© Quentin Roberts

First ascent of the south-southeast spur of Jirishanca, Cordillera Huayhuash, via Reino Hongo (1,000m, M7 AI5+ 90°) from July 21-23. Descent by the east buttress and lower southeast face

It goes without saying there is real commitment and adventure to be found outside the Himalaya. This year it would be impossible for the Piolets d’Or not to highlight a route from the Andes of South America, where in 2022 several outstanding ascents were completed. The Cordillera Huayhuash is home to very spectacular peaks, including Jirishanca, one of the highest summits in the range and one with no easy route to the top. It was one of the last Peruvian 6,000ers to be climbed.

Canadians Alik Berg and Quentin Roberts chose the coveted line of the south-southeast spur, which rises to a convoluted ridge of enormous snow and ice mushrooms before meeting the vertical, ice-smeared limestone of the south headwall. Past attempts by various parties to reach this headwall by climbing the face further left of the spur had ground to a halt in impossible snow.

Berg and Roberts moved in pure alpine style, carrying sacs on sustained, technical, and previously untouched terrain. Due to heavy snowfall on the rock spur shortly before setting out, and not enough good weather for it to clear properly, the two made the decision to climb five or so pitches up the lower spur and then wrap around the steeper section above onto the south flank. Here, they would climb steep mixed terrain to regain the spur below the convoluted snow/ice ridge shaped like a dragon’s back. They completed this section on day one, the ridge itself on day two, and the crux headwall on day three. The latter provided unprotected pitches that were sometimes as difficult and potentially as dangerous for the second as the leader. When they pulled onto the summit – a rare ascent of the mountain from the east – they were amazed 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’s descent of the east buttress and lower southeast face, which they achieved with one more bivouac.

The jury felt this to be an inspiring line, direct to the summit, and climbed in exactly the style and with the spirit of adventure that the Piolets d’Or wishes to promote.

Alik Berg

• Canada

Living in Canmore, Alberta, in the heart of the Canadian Rockies, Alik (aged 35) describes himself as an "obsessive climber". From a very young age, roped to his father, he was on the big walls, climbing the famous Grand Wall of Squamish at the age of 10, then trying his hand at aid climbing in Yosemite (around 20 routes on El Capitan up to A5). It was in the paradise of glacier and mixed climbing close to Canmore that he was also able to try his hand at dry-tooling, so useful on the big alpine faces. He works as a high-angle industrial access technician to fund future climbing trips. His friend and fellow climber Ian Welsted describes him as, "having that special calm demeanour that comes of hanging off tiny pieces of metal poked into irregularities in granite: one has to coax these astounding facts out of a self depreciating talent." In July 2017, he opened two new routes, all-free, in the Cordillera Blanca: The Devil's Reach Around (900m, 5.10 M6 90°) on the east face of Chacraraju Este with Quentin Roberts, then Nadie Sabe Nada (1,000m, 5.9 M6 85°) on the north face of Hualcán, this time in the company of Aritza Monasterio.

 

Quentin Roberts

• CANADA

Born in England to a Canadian father and an Austrian mother, Quentin was destined to travel the world. From an early age, he began climbing in Wales with his father, then in the Alps, before moving to South Africa, where he also developed a passion for board sports such as surfing and skateboarding. But it was in British Columbia, Canada, while obtaining a degree in mechanical engineering, that his passion for climbing in all its forms was truly born. Since then, he has become a hunter of hard new alpine lines, such as the aforementioned Devil's Reach Around on the east face of Chacraraju Este. He is also known for his free solos, such as Striving for the Moon (1,400m, AI6) on Mount Temple (Canada), Grand Central Couloir, (AI4, M6) on Mount Kitchener (Canada), and the famous Exocet (5.10- WI5+) on Cerro Standhardt (Patagonia). These, he regards as personal energy releases. Among his friends and climbing partners, he’s known for his tactfulness, strength, and positive energy.