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CORDILLERA BLANCA
CORDILLERA HUAYHUASH
CORDILLERA BLANCA
EXTENT AND LOCATION:
The highest tropical cordillera has an extent of aproximately 180 kilometers long and about 30 km wide. It is located in the north-east of Lima.
FEATURES:
There are about 75 mountains that shape this mountain chain which have perpetual snow above an altitude of 16,404 ft. 30 of them overcome the 19,685 ft. and the highest, the South Huascaran has an altitude of 22,205 ft.
The cordillera blanca is being reduced at a rate of 2-3 per year because of the glacial recession. That is the reason why ascensions are usually different from season to season and even from week to week.
Since there are some glaciars that have very dangerous seracs it is recommended to go across them early. The mountain features depend upon the weather conditions (there is rainy up to 13,780 - 14,765 ft. Over this altitude there are hailstorms that produce snow gathering at the slopes thus originating avalanches). Wind is usually coming from the east and they could turn to storms in response to sudden weather changes. They also bring lower temperatures.
The best times to climb is between April and August, during the highlands winter. Hardly any of these days is rainy. The temperatures are low at nights and mornings which noticeable contrast with the daytime high temperatures. Even at the glaciar highest regions the temperature use to be high as long as the sky is cloudless.
Over 16,404 ft at the cordillera blanca the atmosferic pressure decreases with increasing altitude. That's why there is less oxigen in the air and it is recommended first to get used to this environment in order to avoid health problems related to altitude.
In this regions the snow sticks on the slopes thus creating amazing cornices on the final ridges, and it even yield to formation of penitents over the same ridges (because of the wind).
A very common feature at these mountains is the formation of canals on the most inclined walls which make harder and technical routes over the "rimayas" (crevasse at the bottom of a wall).
Owing to their location, NORTH FACES are the most sunnied so that their snow and ice are the best for climbing.
SOUTH FACES receive less sunshine so they also have lower temperatures. You can find pliant snows at the beginning of the dry season (may-september).
The EAST and WEST FACES use to be a mixture of shared features.
There are itineraries and routes of all levels, Trekking from one to fifteen days and Climbing routes from the hardest (South Huandoy 20,210 ft. - through Desmaison , North Huascarán -North face, 21,834 ft. via Cassaroto, West Chacraraju, west face, 20,052 ft.- via Eslovena, Cayesh (18,770 ft.-English route) to the most beautiful all around the world (Alpamayo) and the classic glaciar routes (Pisco , 18,871 ft. - Quebrada Ishinca).
For those who enjoy traveling by 4x4, motorbikes or mountain bikes through the "trochas" (rough roads) there are roads from where it is possible to see incredible panoramas of the Cordillera Blanca, Huayhuash and Conchucos.
RESCUES:It is recommended to have both a life and an accident insurances.
There exist two special rescue units at the cordillera blanca,
-THE POLICIA NACIONAL DEL PERU RESCUE UNIT,
In Yungay city (near Huascaran), phone numbers: 043 493333 - 043 493292. The have two helicopters.
Cost: If the person that has suffered and accident does not have an insurance so he/she will need to spend some money then he/she can pay it after the rescue. If he/she have an insurance it will pay the expenses according to his/her insurance policy.
usam@pnp.gob.pe
web site
-CASA DE GUIAS-HUARAZ RESCUE UNIT,
Settled in Huaraz (Parque Ginebra s/n)
043 - 421811
043 - 422306
e-mail casa_de_guias@hotmail.com
You have to pay previously for the rescue and, if necessary, the helicopter.
CORDILLERA HUAYHUASH
EXTENT AND LOCATION:
The Cordillera de Huayhuash, which is south of the Cordillera Blanca, still offers the real sense of adventure in the hardest andean mountains in Peru.
It has a lenght of about 30 kilometers and 10 kilometers wide. To reach this cordillera, it is neccessary to arrive at Chiquian ( 11,155 ft.) or Cajatambo (11,089 ft.) villages.
FEATURES:
Chiquian has all that is needed for an stay before starting a trekking or climbing. Cajatambo is a less known town but you ascend to it by the south zone (it was here where Joe Simpson and Simon Yates aproximated to Siula grande west face -20,814 ft. - and climb this colossus for the first time, just before their dramatic descent which is described in the book "Touching the void" writen by J. Simpson, who is still climbing both in Huayhuash and in the cordillera blanca)
The best times to climb are Mayo and August too. Hardly any of these days is rainy and the daytimes are very hot. However, mornings and nights can be very cold.
This beautiful and dense group of mountains has 6 peaks above 19,685 ft. The maximum altitude correspond to the Yerupaja mountain (21,765 ft.) which is the highest Peruvian mountain after the Huascaran. The difficult Jirishanca ( 19,993 ft.) also known as "el Cervino de los Andes" because of its pyramidal shape is one of the most significant mountains of this cordillera. The last mountain climbed (1.966) is Siula Chico 19,685 ft. Another significant mountain is Rondoy (19,259 ft.), not to high, but its technical difficult to ascend make it into one of the hardest. It was climbed by Walter Bonnati and Andrea Oggioni (Italy) for the first time in 1961.
An interesting point to remember is that almost all its routes are extremately difficult so it is needed a good physical and technical training before climbing.
The trekking to the cordillera de Huayhuash, is considered as one of the most beautiful of all the world. The whole run (from the west side to the east side) takes about 12-14 days.
The mountains that shape this cordillera are not very visited (climbing) so many of them still have virgin zones in some of its faces. There are lots of posibilities to trace a new route.
RESCUES: It is recommended to have both a life and an accident insurances.
The same units as in the cordillera blanca
-THE POLICIA NACIONAL DEL PERU RESCUE UNIT,
In Yungay city, phone numbers: 043 493333 - 043 493292). They have two helicopters.
Cost: If the person that has suffered and accident does not have an insurance so he/she will need to spend some money then he/she can pay it after the rescue. If he/she have an insurance it will pay the expenses according to his/her insurance policy.
usam@pnp.gob.pe
web site
-CASA DE GUIAS-HUARAZ RESCUE UNIT,
Settled in Huaraz (Parque Ginebra s/n)
043 - 421811
043 - 422306
e-mail casa_de_guias@hotmail.com
You have to pay previously for the rescue and, if necessary, the helicopter.
Any rescue in the cordillera de Huayhuash is always a hard task because of the features of the region and its distance. It is better to be informed enough and also to give a complete schedule of our stay time to any of the rescue units
Sergio Ramírez Carrascal
nuestramontaña.com
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