Hola amigos

Anyone have a source for information on this peak? Any sudamericano climbing books cover it? Anyone know much about it's ascent history?

Thanks

-Ben

Sure; John Biggar's Guide has a bit of information, and Jill Neate's guidebook has quite a bit more history, but no source will have much actual useful climbing information. Nathan Heald (SP handle 'Skyhighandes') is really the best source of technical beta; he runs a guide operation out of Cuzco and has been up a few times. He posted a very substantial contribution to 2013's AAJ outlining the Vilcanota in general; check that out first if you haven't already

Short version: (S)E ridge goes at about AD is the easiest way up, but pretty much a snow slog until the final pyramid; snowshoes (!) might help higher up. More technical lines are on most other aspects, though there are several big unclimbed lines on him still - pretty unusual for such a large peak.

Piero Ghiglione led the FA in 1952, though the true highest point was not reached until the following year by a German team including Heinrich Harrer (7YearsinTibet/Eiger NorthFace FA)

You can reach the northern slopes of him easily in a day from Tinqui, a 4-5 hour taxi ride from Cuzco

Brad Johnson also would be a good contact.

He wrote the fabulous book Classic Climbs in the Cordillera Blanca.

Several years ago, I chatted with him a few times and I know he has climbed Ausangate several times. He lives in Ridgeway Colorado.

You may want to try contacting him through his website:

http://www.peaksandplaces.com/trip_ausangate2.htm

I climbed Ausangate normal route in June 2011.

It gets climbed occasionally, but nothing like the peaks of the Blanca. I see that some guided and other groups attempt it but usually don't allow enough time and often don't get above high camp. We spent only one or two nights at BC but two nights at the high camp up beside the glacier and felt this really helped. Some teams apparently put a third camp at the top of the headwall. I think this is usually unnecessary, but if you were first up for the season with a group, breaking trail up the plateau to the summit could be slow and a 3rd camp would help.

There was a track on the mountain which helped a lot, in finding an OK route through the icefall at the bottom, and up the long plateau up top, which often has deep snow. However, the crux of the route is the headwall, about 200m high and 45 degrees. I say this as a genuine 45 deg max, not the 50-60 you might read. It was all snow and ice, no rock involved, though it weaved through a tiny rock band down low.

Some local 'guides' had dropped a rope down from the top of the headwall, but in a single straight drop, down a stupid line that was unnecessarily hard. I don't know if anyone actually climbed that line, but my girlfriend and I just ignored it and climbed our own way up the headwall further right in about 3 or 4 pitches plus some moving together. Topping out on the headwall was amazing as dawn broke over the Cayangate peaks.

The final pyramid is a little steep and exposed, but only like 40-45 degrees, and was good snow when I did it. The summit was tiny and there was a little red nylon webbing sling embedded right in the top, but I down climbed it all. On the headwall I belayed my gf down, where she put in a picket, then I down climbed to her. No need to rap.

It turned out a surprisingly long summit day, as the plod up the plateau is slow. There were no real crevasses up there when I was there, but there could be in later season. I would not go to Ausangate after mid-July.