This is the seventh accolade for a Slovenian expedition in the 24-year history of the award.

It was the first ascent up the east face of Cerro Kishtwar made by Slovenia's Urban Novak and Marko Prezelj together with climbers Haydn Kennedy and Manu Pellissier, the Slovenian Mountaineering Association said on Wednesday as it announced the news.

The four-day ascent, dubbed "Light before wisdom", also impressed the Slovenian association, which in January declared Novak and Prezelj the most successful Slovenian climbers in 2015.

The Piolet d'Or awards will be conferred at an event taking place between 14 and 17 April in France's La Grave, where Prezelj will become the first climber ever to receive a fourth Piolet d'Or.