South America, Bolivia, Cordillera Real, Overview

Publication Year: 1998.

Cordillera Real, Overview. In the Cordillera Real, snow consolidated on the normal routes to give perfect conditions for most of the season. The normal route on Huayna Potosi was regularly climbed by guided parties in four hours from high camp and the Illimani normal route in five hours from high camp. A bad weather period during one week in August was blamed on the El Niño phenomenon, as are most things at present. There was a major theft problem from tents at Camp I (Puente Roto) on Illimani in July, but decisive police action appeared to put an end to that. However, climbers should make sure everything is inside the tent (not the vestibule); tying packs together seems to work.

Yossi Brain, United Kingdom