Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
THE CORDILLERAS
Huaraz lies sandwiched in a valley carved out by the Río Santa, flanked to the west by the
brown Cordillera Negra and to the east by the frosted Cordillera Blanca. A paved road runs
along the valley, more commonly known as the Callejón de Huaylas, and links a string of
settlements while furnishing visitors with perfect views of lofty elevations.
The Cordillera Negra, though an attractive range in its own right, is snowless and often
eclipsed by the stunning, snow-covered crown of the Cordillera Blanca.
PICK YOUR PEAK
With 18 glaciated summits over 6000m and more than 50 over 5700m, the Cordillera Blanca is one of the most im-
portant ranges in the world for high-altitude climbers. Add to that the sheer multitude of options, generally short ap-
proaches and almost no red tape or summit fees (although you have to pay your park fee) and the appeal is obvious.
While Huascarán Sur is the undisputed granddaddy and Alpamayo voted 'most beautiful' by climbers and photo-
graphers the world over, Pisco is certainly the most popular climb for its straightforward accessibility and moderate
technical requirements.
But that may change. Global warming in the Cordillera Blanca has caused glaciers to retreat and undergo signi-
ficant transformations, and well-plied routes have altered dramatically in recent years.
Here are 10 popular climbs (and major summits) of the Cordillera Blanca, offering everything from relatively
easy routes to hard-core ice climbing.
» Huascarán Sur (6768m)
» Alpamayo (5947m)
» Chopicalqui (6345m)
» Pisco (5752m)
» Copa Sur (6188m)
» Ishinca (5550m)
» Quitaraju (6036m)
» Urus (5497m)
» Tocllaraju (6034m)
» Maparaju (5326m)
The Cordillera Blanca, about 20km wide and 180km long, is an elaborate collection of
toothed summits, razor-sharp ridges, turquoise-colored lakes and green valleys draped with
crawling glaciers. More than 50 peaks of 5700m or higher grace this fairly small area.
North America, in contrast, has only three mountains in excess of 5700m and Europe has
none. Huascarán, at 6768m, is Peru's highest mountain and the high est pinnacle in the
tropics anywhere in the world.
