Western Peaks of the Cordillera Raura. Pierluigi Bernasconi, Giuseppe Franzin, my wife Mariola and I drove to Surasacacocha and placed Base Camp at 14,100 feet just south of the lake. Despite poor weather we placed a camp at 15,100 feet in the Quebrada Macaulo, which runs north and south, west of the lake behind a ridge. The Macaulo Pass (15,800 feet) gives access on the north to Vicongacocha and the Río Caliente. On July 3 my wife and I climbed an easy peak of 5080 meters (16,667 feet) west of the pass. Bernasconi and Franzin meanwhile climbed a steep couloir on the west side of the valley to P 5040 (16,536 feet), which lies due west of the southern end of the lake. Minus Bernasconi, on July 7 we three climbed from the pass to its northeast pillar, P 4960 (16,273 feet) and along the ridge to the southeast to a 5100-meter (16,733-foot) peak. One attempt on the highest peak on the eastern side of the valley failed but after several days of bad weather, we returned and climbed to the summit (5220 meters or 17,126 feet).

FabIo Masciadri, Como Section, Club Alpino Italiano