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Trip Duration   7 days
Trip Type   Mountaineering expedition
Grading   Intermediate level mountaineering
Starting point of expedition   Musho
Finishing point of expedition   Musho
Highest point   Huascaran South 6768m
Distance   Approx 40km

 
 
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).

 
DAY 1 Drive to Musho (3500m), via Mancos.
Trek to Huascaran Base Camp (4150m)

Approx 1.5 hour, 6 hours trekking


DAY 2 Trek to Moraine Camp (4890m)
Approx 6 hours trekking


DAY 3 Trek to Huascaran glacier (4950m). Ascend to Huascaran High Camp 1 (5350m)
Approx 1 hour trekking, 5 hours climbing


DAY 4 Ascend to Huascaran High Camp 2 (5800m)
Approx 7 hours climbing


DAY 5 Ascend to Huascaran South Summit (6768m). Descend to High Camp 2 (5800m)
Approx 9 hours climbing to summit, 4 hours climbing down to high camp 2


DAY 6 Descend to Moraine Camp
Approx 8 hours climbing down


DAY 7 Trek to Musho. Drive back to Huaraz
Approx 4 hours trekking, 1.5 hour driving