• Johann Peries, mountaineer, hairdresser, chef, and vineyard owner, on his journey to conquer the Seven Summits  

Johann Peries became the second Sri Lankan to climb Mount Everest and he is currently embarked on the quest of conquering the Seven Summits. Thus far, he has completed Mount Everest (Asia), Kilimanjaro (Africa), Kosciuszko (Australia), Aconcagua (South America), and most recently Denali (North America). 

The Sunday Morning Sports sat down for a chat with Johann on his childhood, his recent climbs, and his plans for the future. 

Following are excerpts of the interview:

Let’s go down memory lane; tell us about your childhood.  

 I was at St. Joseph’s College right through my school career, but I wasn’t a sportsman in school. It amazes people and they’re surprised that I have taken up sports now, as well as the fact that I’ve gone into extreme sports. I’m also into Iron Man now. However, I started much later in life, but I started my hairdressing career from the time I left school. Hiking was something I have been doing since I was young. Both my parents were very outgoing, especially my father, who likes the outdoors. 

He used to take us out and encouraged us from our childhood. That is how I became interested in this. I used to go out with my father and find new ways of hiking mountains. I thought I’d take it to a different level after I left school and I got together with friends and started exploring.

What are your siblings like?

 I have an older brother and sister. My brother is in the pharmaceutical industry while my sister used to work in the banking sector. She now takes care of my business. They’re not into these kinds of sports or adventure; I’m the only one who took this up.  

How did they react when you decided to go into this field?

 I think Everest was a shocker for everybody. My father was alive at that time. My mom went berserk, saying that there was no way I would be doing this and complained to my father. He said that he couldn’t stop me and that he had been the one who had encouraged me to do such things. 

Of course, once they realised that I was serious about it and that I was going ahead with it, they supported me, although they were very concerned. They were very worried because taking on Everest is something that you need to prepare yourself for. You have to understand that there is a chance that you won’t come back. That is the reality. Before we left, we actually gave the power of attorney and wrote our final wills. 

We had to mentally prepare ourselves because we knew there would be certain elements we would not be able to control. When I got caught in an avalanche for the first time on Everest, I thought that was the end. You actually feel that it’s all over when you’re helplessly staring at what is coming towards you. There’s nothing you can do.

Of the climbs you’ve done in Sri Lanka, which are your favourites? 

One of my favourites is in the Mahiyanganaya area – a rock known as Danigala, also called the Alien Mountain. Not many people know about it, but it is an unbelievable climb. It takes about two-and-a-half hours to go up and about an hour to come down. 

The journey is amazing because you feel very different when you get there. The gravitational force is also different. Scientists are running tests over there because they believe that there is some kind of activity in the area. The villagers believe that they have seen light going up and down and they call them ‘dewatha eli’ (light of gods). They also believe that Ravana landed there. 

There is also the Knuckles Mountain Range – we have climbed it from different angles. The Knuckles Range is huge and there are a dozen different ways to climb it. I am yet to climb all of it and I’m still in the process of getting to know the area. 

There are also some interesting rocks and mountains in the dry zone in Dambulla. The area covered by the Pekoe Trail also opens up another completely new avenue for trekking and climbing. 

I have been exploring and trying to find different and new places to go to. I think I’ve covered almost everything. 

The one place I haven’t covered and that I’m waiting to explore is the Seven Virgins Mountain. This is a tough one because you can’t find anyone who knows the way to go. There’s no water, so you have to take everything. It will take about three days to actually hike it, because you will need to carry supplies. There are no springs, which is surprising because Laxapana Falls, etc. are nearby.

Have you ever climbed Pidurutalagala?

You’re not allowed to climb it anymore, so I got special permission before Everest to climb  Pidurutalagala, since it’s the highest point in Sri Lanka. We needed to train and I got special permission from the Government and the Air Force, since there is an Air Force base there. 

We used to run to the top and run back down; that was our training. When we started, it took about one-and-a-half hours to one hour and 40 minutes. What we do is called interval training; we run for three minutes, then stop for 15 seconds, and we run again. We improved after that and I think we managed it in 50 minutes. 

Apart from the adventuring, is there another side to you? 

 I think I’m sort of a creative person. That’s how I’d put it, personally. I am a people’s person as well. It’s not that I’m out with people all the time; I like my home life, my quiet life. I’m sort of outgoing and I like meeting people and lots of friends. 

I have a different side to me as well, which is the spiritual side. I feel that I am able to do all this because of my faith. I’ve done a lot of things and I’ve fulfilled my dreams, things I’ve wanted to do. I have been a dancer, a singer, and an actor. I’ve done a lot in life and I have everything that I wanted. I have managed to fulfil my real interests. I think I have lived my life to the fullest. 

What is your professional life like? 

 My dream job after I left school was to get into architecture and design. However, while waiting for my A/Level results, I came across an opportunity to work at Ramani Fernando Salons for a short time as a trainee. I did it because I didn’t want to idle at home and I ended up loving it. 

I had a passion for that job and I just loved it so much that I didn’t want to do anything else. I have absolutely no regrets today. I worked there for just over 12 years. I learnt my basics there and then started going to all the top academies, such as Tony&Guy as well as others around the world. At present, I have come to a stable point in my career. 

The thing is, you will never stop learning. It’s always a learning process because my trade keeps changing and evolving. In the meantime, I used to take part in international competitions and world championships. 

The championship happens every year in Paris. I have gone beyond competing to be on a panel of judges. Only two Sri Lankans have qualified to be on that panel.  

I’ve fulfilled myself professionally, but I keep venturing out into different areas. Even now, I have embarked on another project. We’re trying to start manufacturing wine in Sri Lanka from grapes that grow in Jaffna. We have started investing in it.  

We did a private circulation in December with our first batch. The second batch is almost ready and we can sell it because our licence has been sorted. We have also started growing new varieties and bringing in varieties of grapes, such as grapes meant for wine. We are experimenting and they seem to be doing quite well in certain areas. Hopefully, everything works out. This could even be my retirement plan, to have my own vineyard. What more could you ask for?

Of course I have the BBQ Station restaurant, which I began just before Covid broke out. I love cooking and entertaining. I entertained my friends and they kept telling me I should start a restaurant. It was tough in the beginning but things are picking up slowly. 

How did an artistic person such as yourself become a mountaineer?

Many people were surprised by it, but I don’t think about it too much. Commitment is important in life and that’s what helped me achieve these things in life. 

Who is your role model?

I have no hero as such, but I have so many people that I have idolised in my life on different occasions. If I have a goal, I believe in myself and commit to it until I achieve it. I see it all the way through to the top. That’s the confidence I have in myself.

During your climbs, you’re away from everyone you know for long periods of time. How do you manage your relationships and friendships?

It gets better and easier over time for myself and the people around me. But there were some people who did not understand, since when I’m out on a climb, sometimes the phone does not work for days. It takes time to build up relationships, but eventually we work it out. 

How does a mountaineer adjust to normal life after a climb?

It varies from challenge to challenge. After climbing Everest, it took me five months to recover. After Denali, I still can’t feel my fingers. My taste buds are yet to start working and there is a certain level of fatigue. It will take some time for everything to settle down. 

What does your normal lifestyle look like?

I have a routine which I try to follow as much as possible. I wake up at 4.30 a.m. and engage in a lot of outdoor training, after which I get to work.

What do you have to do on the day before a climb?

 I usually make a small list of things needed for that trip and prepare accordingly. Then I go to sleep early and get that much-needed rest. 

Given your climbing activities, are you concerned about your food intake?

 Yes, I definitely care about consuming the necessary types of protein. I’m actually a bit too skinny for a climber. 

How do you overcome challenges and enjoy the fun times?

 The most important factor for climbers is physical strength. I usually don’t smoke. I love to drink wine, but six months before a climb, I stop consuming any sort of alcohol. I prepared for five years before climbing Mt. Everest. In order to train, I used to climb mountains in Sri Lanka during weekends. 

Out of the Seven Summits, you have completed five. What are the differences in each summit?

All five were different from each other. Kilimanjaro in Africa is considered to be one of the toughest. Mount Everest is the other and it is more mentally challenging. Denali is more of a physical challenge. Each challenge is different and unique. 

Do you have any unforgettable memories?

 I met Jamling Norgay, the son of Nepal’s Tenzing Norgay, the first mountaineer to climb Everest. About three months before we climbed Everest, he had seen in a journal that we were going to climb Everest and congratulated us at a press conference in Australia. When we went to Everest and were at a shop there, he was there and came to speak to us. I will not forget that moment. 

You recently climbed Denali. How was that journey? 

We started our journey by flying to Alaska on an ordinary plane. From there, our group was taken to the mountain on a separate plane. On this occasion, we took a snow plane. There wasn’t a proper runway, just a temporary one in the snow. 

What do you plan to do after completing the Seven Summits? 

Firstly, I hope I will be able to climb all seven mountains. After that, I will start my own wine company. I wish to simply enjoy a glass of wine while putting my legs up. But to be honest, I haven’t really thought about it yet.