Simon Gietl and Roger Schäli climb new route on La Esfinge in Peru

In mid-June South Tyrol’s Simon Gietl, Switzerland’s Roger Schäli and Germany’s Frank Kretschmann and Friedrich Maderer travelled to the Cordillera Blanca in Peru, more precisely to Val Paron. Gietl’s main aim: repeat Cruz del Sur, the classic route established in 2000 by Mauro Bubu Bole, Silvo Karo and Boris Strmsek up the East Face of La Esfinge, 5325m.

After spending a few days acclimatising at the the Hatun machay crag and making a fast repeat of the 1985 Spanish route on La Esfinge, Gietl onsighted the 800m Cruz del Sur. The grade seems to have settled in at 7b and Gietl led all the pitches, abseiling off after the crux and ascending the fixed ropes the next day to then push on to the summit.

During the descent Gietl and Schäli noticed a thin crack that split the SE Face and, with enough time to spare, they refurnished supplies and then tried their luck. Five days later they reached the summit, having climbed 600m of virgin terrain with difficulties up to 7b+. The new route is called Chappie - taking after the stray dog they met - and is protected by trad gear, pegs and 4 bolts along the pitches. All belays are equipped with two 8mm bolts. While all pitches were climbed free individually, time ran out and the route was not redpointed in a single day.