● JAPANESE ALPINE NEWS 2011
TATSUOINGO (TIM) ROEGER INOUE CordillerasThe First Ascent Huaytapallana of Lopchin & FengCentral, (KG-2) Peru, 6,805m 2007 Autumn 2009 Expedition to the Kangri Garpo East Mountains, Tibet
The last destination we visited in South-America was Huancayo and the surrounding mountains beside the beautiful Mantaro Valley. We – as a group of four - spent there four amazing weeks in May 2007.
After arriving at Lima we went by cab to the village of San Mateo (3,100 m, S11 45 24.9 W76 17 48.5) east of Lima in the Rio Rimac valley. We had planned five days for acclimatisation hikes and climbs there. From San Mateo we hiked to the former mining settlement of Millotingo (4,123 m, S11 49 17.1 W76 14 11.8) in the upper Quebrada Parac/Pachachaca (SE of San Mateo). Only one farmer and his family live there. In the morning he picked up our luggage in San Mateo by 4WD and brought it up to the small settlement, while we were going far behind him with easy backpacks and having a fine acclimatisation day. The area of the old mine is a good place for camping. There is an even meadow, which is big enough for a lot of tents. A clear creek rushes by only a few meters below. It provides drinking water in good quality. Beside the campground meadow there are open huts, where we could cook and eat sheltered from wind and rain. Near Millotingo there are two creeks, which flow into the main valley: the Quebrada Piloranga from the southwest and the Quebrada Mancan from the northeast.
The next day we went on an exploration of the Quebrada Piloranga. The purpose of this acclimatisation hike was to discover the path up to the summit of Suerococha, which is situated above this valley (It᾽s also called Tunac on the map of the pages from www.allthemountains.com). We reached a marshy meadow (4,663 m, S11 50 09.2 W76 15 48.1) at the end of the valley. In front of us was a rocky wall towered above by the Suerococha summit. The most probable way to go higher was a steep meadow to the northwest, which was flanked by rocks on both sides. After the steeper section we reached a lovely meadow (4Map-1,842 m Climbing, S11 49 route 58.2 to W Lopchin76 16 0Feng1.5) with an old hut surrounded by some unimportant heights. We decided to climb further to one ‘hill᾽ nearby. On top (4,881 m, S11 49 54.2 W76 15 53.0) we had a good view to the route to the summit of Suerococha, which laid southwest of us, especially to the part from the upper Quebrada Piloranga to a col (5,117 m, S11 50 09.1 W76 16 40.7) north of the Suerococha summit.
Next day we went on a shorter acclimatisation hike. After crossing a desolate bridge behind our camp we went up the beautiful and lonely Quebrada Mancan valley. From there we had a good view to the summit of Suerococha in the distance. Before the weather got worse in the afternoon, we reached a meadow at the end of the valley (4,660 m, S11 48 49.5 W76 12 35.7). This place was only a short distance away from the summit of Cerro Shirac (5,172 m). The ascent from there didn᾽t seem to be very difficult – only some scrambling, but we had to return before getting to the top.
The next day we started at five o᾽clock in the morning. Our destination was the Suerococha summit. For the first hours we followed the same way like we did two days before. Then we climbed up to the 5,117-meter-high col. There we saw a small lake (Laguna Huangro) west of the pass and a second col left behind the lake (5,212 m, S11 50 28.8 W76 17 07.9). We crossed the slopes below the Suerococha summit by going straight ahead over the scree. We reached that second col after climbing up a short and steep slope. One of us preferred to climb up the easy east ridge to the top of the 62 CLIMBS & EXPEDITIONS ● western summit of Suerococha (~ 5,270 m). The other three chose the more difficult west ridge to the main summit (5,315 m, S11 50 31.7 W76 16 57.2). The beginning was slightly snowy. Then it was mostly easy rock climbing in grade UIAA I with only a short chimney (three meters) in grade UIAA II. Sometimes the rock was very loose and the ridge was quite narrow in some parts.
After those days above 4,000 meters we were well acclimatised for the rest of our trip (another good possibility for acclimatisation could be an ascent on the Yanayana summit (5,215 m) northwest of San Mateo). We went back to Lima, where we stayed at the hotel for one night.
At seven o᾽clock the following day we started onto the twelve-hour train trip on the historical track across Passo Anticona (4,810 m) to Huancayo. It᾽s advertised as the highest historical train of the world (it had been the highest train of the world before the opening of the Beijing-Lhasa-railway in China and Tibet). We had booked “Classico” tickets instead of the noble tourist class. In the evening Lucho Hurtado picked us up at the Huancayo railway station and brought us to his pleasant backpacker-hostel “La Casa de Abuela” . He is also the owner of two restaurants only a few meters away from the hostel and of the travel agency www.incasdelperu.org.
‘Incas del Peru᾽ offers two different kinds of daytrips to explore the interesting sites of the Mantaro valley: an ‘artesan᾽ circuit and a historical circuit. Next day we decided to go on the historical round trip. It was well organised; we spent a nice day visiting the ancient temples of the Huanca people in Wari Vilca and churches of the Spanish conquerors. ‘Incas del Peru᾽ also offers different treks in the rarely visited Cordillera Huaytapallana: from one to five days. The five-day trek is called ‘Camino Huanca᾽. But instead of trekking we were interested in climbing in the southern part of the range during the following days.
Therefore we were brought to the pass (4,547 m, S11 57 21.2 W75 02 30.7) above the Quebrada Ronda valley by 4WD. Two young porters supported us on the way to our camp. From the pass we went north for a short while. Then we crossed a col (4,826 m, S11 57 21.2 W75 02 30.7) east of us, which marks the southern end of the Cerro Yana Ucsha ridge, which divides the Lasuntay valley from the Laguna Cocha Grande basin. After crossing the col we had a tremendous view to the glaciated summits of Jallacate Sur and Nevado Cochas, which surround the valley like an amphitheatre, and to the Laguna Cocha Grande below us. We installed our camp near a small lake just below the summit of Jallacate Sur (5,550 m) and a few hundred meters above the big Laguna Cocha Grande (4,833 m, S11 56 06.8 W75 02 35.1). It was a lovely place for three nights.
Next morning we started our trial on Jallacate Sur. The southwest-ridge seemed to be the safest way. We tried to avoid the glacier in the first part of the ascent by crossing steep slopes left (west) of it. We reached the snowline before the first steeper part (4,986 m, S11 55 41.5 W75 02 54.9). Then our way led upward as far as possible near the left edge of the glacier. It was a permanent change between steeper (45° ) and flatter parts. We had to cross some bigger crevasses. At an altitude of 5,450 meter we reached a small terrace, where we made a depot for our rucksacks (S11 55 11.4 W75 02 51.6). In front of us the final summit ridge loomed up into the blue sky. Three of us tried to climb up this ridge, while I was waiting beneath the rucksacks. The ridge was steep and very narrow and it consisted of poor snow and had many cornices; we would suggest grade AD+/D-. My friends had reached a point only a few meters below the summit, before they decided to return. There was a good view to Laguna Lasuntay west of the summit. While my friends were climbing up and down the ridge, I had enough time for taking pictures of the mountains around: the typical silhouette of the Pariacacas (5,750 m) in the far distance, the Jallacate main summit (5,557 m) north of us and an unknown but attractive summit east of the Huaytapallana range. 63 ● JAPANESE ALPINE NEWS 2011
The next day two of us climbed the three summits of Nevado Cochas (5,309 m) east of Laguna Cocha Grande, while the others were having a resting day.
From our camp three snow-covered summits were to be seen. We called them (from left to right) Nevado Cochas Main (5,309 m), Central (5,221 m) and South (5,178 m). The Main summit is connected with the Jallacate Sur by a long and narrow ridge. Another ridge, consisting of two partly glaciated 5,000-meter-summits, leads from the main summit eastwards.
First of all we had to descent to the Laguna Cocha Grande. We passed it on the south shore (4,540 m, S11 56 23.8 W75 01 59.8). Then we left the hiking trail and passed the Nevado Cochas range also on its south side. We went up a moraine valley to the tongue of a glacier southeast of the south-summit (4,848 m, S11 56 23.1 W75 01 20.7). With the exception of the first part the further ascent across the glacier was not really steep. We did not cross many crevasses on the way up to the flat plateau of the South-summit (5,178 m, S11 55 53.9 W75 01 30.6). From there we had a good view to the Jallacate Sur and to the other summits of the Nevado Cochas ridge. We crossed the Central summit (5,221 m, S11 55 43.9 W75 01 38.9) along an easy snow ridge and traversed below the Main summit to its east face. A steeper part led between some big crevasses to the final ridge, which we followed in a few minutes to the top (5,309 m, S11 55 26.4 W75 01 37.3). Our friends in the camp could see us from the distance, while we were stepping along the summit ridge. The complete ascent was quite easy, probably grade PD-.
The following day we returned back to Huancayo. Near the Hacienda Acopalca we visited a trout farm. There we were allowed to catch our own meal.
After one night in Huancayo we were carried to the Laguna Carhuacocha in the centre of the Cordillera Central. During a break in the upper Cochas valley we were surprised by good views to the summits of Pariacaca (5,750 m & 5,730 m) and to Tunshu (5,750 m). Those twin summits are called Azulcocha in the guidebook “The Andes – A Guide for Climbers” by Scottish author John Biggar, but the local people called them Pariacacas (it᾽s also the name on www.allthemountains.com). On the shore of the Laguna Carhuacocha (4,430 m, S11 56 42.8 W75 57 16.1) we met Fredy, who runs a fish farm at the lake. He has been living there all alone for several years in a big tent, which was used by construction workers sometimes in the past. He was happy about having neighbours in coloured tents for a few days. His daily meals “trucha con arroz” (trout and rice) were very delicious. From our camp we had a good view to the rocky and picturesque summit of Nevado Cullec east of the lake, to the Tucumachay summit (5,350 m) in the north, to the Tembladera mountain (5,658 m, also called Colquepucro) southwest of the lake and to some interesting summits in the west.
The next day we left our nice camp on the lakeshore for two days. We went along the lake to the west for a short time. Then we turned to the south into the Quebrada Tullocoto valley, which leads to Laguna Tullocotococha (4,639 m) near the base of the Pariacacas. We passed the lake on its west shore. As we could not find a good campground with access to water in a drinkable quality on the marshy meadow behind the lake, it took us a while to find a clear creek below the north slopes of the Pariacacas and a dry and even place for the tents nearby (4,659 m, S11 58 25.6 W75 58 27.2). The way up from Laguna Carhuacocha to our high camp took about three hours carrying heavy backpacks.
The summit of Pariacaca Norte was our destination for the following day. We started two hours before dawn. First we scrambled up a moraine of loose rocks. After that we had to cross a slope of solid granite, which was a bit difficult to climb with our hard boots. We were enjoying the 64 CLIMBS & EXPEDITIONS ● surrounding landscape in the soft morning light though. Soon we reached the edge of the glacier (5,262 m, S11 58 54.4 W75 59 22.5). The first stage of the further ascent across the glacier was not really steep and therefore it was easy to walk. We had a break direct below a rocky wall, which marks the beginning of the steep summit cone (5,457 m, S11 59 08.7 W75 59 36.0). We avoided the rocky wall by climbing upwards to the right across a slope of soft snow for about one hundred metres. Then we turned upwards to the left. Above us was a narrow corridor (five metres wide) between the rocks on the left side and the edge of snow to the right. The snow conditions in this part of the ascent were very bad. Nearly at every step our feet sank in to the soft and wet snow surface. That required much time and power. After that part the snow got a little better.
The final part to the summit was a uniform slope (45° ) without any crevasses. From the top (5,730 m, S11 59 20.4 W75 59 43.0) there was a good view to the mountains and lakes around: in the south to a chain of lakes called Laguna Chuspi, Laguna Pariacaca and Laguna Peticocha, which feed the Rio Cañete, to the summit of Pariacaca Sur vis-à-vis, to Tunshu and Tucumachay in the north, to the summit of Tembladera (Colquepucro) in the west and to the summits of Ticlla (5,897 m) and Huaynacutuni (5,500 m) in the far south. The descent from the summit was the next soft and wet snow challenge. We were back in the high camp at 6 pm. After a short break – we had to remove our tents and the other camping equipment – we continued our descent and arrived at the Laguna Carhuacocha two hours after sunset. It was a very long and strenuous day. Considering the bad snow conditions we would suggest grade PD+.
After a rest day we separated into two groups consisting of two members each. The first group tried to climb Tunshu. A long hike away from the Laguna Carhuacocha they found a small even place, where they installed a high camp (4,800 m, S11 53 09.1 W75 57 49.1) on the east side of the Tunshu range. The east face and the adjoining ridges didn᾽t look as heavily glaciated as we had thought before. The next morning they did not find a safe way across the steep slopes full of loose rocks and scree.
So they broke off their ascent. They used the remaining time of the day for a relaxed hike back to the lake throughout a peaceful scenery. Meanwhile the two others spent those two days hiking around the Laguna Carhuacocha and relishing the beautiful landscape.
After five days around the Laguna Carhuacocha we went on to our last destination in the Peruvian Andes. We had planned an ascent on Ticlla, the highest mountain of the Cordillera Central. Instead of driving back to Huancayo we were carried across a secluded pass (4,570 m, S12 01 04.0 W75 49 22.8) on an unpaved track, which connects the Hacienda Cochas with the upper Rio Cañete. After a four-hour ride we reached the village of Miraflores. Lucho had organised accommodation in a municipal building for us in advance. He also had found a very friendly local family organizing the food supply during our two days᾽ stay.
The next day we hired an arriero for the trek to the Ticlla-basecamp. His four horses carried our luggage. We knew it would be a long hike to Laguna Huascacocha beneath the south side of Ticlla. We left the village westwards hiking up the beautiful valley of Quebrada Tomapampa.
Unfortunately there are two lakes with the same name in the mountains west of Miraflores. After a break at a lovely meadow (4,049 m, S12 16 16.4 W75 52 40.7) the arriero turned to northwest. Two hours later we studied our map during another break. Suddenly we noticed our mistake: The arriero had led us into the Quebrada Huayllacancha. The Laguna Huascacocha at the end of this valley could be a good place for a base camp to climb some nice 5,000-meter-mountains, but it was definitely the 65 ● JAPANESE ALPINE NEWS 2011 wrong place for climbing up Ticlla itself. After a short and intense discussion we decided to return to the right path. At this moment we were nearly one day behind our timetable. We spent an extra night in the upper Quebrada Tomapampa (the arriero had gone home in the evening and he was back early in the morning). Before getting to the Laguna Huascacocha we had to cross a nameless pass (4,736 m, S12 17 47.8 W75 56 43.5). From some places around the pass we had a tremendous view to the SE face of Ticlla (5,897 m) and to the quite rocky summit of Llongote (5,780 m).
On the way down from the pass we had also a good view to the south side of Ticlla and to most parts of our planned ascent. The early afternoon we reached our camp on a green meadow a few hundred meters northeast of the “correct” Laguna Huascacocha (4,265 m, S12 17 39.5 W75 57 45.5). Later that day we used the remaining daylight hours to carry most of our climbing gear up to a depot as close as possible to the planned high camp. Next day we climbed up to this camp. Like the day before we hiked upwards across more or less steep grassy slopes west of Quebrada Ayaviri. The final part from the depot to the high camp our backpacks were quite heavy, but we still enjoyed the amazing landscape including some majestic summits around us, like Llongote and, of course, Ticlla. The high camp (4,805 m, S12 16 30.6 W75 58 36.2) was a nice place beneath the dramatic east face of Huaynacutuni (5,500 m). There was a small even meadow. It got shady early in the afternoon, but fortunately there was no wind. A small creek provided fresh water nearby.
During sunset Ticlla summit cone was shining in a magic light. Later that evening the full moon brightened up the scenery. The moon had gone away, when we started to the summit early in the morning. Millions of stars covered the sky. The first part of the ascent was a level traverse across fields of loose scree. Then we crossed two steeper moraines and reached the edge of the glacier (5,068 m, S12 15 45.7 W75 58 18.4). We crossed the glacier upwards to the snow covered col west of Ticlla (5,315 m, S12 15 30.6 W75 58 19.6) avoiding sporadic crevasses. From there we could observe the further ascent along the west ridge. The first part of the ridge was quite easy to climb. Then the character of the ascent changed to a steeper slope (up to 60° ) left of a huge icefall. At the end of the steep slope we were stopped by a big crevasse, which cut the final summit cap completely. We turned on the edge of the crevasse as far as possible to the left (north), where we tried to cross the snow filled crevasse. In the middle of it there was a fresh tear – almost one meter wide. It was a frightening moment. But we could cross the last obstacle on the way to the summit successfully. The highest point looked like a huge snowdrift.
It was a fantastic moment – calm and nearly no clouds in the sky. After taking some typical summit pictures we had enough time to enjoy the scenic view. We saw the mountains around Laguna Carhuacocha to the north, Llongote to the south, Padreacaca and Ancovilca to the east and the impressive east ridge below us. Almost one hour after getting to the top we started the descent. After crossing the dangerous crevasse everyone was relieved. The rocky east face of Huaynacotoni in front of us was very impressive. After a last break at the col we stepped down unerring to our camp.
This day was undoubtedly a highlight in our mountaineering career. While we were leaving the icy regions of the high mountains, we were getting more and more relaxed. A short but beautiful hike throughout the Quebrada Ayaviri brought us back to the Laguna Huascacocha the following day. Supported by the arriero and his four horses a long hike back to Miraflores finished our adventures in the Cordillera Central.
Before driving back to Huancayo we visited the canyon between Tomas and Alis, which is recommended in the guidebook by John Biggar, and the beautiful landscape of the upper Rio Canete valley. This unspoiled valley filled us with enthusiasm because of the countless lakes, waterfalls, 66 CLIMBS & EXPEDITIONS ●
Huaytapallana: in front of the glaciated faces Huaytapallana: West face of Jallacate (5,557m)
Huaytapallana: View from Nevado Cochas South (5,178m) across the southern part of Huaytapallana
cascades and marshy meadows. The steep slopes above the valley are formed by ancient terraces of the Inca tribe.
During a final daytrip across the Mantaro Valley around Huancayo we got in touch with some artist- craftsmen, like traditional weavers, a silver smith and a family, who ornaments the surface of calabashs by burning them with the embers of a small wooden branch. The trip ended with a visit of the Franciscan monastery of Ocopa, which is famous for its extensive library. As the final highlight we were invited by Lucho for dinner into one of his restaurants. It was an unforgettable evening. Finally a six-hour ride in a modern bus brought us back to Lima. During the preparation of our tour we found some helpful maps in the internet, especially on www.allthemountains.com and www. climbingperu.com. The GPS positions mentioned in this letter were taken with WGS84.
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The summit ridge of Nevado Cochas Main (5,309m)
Central: Southwest face of Ticlla (5,897m)
Central: Descent from Ticlla (5,897m) Rocky east face of Huaynacotoni (5,500m).
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