Hervé Barmasse

[4] In spring 2006 in Patagonia, during his first trip to South America, he completed another remarkable achievement when he climbed a new ice and mixed route called Café Cortado (1200m) on the north face of Cerro San Lorenzo.

[5] On 8 February 2008, together with Cristian Brenna, Hervé cracked the enigma of the northwest face of Cerro Piergiorgio (Patagonia) which for years had been the object of numerous attempts by top mountaineers.

“La Ruta de lo Hermano”, a route on poor quality rock, runs right through the middle of the heart of this immense face for 1150 metres: 29 pitches graded as 6b+ A3 ED+.

In early 2010 he returned to Pakistan together with Eneko Pou, Kris Erickson, Oscar Gogoza and Dr. Marco Cavana; after the ascent of some ice falls he organised the first course for high altitude porters also open to women at the Shimshal Climbing School, with the goal of training and teaching safe techniques for progression on rock and ice.

[9] In the summer of 2010 he completed an alpine style ascent in two days together with Daniele Bernasconi and Mario Panzeri of the 6300m unclimbed Venere Peak, graded ED (China).

This achievement evokes the feat accomplished in 1965 by the great alpinist Walter Bonatti – the only person to have solo climbed a new route on the Matterhorn before Barmasse.

After an attempt on the unclimbed north face of Gasherbrum I (8068m) and a long break due to a problem with his spine, Hervé returned to Patagonia in 2013, but this time in winter.