In 1992, he and Marko Prezelj were bestowed the Bloudek Award and the Piolet d'Or ('Golden Ice Axe') for their alpine style ascent of the new route on the south ridge to the south summit of Mt. Kangchenjunga. In June 2018, Štremfelj became the first Slovenian mountaineer to be awarded the Piolet d'Or for lifetime achievement.