Expeditions Cordillera Blanca 3 peaks Urus Ishinca Tocllaraju (8 days)

Expeditions Cordillera Blanca 3 peaks Urus Ishinca Tocllaraju (8 days)

Cordillera Blanca Urus and Ishinca can be climbed without previous climbing experience. We will provide instruction and support. In some years when there has not been good winter snowfall Urus can be more climbing on a moraine ridge rather than on the snow, but it is an excellent peak on which to gain further acclimatisation and strength for the more difficult Tocllaraju. Ishinca is a rewarding climb for both experienced and beginner climbers with long enjoyable slopes of good snow. We climb these two peaks first to gain experience and fitness, 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. Tocllaraju is not a suitable climb for clients who do not have good basic climbing skills.

Itinerary:

Day 1: Huaraz – Pashpa – Ishinca base Camp (4350 m.) Drive 1½ hours from Huaraz to the village of either  Pashpa or Collon (3400m). 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, then passing through Quenual forest. As we walk up the valley it opens out, and we see Tocllaraju ahead. Base Camp is at 4390m.   4 to 5 hours

Day 2: Base Camp – Urus Summit (5495 m.) – Base Camp. Leave camp 4am. A steep climb directly up a ridge and across large moraine rocks until we reach the ice 3½ hours. A more steady slope on the ice for one hour, then the last  half  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 back down to camp.  7 hours

Day 3: Base Camp – Ishinca Moraine camp (4760 m.) We begin with a soft trek until the Campo Morena of Ishinca. Then we install our camp and spend the night in the field meran of Ishinka. 

Day 4: Moraine Camp – Ishinca Summit (5530 m.) – Base Camp. Leave camp 3am. Some of the way is over loose rock and large moraine rock until we reach the ice. We climb the north face of Ishinca, a steady slope, not too steep apart from the final 20 metres to the summit.  In some years depending on the condition of the glacier there can be some short steep sections or hard ice, but we will help you with this. 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 10 hours depending on fitness.

Day 5: Rest day. This day is free and is used to rest. We will use this day to prepare our Materials to ascend to Tocllaraju, we will make a technical escalade.

Day 6: Base Camp – Tocllaraju high Camp (5250 m.) 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 to where we set up our camp on the moraine immediately below the glacier at Morena Camp (5300m).

 Day 7: High camp – Tocllaraju summit (6034 m.) – Base Camp. We leave camp early around 1am to 2am to climb to the summit. 

Day 8: Base Camp – Collon – Huaraz.