Picos de Ansilta, 1991. The Picos de Ansilta are seven high mountains north of Mercedario. Their access is from the city of San Juan but the peaks are seldom ascended because they demand a long approach. On March 25, 1991, Humberto Campodónico and Mauricio Manzi climbed Pico 2 (5886 meters, 19,312 feet), also called Cerro de Ansilta, the highest in the group. They then camped in the depression between Picos 1 and 2 and the following day climbed Pico 1 (5413 meters, 17,759 feet), making the second ascent by a new route. This peak is also called Manzuelo. Months later, in the southern winter, the same two climbers headed for Pico 3 (5557 meters, 18,233 feet). Winter weather meant swollen rivers, snowstorms and wind. On July 16, 1991, they climbed a gully with waist-deep snow that left them on the north side and east ridge, which they used to reach the summit. This was the first winter ascent. In November, the same two, with Eugenia and Luis Gómez, Adrián Manzi and Alejandro Quenan drove to Barreal and hiked to camp in the Quebrada Negra. On November 23, 1991, they completed the second ascent by a new route of Cerro Tridente (4641 meters, 15,226 feet), via the east side; they traversed the three summits. Campodónico and Mauricio Manzi stayed on. They placed a high camp north of Tridente and on November 25 climbed Pico de Ansilta 4 (5116 meters, 16,786 feet), traversing from the col with Tridente. This peak is also called Fidel Díaz.

Marcelo Scanu, Grupo de Montaña Huamán, Buenos Aires