New Alpine Route “Kolibri” Climbed on Jirishanca 2025

High in Peru’s rugged Cordillera Huayhuash, where jagged peaks pierce the sky and glaciers cling stubbornly to sheer cliffs, three of the world’s most skilled climbers – Dani Arnold, Alexander Huber, and Simon Gietl – have etched a bold new chapter in mountaineering history.

Between July 13 and 15, 2025, the trio tackled the east face of Jirishanca, an imposing mountain often called the “Matterhorn of the Andes” for its dramatic spires and razor-sharp ridges. In a relentless push that spanned 31 pitches and roughly 1,030 vertical meters, they established a demanding new route they named “Kolibri” – the German word for hummingbird, mirroring Jirishanca’s Quechua name.

Left to right, Dani Arnold, Simon Gielt, and Alexander Huber on the east summit of JIrishanca. Photo: Alex Huber

The Mountain

Jirishanca stands at approximately 6,094 meters and is often dubbed the “Matterhorn of the Andes” for its sharply pointed summit and challenging technical terrain. Situated in the rugged Cordillera Huayhuash, the mountain is renowned for steep rock walls, complex ice formations, and objective hazards that have kept many climbers at bay.

The Ascent: A New East Face Line

Arnold, Huber, and Gietl’s new route covers roughly 1,300 vertical meters along Jirishanca’s imposing east face, encompassing 31 pitches of sustained difficulty. The climb combines technical rock sections, mixed terrain, and ice, demanding a full range of alpine skills. The Trio embraced the very essence of alpine climbing: no fixed ropes, no established camps – just their skills, endurance, and unwavering teamwork. Over three days and two bivouacs on the face, they navigated challenges graded up to UIAA 8 and A2, blending powerful free climbing with precise aid moves.

Their route threads between known lines – cutting through sections of the Italian Ramp but mainly carving a direct, bold line up the central pillar. The team described their journey as a harmonious blend of alpine seriousness and classic line choice, praising the limestone’s excellent quality and the ideal weather that smiled on their efforts.

The Team: A Meeting of Alpine Titans

• Dani Arnold, a Swiss climber known worldwide for his fast solo ascents of classic Alpine faces, brings unparalleled speed and precision to the climb.
  
  
• Alexander Huber, the legendary German climber, part of the Huber brothers duo, has pioneered some of the hardest rock climbs globally and remains a major figure in alpine climbing.
  
  
• Simon Gietl, an expert in mixed and alpine climbing from South Tyrol, Italy, contributes vast experience on technical routes in the Alps and beyond.

Together, this trio combines speed, technical mastery, and high-altitude expertise, perfectly suited for the demands of Jirishanca’s east face.

Challenges and Style

The route demanded:

• Sustained UIAA 8 / A2 technical difficulty on rock and aid climbing sections.
  
• Navigation of steep ice and mixed terrain, requiring flawless teamwork.
  
• Endurance to bivouac twice on the wall during the three-day ascent.

Completing such a long and demanding route in alpine style speaks to the team’s skill, physical conditioning, and intimate mountain experience.

Significance and Impact

This new east face line on Jirishanca is already being hailed as one of the most significant alpine climbs of 2025. It reaffirms that even on some of the Andes’ most challenging and lesser-climbed peaks, new lines and bold adventures remain possible.

The climb is expected to be a strong contender for the prestigious Piolets d’Or award and will surely inspire alpinists worldwide to continue exploring the limits of high-altitude climbing.

As details such as the route’s official name and full technical grading emerge, the climbing community eagerly awaits further reports from Arnold, Huber, and Gietl. For now, their achievement stands as a beacon of modern alpine style and audacity on one of South America’s most formidable mountains.

The “Kolibri” route is more than a line on a map – it’s a symbol of what’s still possible in a world long explored. Even on a peak like Jirishanca, where many lines have been drawn, there remain paths that challenge and inspire. This ascent captures the spirit of modern alpinism: bold, clean, committed.

As word spreads, this route will no doubt inspire climbers worldwide to seek out fresh challenges with skill, respect, and style.