Thread: Conditions in the Cordillera Blanca

by **Luciano136** » Thu Jul 08, 2010 1:23 am

Quick side question: do you guys use glacier glasses? I was told sunglasses are sufficient but the Blanca is pretty high altitude :?:

Wondering about Pisco in specific.

by **Buz Groshong** » Thu Jul 08, 2010 2:49 pm

Luciano136 wrote:Quick side question: do you guys use glacier glasses? I was told sunglasses are sufficient but the Blanca is pretty high altitude Wondering about Pisco in specific.

Absolutely! Trying to get by with regular sunglasses is just asking for problems. They'll do for trekking in the CB, but not for climbing.

by **Luciano136** » Thu Jul 08, 2010 4:52 pm

Buz Groshong wrote:
Luciano136 wrote:Quick side question: do you guys use glacier glasses? I was told sunglasses are sufficient but the Blanca is pretty high altitude Wondering about Pisco in specific.

Absolutely! Trying to get by with regular sunglasses is just asking for problems. They'll do for trekking in the CB, but not for climbing.

That's what I figured. Small booboo from the guiding company. Ski goggles should do the job though, right? Since I wear prescription glasses, it's always kind of a pain.

by **Buz Groshong** » Thu Jul 08, 2010 6:55 pm

Luciano136 wrote:
Buz Groshong wrote:
Luciano136 wrote:Quick side question: do you guys use glacier glasses? I was told sunglasses are sufficient but the Blanca is pretty high altitude Wondering about Pisco in specific.

Absolutely! Trying to get by with regular sunglasses is just asking for problems. They'll do for trekking in the CB, but not for climbing.

That's what I figured. Small booboo from the guiding company. Ski goggles should do the job though, right? Since I wear prescription glasses, it's always kind of a pain.

Whatever works for skiing in bright sunlight should probably work. There will be more UV coming through the atmosphere at the higher elevation, but if the goggles block 100% of the UV that shouldn't matter.

by **Luciano136** » Thu Jul 08, 2010 6:59 pm

Buz Groshong wrote:Whatever works for skiing in bright sunlight should probably work. There will be more UV coming through the atmosphere at the higher elevation, but if the goggles block 100% of the UV that shouldn't matter.

Thanks! I contacted Bolle; they seem to be pretty good.

Sorry for the quick OT everyone.

by **sistinas** » Thu Jul 08, 2010 9:54 pm

I had prescription glacier goggles made by http://www.opticus.com before going to Peru a few years back and they turned out great.

by **iechegar** » Sat Jul 10, 2010 12:07 am

Climbed Ishinca last Monday, conditions were good and most teams summited Ishinca, Urus and Toclla. Couple of Colombian climbers had a serious accident in Toclla, though.

by **Gido** » Sat Jul 10, 2010 8:59 pm

iechegar wrote:Climbed Ishinca last Monday, conditions were good and most teams summited Ishinca, Urus and Toclla. Couple of Colombian climbers had a serious accident in Toclla, though.

Damn, you know what happened ? We climbed the West face a week and a half ago

by **iechegar** » Mon Jul 12, 2010 11:54 pm

Not sure, we saw their lights going up the west face while approaching Ishinca. When we came back from summitting we heard that they fell 160m but survived. One of them was severely injured and had to be lowered inmovilized while the other rode a horse back to Cochapampa. A team of Germans helped with the rescue. I believe both survived.

by **scottmiller** » Tue Jul 13, 2010 2:12 am

From what I heard, they were climbing a section roped but without placed protection; the lead climber fell from the face taking his partner with him.

by **scottmiller** » Tue Jul 13, 2010 2:14 am

And (apparently) RIP the two Slovenians and their guide killed in an avo on one of the steep faces on a mtn I cannot recall. Brings the death toll this season up to 3 or 4.

by **bledl** » Wed Jul 14, 2010 4:29 pm

Hola!

Anyone climbed Yanapaccha, Alpamayo or Quitaraju these days? Any beta on "El escudo" on Huascaran?

Gracias, Flo.

by **Gido** » Wed Jul 14, 2010 6:17 pm

bledl wrote:Hola!

Anyone climbed Yanapaccha, Alpamayo or Quitaraju these days? Any beta on "El escudo" on Huascaran?

Gracias, Flo.

Yes, a couple of weeks ago.
Yanapaqcha - climbed the first week of june, although beginning of the glacier is already in "month october state", we didn't make it to the true summit (only a couple of meters though) due to a collapsed snow bridge, and sketchy crevasse. A few weeks earlier this was not an issue. IN general although good conditions, easy but enjoyable climb.
Quitaraju - Was in very good shape, but four days of snow in a row and the failed attempt of two guys from venezuela made us decide to skip this one. You just have to be a bit lucky with the weather and then it will be OK for sure.
Alpamayo - good conditions but be careful for the usual icefall, my shoulder got seriously hit by a chunk of ice half way up.

by **bledl** » Wed Jul 14, 2010 7:25 pm

Thanks a lot, Gido!

by **bledl** » Mon Jul 26, 2010 3:34 pm

anyone knows if the cold weather front in peru also affects the CB?

Thread: Conditions in the Cordillera Blanca

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