Taniguchi Kei

Kei Taniguchi was a Japanese Mountaineer. Her accomplishments included climbing new technical routes on various mountains in Alaska, Nepal, Tibet, Pakistan and China. In 2009, she became the first female mountaineer to win the prestigious International Climbing award Piolet d'Or after completing the first ascent of the Southeast Face of Kamet in India, sharing the award with her climbing partner Kazuya Hiraide. She was known for her fearless Alpinist climbing style with no Sherpa support and was considered a pioneer among her peers.