From Gripped Magazine · gripped · · 1m 10s
Sarah Hueniken Wins 2026 Summit of Excellence Award
Sarah Hueniken receives 2026 Summit of Excellence Award at Banff Festival.
In brief
Sarah Hueniken receives 2026 Summit of Excellence Award at Banff Festival. Sarah Hueniken will be honored with Canada’s 2026 Summit of Excellence Award for her contributions to mountain safety and community leadership. Originally reported by Gripped Magazine.
Award Recognition
Sarah Hueniken will receive the 2026 Summit of Excellence Award at Banff Centre Mountain Film and Book Festival on Saturday, Nov. 7.
Award Background
Presented annually since 1987, the Summit of Excellence Award honors individuals who have made significant contributions to mountain life across Canada.
Hueniken's Achievements
Hueniken became the first North American woman to climb mixed rock-and-ice grades M11 through M14 and was a former North American Ice Climbing Champion.
Community Impact
For over a decade, Hueniken has developed women-specific mountaineering programs to help women become self-sufficient mountain leaders.
Mountain Muskox Program
Hueniken co-founded Mountain Muskox Mentorship Program, a Bow Valley non-profit providing peer-support circles for trauma and loss in the outdoor community.
Avalanche Safety Contributions
Hueniken created the Rockies Ice Climbing Avalanche Atlas with Grant Statham to map avalanche exposure zones for ice climbers.
The one thing
Sarah Hueniken will be honored with Canada’s 2026 Summit of Excellence Award for her contributions to mountain safety and community leadership.
