South America, Peru—Cordillera Blanca, Yanapaccha, Chopicalqui, Pisco

Publication Year: 1967.

Yanapaccha, Chopicalqui, Pisco. Our expedition consisted of Tom Cosgrove, Bill Hunt, Ed Lane, Tom MacNicholas, my wife Ruth and myself as leader. We were accompanied by the Peruvian porters Román Paredes Caballero and Ricardo Jara Vega. On June 30 we established Base Camp at 13,100 feet in the Quebrada Llanganuco. During the next 2½ weeks we ascended three peaks, all by the normal routes. From a high camp at 16,000 feet Yanapaccha (17,914 feet) was climbed on July 2 by Cosgrove and Lane and on June 7 by Hunt, my wife and me. From a camp at 18,600 feet on the Chopicalqui-Huascarán ridge we climbed Chopicalqui (20,998 feet) under fine conditions via the southwest ridge, with step- cutting needed only on the summit pyramid. The ascent was made on July 8 by Cosgrove and Lane and on July 12 by Hunt, MacNicholas, my wife and me. From a camp on the Huandoy Este-Pisco saddle at 17,500 feet on July 16 Lane, my wife and I with the two porters climbed Pisco (c. 19,000 feet). That night back in Base Camp we described the beautiful views of Artesonraju and the peaks north of the Quebrada Parón to Cosgrove. Although only one day remained before we had to leave Base Camp, the porters were eager to climb Pisco again and so Tom and they made the nearly 6000-foot climb to Pisco and back in ten hours!

Arkel Erb, Sierra Club