Camping high in Quebrada Huanta Occo, below Nevado Huarancante

"Camping high" means just over 4800m. Nevertheless, Nevado Huarancante is some 600m higher still. The true summit is the one almost in the center of the photo. My guess is that, coming from Quebrada Huanta Occo, the easiest route up would be to aim more or less straight for the lowest point to the right of the summit and then follow the ridge. Getting to the saddle shouldn't be too difficult. However, I didn't try that, I wanted to go around the mountain to have a look from there. A few days later, I made my way up to that same saddle from the other side, and went along the ridge to the summit. I did need my hands on the ridge, but still it was pretty easy. Coming from this side, the trickiest section might be the final meters to the saddle, as that's the steepest part. It would be best to approach that saddle from the right - that's what I did when I descended, after the climb. Perhaps it's easier to aim for a point on the ridge to the left of the summit. However, the snow slope below that ridge looks a bit steep too. 21 May 2011.