South America, Peru, Ranrapalca, Artesonraju, Caraz I, Palcaraju, 1980

Publication Year: 1982.

Ranrapalca, Artesonraju, Caraz I, Palcaraju, 1980. Yves-Claude Sonnenwyl, Pierre Morand and I first made a new route on Ranrapalca by the north col between it and Ocshapalca. The route to the col was rather complicated. We bivouacked on June 21, 1980 on the col and got to the summit the next day after getting by several immense crevasses and having surmounted vertical steps. On July 3 we three climbed Artesonraju by its southeast face, joined by our fourth member, Pierre Perroud. On July 7 Sonnenwyl, Morand and I made a new direct route on the south face of Caraz I. Just after midnight we crossed the bergschrund and climbed 55° to 70° slopes for 2300 feet to reach a nearly vertical step of 1000 feet. The step had ice flutes of 80°, some mixed climbing and ended with A3 rock. We climbed for 17 hours straight. We bivouacked while descending the southwest ridge. On July 16 we attacked the south face of Palcaraju by a system of couloirs with dangerous snow. We got to the southeast ridge at five P.M. in a raging storm and bivouacked under the cornice. On the 17th we climbed the ridge to the top. On July 25 and 26, 1980 Sonnenwyl, Morand and I climbed Huascarán.

Erhard Loretan, Club Alpin Suisse