Nevado Pumahuanca (5,350m) is a quite accessible peak located between Halancoma and Chicon; however, it is a minor peak in the Cordillera Urubamba and does not have big pull as an objective. In fact, on Malcolm Slessers’ 1964 map of the area, this peak is labeled with a question mark instead of a name. I’ve heard that a local guide, Roger Valencia, may have climbed the peak, but this is unconfirmed.

In November 2013, Jorge “Coqui” Gálvez and I tried Pumahuanca by the eastern ridge that extends from Nevado Capacsaya (5,044m). We found the ridge too broken by rock towers to traverse. We also saw that the peak could be more easily approached from the south or northeast side.

On April 23, 2015, Duncan McDaniel and I left Cusco to meet with Coqui at his home outside Urubamba. The three of us went to Yanahuara by car and then hiked up the valley that comes down from Pumahuanca. After 3.5 hours we reached a large lake, which we passed on the right, and then climbed up to the moraine. A rock tower below the south face marked a flat area to enter the glacier and bivy (ca 5,050m).

During the night it snowed lightly and became windy. Early the next morning we climbed good snow (45–60°), traversing up and right across Nevado Pumahuanca’s south face. After arriving at a snow ridge, we followed it for the final 50m of altitude gain to the summit. We began our descent at 6:15 a.m. and were back in Cusco by late afternoon. Our route is 300m, PD+.

– Nathan Heald, Peru