On April 21–22, a group of UIAGM guides and aspirants, led by Sergio Condori (head of the Bolivia Guides Association), opened a new route on the south face of Mururata. Departing at 1 a.m. from Lake Arkhata, they arrived at the foot of the face at 5:30. The 700m route begins at the same point as Goulotte Marie [a route most likely first climbed in June 1987 by Slovenians Filip Bertoncelj, Bojan Pockar, Bojan Pograjc, and Jernej Stritih, who quote 540m, with two pitches of 90°], then slants left to climb a snowy buttress before moving back right at the top. The climb was sustained, with the overall angle 55-65° and technical difficulties of WI4/5 M4/5.

The traditional route up flat-peaked Mururata (the summit was first reached in 1915) involves an endless glacier traverse, more suitable for skiing than alpinism. The south face is highly exposed and technically challenging, but threatened for much of its length by seracs. According to Andean mythology, the god Mururata was constantly mouthing off to Illimani and Illampu. After he tried to claim the title of highest peak, Illimani chopped off his head, leaving a large summit plateau. His decapitated head was thrown in the direction of the Chilean border to become Sajama, the highest of all Bolivian peaks.

Chris Clarke, Bolivia