Mariposa and P5680, Cordillera Vilcanota. Our group, Volker Vogt, John Harkness, Roger Hendrix, Susan Godfrey, Joseph Weis and I, made Base Camp on June 12 at 15,500 feet at the headwaters of the Río Pachanta, northeast of Ausangate. We attempted the long east ridge of Mariposa on July 16 from a glacier camp at 16,400 feet, but found the ridge unfeasible beyond the summit of P 5680 (18,635 feet), of which we made the second ascent. (First ascent by Sturm, Jaenisch, Schwarz, July 6, 1969. A.A.J., 1970, 17:1, p. 166.) Vogt, Harkness, Weis and I made the fourth ascent of Mariposa (19,089 feet) on July 20 from a 17,200-foot camp above the icefall on the upper glacier directly under Chico (Ausangate Chico). We reached the northeast ridge (this must be the north ridge of previous articles) from the 50° north face, after passing under the ice wall between Mariposa and Chico. Mariposa is the highest of the northwest-facing horseshoe of striking peaks between the Ausangate and the Jatunhuma and Cayangate massifs. Unfortunately, rare clouds closed in on us to give us zero view from the top.

Rod McCalley, Harvard Mountaineering Club