Attempt on Siulá Chico, Cordillera Huayhuash. Our Argentine-Austrian expedition hoped to make the first ascent of Siulá Chico (20,555 feet). We were Luis Vigl and Fridelin Purtscheller, Austrians; lanes Ahncin, Yugoslav; Benjamin Dixon, my wife Jacqueline and I, Argentines. We left Buenos Aires by car on July 6 and got to Chiquián on July 21. We marched from Chiquián to the lake Carhuacocha, where we set up Base Camp on July 27. From there Vigl, Purtscheller and Ahncin first climbed 3300 feet and then traversed the very heavily crevassed glacier along the foot of Siulá Grande to a couloir which leads to the summit ridge. Camp I was placed at the foot of the couloir at 18,000 feet. The couloir, which rises some 1650 feet, is definitely possible but it would take two ropes of strong ice-climbers. The three turned back from there since we lacked time and were hampered by very bad weather; during the expedition we were not once able to see the summit of Siulá Chico. I do not recommend traversing Siulá Grande and crossing to Siulá Chico because of the great distance.

Gerardo Watzl, Centro Andino Buenos Aires