South America, Peru, Cordillera Blanca, Shaqsha Sur, Southeast Face

Publication Year: 2006.

Shaqsha Sur, southeast face. In June Peruvian guides Elias Flores and Miguel Martinez, with Cesar Rosales and Italian Tizianoi Orio, made the first ascent of the southeast face of the slightly lower South Summit (ca. 5,697m) of Shaqsha. The elegant, narrow, triangular snow-and-ice face rises 350m above the bergschrund and gave climbing up to 70-75°. Shaqsha (occasionally referred to as Huantsan Chico) lies southwest of Cashan and could be climbed in a long day from Huaraz via the Rurec Valley and South Ridge (350m, PD+ 45-50°, Maardalen-Martens, 1988).

In mid-May, 2004, Martinez, with Michell Araya and aspirant guides Quique Apolinario, Maximum Efraim, and Elias Flores, from the Don Bosco School, are thought to have climbed a new route to the main summit of Shaqsha (5,703m), above Laguna Azulajacocha. After weav-

ing through 250m of serac, they found the final 150m snow-and-ice face to involve climbing up to 60°.

Lindsay Griffin, Mountain INFO Editor, CLIMB magazine