This trip is physically demanding and requires you to be in good physical condition. We suggest you begin your training program at least two months prior to departure. While strength is important, endurance training should be your primary goal. Walking up hills and climbing are both excellent ways to improve the condition of your body.
Begin slowly, without the weight of a pack, eventually adding weight as you increase your training level. Take a long hike (4-6 hours) several times with a weighted pack (40-60 lbs.) up and down hills or on small mountains (weight your pack with water containers and empty the water before descending, to minimize knee stress). Also do some running, cycling, swimming, racquet sports, basketball, etc, for additional aerobic conditioning. If possible try to take at least two longer hikes of 6-10 hours at an elevation of at least 3,000 feet. Several days before your departure you should rest and drink plenty of water.
Climbing School Cordillera Blanca
Guides meet you on your arrival at the airport of Lima and take you to a hotel near the airport.
We leave Lima for Huaraz at 5 A.M. After 3 hours, we stop to have breakfast on the way. After a 9-10 hour ride by private bus from Lima, we arrive in the town of Huaraz, the economic center of the Cordillera Blanca. We spend the next 3 nights in a small hotel. The accommodations are not deluxe but are comfortable.
Near the hotel, there is a nice restaurant and the Central City and Andean Markets.
This day we visit the colorful market to purchase fresh fruits and vegetables for our climbs and relax during the afternoon before our travels in the surrounding mountains. We spend the night at the hotel
After Breakfast we will drive 3 hours to Cebolla Pampa, the base camp of Pisco. This base camp’s elevation is about 12,000 ft (3,658 m) and located in Quebrada Llanganuco above two beautiful lakes. From the base camp we will take a short afternoon hike.
This day we continue our process of acclimatization with a hike to Portachuelo de Llanganuco Valley, at 15,635 ft (4,767 m). We pass above Cebolla Pampa with incredible views around us, like Chopakalki, Huascaran, Pisco, the Huandoy group and many other peaks of the incredible Cordillera Blanca.
We hike through a nice paramo. We’ll have opportunity for many great photos.
Continuing our process of acclimatization,.we hike up to our intermediate high camp. With the support of donkeys to carry our gear, this will be a reasonable 5-6 hours hike up with only day packs on our backs.
This day, we’ll carry heavy packs as we climb 3-4 hours to high camp and prepare for our summit climbing day.
After an early morning departure at 3:00 A.M., we arrive at the summit of Nevado Pisco Oeste (5,884m/19,300ft) This summit offers unsurpassed views of the gigantic peaks and glaciers stretch in all direction. It will help us to acclimatize, as well as provide us with an opportunity to improve our skills for our next climb. Then we return to our intermediate camp for the night.
Early in the morning we return to base camp, where we rest and prepare for our ascent to Chopicalqui base camp.
This is a full resting day in our base Camp at 12,500 ft (3810m).
After breakfast, we move to the Moraine Camp 1, located about 16,075 feet (4900m). This day we will be assisted getting our mountain gear to camp.
After moving through the moraine above camp 1, we rope and climb on the glacier to our high camp 2 (5,200m/17,056ft). Climbers will follow our guide and his instructions. Another option is resting in the moraine camp 1.
This day we journy to the high camp with all our mountain gear. We have an early dinner and then rest for the early wake up.
We wake up early. Relatively straightforward glacier travel leads to the saddle between Chopakalki and the fascinating east ridge of Huascaran Sur. From the saddle glacier slopes interspersed with short steep sections (up to 60 degrees), we get to the wildly corniced and fluted summit at 20,842feet (6354m). This is an great day! We then return to the Moraine Camp. (There is one day reserved for the summit climb if we have bad weather.)
This day we return to Huaraz, as you will need some rest and relaxation. We will have a celebration and traditional Peruvian dinner and salsa dancing, if you’d like.
This day is for resting in Huaraz.
Return to Lima and take a night flight out.
Arrive home.
Although we do our best to follow the schedule above, this itinerary is subject to changes due to weather, route conditions, and other factors beyond our control.
This trip is subject to the booking information on the Ecuadorian Alpine Institute trip application. We ask you to read this information carefully and call us or write if you have any more questions.
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