South America, Peru, Cordillera Blanca, Uruashraju

Publication Year: 1976.

Uruashraju. On July 27 Joachim Packa, David Ciochetti, Dan Langmade, Curry Slaymaker and I made the second ascent of Uruashraju via the unclimbed south ridge. Domingos Giobbi describes the peak in A.A.J., 1967, pp. 386 as “tent-shaped with west, north, northeast and southeast ridges.” Actually the peak displays west, north, east and south (slightly southwest) ridges. On July 26 we placed camp at 17,000 feet above the Quebrada Pumahuacanca about 300 feet below the lowest point on the south ridge. The following day we climbed the ridge and followed it to the south buttress. A crest as described by Giobbi in his 1965 and 1967 accounts connects this point to the summit. The crest was heavily corniced to the west but we found adequate opportunity to protect our progress by going out on the southeast wall.

Michael Rourke