South America, Peru, Salcantay, Quishuar, etc., Cordillera Vilcabamba

Publication Year: 1966.

Salcantay, Quishuar, etc., Cordillera Vilcabamba. Our expedition, which was in Peru from March to November, had as members Shigeto Maeshiba, deputy leader; Takeshi Rito, Seihei Iwama, Mitsumasa Miyamoto, Tetsuju Kawada, Masami Ogawa, Yoshiaki Sawa, Reiji Horie, Masaki Abe and myself as leader. On June 2 Ogawa and Sawa made the first ascent of an unnamed peak of 16,400 feet near the Incachiriyasca Pass. We crossed the latter pass to the Palcay Pass, which cuts the east ridge, and continued on to Base Camp, which lay between the east and northeast ridges at 15,000 feet. On June 9 we placed Camp I on the northeast ridge at 16,400 feet, Camp II at 17,400 feet on June 11, Camp III above the junction of the east and northeast ridges at 18,375 feet on June 17, Camp IV at 19,250 feet on June 20. There was difficult climbing on the route and about 4000 feet of rope were fixed. On June 21 Rito, Iwama, Miyamoto and Kawada completed the third ascent of Salcantay (20,342 feet)*; Ogawa, Sawa, Horie and Rito repeated the ascent the next day. On July 16 Rito and Kawada made the first ascent of Quishuar (18,947 feet) from the north; it lies northwest of Salcantay. We made the second ascent of three peaks of the Mellizos: minor peak (17,454 feet) on August 20 by Kawada and Ogawa; main peak (17,750 feet) and north peak (17,700 feet) on August 31 by Iwama and Kawada (Also called Ccollpachinac; first ascent by Americans Arnis, Ayres, Matthews and Michael on July 29, 1956. —Editor.) The second ascent of Cima Rocallosa (16,810 feet) was made on August 27 by Maeshiba, Kawada and M. Morales and on August 28 by Ogawa and Horie. (First ascent by New Zealanders Mackay, Frundorfler and Walsh on June 23, 1962. —Editor.) Kawada and Ogawa made the second ascent of Nevado Blanco (17,790 feet) on September 3. (First ascent by Frundorfler and Walsh on June 25, 1962. —Editor.) These last three peaks lie between two and three miles northeast of Pumasillo.

Yasushi Egami, Doishisha University Alpine Club

*This altitude (6200 meters) was given by the Japanese. A more commonly accepted altitude is that of Dr. Egeler’s survey of 6081 meters or 19,951 feet. —Editor.