ASIAN ALPINE E-NEWS
Issue No 96. November 2021

Contents(1) Yasushi Yamanoi Piolets d'Or
- 2021 Lifetime Achievement Award

Page 2 ~ 6(2) Cycling and Climbing Traverseof the Caravaya and Vilcanota Ranges,
Peruvian Andes by Sergi Ricart Ibars
in July-August 2021

Page 7 ~ 35

1

Yasushi Yamanoi Piolets d'Or - 2021 Lifetime Achievement Award

Seen from Europe our view of Japanese mountaineering can often be cloudy. On the
one hand Japan has a very prolific history in exploration and first ascents, notably
in the Himalaya and Karakoram. On the other hand, we associate that history
almost entirely with large-scale, siege-style ascents. In the last two decades we haveseen an emergence of bold climbs in alpine-style from young Japanese alpinists, forexample, members of the "Giri Giri Boys", Kazuya Hiraide, and the first female tohave her new route awarded a Piolet d'Or, Kei Taniguchi. Their climbs have received
considerable applause, and several have been awarded Piolets. However, the nameof one of their countrymen was known globally for his impressive alpine-style1

climbing wellbefore the new millennium. That name – Yasushi Yamanoi – perhaps lessrecognizable in the Western Hemisphere but revered in his own country, first started
to appear in international mountaineering magazines in the second half of the 1980s.
The journey of this "true man of honour, a sort of contemporary Samurai", asropemate, friend and Piolets Career Awardee, Voytek Kurtyka, likes to describe him,
is a voyage of great adventure, achievement, and style through major climbing
arenas of the world.
Yasushi Yamanoi was born in 1965 and started climbing, on his own, after being
inspired by the French film, Mort d'un Guide. By 14 he was climbing short rockroutes, and in high school he free soloed many multi-pitch climbs, leading otheractivists to describe him as "the man closest to heaven". After leaving school
Yamanoi concentrated on improving his rock skills, endeavouring to become
extremely proficient in crack climbing and hard aid. Where else to go in the mid1980s but America. He spent three to five months in the USA each year from 1984
to 1987 [at times working in a Los Angeles restaurant] and was able to come awaywith ascents of Cosmic Debris (5.13a), and the infamous Sphynx Crack (5.13b) in theSouth Platte area of Colorado. At this time, he was free soloing routes of 5.11a. In
1987 he travelled to the Alps to make the first solo ascent of the French Direttissima
on the Dru. A new route and a big adventure, again solo, on the 1,400m west faceand north ridge of Mount Thor, Baffin Island, followed. Then in July 1990 he mademountaineering history by becoming the first person to solo Fitz Roy in winter.
He entered the world of high altitude climbing in 1991, when as part of aconventional Japanese expedition he reached the summit of Broad Peak. Whilst theexperience convinced him that he would never again climb in this heavyweight style,the expedition had other benefits: also reaching the summit was Taeko Nagao, one
of Japan's leading female mountaineers. They would become inseparable partners,
marrying in 1996. The following year Yamanoi would summit Ama Dablam during
the Nepalese winter via a new route on the west face and southwest ridge.
In post monsoon 1994, on Cho Oyu, Yamanoi joined an extremely elite club, whose
few members have soloed an independent new route on an 8,000m peak. While Taeko,
with another female Yuka Endo, made the second ascent of the Kurtyka-Lorétan-Troillet route on the southwest face, Yamanoi climbed a new 2,200m line to the left.
Arriving at the summit before the female team, Yamanoi had to find his way down
the normal route, which had no track at that time. He feels this was his finest ascent,2although for the most technically difficult climbing of his mountaineering career hecites his solo first ascent of the east face of Kusum Kanguru in 1998.
A return to the Karakoram in 1995 resulted in the first ascent of the southwest faceof Bublimotin, an 800m wall at 5.10 A3+ above the Hunza Valley, Pakistan. It was
climbed capsule style in 12 days with Taeko and Daisaku Nakaga. Five years laterthe couple would join forces with Voytek Kurtyka for an attempt on the unclimbed
east face of K2. Thwarted on this objective by bad weather, Yamanoi made a solo
ascent of the south-southeast spur (commonly referred to as the Cesen Route),
reaching the summit in 48 hours – the fastest ascent of the route at the time.
Naturally, it was without supplementary oxygen. Next year the three returned toattempt the north face of Latok I, but the weather interfered again and instead they
made a new route – Vertical Picnic (5.10 A2) - on Biacherahi Central, climbing thesouth face over six days.
Yamanoi would also make his mark on Peru, where in 1997 he soloed a new routeon the southeast face of Huandoy Este, and in 2013, with Masaru Noda, the first
ascent of the southeast face of Puscanturpa Este.
The 2002 expedition to Tibet to make the second ascent of the Slovenian Route on
the north face of Gyachang Kang, the rarely climbed 15th highest summit in theworld, would be life changing for the couple. Climbing in pure alpine-style Taeko
stopped at 7,600m, leaving Yasushi to reach the summit alone in deteriorating
weather. The descent turned into a major epic of avalanches, loss of vision, andfrostbite. On returning to Japan both underwent considerable amputations (Taeko
had already lost digits on Makalu), with Yasushi losing all toes on his right foot anda total of five fingers. Characteristically, before evacuation from below the mountain,
Taeko had made Yasushi promise that they would return to remove all their garbage,
which they were unable to take out. Recovery was understandably slow, but by 2005
Yasushi was able to put up a fine new route on the north face of Potala Shan in the
Siguniang National Park, China. Jiayou, climbed in capsule style over seven days ofgenerally poor weather, had 18 pitches up to 5.8 A3+, though the summit was notreached. Later, with his wife and Satoshi Kimoto, he would put up Orca (1,250m,
5.10+ A2) on the rock walls of Milne Land, East Greenland, and by 2011 had –impressively - refined his crack climbing to make an ascent of Zombie Roof (5.13a)
at Squamish. His latest ascent in the Himalaya, in 2017 with Takaaki Furuhata[with whom he had previously been forced to retreat from high on the coveted north3

face of Kangchung Nup in the Khumbu], was the first of Rucho, a 5,970m peak in
India.
But we should look beyond these successful first ascents to a remarkable collectionof solo attempts in excellent style. The month before his ascent of Ama Dablam,
Yamanoi made a spirited attempt on a new line up the 1,200m west face of Mera
Peak, Nepal. The Japanese spent five days climbing 26 pitches up to UIAA VI and
A4 before having to retreat from close to the end of the difficulties when the wallabove turned blank. He retreated from 7,000m on the still unclimbed east face ofGasherbrum IV, from 7,300m on Makalu when hit by a stone on the unclimbed west
face, from the west face of the rarely visited Karjiang - a 7,000m peak on the TibetBhutan border, and from part way up the still unclimbed northwest ridge of Tahu
Ratum in the Karakoram.
Yasushi Yamanoi has generally adopted a humble lifestyle, originally living a simple
life during the winter months with income earnt from portering on Mount Fuji. Thisand his charisma are factors that have endeared him to many climbers, not only inJapan but also in South Korea. His 2004 autobiography, Vertical Memories, written
during his frostbite convalescence, was highly popular in Japan, but the 2005 book,

Frozen, by famous Japanese author, Kotaro Sawaki, about the Gyachung Kang
survival, became a best seller and made Yamanoi's name well-known in Japan tothose outside the climbing community. In 2011 he was the recipient of the second
Piolets d'Or Asia Career Award.
Whether solo, as a married couple, or with friends, Yasushi Yamanoi's climbing has
shown great creativity, commitment, and resilience. His minimalist style and often
discreet ascents paved the way for younger Japanese climbers to operate in modern
alpine-style. Together with a great respect for the environment through which hetravelled, these qualities make Yasushi Yamanoi a worthy recipient of the 13th
Career Award.

Lindsay Griffin and Rodolphe Popier, with input from Hiroshi Hagiwara
FaLang translation system by Faboba
2021 Organizers

4

•
•

© 2016 Piolets d'Or. All rights reserved
Twitter Facebook YouTube

5

CYCLING AND CLIMBING TRAVERS OF
THE CARABAYA AND VILCANOTA
RANGES.
ANDES OF PERU

Sergi Ricart Ibars
JULY / AUGUST 2021

- SERGI RICART IBARS
Born in Lleida (Catalonia), the february 3rd of 1976
Living in Taüll (Pyrenees, Catalonia)
IFMGA Mountain Guide, instructor in the Mountain Guides formation (ICEMP,
Catalonia) and photographer / flmmaker.

Photo 1. Sergi Ricart climbing Nevado Japuma

In two of the fve exposed ascents, they participated in addition:•

KUNTURT'UQU. Jorge “Cocor” Sirvas (Peru), and Aris Ramos (Peru).

•

SARGENTUYOCC. Jorge “Cocor” Sirvas (Peru) and Diana Gómez (Argentina).

For further information or pictures, please visit me at:
INSTAGRAM: @mountain.lights
or contact me:

sergi@alpinart.com

PROJECT BACKGROUND ANDJUSTIFICATION
After a trip in the spring of 2019 to the Pariaccaca Mountains (Central Range, Peru) with
Pablo Rosagro, with the aperture of two new routes (TUKUMACH'AY, 5357m. 4th ascent. Route“Open Arms”, 600m, AD- [55º ]; and TUNSHU CENTRAL, 5679m. 4th ascent. Route“Nómadas del Kangia”, 500m, TD+ [90º/A1]), (https://www.instagram.com/p/ByP2AHKjaY7/,
http://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/13201215441,
http://andesinfoplus.blogspot.com/2019/07/andes-peru-cordilleras-centrales.html) and realizing
alone in mountain bike the complete tour of the Pyrenees last summer (Taüll - Cap de Creus Cabo Higer - Taüll; 2700 km, and about 70,000 meteres elevation gain), with some ten climbs
throughout the mountain range (Amitges, Cadí, Dent d'Orlú, Spijeoles, Ansó, ...),(https://www.instagram.com/p/CBs2nGJnh7s/ and later) wanted to unite both concepts, and try to
make a long journey by own means (BTT), in solitary, by very little visited massifs of the Andes ofPeru, where to carry out the exploration and opening of new alpinism routes along the way.
With a bicycle loaded with about 45 kg of material (plus the 15 kg of the bike itself, andwhich increased the food and water), I left the town of Juliaca, near Lake Titicaca, at 3800m, at the
beginning of July. I crossed the Carabaya and Vilcanota mountain ranges until reaching Urubamba,
in the Sacred Valley, in mid-August, after traveling about 750 km and having made 5 ascents topeaks of 5000 m (3 alone, with 4 proposals for new routes) . Te cycling stages were around 30-35
km on average daily due to the altitude (average of 4000m, with two cols above 5000m), the low
night temperatures (down to -10ºC) and the great efort to move the 60-65 kg of bicycle.
Approximately 50% of the route was on dirt tracks.
Once in Urubamba I tried to make some ascents through the mountains of the Urubamba
and Vilcanota ranges (alone) and Huaytapallana (with Ivan Moner and Paty Alvarez), but thepremature arrival of the rainy season only allowed some trekking approach to the mountains.
In total there have been about 100 days of travel, with the frst half with the trek described,
and a second half alone or accompanied walking or resting, and with several forays throughout thestay to the Amazon lands.

Map 1. Juliaca - Urubamba bike itinerary, with the 5 ascended mountains.

Photo 2. Sergi Ricart with the bike well loaded in the Collado Chimboya (5100m), with the Nevado Jurcay Cuchillo
behind.

THE ACTIVITY
1. TRIP CALENDAR•

06/25/21: Flights BCN - MAD - Lima (Peru)•

06/26/21: Travel by bus Lima-Juliaca (25h)•27-30 / 06/21: Preparations and acclimatization in Juliaca and Lake Titicaca◦ 07/01 - 08/16/21: Journey Juliaca - Urubamba◦ 07/07/21: Ascent Cerro Apacheta Queroni. 5125m.
◦ 07/15/21: Ascent Nevado Japuma. 5543m.
◦ 07/29/21: Ascent Nevado Jurcay Cuchillo. 5570m.
◦ 08/06/21: Ascent Kunturt'uqu. 5554m.
◦ 08/11/21. Ascent Apu Sargentuyocc. 5120m.

•

08/17 - 09/11/21: Rest and trekkings / approaches through the Urubamba andVilcabamba mountain ranges (Massifs of Nevados Chicón, Verónica and Pumasillo).

•

09/12 –10/01/21: Approach trekking to the Nevado Chuspi massif (Huaytapallana).
Itinerary through the Amazon.

•

02-03 / 10/21: Flights Lima - MAD - BCN.

2. DESCRIPTION OF THE ACTIVITY- 07/01 - 07/06: Itinerary by bike: Juliaca - Azángaro - Asillo - San Isidro - Ajoyani - Col
4800m – Atompampa Huts.
- 07/07/21: Ascent CERRO APACHETA QUERONI, 5125m. New route“RibagorSanes” (250m, AD [III+]). Solo.
Looking for a suitable peak to acclimatize, and after trying to penetrate into the Nevado
Balansani valley, to try to ascend the Nevado Pumaqulluni (5225m), and fnd the strong mistrust of
the shepherd woman who lives at the base, I continue down the trail to the huts of Atompampa,

where I was much better welcomed.
In the early morning of the 7th, I ascend through the valley that goes to the SW, observing
the summits of the head and evaluating the possibilities of ascent. Finally, I observe the wide NE
spur that culminates in the peak that later the shepherds will call as Cerro Apacheta Queroni.
Climbing up, on mostly decent rock (paying attention for loose blocks), with sections of II and III,with some short sections of III + and IV.
•

Difculty: AD (III +)•Elevation gain: 200m. Route length: 250m•

Elevation gain until base of the route: 500m•

Summit coordinates: 14º 03 '10 ”S / 70º 16' 41” W (Google Earth and Gaia GPS)•

Altitude: 5135 (Gaia GPS), 5120 (G.E.)•

Style: Solo.

•

Observations: Spectacular views from the top of the entire Carabaya mountain range•

Descent: S ridge and E slope (F)•Hours: 5h approx.

Map 2. Approach (yellow), route (red) and descent (blue)

Photo 3. Scrambling at around 5000 m (III)Photo 4. Short dihedral (III+)

Photo 5. Dihedral near the summit (III+/IV)

Photo 6. Reaching the summit (5125 m)

Photo 7. Summit selfe (5125m)

- 07-09 / 07/21: Descent on MTB through the valley, riding up a side valley to a col at
4700m and descending to Macusani. Hike to the base of the Allin Capaq.
- 10-14 / 07/21: Break in Mazuco- 15/07/21: Ascent NEVADO JAPUMA (5543m). Repetition of the 1954
route (700m, PD+ [55º/II]). Solo.
Returned from Mazuco, I went up with a taxi driver at dawn until the end of the
Antajahua Valley, under the S face of Allin Capaq (5780m), the main summit of the
Carabaya mountain range.
With the frst lights I climb the E slope of the valley, until I reached the foot of the S
face of the Japuma glacier, at about 5150m.
I ascended this S glacier, avoiding some unproblematic crevasses with sections of up
to 55 ° until reaching the SE ridge. From there, gently to the summit (25°), which wasreached by a broken but easy stretch of rock (II).
•Difculty: PD + (55º / II)•

Elevation gain: 400m. Route length: 700m•

Elevation gain to the base of the route: 550m•

Summit coordinates: 13º 55 '03 ”S / 70º 26' 02” W (Google Earth)•

Altitude: 5543 (bibliography), 5427 (Gaia GPS and G.E), 5416 (IGN)•

Style: Solo.

•

Observations: Repetition without knowing it of the frst route opened in the
Cordillera Carabaya on 06/06/54 by Mr. & Mrs. G.H. Francis and P.B. Fischer, as
members of a geological expedition. Given the changes in glacier morphology due tointense retreat, possibly quite diferent ascents.

•

Descent: N face (F) to the lake and along the normal path.

•

Hours: 8h

Map 3. Approach (yellow), route (red) and descent (blue)

Photo 8. First slopes on the S face

Photo 9. Slopes on the S facePhoto 10. SE ridge

Photo 11. Summit (5543m)

- 16/07/21. Hike on the valley between Allin Capaq and Chichi Capaq-17-22/07/21. Bad weather. Rest in Puerto Maldonado- 23-28 / 07/21: Bike Itinerary: Macusani - Isivilla - Col 4300 - Aymaña – (Bosque depiedra) - Jurcay Cuchillo Base - Abra Chimboya (5100) - Phinaya – (Ccascara Lake)- 29/07/21: Ascent NEVADO JURCAY CUCHILLO (5570m). New route“Go Girls!” (650m, AD+ [70º/III]). Solo.
From the town of Phinaya I took a vehicle that brought me back to Abra Chimboya(5100m). I descended until I passed by the old mining huts of Mina Chimboya and walked
up along vicuña paths on the S and SE slopes of the mountain to the old track of theabandoned Mina Chabuca, and from there to the base of the SE face, under the summit.
I choosed the line on the left for its continuity, leaving a nice short icefall on myright, climbing a icy goulotte of 150 m at 65° frst and 70°/III later until a dry terrace, all ingood water ice. I climbed an icefall (15m at 70°) that leads to an easier icy couloir, diagonally
up to the right (45°/50°). I draw the seracs by a straighter section (65°). Easier then (45º).
Arrived at the NE ridge, I followed it without problems (20°), walking to the summit.
•

Difculty: AD + (70º / III)•

Elevation gain: 325m. Route length: 650m•

Elevation gain to the base of the route: -100, + 250m•

Summit coordinates: 13º 49 '05 ”S / 70º 51' 39” W (Google Earth)•

Altitude: 5570 (Gaia GPS and G.E)•

Style: Solo•

Observations: Route more aesthetic than it appears from the outside, following a serie oflines on good Water Ice. Seracs apparently unproblematic. Summit also known as Nevado
Chimboya (Piero Gighlione et al.), diferent from Nev. Chimboya of La Raya range.

•

Descent: S ridge (F, 35º) to the end of the south glacier, and through rocky steps andmoraines to Abra Chimboya.

•

Hours: 6h

Map 4. Approach (yellow), route (red) and descent (blue)

Photo 12. First goulotte (65º)

Photo 13. Couloir (45º/50º) under the seracs

Photo 14. Final slopes before NE ridge (45º)

Photo 15. Summit (5570 m)

- 07/31 - 08/01/21: Itinerary by bike Phinaya - Abra Jahuaycate (5070m) - Uchuy Finaya Pitumarca- 02-12 / 08/12: Stay in Pitumarca, climb in Huayllasca, and ascents of Kunturt'uqu andSargentuyocc.

- 06/08/12: AscentKUNTURT'UQU (5554m). Possible 3rd ascent +possible 1st ascent Punta E (5500m). New route “El laberinto del cóndor”(900m, PD+ [65º/II]). Sergi Ricart, Cocor Sirvas and Aris Ramos.
On the August 5th we left Pitumarca, and by dirt roads in quite bad conditions we reached
the end of them deep inside the Quillita valley. We walked for 1h to install the BC at
4950m. We hiked the surroundings to inspect the mountain and explore climbing
possibilities.
On the 6th we left the tents at around 4 in the morning in the direction of an entrance on
the NE face. With the frst lights we reached the base of an icy couloir at the right of a serac
barrier.
After a frst pitch at 65° / 50°, we continued along slopes at 45 ° until a col. We overpassed abarrier of seracs by its right and we climbed over it on mild slopes (30°). We continued
towards the summit, through varied but easy terrain (25° / 30°), until we reached the threesummit towers (III / II). Te highest point appears to be the third one (westernmost).
We went down the same path until we turn of in the direction of Punta E, which we ascend
without much difculty (30º / II), and from there down to the seracs barrier, which could befanked without problems by the left (40°). Following the approximately the way up to theBC, and from there to the vehicle.
•

Difculty: PD + (65º / II)•

Elevation gain: 250m. Route length: 900m (or possibly more)•

Elevation gain until the base of the route: 550 m•

Main summit coordinates: 13º 50 '56 ”S / 71º 08' 09” W (Google Earth)•

Point E coordinates: 13º50'58 ”S / 71º07'53” W•Main peak altitude: 5554m (bibliography); 5550m (Gaia GPS); 5559m (G.E)•

Punta E altitude: 5500m (Gaia GPS); 5501m (G.E.)•

Style: First pitch roped. Te rest unroped.

•

Observations: Possible 3rd ascent to the main summit, also called Cóndor Tucco, orCondortuco. [1st ascent by Hauser, G. Et al. (Germany, 1968), by N face. 2nd ascent by
Lacen, M. Et al. (Yugoslavia, 1980), no information about the route]. Without registrationor documentation of ascent to Punta E, 5500m (possible 1st ascent). Extraordinary views of
the Nevado Ausangate and the entire Vilcanota range.

•

Descent: From the main peak to Punta E point, and from there to the seracs barrier on the
NE face•

Hours: 6h (BC-BC)

Map 5. Approach (yellow), route (red) and descent until joining the way up (blue)

Photo 16. BC

Photo 17. Approach to the NE face

Photo 18. First pitch (65º)

Photo 19. Navigating a labyrinth of seracs and glacial valleys, at about 5480m..

Photo 20. Main summit (5554m)

Photo 21. Punta E (5500m)- 11/08/12: Ascent SARGENTUYOCC (5120m). New route “El sueño delos meteoritos” (370m, D [V]). Sergi Ricart, Cocor Sirvas and Diana Gómez.
After exploring the approach to this lofty mountain the previous days, we left the
Chaco Huayllasca valley on the 11th of the morning. We went up to a col at 4700 m withstunning views of the mountain; then we went down to the bottom of the valley and wescrambled up the grassy and rocky slopes (III) to the foot of the wall.
A frst pitch in dihedral (IV+) leads us to a rocky terrace. We installed the R1 bis ona bit precarious rocky slope. We alternate on leading the pitches. First three until the ridge(V, IV+, IV+) and then 4 more to the top (IV+, III, V, III+).
Te rock was very compact, but difcult to protect (mainly extra-fat pitons and a few friends
and nuts), and with some loose blocks that force us to be aware.
Te ascent, despite the afordable grade, was quite entertaining and highly aesthetic, partly
due to the beauty of the peak and the landscape.

We descended carefully to the N peak, and from there to the N and then through the valley
to the E towards Chacco and fnally to the vehicle, in about 11 hours of activity.

•

Difculty: D (V)•Elevation gain: 240m. Route length: 370 m (not counting the 80 m from R1 to R1')•

Elevation gain until the base of the route: + 850m, -200 m•

Coordinates: 13º 54 '36 ”S / 71º 24' 55” W (Google Earth)•

Altitude: 5120m (altimeters calibrated at the beginning); 5036m (G.E. -distorted summit-)•

Style: pitches, with alternate leading.

•Observations: Slender and aesthetic peak that stands out when ascending the Chacco
Huayllasca valley (awesome climbing spot). Peak also called Alcaldiyoq Punta.

•

Descent: Unclimb and climb the N peak (IV), go down looking for the best path along the
N ridge until a small col, and through the valley to the E to Chacco, where to follow the dirt
road to the vehicle.

•

Hours: 11h

Map 6. Approach (yellow), route (red) and descent (blue)

Photo 22. Cocor on the col (4700m) during the approachPhoto 23. Diana scrambling (III) on the approach to the wall

Photo 24. Cocor starting the pitch 2

Photo 25. Diana and Cocor on pitch 3

Photo 26. Diana on pitch 4

Photo 27. Diana and Cocor at the end of pitch 6

Photo 28. Cocor on pitch 7

Photo 29. Summit (5120m)- 13-16 / 08/12: Itinerary by bike: Pitumarca - Quiquijana - Huacarpay lakes - Calca Urubamba