flight of the Inca

Overview

URUS CENTRAL (5495 m.s.n.m)
SOUTH FACE

Urus Central is one of the peaks in Ishinca valley. Initially, it’s perfect for a good acclimatization and later to try some more technical mountaineering. The climb provides good experience in mixed terrain with ice, loose snow and rock, although this makes the route very difficult (MD+)

First ascent: 16th of October 2009 by Beto Pinto – Erick Albino.

Name of the route: VUELO DEL INCA ( FLIGHT OF THE INCA)

Elevation: 1195m from base camp (4,300masl), to camp Morrena (4,900masl) and the next day to the summit (5495masl)


Grade: MD+

Time: 8 days.

Equipment: 1 rope (60m), 2 Ice axes, 3 Snow pickets, 6 ice screws, rock gear, 5 friends and 8 stoppers.

Approach: We left Huaraz for the Ishinca base camp. The next day at 4 in the morning we carried the climbing equipment up to “la morrena” (3 hours), then returned to Base camp (1 hour’s descent). After breakfast, we climbed once more to la morrena with food and camping equipment.


Route:The next day we left Camp Morrena at 6 in the morning and headed for the first face. We began the first climb at 8 in the morning, it’s an 80º ice crevice with rocky parts and areas of loose snow. This section took almost two hours, but was followed by an easier 70º wall of hard snow making up 6 60 meter pitches. The last pitch was the most difficult with a lot of loose snow and little shelter from the elements. However, after cleaning-off a lot of snow we managed to apply friends, arriving at the summit at 12.30.


Descent: We made 3 rappels to the Eastern ridge and then, climbing-down in places, we arrived at our camp at 6 in the evening.


On the 3rd day, we decided to climb West Urus following a route on rock and finally climbing a 50 meter crevice of hard ice. Later, we returned to camp Morrena, taking our things and walking down to base camp, where we arrived at 7 O’clock in the evening. We rested on the 4th day, in order to climb up to the Cojup Ridge on the 5th. We traversed between the Palcaraju glacier and Ishinca Mountain. The following day we became the first Peruvians to climb Palcaraju (6274 masl.), where the 22 of us managed to fix more than 900 meters of rope.

ITINERARY:

1. – Huaraz – Ishinca Base Camp
2. – Ishinca Base Camp - Moraine Camp Urus
3. – Moraine Camp Urus– Summit Urus central
4. – Moraine Camp – Summit Urus west
5. – Rest day
6. – Ishinca Base Camp – Palcaraju Moraine Camp
7. – Palcaraju Moraine Camp – Summit Palcaraju
8. - Moraine Camp - Huaraz

Getting There

Approach: We left Huaraz for the Ishinca base camp. The next day at 4 in the morning we carried the climbing equipment up to “la morrena” (3 hours), then returned to Base camp (1 hour’s descent). After breakfast, we climbed once more to la morrena with food and camping equipment.

Route Description

Route:The next day we left Camp Morrena at 6 in the morning and headed for the first face. We began the first climb at 8 in the morning, it’s an 80º ice crevice with rocky parts and areas of loose snow. This section took almost two hours, but was followed by an easier 70º wall of hard snow making up 6 60 meter pitches. The last pitch was the most difficult with a lot of loose snow and little shelter from the elements. However, after cleaning-off a lot of snow we managed to apply friends, arriving at the summit at 12.30.


Descent: We made 3 rappels to the Eastern ridge and then, climbing-down in places, we arrived at our camp at 6 in the evening.

Essential Gear

Equipment: 1 rope (60m), 2 Ice axes, 3 Snow pickets, 6 ice screws, rock gear, 5 friends and 8 stoppers.

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Images

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