Cordillera Real, 1966

CORDILLERA REAL, 1966 CORDILLERA REAL, 1966 BY D. H. CHALLIS (Four illustrations: nos. 7 4-77) T has been said that the Golden Age of Mountaineering is over in all but the Himalaya, and that the classic climber has had his day as far as treading virgin ground is concerned. Yet, in the summer of I 966, the University College, Bangor, Andean Expedition made some fifteen first ascents over eighteen thousand feet in the Cordillera Real of the Bolivian Andes and also climbed the 2 I ,ooo ft. Ancohuma, in addition to other climbs and survey work. Consisting of four young men fresh from University, our team could boast little experience of greater mountaineering, but found in the Cordillera Real of Bolivia an easily accessible range of mountains offering untouched territory and straight forward high altitude climbing in the classic tradition. First visited in the eighteen-seventies, the exploration and survey of the Cordillera Real proceeded slowly. Sir Martin Conway made a general map and some ascents in 1898 and I90o, but it was left to two Austrians, Troll and Hein, in I 928 to make a specific map of the whole range, and a surprisingly good large scale map of the north-western part, including Illampu and Ancohuma which form part of a mighty cirque of high peaks at the head of the Cooc6 valley. No further survey work of importance appears to have been done until 1962, when Reading Uni versity prepared a large scale map of the Negruni and Rumca mountains situated on the other side of the Calzada pass to the south-east of the Cooco valley.1 The Reading map included Chachacomani, Chearoco and Calzada on the main watershed the latter peak also being on Troll and Hein's large scale map. To the north between the two maps was a wedge of unknown and unmapped country including a highly glaciated region known as the Huma Hallanta. We proposed to survey this area as far as possible, and to climb some of the peaks seen on photographs taken from the N egrunis by the Reading expedition. The usual route of entry to the Andes of the Cordillera Real is from the high altiplano lying at about I 3,ooo ft., to the south-west, and in fact one can be climbing at 17,ooo ft. within a couple of hours' drive from La Paz, capital city of Bolivia. However, the Cooc6 valley comes into the range from the north-east, and for this reason had only been visited twice before, once by Troll and Hein in 1928 and once in r 964 by a Japanese party from Tokyo University of Foreign Studies. Both groups 1 For the 1962 Reading University expedition, with map, see A.J. 68. 219-24. CORDILLERA REAL, 1966 293 had made ascents of Ancohuma and three peaks which formed the ends of the horseshoe enclosing the head of the Cooco valley, but neither had explored the Huma Hallanta whose glaciers flowed from the water shed between the Cooc6 and Calzada valleys. It therefore seemed obvious to enter the area via the Cooc6 valley, explore and survey in the Huma Hallanta, and still be within reach of the really high peaks of Ancohuma and Illampu if these proved feasible. Officially mounted in 1963 under the sponsorship of Dr. Charles Evans, Principal of the University College of North Wales, Bangor, our expedition had a long history and careful and detailed preparation. Before selecting an objective in the Andes, many people who had climbed in various parts of South America were consulted and a picture was built up of the possibilities available. Two areas were finally deemed to be suitable alternatives the Cordillera Carabaya in Peru or the Cor dillera Real in Bolivia. Keele University's successful visit to the Cara baya in 196 5 decided the issue in favour of the Cordillera Real, which, in fact, proved to be an admirable choice. The long period between mounting and executing the expedition also enabled us to train carefully, and the summer of 1965 was spent in the Bernese Oberland climbing from a Base Camp set up on the Aletsch glacier. The expedition was led by the late Michael Birchall, with Bob Hall, Bob Winfield and myself as team members. In the field various camp followers joined us for a time; Wayne Wagner, an American Peace Corps worker, for three weeks from June 6, and Tony Smythe with his wife Sonia, for the last month in the mountains. V ernancio, an Indian guide lent to us by the Club Andino Boliviano, arranged transport for us at all stages, but did not stay long with us once camp was set up. All these people were as much a part of the expedition as we were, in the final analysis, and their efforts contributed greatly to our success. Throughout our preparations, we were assisted by many people previously unknown to us, and in Bolivia itself we met with kindness on every side. In terms of finance, the expedition received generous grants from the Students Union at Bangor, the Everest Foundation and many others, totalling nearly £1 ooo, which represented about half the total budget. Many gifts in kind were also received and without all such help the task of making our dreams reality would have been nearly impossible. We place on record our gratitude to all who helped us in so many different ways. The expedition left England by air on April 28, and arrived in La Paz on the morning of May 4, having travelled down the eastern seaboard of the United States by Greyhound coach to cut travel costs and to see a little of the country. Two weeks in La Paz waiting for our delayed equipment, and we were aboard an open truck heading for the hills. Twelve hours' drive in two stages, with a night in the sub-tropical town 294 CORDILLERA REAL, 1966 of Sorata, brought us to the road head at the Mina Candelaria, a primitive tungsten mine which clung to the hillside high above the thatched stone huts of Cooco village, the last habitation in the valley. Beyond a mile-long stretch of alluvial flat forming the village grazing land, the valley narrowed and leapt upwards in vegetated chaos towards the unknown. With the assistance of forty-five llamas and various Indians, in two sessions a fortnight apart, all our gear was carried up to the proposed Base Camp site, nine hours' march from the mine on a route which led down 2,ooo ft. to the village and then snaked up an ill-defined path on the hillside over ridge after ridge to avoid the prickly tracklessness of the valley bottom. Base Camp was established on May 2 3 and fully occupied two days after, though the final loads of food and survey equipment were not brought up until later with the last group of llamas. Magnificently situated at I 5,ooo ft. on flat turf by a lake, with the majestic faces of Illampu and Pico del Norte as a backcloth, Base Camp was perfectly sited and soon became a home from home to all of us. A cheap ridge-tent made an excellent mess, and the weather was so good throughout our twelve-week stay in the mountains that shortage of mountain tents was not serious and excess bodies could sleep comfort ably outside in high altitude sleeping gear. The good weather also enabled us to use a number of planned bivouacs at heights up to 2o,ooo ft., and sacrifice little comfort in the process. As we had allowed ourselves an unusually long stay at base, we spent some time getting organised, and then putting up two high camps on opposite sides of the valley at about 18,ooo ft., which were well stocked with food and equipment. The main high camp was Camp 11, placed near the watershed in Huma Hallanta on a large flat area of glacier which served well for measuring the mile-long base line on which to start the plane-table survey. Camp IIA was set up somewhat later on the Cooco glacier as a base from which to attack Ancohuma and her satellites. Preliminary reconnaissance was started on May 29 at the end of the first week, and Camp I was occupied on the 3oth. From here, two first ascents were made on successive days, Y apuchanani (I 8, I I 4 ft.) and Makatanya (I8,433 ft.), while the site for Camp II was also determined. The two Bobs then restocked Camp I ready for carrying higher, while Mike and I made the first crossing of the Huma Hallanta watershed. After abseiling off the col, we descended the previously untrodden glacier to bivouac above the Calzada pass. We then split up, Mike going over the Calzada pass itself to the altiplano and La Paz on personal business for a few days, while I turned down to the east and circum navigated the Huma Hallanta through the villages of Chajolpaya and Cooc6 and so to base, thus defining the limits of our area. My way was along tracks on the valley floors, and it was interesting to note that once CORDILLERA REAL, 1966 295 down in the valley, one rarely saw a snow-covered peak, which accounts for the fact that very few of the mountains we climbed were named or even known, despite their close proximity to frequented routes. The whole journey took me three and a half days in perfect weather with nights under glorious starlit skies such as only altitude and dry air can give.

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