Siula Antecima, Mis Amigos. In August Italians Silvano Arrigoni, Lorenzo Festorazzi, Eugenio Galbani, and Franco Melesi made the first ascent of what they have called Siula Antecima, the ca 5,550m rocky summit that stands immediately in front of the northeast face of Siula Grande (6,344m). The team approached via Laguna Carhuacocha and Laguna Siula, above which rises the obvious rocky spur forming the northeast ridge of Antecima. After establishing a high camp at the bottom of the spur (4,750m), they climbed the first steep pitch on the August 3, during less-than-perfect weather, and completed the initial 250m (the major rock difficulties) the following day, leaving three ropes fixed before returning to camp for the night. On the 5th they set off lightly equipped, carrying just rock gear and one bivouac sack per pair. After the initial difficulties (UIAA VII), a couloir (III-V) led to easier ground, which they climbed in eight pitches of IV and IV+. They made a cold, sleepless bivouac on a terrace at midheight on the ridge.

Leaving at 7 a.m. on the 6th, the four continued on generally easier rock to the difficult summit snow ridge. After an awkward mushroom (A1), four pitches along the crest led to the top of the peak, which they reached at 5 p.m. They started their descent immediately, rappelling straight down the north flank to the Siula Glacier, which they reached in the middle of the night after 11 rappels. They then had to climb up and around a rock spur to the north in order to traverse to the Yerupaja Southeast Glacier, finally reaching the moraine at 9 a.m. The same day, they descended to Carhuacocha and by midday had arrived at base camp. The 800m, 33-pitch Mis Amigos is generally on brilliant, compact rock, which is often difficult to protect (pegs useful).

Lindsay Griffin, Mountain INFO Editor, CLIMB magazine