Climbing in the Cordillera Blanca

by Gregory W. Frux

Matt Powell and I had the opportunity to climb and explore Peru's Cordillera Blanca in June and July 2008. This is the largest group of high mountains outside Asia. Huascaran National Park protects a magnificent collection of jagged snow peaks, 27 of which are over 6000 meters elevation. Matt and I located a wonderful guide service, the Huaraz-based Skyline Adventures run by Ted Alexander, who organized all aspects of our trip and personally guided two out of three climbs.

Our acclimatization regime was short and colorful. I arrived several days before Matt and lodged at the well-named Lazy Dog Inn at elevation 11,500 feet. I took the opportunity to do four oil paintings, with views up into and inside the Llaca Valley:

"Llaca Valley" 2008 oil on panel 12" x 9"

After Matt arrived we did a conditioning hike up to Wicahuain, a pre-Inca archeological tomb site dating from around 800 A.D, which involved a walk gaining a thousand vertical feet. The next day we did a four hour hike, climbing three thousand feet up to Lago Churup.  Besides being very beautiful, this lake is situated at an elevation of 14,600 feet in a valley, higher than the summit of Mountain Whitney. That more or less wrapped up our acclimatization.

Our first climb was an amazing one day high altitude ascent. Our day started at midnight with a four hour drive to a trailhead at 15,200 ft., in the southern part of the Cordillera Blanca. We began by walking up grassy hills, followed by up a brief scramble up some rock ledges. Higher up we entered a gulley which gradually steepened and provided a delightful snow and ice route to the summit plateau. Snow gave way to ice and we were climbing at a maximum of 75-80 degrees before the angle eased. Finally, at 2 PM, we reached the top- Mount Huarapasca, elevation 17,782 feet, little known, rarely climbed and a great adventure

Steepest pitch of Huarapasca climb, perhaps 75 or 80 degrees of friendly snow.

Photo by Ted Alexander

Two rest days, then we were off to the most popular part of Huascaran National Park up in the Llanganuco valley. With great porter support we gradually approached Nevado Pisco, sleeping at a base camp (15,000 ft.) and a high camp at the edge of the glacier (16,200 ft.). We started out in rain and snow, but the weather cleared and we were treated to numerous distant avalanches off steep surrounding peaks. Summit day started at midnight. Dawn found us in soft snow just below the summit. One 60 degree pitch and we were on the top, elevation 18,971 ft.

Matt provided the peak identification:  "On the right, Huandoy Este (6000m).  Behind my ice axe, the summit of Huandoy Norte (6395m, the highest of the four).  To the left of my ice axe, the summit of Huandoy Sur (6160m).  Obscured behind us is the summit of Huandoy Oeste (6356m)." Photo by Christian, of Skyline Adventures

We took a good rest after our descent, picking up an extra rest/weather day. The Llanganuco Lodge wasn't architecturally beautiful, but the setting was superlative. Each evening at sunset we sat on a ridge above the lodge drinking a complimentary glass of pisco, the white lightning liquor of the same name as the mountain we'd just summited. From here were views of the highest mountain in Peru- Huascaran and one of the inaccessible peaks of Huandoy.

Huandoy (top) and Huascaran (bottom) at sunset. Photos by Gregory Frux

I had the opportunity to paint two more oil painting at this comfortable and remote lodge:

"Nevado Huandoy" , 2008 oil on panel 12" x 9"

At last it was time to come to grips with our main climbing objective, Nevado Chopicalqui, one of the highest peaks in Peru. The high altitude roads of the country served us well again as we got out of the car at 13,600 ft. to start hiking. After an hour in high altitude forests the trail climbed along the edge of a glacial moraine, a relatively steep and narrow rib.  Thirty years ago a glacier filled the valley below but it has melted back dramatically. Moraine camp was on 30 foot wide rock shelf at elevation 16,100 feet, and was considerably more comfortable than its reputation. Here were fantastic views of both peaks of Huascaran and of Chopicalqui.

Sunset on Chopicalqui Photo by Gregory Frux

We spent an additional day acclimatizing at this camp, then climbed to High Camp up on a glacier at 18,200. This camp was cold and windy, conditions which persisted for the balance of our time on the mountain. At midnight, wearing everything I owned, including my down parka,

two sets of mittens and two chemical hand warmers in each, I departed for the summit with two guides. After about 6 ½ hours of walking we were within 400 vertical feet of the summit. A technical section, involving a traverse and steep climbing, requiring belays took several hours, but by about 9 AM we stood on the summit of one of the highest peaks in Peru. The descent was tiring by executed safely and we descended all the way to Moraine camp. That night we celebrated and our cook managed to contrive pizza for dinner!

Summit block of Chopicalqui Photo by Ted Alexander

Many thanks to Ted Alexander and Skyline Adventures for their consideration of our comfort and safety. They can be found at http://www.sladventureschool.com/about.asp

All my Peru paintings and other images from the mountains can be found at http://frux.net/mountains.html