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Towering at an impressive 6768m above sea level, Peru’s highest peak, Mount Huascaran, is the world’s highest tropical mountain. Located in the northern section of the Cordillera Blanca, above the Llanganuco Valley, this colossal mountain dominates the local landscape. Its two imposing summits – Huascaran North (6655m) and South (6768m) – are clearly visible from most parts of the range, and from as far south as Catac some 120km away!
Huascaran North was first conquered in 1908, by an American climber called Annie Peck, an unusual occurrence since it is one of the few peaks in the world of such height to be first ascended by a woman. Twenty-four years later, in 1932, a joint German-Austrian expedition eventually reached the South summit.
Huascaran is not a technically difficult climb, although it presents various challenges, such as the crossing of large crevasses and the risk from avalanches, and its tremendous height demands thorough acclimatisation. The ascent to both summits starts from the col of La Garganta – the huge saddles that separate the two peaks – and usually requires at least a week to tackle effectively.
Standing on the ‘Roof of Peru’, the climber is rewarded with dramatic views of Huascaran’s equally impressive neighbours, including Mount Huandoy (6395m), Chopicalqui (6354m), Hualcan (6122m), Chacraraju (6112m), Yanapaccha (5460m), and Pisco (5752m).
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