South America, Peru, Cordillera Blanca, Chinchey, Chaco

Publication Year: 1976.

Chinchey, Chaco. Our expedition, composed of Giacomo Casartelli, Luciano Gilardoni, Riccardo Soresini, Enrico Tettamanti, Marco Zappa and me as leader, climbed in the Quebrada Honda. Base Camp was on a lake at 14,600 feet. We placed Camp I up the icefall that heads the valley at 16,000 feet and Camp II at 18,000 feet on the Quilcayhuanca-Honda divide. Our attempts on Chinchey’s north and south ridges were stopped by séracs but we put our main effort into a direct route on the west face. Our first attempt was halted by the weather but after a bivouac at 19,200 feet, Soresini, Tettamanti, Zappa, Casartelli and I climbed to the summit of Chinchey (20,413 feet) on August 18. Also on August 18 Gilardoni with the Peruvian Emilio Angeles climbed Chaco (17,454 feet) by its east face.

Rino Zocchi, Club Alpino ltaliano