In July 2022, seasoned alpinists Josh Wharton and Vince Anderson completed the first integral and first free ascent of the southeast face of Jirishanca (6,125m) in Peru.
Their route, named Suerte Integral, follows a line that was partially established by an Italian team in 2003 but remained unfinished until their success.
Route Details & Difficulty
Route Name: Suerte Integral (also known as Italian Integral).
Grade: 5.13a, M7, WI6+.
Length: Approximately 1,100 metres (3,500 feet).
Style: A three-day alpine-style push to the summit, completing a project Wharton had attempted four times over seven years.
Key Highlights
Technical Challenges: The climb is considered one of the hardest alpine routes in the Cordillera Huayhuash, requiring a “full package of skills” including 5.13 limestone big-wall climbing, vertical ice roofs, and “psychedelic” snow wallowing.
Climate Impact: Wharton noted significant changes to the mountain due to climate change since his first attempt in 2015, including receding ice and more unstable “chossy” rock.
Summit Coincidence: In a rare event for such a remote peak, Wharton and Anderson met a Canadian team (Alik Berg and Quentin Roberts) on the summit, who had just completed their own new route, Reino Hongo.
Film: The expedition is featured in the Reel Rock 18 film Jirishanca, which explores the balance between high-risk alpinism and fatherhood
