South America, Central Peru, Huaytapallana Karu

Publication Year: 1972.

Huaytapallana Karu. Owing to the new road, this little range has since 1968 lost much of its pleasant remoteness. In order to climb its central peaks I looked for a campsite at Pucará, high pastures above the valley of Otorongo, northwest of Abra Apucasa. After Peter Barry, Frank Hepburn, Bill Lahr and Archie Simpson arrived on June 28, the weather improved. The next day I climbed Sucsulazo (west of Pucará, 17,382 feet, P 5298 of Pre-Carta 1:100,000, 1965) via the ice pass of Huaracayoc, the east side and the upper half of the north ridge. On the way back I ascended the single rock peak north of the pass which resembled a finger when seen from camp. The next morning I got a still better view from Sucsulazo at 7 A.M. when all of us, except Lahr, climbed it. Using my steps cut the day before, we could do it in two hours from Pucara. Lahr climbed the finger. Despite fog and clouds Simpson climbed Huaillaslazo (a mile southeast of Apucasa, c.5180m, 16,995 feet) by the north face on July 1. Lahr and I visited Otorongo the following day to ask about the names of places. For Sucsulazo, the name Pucaralazo is also used. On July 3 we all except Lahr climbed Illaycuchuna (1½ miles north of Sucsulazo. c.17,225 feet, 5250m) by the east ridge which runs towards Ingualazo, half a mile farther east. Past noon three of us also climbed Ingualazo, the main peak (nearly same height as Sucsulazo) by its fluted south face. After almost two hours cutting steps Simpson, Barry and I got out onto the short southwest summit ridge. After the next day, when Bill made the third ascent of Sucsulazo, the weather deteriorated again. We made a three-day excursion into the northern adjacent valley in constant fog and snow. In A.A.J., 1969, 16:2, p.441 the southern main peak of the range, east of Jayalampa, was called Apucasa. It is evident now that it is called Il-layrazo. Its southern summit coincides with P 5270. Apucasa refers to the pass only.

OLAF HARTMANN, Göttingen