Mark Richey
Mark Richey is an American rock climber and alpinist with a history of significant first ascents around the world, and for which he won the Piolets d'Or, the highest award in mountaineering, in 2012 and in 2020. Richey was also made president of the American Alpine Club from 2003 to 2006. He is also the founder and president of Mark Richey Woodworking, a company based in Newburyport, Massachusetts.
Climbing career
Richey began climbing at age 15 in the Boston area and has completed more than forty expeditions to the Greater Ranges. In the early 1980s, he made the first ascents of the south face of Ocshapalca, and the east face of Cayesh in Peru. Other first ascents have been done in Greenland and India.Two of Richey's climbs in the Karakoram won Piolets d'Or, the best-known prize for alpine climbing. The first was for the first ascent of Saser Kangri II in 2011, with Steve Swenson and Freddie Wilkinson. The second was for the first ascent of the southeast face of Link Sar in 2019, with Swenson, Chris Wright, and Graham Zimmerman.