TREKS IN PERU- PROGRAMS OF OUR PARTNER

Start: daily, best time of the year May - September
Duration: 8 days/ 7 nights (before start: preparation trek)
Grade:
- medium, Urus (5495m)
- medium, Ishinca (5530m)
- medium/hard/very hard, Tocllaraju (6034m)
Min. Participants: 1 person

From our base in the beautiful Ishinca Valley we can climb 3 peaks.
Urus and Ishinca can be climbed without previous climbing experience. We will provide instruction and support. Urus is more climbing on a moraine ridge rather than on the ice, but it is an excellent peak on which to gain further acclimatization and strength for the more difficult Tocllaraju. Ishinca is a rewarding climb for both experienced and beginner climbers with long slopes of good snow. We climb these two peaks first to gain experience and fitness, and then you should be ready to challenge the more technical Tocllaraju - maybe your first 6000m peak. Tocllaraju has some sections of steep and technical climbing, and we recommend that clients have previous experience climbing on snow and ice with crampons and ice axe, and experience with belay.
If you do not have previous experience, we recommend that we take you for a day instruction on Pastoruri Glacier.

Recommendation: Preparation Trek
Santa Cruz Trek (6 days/5 nights)
Santa Cruz Ulta Trek (8 days/7 nights)

Day 1: After your preparation treks you have a day to rest in Huaraz and to prepare for the climbing trip.

Day 2: Drive 1½ hours from Huaraz to the village of Pasha. We then walk up the valley Quebrada Ishinca on a gently rising path to our camp at the head of the valley. This is a lovely walk, starting on a plateau with views of Huascaran, and then passing through Quenual forest. As we walk up the valley it opens out, and we see Tocllaraju ahead. Base Camp is at 4390m. Today you will hike 4 to 5 hours.

Day 3: Climb Urus East face. Leave camp 4am. A steep climb directly up a ridge and sometimes across large moraine rocks until we reach the ice 3½ hours. A steadier slope on the ice for 1 hour, then the last ½ hour to the summit is an easier rock climb although in some years there can be deep snow all the way to the summit. Arrive to the summit to see the sun rise on Tocllaraju, Akilpo, Palcaraju, and Ishinca. A steep descent backs down to camp. 7 hours of hiking.

Day 4: Rest Day, time to relax a little bit.

Day 5: Climb Ishinca. Leave camp 3am. A steady climb on a good path to Lake Ishinca 2½ to 3 hours, and we then reach the ice. We climb the north face of Ishinca, a steady
slope, not too steep apart from the final 20 meters to the summit. About 3 to 3½ hours on the ice to the summit. Depending on conditions on the mountain, we may instead climb the East face of Ishinca, approaching from the Ranrapalca glacier. This side is also a medium climb (not technical) and suitable for beginners. Return the same way to Base Camp. 9 to 12 hours depending on fitness.

Day 6: We leave Base Camp mid morning carrying all our equipment and climb to High Camp Tocllaraju. A steep climb on a moraine ridge and across large moraine rocks 3 hours and then we come to the ice. A further ½ hour easy on the ice to our high camp (5300m). Sometimes depending on the weather we camp below the ice on a flat area on the moraine.

Day 7: We leave camp early around 1am to 2am to climb to the summit. There are long sections of easy climbing mixed with steep and sometimes technical climbing. There are two sections of steep climbing between 40m and 60m long with grades of around 60 degrees to 70 degrees and on one part there is some exposure, although you are always safe. Depending on climbers level of experience, generally we fix a rope and both these sections require a rappel/absail to descend. We stop at morena camp for lunch, pack up the camp and then return down to Base Camp. 11 to 13 hours with lunch break.

Day 8: Walk down the Ishinca Valley to Collon and return to Huaraz.

Note: If you do not have experience with rappel/absail please advise us. We can organize a practice session at Ishinca Base Camp during the rest day or preferably a day training on Pastoruri glacier.

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