• The first climb on the south-southeast ridge of the snow-capped Jirishanca, “Mushroom Kingdom” route (1,000 m, M7 AI5+ 90°). 21 to 23 – July 2022 was awarded the Piolets d'Or 2023.
• The first ascent of Jugal Spire (6,563 m), Jugal Himal, “The Phantom Line” route (1,300 m, ED) on the north face, from April 25 to 29 (Himalaya).
• The first ascent of Pumari Chhish East, Hispar Muztagh, “The Crystal Ship” route (1,600 m, 6b A2 M7) on the south face and upper west ridge, from June 25 to 29 (Pakistan)

The Huayhuash Mountain Range is home to very spectacular peaks, including the snow-capped Jirishanca, one of the highest peaks of the Huayhuash mountain range and whose route is not easy to reach its summit. It has been one of the last Peruvian 6,000 peaks to be climbed.

Canadians Alik Berg and Quentin Roberts chose the coveted line of the south-southeast spur (ridge), which rises to a convoluted ridge of enormous mushrooms of snow and ice before meeting the ice-covered vertical limestone of the southern head. Previous attempts by several groups to reach this headwall by scaling the leftmost face of the spur had been stopped in impossible snow.

Berg and Roberts did the climbing all in alpine style, making catches on sustained, technical and previously untouched terrain. Due to heavy snowfall on the rock spur shortly before leaving, and not enough good weather for it to clear properly, the two made the decision to climb about five pitches up the lower spur and then circle around the steeper section above to the south. flank. Here, they would scramble up steep mixed terrain to recover the spur beneath the convoluted dragon-back-shaped ridge of snow and ice. They completed this section on the first day, the ridge itself on the second day, and the crucial headwaters on the third day. The latter provided unprotected fields that were sometimes as difficult and potentially as dangerous for the second as for the leader. When they reached the summit, a rare ascent of the mountain from the east, they were surprised to be greeted by two Americans who had climbed a route on the right side of the southeast face. Berg and Roberts were subsequently able to follow the American descent of the east buttress and lower southeast face, which they accomplished with one more bivouac.

The jury found this to be an inspiring line, straight to the top, and it was climbed in exactly the style and spirit of adventure that the Piolets d'Or want to promote.

ALIK BERG (3 years old) lives in Canmore, Alberta, in the heart of the Canadian Rockies, and describes himself as an “obsessive climber.” He was into big walls from a very young age, climbing the famous Great Wall of Squamish at age 10 and then trying his hand at aid climbing in Yosemite (about 20 routes on El Capitan up to the A5). It was in the paradise of glacier and mixed climbing near Canmore that he was also able to try his hand at dry-tooling, so useful on big alpine walls. His friend and climbing partner, Ian Welsted, describes him as someone who “has that special, calm demeanor that comes from hanging little bits of metal nailed into irregularities in the granite. In July 2017, he opened two new routes, completely free, in the Cordillera Blanca: The Devil's Reach Around (900 m, 5.10 M6 90°) on the east face of Chacraraju Este with Quentin Roberts, then Nadie Sabe Nada (1,000 m, 5.9 M6 85°) on the north face of Hualcán, this time in the company of Aritza Monasterio.

QUENTIN ROBERTS Born in England to a Canadian father and Austrian mother, Quentin was destined to travel the world. From a young age he began climbing in Wales with his father, then in the Alps. It was in British Columbia, Canada, while earning his degree in mechanical engineering, that his passion for climbing in all its forms was truly born. Since then, he became passionate about opening new, tough alpine-style trails, like the aforementioned Devil's Reach Around on the east face of Chacraraju Este. He is also known for his solo and free climbs, such as Striving for the Moon (1,400 m, AI6) on Mount Temple (Canada), Grand Central Couloir (AI4, M6) on Mount Kitchener (Canada) and the famous Exocet (5.10 – WI5+) in Cerro Standhardt (Patagonia). He considers them personal energy releases. Among his friends and climbing partners, he is known for his tact, strength, and positive energy.

– Author: Porfirio Cacha –