South America, Peru—Cordillera Blanca, Huascarán Norte, North Face

Publication Year: 1984.

Huascarán Norte, Northeast Face. Leo Brigger and I climbed in the Cordillera Blanca from May 9 to June 10. For acclimatization we climbed Ishinca, the east face of Ranrapalca and Pisco. From May 29 to 31 we ascended the northeast face of Huascarán Norte. [Monsieur Siegenthaler had believed that they were doing a new route, but it would seem from his description and from people with whom he talked in Peru that they followed the route of the 1972 French party led by Jean Fréhel. This excellent route has been repeated several times. See A.A.J., 1973, page 453-4.—Editor. ] The face rises some 4000 feet at an average of 50° to 65°. It then abuts a 350-foot rock barrier at about 20,675 feet which has very difficult rotten rock.

Michel Siegenthaler, Club Alpin Suisse