Alpamayo Expedition

Quick facts 

• Activities: High-altitude mountaineering
• Where: Almayo, Peru
• Level: Alpamayo is attainable by those who have climbed Alpine routes of at least AD and/or Scottish III. You need to be confident doing multiple abseils/rappels.
• Participants: from 2 to 4
• Period: Spring
• Days: 12
• Nights: 11
• Climbing days: 7
• Scheduled dates: upon request

Price: from 2.000€ per person

General presentation

Alpamayo (5947 masl) is one of the most beautiful ice faces of the Andes.

It is located more remotely than most other peaks in Cordillera Blanca, as the hike to the Base Camp takes 2-3 days. In the first map of Cordillera Blanca from 1932 Alpamayo was not indicated at all; eventually, it was climbed for the first time in 1957 by a German expedition via the N ridge.

Nowadays Alpamayo is well-known and was even elected the most beautiful mountain in the world. It is not the difficulty that inspires the climbers but its magnificent setting among the everlasting snowcaps of the Cordilliera Blanca, 6000 meters above sea level.

Not only it is aesthetically eye-catching but the climb itself adds a technical climbing challenge to the vertical pyramid structure of the mountains.

Indeed, Alpamayo should not be underestimated. Less than half of the climbers coming to the Base Camp make it to the top.

Alpamayo is graded 4D. The summit climb is rather more alpine-style climbing in a steep vertical section through ice and snow surfaces. The vertical climb to the summit is about 6 hours and descending back to base camp will be another 3 hours.

While the peak’s first ascensionists climbed its North Face, the two better-known routes run up the famous SW Face. Casimiro Ferrari led an Italian group up one line on that face in 1975. Its disadvantage is that it passes close to several big seracs. So the Vasque-French route has become the standard way up Alpamayo.

Both the Vasque-French and the Ferrari routes are sometimes wrongly named the French Direct. This is, in fact, a different, longer line. Its first climbers actually came from the U.S., but they named the route after two Frenchmen who had died on the mountain just two days before.

So there are basically 3 main routes from which to choose based on the conditions and experience of the group.

Alpamayo is considered a relatively safe mountain, as long as conditions are right. The main danger on the standard route is the potential collapse of one of the seracs along the route or the cornices along the summit ridge.

 When to go 

​​May through September are optimal times to climb Alpamayo. July is in my opinion the best month in terms of snow coverage and weather stability. Despite July being their winter, the fact that they are so close to the equator makes their winters produce less moisture.

 

Day-by-day program 

• Day 01: Lima: Welcome al the airport and transfer to Hotel
• Day 02: Arrive to Huaraz (3090mt) for bus (8 hours of trip)
• Day 03: Acclimatization day to Lake Churup 4450mt
• Day 04: Huaraz _Cashapampa _Llamacorral Camp at (3750mt)
• Day 05: Llamacorral _Base Camp Alpamayo at (4200mt)
• Day 06: Base Camp _Moraine Camp at (4600mt)
• Day 07: Moraine Camp _ Camp 1 Alpamayo at (5300mt)
• Day 08: Camp 1 _ Rest day in case of bad weather
• Day 09: Camp 1 _ Summit Alpamayo (5947mt) _ Base Camp at (4200mt
• Day 10: Llamacorral or Base Camp_ Cashapampa Return to Huaraz
• Day 11: Travel to Lima and Hotel Lima
• Day 12: Flight to Home

 What is included 

• IFMGA Mountain Guide for the entire duration of the trip
• Reception in airport Lima and Hotel, transfer to terminals (all)
• Hotel In Lima according the itinerary 2 nights in Lima
• Bus Lima/Huaraz/Lima (Cruz del Sur)
• Hotel Huaraz according the itinerary 3 nights in Huaraz
• Experienced Cook
• Kitchen assistant
• Porters for carry foods to higher camp Alpamayo and Vallunaraju
• Donkey drivers and Donkeys during climbing
• Food (breakfast, box lunch, hot drinks in the afternoon, large dinner) during the climbing
• All Cooking Equipment, plates, cups, utensils etc
• Tents (personal tent, dining tent with table and chairs, kitchen tent and toilet tent)
• Private Transfer during climbing (go and back)
• Huascaran National Park Entrance
• Acclimatization day to Lake Churup

 What is excluded 

• International flight
• Meals and drinks in the city
• Person equipment Climbing
• Extra hotel nights due to program changes

 Recommended equipment list 

• Ice axe, a general uses one for 30-40 degree slopes.
• Crampons, 12 point, glacier & snow climb, crampon straps.
• Carabiners,four in total, preferably locking.
• Prusic knot or jumar ascender; one per pax, (for use in case of crevasse rescue)
• Seat and chest harness
• Winter sleeping bag
• Helmet
• Large back pack, 50 –60 liters
• 2 pairs of boots, one pair for hiking and another pair for climbing (they should be double plastic or leather and hold crampons well)
• Gaiters and/or over-boots
• Clothing for trekking, clothing for climbing
• Sweater, parka with hood, wind/rain jacket and pants
• Climbing pants, 2 hiking pants, shorts
• Thermal underwear, 3 sets of underwear
• Balaclava hat, sun hat
• Wool shirts, light shirts
• Linen sox, 3 pairs of heavy wool sox
• Fingerless gloves, mittens
• Personal medical kit, pocket knife, 2 water bottles, glacier glasses, headlamp (spare bulbs and batteries)
• Other items of personal nature, as camera, binoculars etc.