South America, Peru, Cordillera Blanca, Huantsán, West Summit

Publication Year: 1978.

Huantsán, West Summit. After enormous delays and problems in the customs, the expedition of the Club Montanyenc Sant Cugat of Barcelona assembled in Huaraz. They were José María Navarro, Jorge Farrés, Miguel Garrell, Santi and Alfonso Ferrer, Vicente Soto, José Fatjo, and Francisco Trigueros. From the road at Pitac, in two days they crossed along the western slope of the range to the Quebrada Raju-colta and continued on up that valley to the lake. They managed to get the pack animals another 1300 feet up the spur to place Base Camp at 15,000 feet. From there they followed the moraine and spur to the glacier that descends to the southwest off Huantsán where at 17,000 feet they placed Camp I. The south ridge, which had been taken by previous expeditions, was heavily corniced and so they chose instead a route which wound its way back and forth up the complicated folds of the southwest face. Camp II was at 18,700 feet and Camp III at 19,700 feet. Finally on July 26 Garrell and Ferrer climbed to the 20,570-foot western summit of Huantsán. The expedition did not try to continue on to the main summit. (This information was graciously supplied by Jorge Farrés Artigas.)