Q: Where are Alpamayo and Huascarán?

A:  They are located at the northern end of the Cordillera Blanca of Peru, just south of the equator. The Cordillera Blanca are Peru's highest, most extensive and most rugged mountain range.

Q: How high are they?

A: The south peak of Huascarán is 6746m high (6768m in some sources) and is the highest mountain in Peru and the highest anywhere in the world in the tropics. The north peak of Huascarán is 6655m high and should be considered as a separate mountain as there is a 600m drop to the col with the south peak. Alpamayo is 5947m high.

Q: How do I get there?

A:  Very easily. For about £600-800 fly to Lima, the capital of Peru with airlines such as KLM or Iberia. You'll probably have to stop overnight here. Next day hop on a nice modern bus for the scenic 8 hour trip to the small city of Huaraz (about $15). Huaraz makes a great base for both these peaks (they lie around 20 km apart), and you can easily arrange onward transport to the mountains, as well as donkey services for the approach walks here. Huascarán base camp is just a ½ day walk from the road end, Alpamayo base-camp is a two to three day walk (depending on your level of fitness and acclimatisation). If you are not happy with just sorting things out when you turn up in Huaraz, then 'Andes' can have everything reserved for you in advance, or of course you could join one of our fully guided ascents.

Q: What are conditions like?

A: Both mountains experience very variable conditions from year to

Sunset on Alpamayo as seen from the high 'Col Camp' (5500m). The Ferrari Route takes a runnel starting from the highest point of the bergschrund
(Photo: Rick Marchant)

year, and you should have an open mind if you're coming to try them and also be flexible about a complete change of objective if necessary. Both mountains experience seasons when they are seriously dangerous and should not be attempted; mainly due to unstable seracs. This happened to Huascarán in 2002 and Alpamayo in 2003, when eight climbers were killed in a single serac collapse.

Q: How hard are they?

A: The normal route on Alpamayo has the more stable conditions from one year to the next. There is usually a bit of technical climbing with slopes to 50-60 (Scottish grade II-III) to get to the high camp at 5500m. Then the summit day is six pitches 60-70º of sustained grade III, often reaching grade IV on the last pitch. Remember this is all at 5800m or so, where efficiency and good technique are very important, so you maybe need to have more than just one Scottish grade IV under your belt!

Huascarán is nearly always easier than Alpamayo, though often more dangerous. Typically the route is 95% glacier walking with a short pitch to Scottish grade II or similar in one or two places and some mega crevasses to cross. The hardest part is getting to the high camp in the col between the peaks, so for this reason both the north and the south peak are the same grade.

Full details of  the normal routes on Alpamayo and both of the Huascarán peaks are available in my guidebook, The Andes - A Guide for Climbers.

Q: When is the best time to climb in Peru?

A: The southern hemisphere winter is the only realistic time to climb these mountains which lie close enough to the equator to experience pronounced wet and dry seasons. The dry season in Peru is in the winter months of  June, July and August. May and September can also give reasonable weather and conditions.

Q: How should I prepare myself for these mountains?

A:  I recommend training for aerobic capacity and stamina and, for Alpamayo, having an excellent and efficient front pointing style.  The altitude is seriously hard work and the fitter your heart and lungs are then the more oxygen you'll get to your muscles. You will  be carrying  heavy loads on the mountain and summit days are usually 10-14 hours long, so make sure you have good stamina.

Q: So what kind of gear do I need?

A: You will need a fair bit of technical mountaineering equipment and the skill and knowledge to use it safely. For Alpamayo you will need two  technical ice axes and also a helmet and  crampons. For Huascarán you should be OK with one technical axe most years and maybe a second lightweight axe to save weight. Both mountains also require ropes, harnesses, and basic glacier kit (ice-screws, karabiners etc.)  Plastic boots are highly recommended to minimise the chance of frostbite, though we do see people making successful ascents in modern well insulated leather boots. Also essential for walking over easy glaciers and

Q: What kind of clothing?

A:   On the walk-ins and around Huaraz  I use long cotton trousers and a T-shirt, often with a  fleece as well. Lightweight 'trekking' boots with at least some ankle support are recommended for the approaches because it's rough underfoot in some sections and walking in would be a very frustrating place to turn your ankle!  Around the altitude of the basecamps it's generally pleasant and warm during the day (usually you'll need just one fleece on) but it gets cold at night and you'll want your down jacket on then.

Huascarán, the south side as seen from Shilla

Higher on the mountains, and particularly on summit days, I often wear everything I'm carrying!. That is typically 3-4  layers of fleece and/or thermals up top covered by a  windproof goretex as well. You'll want your down jacket for belaying on Alpamayo and probably for the early morning start on Huascarán. I usually wear longjohns, fleece salopettes and goretex salopettes down below. Sticky-thickies and mitts on my hands, a hat or balaclava, glacier glasses and a sun hat (in case it gets hot). Oh yes, and a big rucksack to put it all in!!

Q: What sort of sleeping bag?

A: I would advise a 5 season down bag for these mountains with a zip so you can use the same bag as a duvet lower down. A cotton or silk liner is nicer to sleep in.

Q: What about food and water?

A: You can buy a fair amount of suitable food in Huaraz. The only thing that might be worth bringing from home might be some freeze-dried (or similar) high altitude rations, though I personally prefer a tin of tuna fish and some noodles or mash (available in Huaraz). Water is best boiled or purified on both mountains. Above basecamps you'll be camping on snow so take plenty of fuel to melt water and also a wee wooden board to stop your stove melting down into the snow

Q: How long will it take?

A: We run a 22 day itinerary to Alpamayo and a  25 day itinerary to Huascarán, we also have a combination itinerary at 29 days. These itineraries allow for several days of acclimatisation in Huaraz, and a short acclimatisation trip to lower 5000m peaks before your big peak. You shouldn't really try these peaks in less time as the risks of failing due to altitude illness become just too great. Of course if you are already acclimatised when you arrive then they can be done quicker from Huaraz, although Alpamayo is still likely to take you 8 days or so, and Huascarán 5-6 days.

Q: What kind of weather conditions will I experience?

A: Generally spells of 10 days or so of good settled weather are interspersed with stormier periods when a lot of cloud  and/or afternoon snow showers are common, but each season is very different. Recently many season have had less stable weather, or at least so the old Huaraz guides say! Temperatures can drop to -5ºC at night at base camps but by day it usually quite pleasant if you're in the sun. At high camps it can get to -20ºC at night, by day if there is no wind it can still be very pleasant.

Q: What about altitude sickness?

A: Acute Mountain Sickness can be a

problem when going over 3,500m (although some folk start to suffer at 2,500m!). I'm very much of the opinion that the way to deal with altitude is to be as fit as possible beforehand then do very little when you get there!  Altitude problems tend to come on when people push themselves too hard, either on an individual day, or by just trying to make progress too fast up their mountain. So get fit, get lazy, chill out and brew up.

Q: What is the biggest problem most people face?

A: Not speaking any Spanish! Although there are a few people around Huaraz you will really make life much easier for yourself and your holiday more pleasant if you have some Spanish. Besides some of the waitresses and waiters in the bars in Huaraz are very good-looking and you wouldn't want to miss an opportunity to chat them up would you?.

Huascarán: the summit ridge of the North Peak

Q: Can I do it?

A: If you have good general mountaineering experience, including some glacier experience, are fit, and ideally have previous experience at altitudes over 5000m,  then Huascarán is for you. Alpamayo definitely needs some more experience, particularly good crampon technique (you might be able to pull on your axes to haul yourself up 10m of ice at the indoor wall in Kinlochleven, but that kind of technique  won't get you up 300m of steep  ice at high altitude!) Some fit and experienced folk will manage these peaks even without previous experience at high altitude. With proper preparation and a positive attitude, you can do it!  

Q: Anything else I should know?

A: Alpamayo was famously voted as the most beautiful mountain in the world by a mountaineering congress in the 1950's but personally I think the neighbouring 5999m high Artesonraju is more impressive (especially from round the back!).

Q: How much will it cost me?

A: Our prices are £1895 for Huascarán and £2295 for Alpamayo in 2005, plus flights to Lima which will cost from £600 to £800 depending upon which airline you go with and how early you book.

Please click for more information on John Biggar's climbing trips to Alpamayo and Huascarán

© John Biggar 2004