Climbing Nevado Alpamayo

Climbing Nevado Alpamayo

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After several easy acclimatization routes (new in my Peruvian collection) and easy climbs in the Cordillera Blanca, the first "main" route of the season - Nevado Alpamayo, has been realized perfectly comfortably.

With each time climbing Mount Alpamayo, my tactics and technique of climbing this mountain becomes more refined. The details of the route, preparation and acclimatization options, expedition organization are being worked out.

However, in this publication, I just want to share with you the impressions of the last climb pf the mountain that can be called "Really the Most Beautiful". Moreover, the impressions are the freshest, since less than a week has passed since our ascent to the top of Alpamayo!

So! The first ascent of Nevado Alpamayo in the season 2023 was more than successful. The chosen acclimatization format made it possible to prepare in 5 days from the sea level for an ascent of almost 6000 m and to climb the route without additional risks and problems associated with a lack of acclimatization.

The peculiarity of the winter season 2023 (June - August is winter in Peru) is consistently clear and dry weather, with minimal rainfall.

This climatic feature of this season led to active snow melting, which in turn created new, uncharacteristic for the area, risks and climbing features.

The Cordillera Blanca area is mainly snow and ice routes. Most of the approaches to the alpine routes are connected with the crossing of mighty glaciers.

This season, the level of snow cover has been critically reduced. New, deep and difficult to cross crevasses got appeared on many routes and approaches.

Perhaps, it is that with the crevasses and the dubious quality of the remaining bridges the main difficulty and danger of climbing the Cordillera Blanca in this season is associated.

On our acclimatization route to Tocllaraju, a giant crevasse opened up at the base of the summit dome. The second crevasse on Tocllaraju opened at 6100, just below the summit.

On the approach to the Alpamayo-Kitaraju pass, several very unpleasant glacier ruptures also opened up, some groups of the climbers did not dare to cross the tricky bridges (a group from Ecuador turned back in front of us, they said that they could not cross the huge crevasse). On Nevado Huascaran, the route was temporary closed after the death of a guide who fell into crevasse with a bridge and his rope.

In general, in such a situation with crevasses, it is likely that the Nepalese tradition of using portable ladders for crossing the crevasses will soon migrate to Peru for the transition of the commercial groups.

But, at the moment, there is nothing like that, and the crevasse crossing can be organized with the use of a stationary belay and all the risks involved.

The climbing route to Nevado Alpamayo in this season is good in conditions. Due to the lack of snow, the only difficulty of the route is to access to the face via two very unpleasant bergschrunds.

However, once on the wall, the further route to the top is pleasant and relatively easy (especially if you have refreshed your ice climbing skills on my Norwegian training program and feel confident on the 70-80 degree ice).

The profile of the wall is smooth, without any "crux sections". However, it is necessary to make a correction - this "simple" route runs at the altitudes close to 6000 m and certainly requires good ice climbing skills, adequate physical condition and properly selected equipment.

Usually, belay on the Nevado Alpamayo route is organized using the snow stakes - this is one of the specific features of the route. However, in the season 2023 there is an unusually large amount of pure ice on the route, which is convenient for belaying on the ice screws and organizing “Abalakov sling”.

Definitely, there is some faults in all this splendor. Three large snow “mushrooms” hang over the route line, which, under the normal conditions, seem to be stable....

Local guides predict their fall after the onset of the seasonal snowfalls. However, remembering all the previous Nevado Alpamayo accidents, it is uncomfortable to feel the presence of an imminent danger from which it is impossible to hide or escape on this route.

In any case, concluding this short report, it is necessary to pay tribute - without any doubt, Nevado Alpamayo fully deserves its honorary title of the Most Beautiful Mountain in the World.

You can argue as much as you like that all the mountains are beautiful and there cannot be the most beautiful. However, it is enough, at least, once, to get in the "zone of attraction" of Nevado Alpamayo - and there will be left no doubts.

This mountain has a very special, solemnly elevated atmosphere, some kind of inexplicable noble grandeur. And the feeling of the climbing of Nevado Alpamayo is a very special emotion.

Our next climb of Nevado Alpamayo is planned in a week, so I am sure that I will return to this topic more than once - including from a more specialized point of view - regarding preparation, acclimatization and selection of the equipment.

In the meantime - just enjoy incredible photos from one of the most beautiful alpine ascents - the climbing route to the summit of Nevado Alpamayo!

The author of the text and photos - Alex Trubachev
Your mountaineering and rockclimbing guide in Argentina, Peru and Bolivia

MCS EDIT 2023