General 2016 conditions around Ishinca valley?

by **infinityjellyD** » Thu Jun 23, 2016 1:07 am

When we arrived in the valley it was overcast so there weren't any clear shots of Tocllaraju. This was the best I got:

If you aren't familiar, Toclla is the peak on the left in this image. The next day we went of Ishinca, and the view of Toclla from that route there isn't that helpful since you are looking from the opposite side as the normal route on Toclla. But here is the best I have from that day:

Toclla is the major peak on the right. You can see the gray crevasse field almost dead center in the background. The route goes up to the ridge from there. Sorry, that's all I have of Toclla.

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pjc30943

by **infinityjellyD** » Thu Jun 23, 2016 1:12 am

On a related side note, Raranpalca has completely changed. The lack of precipitation and warm temps have hit north faces like Rara in the Cordillera pretty badly.

This is a picture from summitpost member Cissa's post in 2014:

(original post here:
cordillera-blanca-conditions-2014-t67688.html
I linked directly to the pic for ease of comparison. I hope you don't mind, Cissa. If so, I will edit and remove the link.)

This is a picture I took yesterday:

Where's the snow?!

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attimount, Damien Gildea, pjc30943, rgg

by **rgg** » Thu Jun 23, 2016 6:13 am

That's an amazing change! Just two years, and almost all of the glacier is gone! That drastically changes the character of the routes on the NE and N faces, and I'm guessing it won't be easier.

For comparison, here's what it looked like in 2011:

by **pjc30943** » Thu Jun 23, 2016 7:43 am

Super great beta photos, thanks for posting these! This makes route planning much easier. Sad to see the loss in snow; it's good to be able to plan for it though.
What are your plans given the present conditions?

by **SarahThompson** » Thu Jun 23, 2016 5:07 pm

Poor Rani! Shockingly rapid melt. Really appreciate your updates!

by **kylie** » Thu Jun 23, 2016 9:28 pm

Congrats on Maparaju! That's an incredibly scenic mountain! Did you meet anyone climbing San Juan while you were up there?

infinityjellyD wrote:Sorry to be giving half-beta, but in the absence of other responses, I will update some info.

I just returned from Maparaju, which is a few valleys southeast of Ishinca. It seems that Cissa's sources are correct: the Cordillera is pretty dry. On Maparaju the glacier is in full retreat and there seemed to be no evidence of accumulation. Pickets were useless on 90% of the mountain. Large crevasses were opening up near the summit. This is in contrast to the relatively benign picture of the route described and photographed in the 2009 edition of Johnson's book . Additionally, Ranrapalca (in the next valley north) has a bigger/more exposed rock band than in Johnson's book.

The guys I climbed with are planning an Ishinca/Tocllaraju trip in the coming week. I will forward more useful beta as it comes in.

by **kylie** » Thu Jun 23, 2016 9:29 pm

Hi! Thanks for the conditions reports! Planning a trip there in a couple weeks and appreciate the photos and information. Sad to see Rani so dry. Have you heard anything about conditions on the north ridge of Artesonraju?

by **infinityjellyD** » Fri Jun 24, 2016 1:32 pm

kylie wrote:Congrats on Maparaju! That's an incredibly scenic mountain! Did you meet anyone climbing San Juan while you were up there?

kylie wrote:Hi! Thanks for the conditions reports! Planning a trip there in a couple weeks and appreciate the photos and information. Sad to see Rani so dry. Have you heard anything about conditions on the north ridge of Artesonraju?

Only one group headed up to San Juan during the seven days we were in Q. Cayesh. We only saw them in their basecamp before they headed to high camp and did not see or get any feedback after they climbed (or attempted to climb) San Juan.

No reports on Arte yet. I have only heard of one team trying and they aborted early due to a team member getting sick (from stomach, not altitude).

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kylie

by **SarahThompson** » Fri Jul 01, 2016 2:43 pm

Any more updates on other peaks? Wondering in particular about Yanapaccha.

by **infinityjellyD** » Sat Jul 02, 2016 12:19 am

SarahThompson wrote:Any more updates on other peaks? Wondering in particular about Yanapaccha.

No updates form teams that went there, but I did inquire at the Casa de Guias. The guide (Felix) told me that object hazards are a concern: many crevasses and serac/cornice instability above near the summit. That is my only source, so not confirmed by any climbers.

by **SarahThompson** » Tue Jul 12, 2016 5:46 pm

In case anyone else is interested, Yana is in reasonable shape. Certainly some major snow bridge crossings and then travel through seracs up high but it is in relatively easy technical condition. We did one belayed downclimb from summit ridge, no raps. Pisco and Chopi are in pretty good shape too, though glacier to Chopi high camp is fairly messy and constant rockfall heard at morraine and high camps.

by **Andinista** » Mon Jul 18, 2016 2:14 pm

Good info guys! I have plans to go to the blanca soon! cheers.

Abi

General 2016 conditions around Ishinca valley?

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