Pushing the limits of human endurance and backed by an unconquerable spirit to achieve his dreams despite the greatest obstacles, Sri Lanka’s brave son, Johann Peries, continues to scale new heights in harsh terrains, having just returned from Alaska, where he joined a team of six to climb Mt Denali (the highest peak in North America). Unfortunately, he was unable to summit the peak due to severe wind and storms during the three-week expedition, falling short by a few hundred meters. Repeatedly pitching himself against the forces of nature, Johann was the first Sri Lankan male to summit Mt Everest in May 2018 and is a man on a mission to scale the seven highest peaks on the seven continents. He has now climbed five of them, namely, Mt Everest (Asia), Mt Kilimanjaro (Africa), Mt Kosciuszkow (Australia), Mt Aconcagua (South America), and now Mt Denali (North America).
His mountaineering adventures serve as inspiration to engage in outdoor activity to build the human spirit. Although Mt Denali is not the highest mountain, it is considered to be as difficult as Mt Everest because of the conditions surrounding the climb. Since there are no porters, the climbers have to carry their own loads – 30-40 pounds on their backs and another 40 pounds on a sledge – which they have to pull up and down the mountain through severe weather. The weather this season was particularly harsh and less than 20% of climbers succeeded in summiting.
Commenting on his latest adventure, Johann says, “I would like to thank all my partners and well-wishers for their support of my latest endeavor. When I set off for the seven summits, I know that the dreams and wishes of the entire country were with me. I sincerely hope my efforts to tackle the great outdoors will resonate with more and more Sri Lankans and they will be encouraged to step out and try new physical activities to test their endurance and build the tenacity to achieve their dreams. I am already planning my next expedition with great eagerness. The pride that I feel in unfurling the national flag on the world’s highest peaks is overwhelming.”
Johann is planning to climb Mt Elbrus in Russia soon, depending on the situation in the country. Mt Elbrus is a shorter climb and less challenging than Mt Denali, a week’s climb through less treacherous conditions.
Peries summited Mt. Everest on his second attempt on 4 April 2018 in a 48-day expedition. He initiated a campaign called “Climb Everest with Johann” through an online campaign, and several volunteers joined in the efforts to sponsor the costs of his expedition. In his first attempt to scale Mt Everest, he collaborated with Jayanthi Kuru-Utumpala in April 2016 to become the first Sri Lankans to attempt to summit Everest. His attempt was unsuccessful, due to technical difficulties, but Kuru-Utumpala managed to reach the summit.
Johann’s expedition to summit Mt. Denali was made possible by a bevy of partners who came forward to support his endeavor, including Link Natural Products (Platinum partner); Derana 24/7 (Media partner); Emirates (Airline partner); Hilton Colombo (Hospitality partner); Petzl (Equipment partner); GBPG Group (Insurance partner); Kerry Logistics (Sponsor) and GPR (Public Relations partner).
Johann Pieris is a Sri Lankan adventurer, mountaineer, and hair stylist. Johann Peries pursued his early career as an artist and a singer, became a hair stylist in 1993, and soon became one of the most sought after in the country. He owns and runs four salons, two of which are in Colombo and two in Melbourne.