Quebradas Honda, Ishinca, Qelkaywanka, Llanganuco. The Alpine Club of Canada expedition consisted of H. Bussey, S. Heiberg, D. Heslop, R. Montgomery, P. Ritzema, my wife, C. McNamara, R. Nagy and me. The first area visited was the Quebrada Cancahua near the head of the Quebrada Honda. On July 14 Heiberg, Ritzema, Nagy and I climbed Akilpo Sur via the Akilpo Sur-Esparta col and the northeast ridge. On July 15 Bussey and Heslop repeated this route, and Ritzema and I climbed Esparta from the same col via the southwest face and ridge, a new route. On July 21 we moved to the Quebrada Ishinca. On July 23 Bussey and I traversed Ishinca via the southwest-northeast ridges and climbed Ishinca Oeste while Heiberg, Montgomery, Ritzema and Heslop ascended Ishinca’s northeast ridge. On the 28th Bussey and I climbed Ranrapallka from a camp on the northeast ridge. That same day found Ritzema and Heslop on Urus Este on the standard southeast route. Bussey and I repeated the route on July 30 and climbed Caballo via the south face and southeast ridge. The next area visited was the Quebrada Qelkaywanka where on August 7 Bussey, Heslop, Ritzema and I made the first ascent of the southeast ridge of Jatunmontepuncu and descended the southwest ridge. This turned out to be a classic, if somewhat exposed and delicate, route. The same party climbed Chopiraju Oeste via the west face and ridge on August 9. On August 10 our camp guardian L. Catalino and I scrambled up Choco via the southeast ridge. Our final visit was to the Quebrada Llanganuco where on August 16 Bussey and I climbed Yanaraju via the southwest face and ridge. On August 18 Bussey, Heslop and I climbed Pisco Oeste via the standard route. Prior to our departure from Huaraz, we donated our medical supplies to the local hospital. A detailed account of the expedition appears in the Canadian Alpine Journal, 1979.

Kevin O’Connell, Alpine Club of Canada