin Ploug (pictured) nearing the summit of the unclimbed peak, [[Ren Zhong Feng]] (5800m), in China via their new route ''Lost to Ice'' (grade [[Grade (climbing)#Mountaineering|TD M4, WI4]], 1300m)]]
As mountaineering developed in the 20th century, the attainment of a summit by almost any means was replaced by ascents that reflected the style used and the conditions faced.  In 2008, the most prestigious annual prize in mountaineering, the [[Piolet d'Or]], amended its focus to small light-weight [[alpine style|alpine-style]] teams using no form of aid or support, rather than on large expedition-style teams using "siege" techniques.<ref name=NYT/>

The most notable types of mountaineering first ascents that are chronicled are:

* First ascent.  The most notable first ascents started with the [[golden age of alpinism]] when the main alpine peaks were summited (and often using [[aid climbing]]).  In the 1930s, the focus moved to the first ascents of the [[great north faces of the Alps]], and the [[Eiger]] in particular.  The 1950s saw the first ascents of most of the fourteen [[eight-thousander]]s, and [[Everest]] in particular.  By the 1980s, the rock spires of [[Trango Towers]] in the [[Karakorum]], and [[Torres del Paine National Park|Torres del Paine]] in [[Patagonia]] also had first ascents.

* First winter ascent.  The winter climbing season is between December 21 and March 20.<ref name=NG>{{cite web | magazine=[[National Geographic]] | url=https://www.nationalgeographic.com/adventure/article/absolute-misery-climbers-complete-the-historic-first-winter-ascent-of-nanga-parbat-the-killer-mountain | first=Andrew | last=Bisharat | title=Climbers Make History Making First Winter Ascent of Pakistan's 'Killer Mountain'| date=27 February 2016 | accessdate=8 February 2023 | archive-date=10 February 2023 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230210084226/https://www.nationalgeographic.com/adventure/article/absolute-misery-climbers-complete-the-historic-first-winter-ascent-of-nanga-parbat-the-killer-mountain | url-status=dead }}</ref>  The first winter ascents of the [[great north faces of the Alps]] were a coveted prize, particularly the "Trilogy" of the three hardest, the Eiger, the [[Matterhorn]], and the [[Grandes Jorasses]].  The most notable first winter ascents were the Himalayan and Karakoram [[eight-thousander]]s,<ref name=NG/> where the hardest, [[K2]], was only summited in winter in 2021 (66 years after its first ascent) and considered a "holy grail" of mountaineering prizes.<ref>{{cite web | newspaper=[[The Guardian]] | first=Peter | last=Beaumont | date=6 January 2021 | accessdate=9 February 2023 | url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/jan/16/nepalese-team-makes-first-successful-winter-ascent-of-k2 | title=Nepalese team makes first successful winter ascent of K2 | archive-date=10 February 2023 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230210083843/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/jan/16/nepalese-team-makes-first-successful-winter-ascent-of-k2 | url-status=live }}</ref> 

* First alpine-style (or unsupported) ascent.  In 2008, the charter of the prestigious Piolet d'Or prize was amended to focus on small teams with no support making fast, but riskier, ascents on routes that had previously been done by expeditions (called [[alpine style]]).<ref name=HJ>{{cite journal | journal=[[Himalayan Journal]] | author-link=Bernadette McDonald | first=Bernadette | last=McDonald | url=https://www.himalayanclub.org/hj/72/9/piolets-dor/ | date=2017 | accessdate=2 January 2023 | title=Piolets d'Or: A Short History of the Golden Ice Axe | volume=72 | archive-date=19 February 2022 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220219154800/https://www.himalayanclub.org/hj/72/9/piolets-dor/ | url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | magazine=[[Alpinist (magazine)|Alpinist]] | url=http://www.alpinist.com/doc/web15s/newswire-23rd-piolets-d-or-highlights | title=Highlights from the 23rd Piolets d'Or | date=14 April 2015 | accessdate=1 January 2023 | first=Menno | last=Boermans | quote=The Piolets d'Or (Golden Ice Axes) were long considered to be the 'Oscars of Mountaineering' | archive-date=1 January 2023 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230101161833/http://www.alpinist.com/doc/web15s/newswire-23rd-piolets-d-or-highlights | url-status=live }}</ref>  Multiple Piolet d'Or winners, whose ascents embodied this style, included [[Marko Prezelj]], [[Mick Fowler]], and [[Ueli Steck]].<ref name=HJ/>  The charter was amended to de-incentivize excessive risk-taking after several winners died (e.g. [[David Lama]], and [[Hansjörg Auer]]).<ref name=NYT>{{Cite news|last=Levy|first=Michael|date=2021-11-29|title=A Climbing Award That May Be a Winner's Last|language=en-US|newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/11/29/sports/piolet-dor-climbing.html|access-date=2021-11-30|issn=0362-4331|archive-date=2021-11-30|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211130012050/https://www.nytimes.com/2021/11/29/sports/piolet-dor-climbing.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=IP>{{cite web | magazine=[[Alpinist (magazine)|Alpinist]] | url=http://www.alpinist.com/doc/ALP16/unwinnable-parnell | title=Victors of the Unwinnable | date=1 July 2006 | accessdate=2 January 2023 | first=Ian | last=Parnell | archive-date=13 January 2020 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200113075736/http://www.alpinist.com/doc/ALP16/unwinnable-parnell | url-status=live }}</ref>

* First solo ascent.  The most dangerous form of alpine-style ascent is the [[solo climbing]] ascent, performed by a single climber.  The first solo ascents of the alpine north faces, including the first solo winter ascents, were coveted (the winter solo "Trilogy" was completed by [[Ivano Ghirardini]] in 1977–78); one of the most famous practitioners was the Italian [[Walter Bonatti]].<ref name=MT/> Himalayan solo ascents are also coveted, although problems around verification are more frequent due to the more remote nature of the routes, with notable disputes such as [[Tomo Česen]]'s first solo ascent of the south face of [[Lhotse]].<ref name=MT>{{cite book | title=Kiss Or Kill: Confessions of a Serial Climber | author-link=Mark Twight | first=Mark | last=Twight | date=2001 | isbn=978-0898867633 | publisher=Mountaineering Books | chapter=My Way: A Short Talk with Tomo Cesen | pages=63–74 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=N7N-0rq_f8YC | accessdate=10 January 2023 | archive-date=10 February 2023 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230210011146/https://books.google.com/books?id=N7N-0rq_f8YC | url-status=live }}</ref><ref name=HJ/><ref name=IP/>