South America, Peru, Pisco Oeste, South Face

Publication Year: 1982.

Pisco Oeste, South Face. Frenchman Christian Bougnard and I made what may have been a new route on the south face of Pisco Oeste. [Several routes have been made on this face, but it is hard to know where each one went. Since Bougnard made a previous ascent on the face, as reported in A.A.J., 1979, page 235, it would appear that at least it was different from that one.—Editor.] On June 24 we reached the traditional Base Camp at the foot of the glacier south of the Pisco Oeste-Huandoy Este col. The next morning we traversed the glacier to the east to the base of Pisco Oeste’s south face. We crossed the bergschrund at the highest point, almost directly below the summit. We climbed straight up the face over 45° to 60° snow and ice, crossed a 20-foot-high rock band of moderate difficulty in the upper third of the face and exited just left of a large cornice. We were on top six hours after leaving camp.

Robert Wilson