I spent four months in Peru in 2011, and am considering going back there. However, this summer I'm planning to go to the Alps, so South America has to wait. Next year perhaps...
The key to finding partners in Huaraz is having enough time. If you do, finding partners is not all that hard. You can put up messages at waterholes like Café Andino and California Cafe, as well as at Casa de Guías, and you can also just happen to meet people in town. It doesn't happen instantly, so if you only have a short stay, don't bank on it. What also worked for me was to post something in
Plans and Partners.
At times when I didn't have a partner or was waiting for the next one to arrive, I mostly went out alone. That obviously limits the possibilities, because of the various dangers on the routes, and it depends on your experience and comfort level. Only on one occasion did I hire a guide (and did indeed shell out a bit). It's cheaper if you join a group instead of hiring a private guide - just ask around at the local agencies what they have lined up in the immediate future and pick something.
For the volcanoes in the south, Misti and Chachani can easily be done alone, but joining a group is pretty cheap anyway, so I did that. Coropuna and Ampato on the other hand (as well as Solimani, Hualca Hualca and Sabancaya) are climbed much less frequently. I'm not sure about it, but I doubt if they are good solo candidates, so if you just travel to the area without any previous arrangements, you may find that your only option is to set up a climb yourself and hire a local guide. I had a guided attempt at Ampato, together with another climber so we could share the costs.
I'm writing a series of trip reports about my experiences, and on a scale from good to bad I'd say they were off the charts, on the good side!
Click here for an overview of the series - and the next installment will be coming soon.
Sunrise on Huantsán, taken from my camp site high on Jatunmontepuncu aka Huapi, one of my solo climbs.
Cheers, Rob