Jirishanca, Suerte to East Buttress. During July 11-21 Italians Stefano DeLuca, Alessandro Piccini, and Paolo Stoppini (with Valerio Poggiani at base camp) established a line on the right side of the east-face rock wall, beginning just right of a yellow overhang to the right of the Japanese 1973 route. The first four pitches are similar to a previous Slovenian attempt. After several days of fixing and three days of rest, the Italians bivvied on the final ascent at 5,500m and continued up the following day. The route climbs 10 or 11 pitches of rock to reach a ramp that angles right and continues on mixed rock, snow, and ice, before finishing around 5,700m, just above where the 1957 East Buttress route (which begins from the other side) reaches the ridge crest. The route is 18 pitches total.

Fixed ropes (which they removed) and a power drill were used. In the initial five or six rock pitches, they placed bolts at the belays and three to four per pitch “where they were necessary.” Higher, in the icy portions, they placed few. A few more than 40 bolts were placed on the route. Difficulties are 6c+/A2 (hooks and rivets) and V/5+ ice. They named the route Suerte (“luck”), since that is what their arriero told them every time they left camp.

Compiled from correspondence and conversation with Paolo Stoppini, Italy