Overview
Pirámide de Garcilazo is one of the incredible mountains (Artesonraju, Parón, Caraz, Chacraraju, Esfinge and others) that can be accesed from the wonderful quebrada de Parón. It has two summits: the south or main summit, and the north summit or Pirámide de Garcilazo Norte, a little lower.
The north ridge of Pirámide Norte, is a beautiful climb on snow and ice almost always in exelent conditions, with little avalanche danger, but with a very fractured glacier at the foot of the ridge. The northwest face, offers some rutes of higher difficulty.
An ascent of the normal route (north ridge, AD) of Pirámide Norte can be used as an excelent and entertaining aclimatization climb, before trying one of the longer and more difficult climbs of the region, although it can be an objective by itself.
First ascent in 1957 by G. Hauser, B. Huhn and H. Wiedmann, following the normal route.
Getting There
From Lima take a bus to Huaraz (8 hours). Huaraz is located at 3100 meters in the heart of the Callejón de Huaylas, the long valley that stands at the foot of the Cordillera Blanca.
The quebrada Parón is reached from the town of Caraz (2300 meters), located 40 kilometers north of Huaraz. From Caraz, a dirt road climbs between giant granite walls to reach de laguna Parón, where the hike beggins.There are lot of transports (mini-buses) that go from Huaraz to Laguna Parón. You can arrenge to be picked up after your climb, but this can be complicated because in long expeditions is always present the possibility of returning one they before or after the expected. Anyway, there are always in the afternoon taxis, mini-buses and trucks going down to Caraz from the Laguna Parón, so you can take one of this and then take a public transport from Caraz to Huaraz.
Red Tape
No permits required, no fees to pay (july, 2002).
When To Climb
The best months for climbing in the Cordillera Blanca are June, July and August.
Camping
Camping can be done anywhere on the mountain. No fees to pay. No huts.
Mathias Zehring - Sep 17, 2008 12:36 am - Voted 10/10
first climbPirámide de Garcilazo Norte has been climbed on the described ridge for the first time by Germans Günter Hauser, Horst Wiedmann and Bernhard Huhn on May 23rd 1957. They wanted to proceed to the main summit but failed because the ridge was too difficult and dangerous. Some days later on May 29th 1957 they reached the main summit on a direct route via NW face.