South America, Peru, Cordillera Blanca, Chopicalqui, Southeast Ridge, and Climbs in Cordilleras Raura and Vilcanota

Publication Year: 1970.

Chopicalqui, Southeast Ridge, Cordillera Blanca and Climbs in Cordilleras Raura and Vilcanota. The British-Australian Expedition was made up of Geoffrey Wayatt, Richard Whitley, Miss Faye Kerr and me. The first region we visited was the Cordillera Raura, where on April 29 Whitley, Miss Kerr and I climbed Yarupa Sur (17,061 feet). The initial approach was by a small south-facing glacier and finally about 400 feet below the summit we traversed across to the east ridge and so to the summit. We also climbed Yanco (16,437 feet) from the east on May 1. Our next objective was Cashan Oeste (18,705 feet). (First climbed in 1967 by Don Anderson, Jack Miller, Larry Carter. A.A.J., 1968, 16:1, pp. 1-9.) Wayatt and Miss Kerr climbed the western and lower summit but did not continue along the ridge to the summit, as snow conditions were very bad. We followed the west ridge and face, establishing two camps. Also in the Cordillera Blanca, Wayatt and I climbed the southeast ridge of Chopicalqui (20,998 feet). (Attempted by Canadian-English-New Zealand party in 1968. A.A.J., 1969, 16:2, p. 421.) Base Camp was at 14,000 feet in the Quebrada Ulta. Another camp was placed at 16,000 feet before we gained the ridge at 16,500 feet. From there we climbed alpine style in just over two days, bivouacking at 18,000 and 20,250 feet. We reached the summit on June 21. Descent was via the west flank; we traversed below the southwest face to return to camp on the southeast ridge. Meanwhile Miss Kerr made a solo ascent (second ascent) of P 5605 (18,389 feet). During July we made five ascents in the Cordillera Vilcanota. Wayatt and I traversed two peaks, both 17,000 feet, one on the north ridge of Colque Cruz VI between it and Quimsachata and the other, an outlier to the east of the ridge. We approached from Chumpi via the Quebrada Huiscachani. On July 12 we climbed from a bivouac up the southeast ridge of the outlier, traversed west to the higher of the two peaks and descended the Río Paucartambo face before edging southward to the col on the main north ridge of Colque Cruz VI and dropping back into the Quebrada Huiscachani for a second bivouac. Faye Kerr made three solo ascents of the snow peaks between Nevado Huiscachani (called “Jatunriti” by the Harvard first-ascent party) and Yayamari from the Quebrada Huiscachani. These included P 5841 (19,163 feet) on the Hojo Sicauni, immediately northwest of Yayamari and the two smaller snow peaks immediately northwest of P 5841 on July 18, 17 and 15 respectively. Meanwhile Wayatt and I crossed the main divide, descended to Laguna Lamayani and walked out to Ollochea via Chimboya Pass and Pueblo Korani.

Malcolm Clarbrough, New Zealand Alpine Club