Together with Chopicalqui, Huascaran Sur and Norte form the Huascaran massif. Huascaran Sur is the highest mountain in the Cordillera Blanca as well as in whole Peru and consequently quite popular. The south summit is 113 meters higher than its (much less frequented) northern twin. The first ascent to H. Sur took place in 1932 by a German-Austrian expedition, whereas H. Norte is said to be climbed as early as 1908 by Annie Peck, an American schoolmistress.

The normal route to H. South (via Garganta and the NW-face) is rated PD. The crux of the route is climbing the everchanging Garganta icefall to the camp 2 at 5900 meters. The W-face (the shield, D+) can be gained from the ascent to Garganta, too. Moreover there are lots of very hard (TD, ED) lines on the NE and E face of H. Sur.

Getting There

Getting There - Peru

Fly to Lima. If you come from Europe and have all your expedition gear with you, the baggage allowance of the airline is an important factor: In 2003 all European airlines switched from the "piece system" (max. two pieces of baggage, 32kg each) to a 20kg-limit on their S-America- routes. Only North American airlines and their code-sharing partners still use the piece-system. As you will be charged for extra baggage up to 50€/$ per kg, flights via the USA seems to be the best budget alternative at moment.

Getting there - Huaraz

Though there is an airstrip in Anta (20km from Huaraz), there are no regular flights from Lima. So the only way to go there is a 7-9 hour ride by bus. There are several bus companies, each one with its own bus station in Lima:
Three of them are listed below:

Cruz del Sur: Jr.Quilca 531 Phone 424-1005. Departure at 9 a.m. and 10:15 p.m. 7h. 12$ incl. onboard-lunch
Movil Tours, Paseo de la república 656. Phone 332 0004 or 0024. Departure at 11:00 a.m. 7h. 12$ incl. onboard-lunch
Ormeño: Av. Carlos Zavala 177. Phone 427 5679. Departure at 7:00 a.m. and 12:00 a.m. 9h. 7$ stops for lunch.

All bus companies charge a reasonable fee for baggage exceeding 20kg. Tickets can be delivered to your hotel.

Approach and Camps

In Huaraz, take a collectivo (taxi) to Musho (3050m) where you can easily hire arrieros (mule drivers, 10$/day) and burros (mules, 5$/day) to reach the basecamp at the same day.

You can also hire a more expensive guided trip in Huaraz $60/guide/day + burros + Arrieros + transport...!

Base Camp: at 4200m following the mule track from Musho (3-4h). Water available.

Refugio Don Bosco: 4800m. Local food, beverages and bunk beds.

Moraine Camp: 4800m.3h from base camp. Water available during daytime.

Camp 1: at 5300m on the glacier (3h)

Camp 2: at 5900m at the W end of Garganta. (also see "objective risks"). 4-5h

Routes

Normal Route (PD+):
From BC follow the cairns and gain the toe of the glacier E of the South peak at about 4800m. Ascend the glacier towards the S side of the big ice fall (camp 1 at 5300m). Find a route throgh the ice fall (5500 -5800m) and then traverse N-wards to reach Garganta camp. From Garganta climb a 40°slope (NW-face) crossing several crevasses. Reach the summit over some easier slopes.
See this section for updates!

The Shield (D+):
The name derives from a mitra-shaped ice wall in the west face of Huascaran Sur looking like an upside-down shield. The route diverges from the normal route at about 5800m where the traverse to Garganta begins (Camp possible). From here one has to gain the Northern edge of the shield (approx. 6000m) which leads up to the normal route (NW slopes) at 6400m.

Objective Risks

This section is not meant to prevent you from climbing Huascaran. But it points out the fact, that - though rated "only" PD - you should meet Huascaran with respect. The peakware summit log lists several reports of climbers who did not experience a simple walk up.

Icefall: The access to Garganta is endangered by unpredictable icefall. It seems to have increased in the last five years. The classical site for Camp 2 at Garganta was hit by icefall in 1997 and 1999 (several victims). See also here.
Avalanches: Storm and snow form avalanches in the early season and after snowfall during the climbing season, too.
Read the report of an avalanche accident at ca. 6400m killing four climbers on 5 June 2002.
Crevasses: The route to and above Garganta is changing frequently due to crevasses and seracs. Especially by night it can be a problem to negotiate them
Strong winds and low temperatures: At and above Garganta you must be prepared for heavy storms even when the general weather conditions are good. Night temperatures below -25°C are not uncommon.
Clouds: Finally the clouds forming around Huascaran in the morning often do not rise above the summit and can cause a white-out.

The difficulty of the peak

Trabalon comments on the difficulty of the peak:
Hello
Huascaran, as Cordillera Blanca, is changing a lot due to the change of clima. I know that is important to say and correct that Huascaran is not a PD! The last four years the route normal to Huascaran is impossible to climb!! The normal route is now The Shield (escudo), but the majority of people as me climb the north summit, easier than the shield route.
I think is very important that correction! Huascaran Norte is now and D- peak probably (90º section in Garganta), and The Shield D+ minimum.
You can see the actual situation in cordillera here.
Sergiorc

Red Tape

There's no peak fee. You have to pay an entrance fee to the national park upon arrival. It's about $20 and it's valid for 30 days.

Things may change soon though. There has been proposals from INRENA that every climber/party have to be followed by a guide as well as steep fees.
Some info here.
The battle cotinues.
Check out this thread in the forum.

When to climb

Climbing Season: (May) - June - July - August - (September)

The Casa de los Guias situated near the Plaza de Armas in Huaraz is THE spot where to gather information about recent snow and weather conditions. You will also find a posting board to place adds to find climbing partners and/or equipement for rent or sale.

1970 and 1962

At 3:30 in the afternoon on May 31, 1970 an earthquake struck the region of the Cordillera Blanca. It was one of the worst natural desasters in the history of South America killing more than 80 000 people in the region and leaving a million homeless.

The most shocking catastrophe was the burial of the city of Yungay under an alluvion triggered by a massive rock slide in the East face of Huascaran Norte. 18 000 inhabitants died - only a few hundred survived as they ran up to the cemetery hill behind the town. This cemetery and four palm trees from the Plaza de Armas are the only remains of the town.

When you visit old Yungay you will propably find one of the survivors telling their story to the tourists for a small tip. They describe the muddy wave that crested, crushed an than buried the city as "eight stories high". Today a new Yungay has been built not far away.

The total volume of the alluvion was calculated between 50 and 100 million cubic meters, covering more than 22 square kilometers to a depth of up to 80 meters. See aireal photo of 1970

Back in 1962 about 4000 people were killed by a massive landslide.
A BBC report about the catastrophe.

Books and maps

Maps
Best Map: Alpenvereinskarte 0/3a (Cordillera Blanca Nord and Cordillera blanca Süd) 1:100000, UTM (GPS)-grid; edited by the Austrian Alpine Club

Books
Brad Johnson: Classic Climbs of the Cordillera Blanca (2003, highly recommended): ISBN 1-890437-90-5
Climbs of the Cordillera Blanca of Peru by David M. Sharman (1995)
The High Andes by John Biggar (1996), ISBN 1-871890-38-1
Escaladas en los Andes (Guía de la Cordillera Blanca) by Juan José Tomé Nacle, Ed. Desnivel 1999
La Cordillera Blanca de los Andes by Antonio Gómez Bohórquez and Juan José Tomé Nacle, Ed. Desnivel 1998

External Links

Short reports on an ascent to Huascaran and several other Peruvian peaks. Good photos!

Images



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