Quimsa Cruz. From May 28 to June 30, I carried out a solo reconnaissance of the Cordillera de Quimsa Cruz, south of Illimani. In a first campaign, I entered from Pongo by truck and explored the valleys of Pusi Cota, Coricam- pana and El Aguila at the southeast end of the range. I made two first ascents. Three different mountains all bear the same name of Coricampana. On June 2, I climbed by its west ridge the southernmost (5200 meters, 17,061 feet), a bold granodioritic pyramid east of Nevado San Juan. Three days later, I ascended the fine ice dome, P 5460 (17,914 feet) by its south ridge and glacier. This lies north of San Juan. I named it Anco Collo (Aimara for “White Peak”). In my second campaign, I circumambulated the entire range. From Pongo and the Argentina mine, I marched north along the eastern side past big Chatamarca lake to the Salvadora Apecheta (pass) in the extreme north. Along the way, I explored Bengala and Corichuyma valleys. From the Viloco mine, I walked south along the western side of the range, entering the Casarata, Jisca Coquecota, Choque- cota and Atoromachuma valleys. In the last I climbed the rock peak, Ñuñu Collo (5215 meters, 17,108 feet), by its northeast gully and found a surveyor’s cairn on the top.

Evelio Echevarría