South America, Peru-Cordillera Blanca, Huandoy Este, North Face

Publication Year: 1986.

Huandoy Este, North Face. Our Croatian expedition was composed of Diana Brenko, Ruzica A. Kiš, Miroslav A. Kiš, Branko Puzak, Davor Butkovic, Branko Ognancevic and I as leader. We set up at the Pisco Base Camp at 4600 meters on June 4. After several acclimatization climbs, on June 12 Butkovic, Ognancevic and Puzak started on a partially new route* on the north face of Huandoy Este, from 5500 to 6050 meters. The first pitch was 100 meters to the right of the distinct central buttress, up a snow slope to a distinct chimney, up it and along a snow slope left to the central buttress. They continued through varied terrain to a distinct yellow band, which they reached after seven hours to bivouac at 5850 meters. The next morning they traversed left to a distinct chimney, climbed it and an ice corridor and finally got to the summit after five hours. They rate it between UIAA IV and V+. They descended the same route, leaving rappel pitons and slings in place.

Darko Berljak, Zagreb Mountaineering Association, Yugoslavia

*In 1982 Leigh Ortenburger and party started up the buttress itself. The two routes came together where the Croatians reached the central buttress. The two routes then were the same in the central section. The Croatians kept up straight after the bivouac and Ortenburger traversed to the right to the ridge and so the Croatians were on new ground from the bivouac to the summit.