UKH

I am going to Peru for three weeks in September and I am looking at squeezing in a bit of climbing

Anyone can recommend some good trusted companies, and climbs to go for? Looking at 4 to 6 days max duration, difficulty intermediate (Grade II/III Scottish)

Many thanks

huarez is place to be acclimatisation may be an insurmountable problem. The ice climbing is very much mountaineering and the snow line is very high. The normal route on pisco had a pitch of II/I I I ten years ago but it'll have changed since. If you get no joy here re operators try the alpine club mailing list or just hire a ifmga peruvian guide. its outside peak season so you should be able to find one.

If you can't climb trek the scenery is superb and flora and fauna amazing

In reply to alasdair19:

Thanks Alasdair,
Planning some hiking around Cuzco and around the ausangate in the first two weeks, would be good to do some technical climbs in the last week

In reply to patricia:


With that itinerary best to stay around Ausangate area. There are some short steep routes on the Pachanta group, north of the Campa pass, but I don't know what they'd be like in Sept as that is normally too late for this area (and most of Peru). It's and El Nino year there though, so you never know. South face of Jatunhuma also has some steep ice sometimes.

I climbed Ausangate normal route a few years ago and did the circuit plus another separate high trek further east. It's a great area.

For mules I used Cayetano Crispin in Tinqui, who was very good and excellent value. You need to speak some Spanish though, and probably go through his son.

In reply to patricia:

I was in the Corderilla Blanca two weeks ago and conditions were very dry. El Nino seems to be having an effect.

In reply to patricia:

Patricia,

I can put you in touch with a good mountain guide in Huaraz if you are going to head up that way. Otherwise if you head to the Cordillera Vilcanota Cayetano is good (but he's just a mule organiser, not a guide).

John Biggar, ANDES