The expedition of the Female Mountaineering Team of the Spanish Federation of Mountain Sports and Climbing (FEDME) visited the Cordillera Blanca from June 5 to July 12. The team included Diana Calabuig, Ruth Craven, Fátima Gil, Esther Simón, and Vicky Vega, led by Marc Subirana and accompanied by guide Oriol Baró and doctor Augusto Covaro.

The group spent one week acclimatizing on various hikes and climbs outside of Huaraz, eventually packing into the Santa Cruz Valley. From June 15–17, the team split up to make ascents of Alpamayo’s Via Ferrari over three consecutive days. One team also attempted nearby Quitaraju, but descended early due to poor snow conditions.

After this, the team of Simón, Craven, and Baró focused on the opening of a new route on the south face of Pucarashta Central (5,450m). This peak is located northeast of Alpamayo and southwest of Pucahirca Oeste. On June 18, they climbed a right-trending route up demanding mixed terrain and around seracs: Para Casa de Zarela (600m, MD+). According to the route line in the Scottish guidebook Climbs of the Cordillera Blanca of Peru, by David Sharman, the Spanish route may coincide in the middle of the face with a 1991 route (graded TD-) opened by Mick Davie, Phil Moorey, and Steve Di Ponio; however, the line is not precise enough to know (see AAJ 1992, where it is spelled “Pukarashta”).

Following this climb, the group made a number of ascents of established routes from the Parón and Ishinca valleys before returning to Huaraz.

– Sevi Bohorquez, Peru, with assistance from Oriol Baró, Spain