South America, Peru—Cordillera Blanca, Huascarán Norte, Northwest Ridge

Publication Year: 1975.

Huascarán Norte, Northwest Ridge. Our party, Danilo Saettone, leader, Tullio Vidoni, Renzo Zaninetti, Gian Luigi Sterna, Emilio de Tomasi, Renato Andorno, Piero Soster and I, set up Base Camp on July 5 not far from the usual normal route to Huascarán above Mancos and Musho. We crossed the track of the 1970 avalanche, which gave us some difficulty, and placed Camp I at 17,400 feet on the northwest ridge. We followed the ridge to the summit rock barrier, placing Camp II at 18,700 feet. The long snow ridge with large cornices was difficult and dangerous. We placed Camp III at 19,700 feet in the middle of the snow ridge. The final steep part of the ridge, partially rock, was started on the eastern side towards the Llanganuco, but we finished the climb on very difficult rock and ice (partially artificial) on the west face, following a deep dihedral, which we reached by a spectacular pendulum some 50 feet to the right. Four climbers reached the summit at 4:30 P.M. on July 25.

Costantino Piazzo, Club Alpino ltaliano