south america - Climb Magazine

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SOUTH
AMERICA
1
PERU 2004-2005
PART TWO
Despite fears that continued global
warming would severely restrict activity,
many worthwhile new routes were
achieved in the Peruvian Cordillera during
the years 2004 and ’05. In fact,
paradoxically conditions on most of the
high peaks (c6,000m+) in 2005 were really
very good. Pioneering in the Cordillera
Blanca remains as popular as ever but
elsewhere adventurous parties climbed
virgin summits in the rarely visited
Huagaruncho and Colque Cruz massifs,
plus technical routes in the Huayhuash and
a particularly difficult new ice/mixed line in
the lesser known Cordillera Central.
In a drive to increase local tourism in the
mountains, Peru’s national television
supported a project named Challenge in
the Andes, which broadcast to the public
many trekking routes and climbs in the
Blanca and Huayhuash. Consideration was
also given to the environment and its
conservation. Overall, the scheme was
considered internally to have been a great
success and TV moguls hope to repeat it in
2006.
CORDILLERA HUAYHUASH
Apart from the new routes described
below, in 2004 parties are known to have
climbed Rasac (6,017m) via the popular
South East Ridge and the highest summit,
Yerupaja (6,634m) via the Standard West
Face.
Trapecio
082
On the 10th July 2005, Slovenians, Branko
Ivanek, Pavle Kozjek and Miha Lamprecht,
together with Peruvian resident Aritza
Monasterio, made the long-awaited first
complete ascent of what is generally
referred to as the Lowe Route on the South
East Face of 5,620m Trapecio. In July 1985,
Jeff Lowe, in the middle of a trek around
the Huayhuash, set out to solo a direct line
to the summit. After a few introductory
pitches of AI 3-4, a big and relatively easyangled snowfield was followed to the base
of a steep rock barrier split by a wide open
depression, Lowe climbed through this in
three pitches, with a crux of WI 6+. He
reported the climbing to be the most
difficult and insecure ice he had ever
soloed in his life. Suitably shattered and
psychologically drained, he did not
continue up the remaining 150m or so to
the summit but remarked that they looked
fairly straightforward, with perhaps a steep
pitch or two through the final rock band.
Instead he rappelled and down-climbed
the route.
3
2
The South East Face of Trapecio (5,620m) in July 2005. The almost complete lack of snow and ice makes
it very nearly unrecognisable. (1) South Spur (Dionisi/Ferraro/Maivassora, 1974: c800m: ED1: 90°). (2)
American Route (Donini/Tackle, 1986: 650-700m: TD+: WI 5+/90°: stopped on reaching the crest of the
South Spur: the line was repeated in 1997 to the same high point by French, who thinking it was a new
route named it Rouflaquette Nationale). (3) South East Face Direct (First complete ascent:
Ivanek/Kozjek/Lamprecht/Monasterio, 2005: c800m: ED3: WI5/6, F5, A2 and M5: climbed to above the
crux rock barrier by Jeff Lowe in 1985 with a section of WI 6+). PAVLE KOZJEK
In the intervening 20 years since the first
ascent the face has dried out dramatically
and the Slovenian-Spanish team had to
resort to aid to get through the initial rock
band (A2 and M5). After following Lowe’s
line on the vertical upper rock barrier for
two pitches (WI 5/6: 80-90°), they found the
rotten ice on the exit pitch (Lowe’s WI 6+
crux) impossible and were forced to avoid it
by traversing right for 30m and climbing an
overhanging rock chimney (F5). Above, the
upper snow slopes proved relatively
straightforward, though the rock band that
crosses the face shortly below the summit
gave two pitches of WI 4/5 (60-75°). Twelve
hours from the start the four were on the
summit after a route of 800m and ED3. They
took a further nine and a half hours to
descend the North East Face
(Krenmayr/Raditching, 1957: 450m: AD). In
August 2003, two of the most currently
active Peruvian climbers, Diego Fernandez
and Guillermo Mejia, attempted the line
and, like Lowe, climbed to the top of the
crux rock barrier before, strangely, also
deciding to retreat.
There is one other line on the face; in July
1997, Francois Baroux, Frédéric Bréhé,
Pierre Plaze and Christophe Vigne climbed
the prominent twisting couloir left of the
Lowe Route to reach the crest of the South
Spur and junction with the 1974 Italian
Route (which they decided was unclimbable
and subsequently rappelled their own line).
They named the route Rouflaquette
Nationale (650m: TD+: WI 5+), unaware the
couloir had been previously climbed to the
same high point in 1986 by Jim Donini and
Jack Tackle, who then made 11 rappels
back down the line of their ascent.
Jirishanca
After the intense activity on the South East
Face of Jirishanca (6,094m) in 2003, the
following year saw a Slovenian team
attempt the daringly obvious direct line up
the central section of the face. On the 25th
July 2004, Anze and Tine Marence, and Ziga
Ster started up the entry couloir of Fear
and Loathing (Bullock/Powell, 2003:
1,050m: ED3/4: WI 6+ and A2). Where this
moves right beneath the first slanting rock
band, the three continued up left before
slanting back right over steep ice and mixed
terrain, keeping parallel to but well above
the 2003 line. They reached the right side of
the big rock wall mid-way up the face and
got about halfway up the right edge of this
before deciding that both the difficulties
and objective dangers were too great. They
estimate the route would require three to
four days and a wide range of rock gear for
the very steep and compact granite.
Yerupaja
It is reported that Frenchmen, Benoit
Montfort, Pierre Labbre, Julien Laurent and
Francois Nadal, climbed a new route on
6,515m Yerupaja Sur. The c1,100m line,
which was climbed over the 1st -3rd August
2005, was christened Furieux Mais
Romantiques and graded ED1.
Siula Chico
Four days after their attempt on Jirishanca,
the Marence brothers and Ster were
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1
4
The South East Faces of Siula Chico (6,265m: left) and Siula Grande (6,344m). (1) A Scream of Silence (Marence/Marence, 2004: 600m: 90°). To the left the big
ice/mixed on Chico presents and obvious unclimbed challenge. (2) Chico's North East Ridge (Obster/Scholz/Sturm, 1966 via the summit of Siula Grande for
Chico's only ascent). (3) Southern Discomfort (Burbee/Frimer/Van der Spek, 2001: 650m: TD+: 80°: not to summit; descended from shoulder at 6,250m). (4)
South South East Spur (Baehler/Delago/Schafter, 1981: 800m: D+/TD-). (5) Final section of the North East Face - Spanish Route (Anglada/Pons/Munoz, 1963:
800m: TD). JEREMY FRIMER
Sarapo
In June 2005, Jordi Corominas from Spain
made a remarkably fast solo ascent and
descent of Sarapo (6,127m). In just three
hours he soloed the North West Face
(Gocking/Sisson, 1979: 700m: TD-), which
lies to the right of the famous West Faces of
Siula Grande and Chico and then in a
further two hours descended the North East
Face (Sperlich/Studener/Tutzer, 1974:
550m: TD-: 70-75°). This was an impressive
but perhaps not surprising performance by
the Alpinist who made the second ascent of
the Magic Line on K2 in 2004.
Puscanturpa Sur
In July 2005, Oriol Anglada from Spain and
his partner Marisol Monterrubio from
Mexico became the first climbers to
establish a route on the North Face of
Puscanturpa Sur (5,550m), the rounded
snow-capped summit between Puscanturpa
Norte (5,652m) and the Cuyoc Pass first
climbed in 1963 via the East Face (AD). The
North Face of Sur lies immediately right of
the more well-known routes on
Puscanturpa Norte, such as Pasta Religion
(Daudet/Lombard/Baudry, 2000: 600m: 7a+),
but although the rock architecture is
similar, the wall is not quite as elegant and
uniformly sheer.
The Spanish pair spent four days, from
the 17th-20th, completing their 16-pitch line
on the right-hand and more continuous of
the two rock buttresses that rise to small
independent tops below the final snow
dome (this line is sheltered from possible
icefall from seracs that threatened the
face to the left and right). They fixed the
initial 250m, which included the crux 85m
diedre (pitches 6 and 7) leading to the
crest of a pillar forming the obvious line in
the upper section of the wall. The rock in
these parts is granodiorite (lithic tuff) and
has a similar appearance to the columnar
structure of the Devil’s Tower, with many
long narrow corner systems. El Guardian
de Pachamama (675m of climbing with
around 13 protection bolts and some on
belays) was finally redpointed with one
rest on the crux F7c pitch. With aid the
climb could be done at F6c+ and A2. The
two had the whole area to themselves for
two weeks but much later in the season
Basque climbers, Kepa Escribano and
Fernando Ferreras, repeated Macanacota
(Avrisani/Faure/Pouraz, 2000: 600m: 14
pitches: 7a and A2) on the left side of the
big North West Face of Puscanturpa
Norte. However, it is believed they
descended before reaching the summit.
New guidebooks
The Huayhuash has waited years for a
really definitive guide: now there are two.
Canadian Jeremy Frimer has been a
regular visitor to this region and has
produced an excellent, comprehensive
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083
camped below the South East Faces of Siula
Chico (6,265m) and Siula Grande (6,344m),
hoping to make the first ascent of the big
ice and mixed face on Siula Chico. However,
after a day spent resting and watching the
face, it became clear there was too little
snow, so instead they opted to try the
couloir leading to the high col between
Chico and Grande, then follow this with an
ascent of Chico’s North East Ridge. The
latter was climbed by Obster, Scholz and
Sturm in 1966 (via the summit of Siula
Grande) on the only confirmed ascent of the
peak to date.
Only the Marence brothers left on the
1st August for this ascent, climbing with
minimal gear. Deep snow on the easier
lower part of the face slowed them down
but conditions on the 200m central and crux
section were generally good and gave steep
ice climbing between 70-90°. The final
200m was enjoyable 65-85° and after 11
hours they were at the col. Two hours later
they had only climbed 50m along the ridge
and the way ahead was deemed far too
dangerous and difficult. They returned to
the col and rappelled, returning to their
camp on the glacier in a 19-hour round trip.
A Scream of Silence (600m: 90°) was
dedicated to fellow Slovenian, Matej Mosnik,
who died in a 30m crevasse fall on Copa
Norte earlier in the month.
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X
good guide, which is published by Elaho in
2005 and available in the UK from Cordee at
£19.95.
The second guide, in Spanish, is by
Juanjo Tomé, a Peruvian resident and
established guidebook author (Cordillera
Blanca de los Andes, 1998 etc). Guía de las
Cordilleras Huayhuash y Huallanca is also a
definitive work, complementing written
descriptions of approach and route with
more than 140 images, photodiagrams and
sketch maps (Autoedición, 2004: 215 pages:
18 Euros).
CORDILLERA VILCANOTA
The North Face of Puscanturpa Sur (5,550m), north of the Cuyoc Pass. Marked is the line of the first
route on this face, El Guardian de Pachamama (Anglada/Monterrubio, 2005: 675m of climbing: F7c or
F6c+ and A2). (X) marks the position of the crux pitch as seen in the other photograph. The more
famous Puscanturpa Norte is just off picture to the left. ORIOLO ANGLADA
084
215-page guide: Climbs and Treks in the
Cordillera Huayhuash of Peru. The
introductory chapters on access, history,
culture and service contracts for local
arrieros etc are highly informative, while
clear black and white photodiagrams
illustrate all routes, which are rated with a
standard European Alpine grade (F to ED1,
ED2 etc). Frimer has done his research
well but has opted to describe climbs by
geographic Base Camps, rather than by
mountain; not illogical you may say
considering many climbers will be
reversing their route of ascent. Although
arguably not a problem for the visitor, who
will have most likely read the book cover
to cover before leaving home, it does
cause problems for the casual researcher.
Looking for a specific route can be a
frustrating business: spaced throughout
the guide there are generally several
entries for the same peak and without
investigating them all, it is often unclear
which holds the secret. A small point in a
Although the northeastern sector of this
range, which includes the Colque Cruz
massif, appears to be rather infrequently
visited, two expeditions attempted new
routes in the Colque Cruz and neighbouring
Oriol Anglada on the crux (seventh) F7c pitch of El Guardian de Pachamama, North Face of
Puscanturpa Sur. ORIOL ANGLADA COLLECTION
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of Colque Cruz I (this spur was probably
used by Marz, Steinmetz and Wellenkamp to
make the first ascent in 1963). However, it
was clear by the time they reached this
point that the south-facing slopes were still
heavily loaded, so they turned to the
unclimbed Ichu Ananta. On the 23rd July all
four made the first recorded ascent via
north-facing snow slopes (c40°) and some
mixed climbing (Scottish 2) on the right
flank of the summit ridge.
Ninaparaco
After their ascent of Ichu Anata the team
split, with Cohen and Wilkinson heading
south up the rubble-strewn side glacier that
runs below the East Faces of the Cayangate
Group and into the glacial cirque south of
Jatuncampa. At the head of this cirque lie
the northern flanks of Jatunhuma I
(6,093m), a well-known peak that has been
climbed from most directions. However, a
number of subsidiary peaks on the North
East Ridge remained unclimbed. The
highest of these and closest to Jatunhuma
is Ninaparaco (c5,930m). On the 29th,
Cohen and Wilkinson climbed this peak
via the North Face, which gave some
objectively exposed rock and ice in the
lower section (Scottish III and a short
section of British Severe) leading on to a
spur. Above, more uniform slopes led to
the summit. The pair were benighted on
the descent and spent a chilly night out
but made it safely back to their camp the
following morning.
in association with
mountains during July-August 2004.
In the more popular southwestern section
(Ausengate and the Jatunhuma peaks etc),
there was one incident of note. A team led
by Tom Parks, comprising students from
Oxford and Cambridge Universities, was
making its first trip to the Greater Ranges.
Because of this they decided to employ local
guides to escort them around a trekking
circuit of the Vilcanota, where they would
also attempt a few straightforward peaks.
On their first, the 5,550m Huayruro Punco,
the team successfully climbed the standard
North East Ridge (PD) and from the summit
chose to descend the South East Face, a
decision concurred with by their guides.
This slope, relatively gentle at first, soon
becomes convex and was already receiving
the afternoon sun. When it avalanched the
first roped party of three was swept down
the face. Two members fortunately
managed to stay on the surface but the
third was completely buried. Working
swiftly, the two extracted the victim, who
was now comatose. After this team member
regained consciousness and was found to
be uninjured, the guides perceived no more
danger, in fact, the victim was developing
acute hypothermia, which was again luckily
spotted and subsequently treated by other
members of the team. The potential
ramifications of taking inexperienced local
guides into the mountains are clear.
This same team later visited the still
rarely-frequented Urubamba, where
conditions were found to be considerably
worse than the Vilcanota. An ascent of
Helancoma (5,367m: first climbed by the
1964 Scottish expedition) via the East Flank
was thwarted just short of the summit
plateau by deep snow.
Kiru West
Over the 28th-29th July, Kennedy and
Rubens attempted the West Ridge of Kiru
West (c5,650m) a top on the main ridge
of the Colque Cruz chain approximately
F
A
B
E
C
D
Ichu Ananta
(A) Unnamed point c5,650m, (B) Kiru West Peak (c5,650m), (C) Kiru Central Peak (c5,650m), (D) Kiru
(5,720m), (E) Cuchillo (c5,800m) and (F) Garache (c5,900m) seen from the west. Marked is the Scottish
Spur (Scottish V), climbed in July 2004 to c5,600m by Steve Kennedy and Des Rubens. The pair was
stopped c50m below the summit by almost bottomless snow. DAVE WILKINSON COLLECTION
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085
British mountaineer, Dave Wilkinson, visited
the northeastern part of the range in 1983,
when one of the objectives was the South
West Face of Colque Cruz I (6,102m). Twenty
one years later this face had still not been
climbed and in July 2004 he returned to the
Yanacocha Base Camp with Geoff Cohen,
Steve Kennedy and Des Rubens in an
attempt to rectify this omission. At that
stage the party was unaware of the attempt
made the previous year by Americans Amy
Bullard and Peter Carse, who climbed the
middle of the face to c5,900m before forced
down by a violent thunderstorm and heavy
spindrift.
In June 2004, an unusually large
snowstorm had affected the area, with
inhabitants of Cuzco witnessing snow on the
streets for the first time in recent history.
This left the mountains in a very difficult
condition, but in compensation the weather
during July and early August was almost
perfect. The British party approached
Colque Cruz in the same way as the
Americans, south of Ichu Ananta (5,720m) to
the col between it and the South West Spur
in association with
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A
B
C
D
E
2
3
F
1
The main (southern) section of the Colque Cruz Massif seen from the southwest. (A) Cuchillo (c5,800m), (B) Garache (c5,900m), (C) Pt c5,950m, (D) Colque Cruz I
(6,102m), (E) Ichu Ananta (c5,720m) and (F) Colque Cruz VI (5,970m). (1) shows the attempt made on the South West Face by Bullard and Carse in 2003 (retreated
from c5,900m), (2) the South West Spur most probably used by Marz, Steinmetz and Wellenkamp to make the first ascent of the peak in 1963. (3) North Ridge/Face
used by Cohen, Kennedy, Rubens and Wilkinson to make the first ascent of this summit in 2004, approaching round the back of the mountain. LINDSAY GRIFFIN
mid-way between Kiru (5,720m) and Huayna
Ausengate (5,720m). The ridge rises
immediately to the east of Base Camp and
begins with a long rocky section that the
pair reached and then climbed in six hours.
Just below the point where it turns into a
typically corniced and fluted, Andean, ice
crest, they discovered an excellent bivouac
site and opted to spend a comfortable night.
Next morning they began the upper section,
finding awful conditions of deep, timeconsuming unconsolidated snow,
honeycombed ice, some exposed traverses,
mushrooms, icicles and bottomless voids.
The two crux pitches, one a bottomless ice
chimney, just warranted Scottish 5. They
eventually arrived at the top of the ridge,
which now became broad and almost
horizontal, before the final rise to the
summit. Disappointingly, the snow was as
awful as ever (waist deep). Having now
reached c5,600m and content with what
they had achieved, the two retreated back
down the route, naming it the Scottish Spur.
Nevado Carhuaco Punco
086
After establishing Base Camp at 4,625m
near the Yanacocha Lake and subsequently,
on the 4th July 2004, an Advanced Base at
5,050m close to the glacial lake of
Huarurumicocha southwest of the Colque
Cruz, Slovenians, Marko Anzelak, Peter
Jeromel, Stanko Mihev, Peter Naglic Samo
Ruprecht, Igor Plesivcnik, Matjaz Prislan,
Franc and Janeta Pusnik and Boris Santner
made a two-pronged attack on Nevado
Carhuaco Punco (c5,700m), the most
northerly of the group of peaks running
from Jatunhuma towards Yanacocha. On the
8th July, Anzelak, Mihev, Naglia, Ruprecht
and the two Pusniks approached from the
northwest and climbed a subsidiary rocky
tower of 5,525m, which they called
Slovenski Turn. This was most probably a
first ascent. Meanwhile Jeromel, Plesivcnik,
Prislan and Santner attempted the West
Ridge and climbed to c5,450m before
retreating. Carhuaco Punco has two
summits connected by a sharp and
convoluted ridge. Both are around the same
height. The East Summit was climbed via
the relatively short but fine South Face in
1983 by Lindsay Griffin and Dave Wilkinson,
but there seems no record of an ascent of
the West Top.
The first ascent of this relatively remote
peak was most probably made in August
1957 by Casper Cronk, Steven Jervis, Craig
Merrihue and Earle Whipple (followed one
day later by Bill Hooker and Mike Worris),
who climbed the straightforward North
Ridge from Shoe Col. However, an attempt
by a British party in 1996 failed, after 50-80°
climbing, just 20m below the summit,
where progress was blocked by a
monstrous crevasse wall. In 2003, Amy
Bullard and Peter Carse gained the long
West Ridge from the glacier to the north and
then traversed over the summit and down
the North Ridge, finding the whole outing
straightforward and on well-consolidated
snow.
Jatuncampa
Jatunriti
Slovenians, Mihev, Prislan, Franc Pusnik and
Santner made a new variation to the existing
(but rarely climbed) route up Jatunriti (a.k.a.
Nevado Chumpe: 6,106m), which approaches
from the northwest. After ascending the
North West Glacier in deep snow to Shoe Col
(a broad 5,775m saddle between Colque Cruz
VI and Jatunriti, from where the latter has
been climbed via the North Ridge), the team
moved east and climbed a new line on the
North East Face. This was straightforward at
first but in the final 250m passed through
two stable serac walls (the first 65-70° and
the second 75-80°). Completed on the 12th
July, the route was named Aprende a
Atrapar Los Sueños and the difficult sections
were rappelled on the descent.
On the same day his friends were
summiting Jatunriti, Jeromel made a solo
first ascent of the South East Face of 5,750m
Jatuncampa, a peak immediately south of
Carhuaco Punco. Anina Smer had difficulties
of UIAA II/III on rock and up to 70° snow and
ice. The first ascent of this summit was
made in 1983 via the North Couloir and
West Ridge by Griffin and Wilkinson.
NORTHERN CORDILLERA CENTRAL
Tunshu
On the 1st November 2005, the talented
Peruvian guide, Guillermo Mejia, with Axel
Loayza and Jenny Postillos, made the first
ascent of the North East Face of the
Western Top of double-summited Tunshu
(5,730m), the second highest mountain in
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in association with
the Northern Cordillera Central. Airepurian
(650m: AI 3: 50-80°) climbs the centre of the
steep ice face directly to the summit. From
a high camp three hours above Base at
Siurococha the three climbed the face in 11
hours without undue incident. The steepest
section was the 11th and final pitch, after
which the team reached the summit at 3pm.
Quite quickly things took a turn for the
worst as they were engulfed in a vicious
electrical snowstorm. Some very frantic
moments ensued before the first rappel was
completed back down the line of ascent. All
three were affected by electrical discharge,
and the tingling sensation in their faces
failed to disappear till the following day.
About halfway down the face they were
benighted and at 8.30pm found themselves
in the middle of a rock buttress they hadn't
passed on the ascent. There was no option
but to sit out the night, all tied to a single
rock peg. The following morning the sun
came out and, dodging rockfall, they
rappelled the rest of the face and arrived
back at their camp late morning. Tunshu,
which sits on the eastern edge of the range
45-50km south of the town of La Oroya, was
first climbed in 1958 via the mixed North
East Ridge by the Scottish trio of Myrtle
Elmslie (later Simpson), Hugh Simpson and
William Wallace (today rated PD/AD).
Pariakaka
Guillermo Mejia leading the steep and thinly iced third pitch on the South West Face of Pariakaka.
DIEGO FERNANDEZ/RICHARD HILDAGO COLLECTION
The South West Face of Pariakaka (5,750m), Cordillera Central, showing the line of the hard new
Peruvian Route (Fernandez/Mejia, 2005: 650m: AI 7, M8, A2 and 95°). The red dot marks the site of the
bivouac and the dotted line on the right the start of the descent. RICHARD HILDAGO COLLECTION
referred to as Tullujuto, Tullucoto or
sometimes Azulcocha, though this latter
name strictly refers to the lake
immediately west that is nowadays
referred to as Siurococha - confusing eh!
After setting up camp two hours from the
face and making an inspection of the route,
the two began climbing before 6am on the
1st and overcame a couple of pitches of
75° ice before reaching a steep, thinly iced
rock step. Mejia led this very precarious
50m pitch before the two were able to
continue over ice (up to 80°) and mixed
ground (up to 90°) to a point c500m up the
face. At 4pm they started up another
section of serious mixed terrain and after
150m were forced to bivouac. The following
morning two mixed pitches with some aid
climbing led to the final serac, where a
roof and a 20m rocky section led to the
summit. Around midday they started down
the Normal Route (penitented and quite
crevassed), reaching their camp at 7pm.
Technical difficulties of this serious 650m
route have been rated at AI 7 (!), M8, A2
and 95°.
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087
Over the 1st-2nd September 2005, Diego
Fernandez and Guillermo Mejia put up
possibly the hardest route in the Cordillera
Central and potentially one of the hardest
ice/mixed routes in the country, when they
climbed the South West Face of Pariakaka,
the highest peak in the Northern section of
the Cordillera Central. This peak is also
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Guillermo Mejia leading the final mixed pitch to reach the top of the South West Face of Pariakaka
during the first ascent. DIEGO FERNANDEZ/RICHARD HILDAGO COLLECTION
The American geologist TA Dodge first
climbed the higher summit of Pariakaka
(Pariakaka Sur: 5,750m) in 1938. He began
the ascent with his local porter D Dionisio
but finished the last c150m to the summit
alone. Both Dionisio and Dodge had
climbed to the lower summit (Pariakaka
Norte: 5,720m) two years previously.
Nowadays the most common route is via
the easy North East Glacier at F/PD.
tower, which formed the highest point.
The new British line was 600m in height,
completed in 16 pitches and thought to
warrant Alpine D+. As there is no easy route
to this summit, the route was rappelled.
The climbers had believed Nuasacocha to
be previously unclimbed and no record of an
CORDILLERA ORIENTAL
Huagaruncho Range
088
British climbers, Tony Barton and Tim
Riley, made three ascents in this very
rarely visited and still partially unexplored
range. They warmed up on the 9th August
with an ascent of the unnamed Pt c5,250m,
which stands at the end of the long West
(then finally South West) Ridge of
Huagaruncho. The pair traversed the peak
via its North East Ridge (rocky with a snow
arête to finish) and a descent of the South
West Ridge to a point where they turned
right and down-climbed/rappelled a steep
face to the northeast. The traverse was
completed in a 14-hour round trip from
Base Camp and thought worthy of AD. In
1968, members of a French expedition
comprising Monique Bruhat, René de
Milleville, Francois and Fernard Rebeyrol,
and Claudine Tesa climbed a lower peak
(c5,160m) immediately northwest via the
straightforward snowy North West Face but
did not visit the higher summit.
The pair then placed a high camp below
the South West Face of Cerro Nuasacocha
(a.k.a. Peak 29: c5,199m: surveyed in 1956
at 5,190m) and on the 16th August climbed
the attractive face in a 19-hour round trip
from their camp. Snow and ice up to
Scottish 3/4 followed by some perfect
granite at UIAA V+, led to a 55-60° hanging
glacier. This was followed to a final rock
ascent has ever been published in a western
magazine or journal. Hence they were
somewhat disappointed on reaching the
summit to find ancient ring bolts and fixed
rope heading down the South East Ridge.
Scrambling down a little way, Barton
discovered an old Japanese karabiner.
From correspondence between this
magazine and the editor of the former
Japanese yearly journal, Iwa to Yuki, it
appears that Nuasacocha was climbed in
June 1978 by a seven-member Japanese
expedition from Kyoto University. Michio
Kumagai (leader), Kunio Kubo, You
Nishikawa, Hitoshi Moriya, Mitsuru Sakai,
Mitsuhiro Sawamura and Mitsuhide
Tomomura, very young climbers at the time,
set up Base Camp on the 6th June at
4,100m below the South Face. On the 8th,
they climbed through a 300m left slanting
couloir in the lower face and the following
day ascended a hanging glacier to establish
a high camp at 4,600m. To this point they
fixed 17 rope-lengths. After traversing the
glacier for five pitches, they climbed the
upper South Face via a 400m mixed rib (13
pitches) to a bivouac (Hotel Nuasa) above
the crux; a UIAA V rock gully. On the 14th
Moriya and Tomomura climbed the
remaining five pitches on the face to reach
the upper South East Ridge, which they
followed to the summit. Over the next two
E
D
C
2
B
A
1
The South West Face of Nausacocha (a.k.a. Peak 29: 5,199m). (1) British Route (Barton/Riley, 2005:
600m: 16 pitches: D+), with (A) the hidden approach couloir (70°), (B) IV+ to V+ rock, (C) 70° ice, (D) 60°,
(E) 55° and (F) IV+ rock. (2) South East Ridge - Japanese Route (Kumagai/Kubo/Nishikawa/Moriya/
Sawamura/Tomomura, 1978: 41 pitches: UIAA V). TONY BARTON
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SANTA CRUZ GROUP
Santa Cruz
Tony Barton following pitch 7 on the South West
Face of Nausacocha. He is approximately at the
point marked (C) on the accompanying photodiagram. Below and in the mid distance lies Laguna
Yanacocha in the Antacancha Valley, and visible
beyond is Huagaruncho Chico (c5,445m, the left
and higher of the two snowy peaks: the right-hand
snowy peak is c5,300m and unnamed). On the very
far right the rocky pyramid is Pt 5,250m, climbed
for the first time in 2005 by Barton and Riley via
the (snowy) left ridge. The first and much smaller
top to its left, Pt 5,160m, was climbed by the 1968
French expedition. TIM RILEY
days all but Sakai also reached the top.
The route was fixed in its entirety (41 rope
lengths) but most were cleaned after the
ascent, except for a few pitches at the top.
Three years prior to this a large Japanese
expedition led by Hideaki Naoi had placed a
high camp at or near to the col between
Nausacocha and Huagaruncho, and then
seiged the first ascent of Huagaruncho's
North North East Ridge. They would have had
a clear view of Nausacocha's South East
Ridge directly opposite and no doubt inspired
the later first ascent. Barton and Riley also
climbed a minor rock peak above Laguna
Quimacocha (south of Huagaruncho) and
close to 4,818m Cerro Barraco. After a pitch
of around UIAA IV to reach the ridge, and airy
scramble led to the summit.
The main summit of Huagaruncho (5,730m)
completely dominates this small range and
was first seriously reconnoitred in 1940.
Although the peak has now received four
ascents, all by different routes (first by British
climbers, John Streetly and Mike Westmacott,
in 1956 via the West Ridge), other
surrounding peaks have generally been
climbed no more than once or not at all.
Access is via the village of Huachon (3,400m)
to the south.
Jordi Corominas made almost certainly the
first solo ascent of the hard Ecuadorian
Route (Navarrete/Suarez, 1984: c900m: TD+)
towards the left side of the South Face of
Nevado Santa Cruz (6,259m). The Spaniard
climbed the route in just six hours during
June 2005 then down climbed the original
German Route further right on the face
(Gloggner/Muller/Janner. 1977: c900m: TD-)
in a mere three hours. A line similar to the
Ecuadorian Route was climbed in 1987 by
Slovenians, who reported difficulties in the
upper 150m of VI and 90°, but the original
route had a very rare repeat in 2003 by
Bergau and Kovacs, who found it hard (AI4,
nasty 85° Mixed, and some serious, very
poorly protected, exit runnels).
Alpamayo
Over the years the nomenclature of routes
on the classic South West Face of this highly
popular mountain has become confused to
the extent that until recently every
publication, guide or reference source has
1
2
3
mistakenly attributed the Ferrari Route
to another line. The classic and very
frequented 350m AD+ runnel, which is
commonly referred to as the Ferrari Route
and leads to the North Ridge left of the
summit is, in fact, the Canal Central,
possibly first climbed in 1979 by Rield and
Pöltner but definitely climbed in 1983 by
Renoir with Susana and Bohorquez with
Gálvez. This is the Normal Route on the
mountain, though in the last couple of
years parties have begun using the
runnel to the left, after deteriorating
conditions of the Canal Central resulted in
the death of eight climbers during 2003.
This route, sometimes referred to as the
French-Basque (climbed in 1993 by
Cayrol/Cayrol/Domeno/Dominguez/Gartzia
/Monasterio: 300m: D), has been climbed
relatively regularly over the years (and
may well have been climbed before 1993).
It is slightly steeper and icier than the
central couloir but less prone to falling
debris from both fragile flutings and other
climbers. The only disadvantage is that
the traverse to the summit is that much
longer.
The true Ferrari Route
(Borgonovo/Castelnovo/Ferrari/Liati/Negri
/Zola, 1975: 400m: D+) is actually two
runnels to the right, following the couloir
almost directly from the lowest point of
the rimaye to (or just left of) the 5,947m
summit. Nicolas Jaeger made the second
ascent in 1977, followed a day later by
René Ghilini and Bernard Prud'Homme.
For this reason the route is often referred
to as the French Direct, though
confusingly its first ascent is normally
attributed to Americans, Barker and
4
in association with
now a renowned and popular venue but
parties are discovering major climbs on
lower rocky peaks and the big walls that
flank approach valleys. Some of these valley
climbs are huge and the rock is often very
sound but they lie at an altitude where
moss and vegetation often demands
protracted work before a final ascent is
achieved. Elsewhere, light and fast seems
to be the norm, with snow, ice and mixed
routes achieved in round trip, single pushes
from a high camp.
8
5
7
6
One of Peru's most popular objectives: the South West Face of Alpamayo (5,947m). Confusion has
existed over the origins of the separate lines on this face and this photodiagram clarifies the situation.
(1) West North West Ridge (Steinbeis/von Gessner, 1966: c350m: D-). (2) Left Couloir (Ceballos/Yepes,
1985: 300m: D: 60°). (3) French-Basque Route (Cayrol/Cayrol/Domeno/Dominguez/Gartzia/Monasterio,
1993: 300m: D: 60-75°). (4) Canal Central (probably Rield/Pöltner, 1979 but definitely
One of the most notable trends during 200405 has been an increased development of the
Blanca's rock-climbing potential. The Sphinx,
with its generally excellent clean granite, is
Bohorquez/Gálvez/Renoir/Susana, 1983: 350m: AD+: 50-70°). (5) Spanish Route (Escruela/Tain, 2002:
400m: currently TD/ED). (6) Ferrari Route (Borgonovo/Castelnovo/Ferrari/Liati/Negri/Zola, 1975:
400m: D+ but presently much harder: 65-80°). (7) Right Couloir or Hispano-Chilena (Alvarado/Cabeza,
1998: 400m: TD/TD+: 80-85° and mixed). (8) South Ridge (Hauser/Huhn/Knauss/Wiedmann, 1957:
400m: TD). TONY BARTON
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089
CORDILLERA BLANCA - PART ONE
in association with
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Connolly, in 1980. The lower section
collapsed in 1995 and the route is now
much harder and more dangerous. These
mistakes have been rectified in the new
Bohorquez guide. Climbers note that in
2005 difficult cornicing stopped many
parties from reaching the summit.
HUANDOY GROUP
La Esfinge
090
From July 24th-31st July 2004, Spanish
climbers, Jose Maria Cancho, Antonio Liria
and Angel Olmos, added approximately the
16th or so new route (or significant variant
to an existing route) on the East Face of the
Sphinx (5,327m), when they created Killa
Quillay (a.k.a. Luna Plateada) between Cruz
del Sur and the Original Route. The 17pitch route is entirely independent except
on pitch 13, which is common with the
Original Route. The difficulties were rated
6b+ and A2. This 700m line was quickly
repeated: later the same season Basque
climber, Aritz Labiano, with Michael le
Comte from Belgium, climbed the route
with a deviation to the left in the upper
section.
The most significant new route in 2005
was the big line climbed on the South
Face/South East Face by Arkadiusz
Grzadziel, Boguslaw (Bodziu) Kowalski and
Jerzy Stefanski from Poland. The right
edge of the South East Face was climbed
in 1988 by Antonio Bohorquez and Inaki
San Vicente to give a sustained 800m route
of VI+ and A3/4, which has not been
repeated. This route still catches a bit of
sun but freezing temperatures and a
reputation for poor rock thwarted
subsequent attempts to climb the main
central section of the South East Face until
the 1st January 2003. On that day,
Canadians Jean Francois Beaulieu and
Vincent Légaré, both from Quebec,
completed a 17-day ascent at VII 5.10 and
A4. Although temperatures at this time of
year were perhaps slightly warmer, the
Canadians reported considerable rockfall
during their ascent of La Colera de los
Dioses (The Furious Gods) but placed bolts
only at main belays.
The new Polish Route, Salida desde la
Oscuridad (VI 6b+ A2+) begins 150m to the
left of the Canadian route and in the upper
section finishes up the South Face. The
team fixed the initial 170m on three
consecutive days from the 29th June-1st
July, rested on the 2nd July, then climbed
from 7am to 10pm on the 3rd. After an
extremely demanding and very cold night,
they continued on the 4th and reached the
summit at 5pm. The wall was climbed in
15 pitches, some up to 70m in length, and
an overall height of 680m quoted. Once
above half-height and on the South Face
the climbing becomes a bit more broken,
though there are still one or two hard
pitches before the final three (F3-5) up the
exit gully left of the summit fall line.
Climbing out of the shadow: the final pitch in the exit gully of the 2005 Polish Route, Salida desde la
Oscuridad, on the South Face-South East Face of Esfinge (5,327m). Clearly visible in the background, on
the west flank of the lower Paron Valley, are the lower walls of the Torres del Paron, vast rock faces that
to date are little explored. The tower in the top centre of the picture, together with the partially sunlit
walls to the left, form the lower North East Face of Yanawaka (4,900m). BODZIU KOWALSKI
Arkadiusz Grzadziel and Bodziu
Kowalski also climbed directly up the line
of rappel anchors used for descending the
far right end of the East Face from the col
on the North Ridge. Their six-pitch new
line was called Waiting for Yurek and had
difficulties of UIAA V+/VI- (F5).
During 2004-05 several parties climbed
the now quasi-classic Bole/Karo route,
Cruz del Sur. This c800m climb was
originally graded F7c+ but subsequent
ascents proved the technical difficulties to
be somewhat exaggerated. In 2002, Cortés,
Escribano and Morales estimated the route
to be F7a+, F7a obl and this was again
confirmed in June 2005 by Americans,
Brian McMahon and Josh Wharton, who
climbed the route on sight in seven hours.
They feel the line will become increasingly
popular as climbers become much more
aware of its over-inflated grade and
excellent quality climbing. The route was
The Original Route on the East Face of Esfinge (Bohorquez/Garcia, 1985: 750m: 5.10a and A1 but now
climbed free at 5.11c). Surmounting a roof on pitch 6 just below the 5.11a finger crack. BODZIU KOWALSKI
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2
3
The cold and sunless South and South East Faces of Esfinge (The Sphinx: 5,327m). (1) Salida desde la
Oscuridad (Grzadziel/Kowalski/Stefanski, 2005: 680m: US VI, 6b+ A2+). (2) La Colera de los Dioses
(Beaulieu/Légaré, 2002-03: 800m: US VII 5.10 A4). (3) South East Face - Original 1988 Spanish Route
(Bohorquez /San Vicente: 800m: VI+ and A3/4). BODZIU KOWALSKI
also climbed in 2004 by David Bruder and
Israeli, Jonny Trango, and in 2005 by
Steve House and Marko Prezelj in seven
hours: apart from the first three pitches,
climbed several days previously, the route
was completed free and on-sight. They
too were surprised both by the quality of
the granite and the fact that the crux
pitches did not feel too difficult. The same
pair also climbed the now popular
Original Route (Bohorquez/Garcia, 1985:
750m: 5.10a and A1 but now climbed free
at 5.11c or F7a), taking the original exit,
which is not so popular these days but
still very nice. The route was completed
free, on-sight in five and a half hours.
After warming up with a free ascent of
the Original Route in four and a half
hours during June 2005, Brian McMahon
and Josh Warton made the probable
fourth ascent of Riddle of the Cordillera
Blanca (Nils Davis/Todd Offenbacher,
2000: 750m: 5.10+ and A3), creating a
three-pitch variation to avoid the A3
section and hence complete the first free
ascent. The crux on their new variant,
which they have named King of Thebes,
involved two short but spectacular
pitches: one a steep finger crack on an
arête and the second a really difficult
piece of down-climbing to reach a hard
corner. Natural protection was used
throughout and the route, which in its
free form is now 5.12b/c (7b/7b+),
completed on sight in a mere seven and a
half hours on the 26th June.
Later in July after an abortive attempt
on a route elsewhere in the range
Wharton returned on his own and made a
completely free solo of the Original Route
(probably the first) in just one hour and 28
minutes, catching a taxi back to Huaraz
that same afternoon. The previous fastest
(roped) ascent was three hours and 57
minutes by David Bruder and Andrés
Zegers in 2004.
Another important second ascent took
place in 2004 when the American
husband and wife team of Steve Schneider
and Heather Baer, together with the
talented 14 years old Scott Cory, repeated
the Slovak route, Welcome to the Slabs of
Koricancha (Berenak/Linek/Staruch, 2003:
650m: 5.13a or 7c+), the hardest free
route on the Sphinx and maybe the
hardest long free climb in the country.
On the 9th August, Schneider was able to
on-sight the bolted crux sixth pitch, which
Cory followed free. Leaving ropes in place
to this high point, the three returned on
the 11th and completed the remaining
seven pitches to the summit. On good
form, Schneider was able to lead every
pitch on sight except the eighth (12a),
which Cory led with one fall. All three
reached the top at around 3pm.
Caraz II
Over the 21st -22nd July 2004, Damian
in association with
1
Astoul, Mathieu Detrie, Basile and Gaspard
Petiot, made the first complete ascent of
the Superduper Couloir on the East Face of
6,020m Caraz II, climbing a direct finish
through the summit headwall avoided by
the previous two parties. In 1997, British
climbers, Ally Coull, Mark Kendrick and
Muir Morton, climbed this obvious
rectilinear couloir directly below the
summit and then finished through the left
edge of the final rock headwall to gain the
top section of the South East Ridge. They
stopped a couple of rope lengths or so
below the summit and rappelled the route
(c600m: TD: ice/mixed 80-90°). In 2002,
and unaware that the line had been
previously climbed, Tony Barton, Nick
Carter and Peter Winterbottom repeated
the route, traversing out left through mixed
ground some distance below the headwall
and reaching a point on the South East
Ridge c50-100m from the summit before
bottomless snow forced a retreat. In 2004,
the French found some 90-95° entry
pitches of excellent ice, bivouacked below
the centre of the headwall and the next
morning tackled the crux 6a and A2 pitch
of loose and overhanging rock above. Two
more loose pitches of granite (4+ then 6a)
led up left to the South East Ridge, which
they followed (70°) to the top of the
mountain. Estimated by the French to be
c700m, Superduper Couloir - Salida Directa
de Los Gordos was graded ED2 90-95°, F6a
and A2.
Just two days later, on the 24th,
Australians, Anthony Morgan and Matthew
Scholes, reached the foot of the face and
started up the right-hand couloir following
the initial section of the East Face Original
(British) Route (Fisher/Sheldrake/Warfield,
5
1b
1a
2
3
5
4
1
The East Face of Caraz II (6,020m) showing (1) The Superduper Couloir (Coull/Kendrick/Morton, 1997:
c600m: TD: ice/mixed 80-90°: stopped on the South East Ridge 50-100m below the summit). (1a) British
variation finish (Barton/Carter/Winterbottom, 2002: stopped at the same point as the first ascensionists:
TD). (1b) Salida Directa de Los Gordos (first ascent to the summit: Astoul/Detrie/Petiot/Petiot, 2004:
c700m: ED2: 90-95°, 6a and A2). (2) Australian Route (Morgan/Scholes, 2004: c700m: ED1 WI 3, V+ and
A2). (3) Slovenian Finish to 4 (Jost/Mlinar, 2001: 700m: TD+: Scottish 5/80°). (4) Original British Route on
East Face (Fisher/Sheldrake/Warfield, 1986: c550m: TD+: stopped on reaching the North East Ridge). (5)
North East Ridge - Original Route on the mountain (Huber/Koch, 1955: c700m but much more climbing
distance: AD or more: 65°). The left skyline (South East Ridge) is unclimbed but the triangular South Face
hidden behind the skyline was descended by Jost and Mlinar after their ascent of route 3. VICTOR MLINAR
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091
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in association with
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nine hours from their Base Camp to make
the complex approach to the face. They
began climbing at 8am the following
morning, negotiating the initial rock
barrier (where they found ancient fixed
ropes) via four pitches of excellent granite
(6a and A1). The crux, as is so often the
case, proved to be the exit pitch onto the
East Ridge and was led by Kozjek in the
dark. With a poor belay, Kozjek had to
simultaneously hold both his partners,
when one fell while seconding and
knocked the other off. After this dramatic
moment, all three gathered on the ridge
at around 10pm. By the following morning
they had rappelled their route to the
glacier, from where they continued down
to Base Camp, arriving at midnight.
Lord of the Towers has technical
difficulties of F6a, A1, AI 6 and 90°. To
date a direct route to the summit up the
North Face has yet to be completed but
it will involve some very hard rock and
mixed climbing through the large
headwall. In June 1986, Slovaks, Petr
Hapala and Bretislav Husicka, climbed a
very hard route up the right side of the
face to exit on to the upper part of the
North Ridge. Technical difficulties were
rated as V+, A2 and 80° and it was
probably the hardest route completed in
the Blanca that year. It is not known
whether this pair continued to the summit
or rappelled directly into the 1977
Bouchard-Meunier Route on the South
Face but during the descent of this line
Husicka was swept to his death by a
falling cornice.
2
2
1
The North Face of Nevado Paron Grande (5,600m) showing the lines of (1) Bartonellosis
(Carter/Pescod/Samuel, 2004: 400m: TD+: 10 pitches to Scottish 5). (2) West Ridge (Blatherwick/Richey,
1980: D?). TONY BARTON
1986: TD+: stopped on the North East
Ridge and rappelled the route), then broke
out left, climbing seven interesting mixed
pitches to gain the snow ramp above the
(unclimbed) central couloir, which they
followed to a short headwall. This was
climbed in two short pitches (UIAA V+;
A2) on good solid rock to reach the ridge,
where they sat out the night with no
bivouac gear. Next morning the pair
climbed a short pitch to the summit
before locating the anchors of the French
climbers. They rappelled the Superduper
Couloir to the glacier. The c700m
Australian Route was ED1 WI 3, V+ and A2.
Paron Sur
On the 23rd August 2004, the West Face of
c5,500m Paron Sur received its first
ascent via a line up the 200m Central
Spur. Andrew McIntyre, Kevin Neal and
Neil Stewart found soft snow over hard
ice and graded the route AD+, descending
by rappels from snow stakes.
Nevado Paron
092
Over the 5th-6th June 2004, Nick Carter,
Mike Pescod and Owen Samuel made the
first ascent of the North Face of 5,600m
Paron Grande from the Santa Cruz Valley.
They set off from their camp at around
9pm, started up the face just before
midnight via a leftward slanting chimney
and after some excellent ice climbing up
to Scottish 4 and 5 and a total of 10
pitches stopped at 10.30am on the 6th
just below the final c20m summit snow
mushroom, the conditions of which
prevented an attempt. They then
rappelled the c400m West Face (first
climbed in 1980 by Spanish at around
AD), traversed the seraced Paron Glacier
to the Artesonraju Col and descended the
far side to reach their camp in a 20-hour
round trip. The route was named
Bartonellosis (400m: TD+) after a disease
transmitted by the Peruvian sand fly and
the fourth member of their party, Tony
Barton, who was unable to accompany
them on this climb.
The same three climbers had a lucky
escape later in the season when
approaching a potential new route in the
dark after a period of bad weather.
Crossing glacier slopes of no more than
30°, the three were avalanched. Only
Carter, in the lead, remained on the
surface and quickly followed the rope to
dig out Samuel, whose torchlight was
visible through the snow. These two then
dug out Pescod, who was a metre below
the surface, blue, not breathing, deeply
comatosed and not reacting to any of the
misdirected axe swings that had hit him
in the face. He didn't regain
consciousness until pulled from the hole
10 minutes later.
Chacraraju Este
In the summer of 2004, the main goal
of Nick Bullock and Al Powell was a
complete ascent of the East/North East
Chacraraju Oeste
On the 8th July 2004,
Slovenians, Marjan Kovac
and Pavle Kozjek, with
Aritza Monasterio, a Basque
guide living in Huaraz, put
up a new line, Lord of the
Towers (c800m: ED3) on the
North Face of Chacraraju
Oeste (6,112m). The three
opted for a lightweight
single-push ascent and
descent but although the
climb follows an obvious
feature, a prominent spur on
the left side of the face, it
terminates on the East
Ridge and junction with the
Original Route some
considerable distance from
the summit.
The three approached
from the more remote east
side of the range via the
Quebrada's Huaripampa and
Paria, and on the 7th took
1
4
2
3
The North Face of Chacraraju Oeste (6,112m) showing (1) East
Ridge - Original French Route (Davaille/Gaudin/Jenny/Martin/
Sennelier/Souriac/Terray, 1956: c1,000m: ED1). (2) Lord of the
Towers (Kovac/Kozjek/Monasterio, 2004: c800m: ED3: 6a, A1, AI 6
and 90°: not to summit). (3) Slovak Route (Hapala/Husicka, 1986:
c800m: ED?: V+, A2 and 80°: line uncertain but direct to an exit on
to the North Ridge: Husicka killed while descending the South
Face). (4) North Ridge - American Route (Abrons/Doody/Frost/
Ortenburger, 1964: c800m: ED1?). PAVLE KOZJEK
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in association with
Face of 6,001 Chacraraju Este. The rightbounding arête of this largely rocky wall
forms the Original Route, climbed August
1962 by Lionel Terray's French Expedition
(possibly unrepeated) and a direct line up
the 700m face itself had been first tried in
1993 by Slovenians, Pavle Kozjek and
Grega Kresal. This pair climbed a leftward
slanting ramp of 60-75° snow/ice for eight
pitches, then more directly up the right
side of the face through two rock bands
(F6b and A2), before forced out right below
the extremely steep rock headwall on to
the crest of the North East Ridge. At this
point, after a total of 17 pitches and 250m
below the summit, they descended.
The British pair were unaware until they
reached Peru that a direct line to the left
of the 1993 Route had been climbed in
August 1999 by Slovenians, Jure Juhasz
and Andrej Markovic, The Shriek of the
Black Stone (c950m: 25 pitches: F6b and
A2+: six days up and down in Alpine style).
Markovic went to Nepal shortly after and
was killed on Jongsang, so even though
this highly significant ascent was reported
in the AAJ, it probably never got the
widespread attention it deserved. Bullock
and Powell went for a look anyway but
found the face plastered in fresh snow.
Instead, they opted for an attempt on the
unclimbed South East Ridge Integral (the
upper section had been first climbed in
1976 by a Japanese team, which
approached via the South Face. Starting
from the col at the foot of the ridge, the
pair climbed for two days over hideous
ground before deciding life was more
important. They escaped by rappelling the
south flank to the glacier on the far side of
the mountain.
Powell went home but Bullock returned
to attempt a solo ascent of the classic
Jaeger Route (Nicolas Jaeger, 1978: 650m:
ED1), the broad couloir on the South Face
leading more or less directly to the
summit. He arrived to find Adam Kovacs
with the same plan. Poor weather delayed
their departure but after crossing the
freshly snow-covered glacier roped
together, they soloed to the snow bowl
about 150m below the summit (sustained
Scottish IV, 4). There, parties normally
slant up right to reach the summit directly
but the pair saw a nice continuation,
parallel to the 1984 Garcia/Escola/Silverio
route on the left, leading up to the summit
ridge. This was obviously going to provide
some adventurous climbing, so the two
decided to rope up on a single 7mm cord.
The first pitch, led by Kovacs, was Scottish
VI, 7 with a 100° ice exit. The second, led
by Bullock, gave poorly protected VI,6. The
final pitch proved a little easier but on the
summit ridge Kovacs decided it was far too
dangerous to belay, so climbed down to an
Abalakov and rappelled. Bullock repeated
the pitch to the summit ridge and the pair
then successfully rappelled the route from
1
2
3
4
The East Face of Chacraraju Este (6,001m). (1) South Face to South East Ridge (Kondo/Yoshino, 1976:
600m: ED2: 60° and A1/A2). The South East Ridge Integral, well over half of which lies off picture to
the left, remains unclimbed. (2) Original French Route - North East Ridge (Dubost/Gendre/Magnone/
Soubis/Terray, 1962: c950m: ED1/2: the hardest route in the Blanca at the time). (3) Slovenian Route to
junction with French Route only (Kozjek/Krezel, 1993: c700m and 17 pitches: ED2/ED3: 80°, 6b and
A2). (4) The Shriek of the Black Stone (Juhasz/Markovic, 1999: c950m: 25 pitches: ED3/4?: 90°, 6b and
A2+: one of the hardest routes in the Blanca to date). NICK BULLOCK
Abalakovs, naming their short variation
finish, Running on Empty. The same
season the Jaeger Route was climbed in
its entirety by David Bruder (Germany)
and Niv Scott (Israel).
HUASCARAN GROUP
Huascaran
Several highly competent parties arrived
in the Blanca during 2005 intent on the
much-coveted second ascent of the 1977
Casarotto Route up the middle of the
North Face of 6,654m Huascaran Norte.
However, all found the route to be a
death trap, and with rockfall more or less
incessant throughout the night, they
descended without setting foot on the
wall. It now seems most of the ice on the
lower section of the face has vanished
leaving but a few small snow patches and
the predominant ice lines that once
existed toward the left flank have more
or less disappeared. As one American
commented, some time in the future the
middle of the North Face will be climbed
again but the experience will most likely
be far different to that of Casarotto. In
contrast to these 'dry' conditions, many
mountaineers tackling the Normal Route
last year seem to have been thwarted by
avalanche.
On the North East Face Jordi
Corominas soloed the French Route
(Barrard/Desrivieres/Narboud/Ricouard,
1973: c1,350m: originally TD+, 60°, V+
and A2) with some variations. Starting
from a bivouac close to the edge of the
glacier in June 2005, he soloed the face
in a speedy round trip of 12 hours.
Corominas started up the big slope well
to the right of the 1973 route and its
left-hand lower rock buttress variants
climbed by Astier and Boucansaud in
1980 and Brigger and Siegenthaler in
1983. After joining the original line, he
continued to below the ridge, where he
moved left to climb a one-pitch variant
(M5) before climbing along the upper
crest to the summit. He found good
conditions throughout (snow/névé) and
rated the ascent TD-.
A speed ascent of Huascaran Sur
(6,768m) was achieved in 2004 by David
Bruder from Germany and Andrés
Zegers from Chile. The two made a
round trip ascent of the Shield
(Broda/Merler/Segger, 1969: 1,000m
from the standard site of Camp IV on
the Normal Route: D/D+) in a little less
than 24 hours from Musho (3,030m),
the village where parties hire donkeys
for the ascent to Base Camp. The two
completed the route in 14 hours and 30
minutes, climbing sections of ice and
névé up to 60°. This may be the first
one-day ascent of the Shield, the
objectively safe, west-facing ice arête
right of the Normal Route.
INFO: Richard Hidalgo with additional
material from AAJ/Alpinist/Oriol
Anglada/Tony Barton/Nick Bullock/Nick
Carter/Jeremy Frimer/Tsunemichi
Ikeda/Jure Jahasz/Boguslaw
Kowalski/Pavle Kozjek/Tom
Nakamura/Tom Parks/Ian Rudkin/Boris
Santner/Dave Wilkinson
Terms and Conditions Apply downloaded from
www.climbmagazine.com
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