Altitude : 5,530m. (18,138 ft.)
Route : Normal route, Northwest ridge
Level of Difficulty : Little difficulty (LD), Traverse on snow and short ice walls with an average slope between 30 and 45º sustained.
Suggested climbing season : The best time for climbing is from the first week of May to the second or third week in October.
Duration : 3-day expedition
Description:
The normal Ishinca route is one of the most frequently climbed in Cordillera Blanca. The northeast ridge's level of difficulty changes as the season progresses. At the start of the summer, it is not uncommon to find deep snow accumulated on the path leading to the summit as well as on the ridge itself. Obviously, at this time of the year the route remains relatively undisturbed and free of footprints. This makes the ascent and making progress much more demanding. As weeks go by, snow and ice conditions improve. They begin to solidify making our ascent to the peak less strenuous. First Day : Early in the morning, we will go towards the northern area of Cordillera Blanca, until we reach a small town called Paltay. From here, we will take a detour east to the where the road to Collon, another small town, begins. The trip lasts a little over an hour. Collon is the starting point for our walk toward the Ishinca Valley , from which muleteers will use donkeys to transport all the loads to the Ishinca base camp. The road leading us into the valley brings us to a quenual forest found in the lower parts of granite towers. We walk in the refreshing shade feeling refreshed and at peace, while a a noisy river that flows down the entire valley keeps us company. Along the way, we find numerous streams and waterfalls emerging from the upper parts of the valley. We continue walking until we reach an open field. In the distance we can see a long slope and Tocllaraju in the background. The Ishinca base camp, at 4,300 m. (14,104 ft.) , is located at the end of the slope. The walk to this spot will last a few hours.
Second Day : Today is the day we reach the summit, so we will begin our ascent early in the morning starting at the base camp. We follow a trail up the southeast slope of the Ishinca Valley , which after a winding ascent leads us to Yanaraju Valley . After this, we will have attained sufficient altitude to fully enter southwards into said valley. We continue along the trail on a long traverse which occasionally presents some uphill stretches and zigzags, bringing us to our first destination, Lake Ishinca , located at the foot of the west face of the snowcapped mountain with the same name. We can see the toe of the glacier a few meters further up. This is the entrance point to a vast glacier that gradually becomes steeper, until it reaches a col formed by this mountain and one of its secondary summits. The wide southwestern ridge arises, with some marked slopes on which the existence of crevasses becomes evident. In certain stretches, these fractures appear up on vertical walls, creating incredible openings full of stalactites. The slope leading to the summit is approximately 60 m long and has an inclination of over 50°. After leaving this area, the peak is only a few meters away. From here, we have an excellent panoramic view of this part of Cordillera Blanca. In the distance, we can appreciate Yerupaja's impressive outline. However, nothing is more incredible than the imposing Ranrapalca, Ocshapalca and Palcaraju faces, which are found in close proximity to this mountain. One feels insignificant in the presence of these ice giants. The descent is done following the same route, which is fast and less demanding on our feet. The snow vanishes near the glacier's exit and is replaced solid ice, which shows us the way to the moraines in this mountain. From here, we will follow the same route back to the base camp.
Third Day: We begin our last day of descent. All the loads will be transported by the muleteers and their donkeys, following the same direction and path we took at the beginning of our expedition. This time, however, it will take us a few hours less. We continue walking down towards the Ishinca Valley entrance. This is the last day of our journey and we start leaving behind the landscape's beauty. At the end of our walk, we return to Collon, the town which welcomed us on our first day. Here, we will initiate our trip back to Huaraz.
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