Altitude : 5,752 m. (18,866 ft.)
Route : Normal route, Southeast ridge
Level of Difficulty : LD (Little difficulty) Journey in snow and short ice walls, with an average sustained slope between 30 and 40 degrees.
Suggested climbing season : The best time for climbing is from the first week of May until the third week of October
Duration : 4-day expedition
Description :
The normal Pisco route is one of the most popular of Cordillera Blanca. The southeast ridge's level of difficulty changes as the season progresses. At the beginning of the summer, it is common to find deep snow accumulated on the trail as well as on the ridge which makes the progress much more demanding. Obviously the route is free of anchors and footprints. As weeks go by, snow and ice conditions improve. Both begin to solidify, making the ascent less difficult. It is important to be aware that the final stretch in this mountain tends to change, since gigantic crevasses begin to open as the season progresses.
First Day : Early in the morning, we will head towards the northern part of the Cordillera Blanca, to Yungay, where the road to Llanganuco Valley begins. This trip will last approximately 3 hours. Once in Llanganuco, specifically in Cebollapampa, muleteers and their donkeys will take all the loads to the base camp. We will follow a winding path to the west, then go up a crest towards the northwest, until we arrive to a long trail leading to a plain. Then, we will cross a slope diagonally and zigzag for a short stretch. Our base camp will be a few meters away on a wide, flat area at 4,750 m. (15,580 ft.).
Second Day : From the base camp, we will go up diagonally to the crest and a rock and dirt barrier separating the base camp from the moraine camp. After reaching the highest point, we will have to come down a few meters to begin the long journey among rocks of all sizes, a consequence of the retreating glacier. Then, we head towards the toe of the glacier which lengthens its slopes towards the col formed by Pisco and Huandoy East. Since it is difficult to make progress due to the terrain quality, we will have porters at our disposal until the moraine camp. We follow a prolonged crest located to the right of a small lake. From here, we spot a small, flat area at 4,950 m. (16,236 ft.) , appropriate for setting up camp.
Third Day : Our journey to reach the summit begins before the break of dawn. We follow the ridge which previously led us to the moraine camp, continuing towards the toe of the glacier. We are welcomed by a large snow-covered field and a prolonged slope, which brings us to the col formed by Pisco and Huandoy East. With every step we take, Pisco's south face rises majestically before us. A large curtain seems to open once we reach the col, rewarding us with a spectacular view of the Paron Valley and its beautiful protector glacial summits.
We continue our ascent on the great southeast ridge, where the slopes become more pronounced and decrease as we approach the summit, which is formed by an impressive mushroom. Part of it is vertical and several meters high, which poses a challenge. After overcoming this area, we will have easy access to the summit, which is simply impressive and beautiful; a great reward after having exerted considerable effort. It is difficult to describe what one experiences in this location, since many emotions caused by fatigue and the greatness of these glacial summits will arise in us. As we return, we leave behind beautiful walls and footprints on the glacial as silent witnesses of our adventure. Depending on the level of difficulty, anchors will be set up in order to rappel and thereby continue on our way to the moraine camp, where we will take down our camp and continue towards the base camp.
Fourth Day : We begin our last day of descent. All the loads will be transported by the muleteers and their donkeys in the same direction from which we began our expedition. This time, however, it will take us a few hours less. Once on the descent slope, we'll be able to see the Cebollapampa Valley , as we leave the beautiful landscape behind. Finally, we will return to Llanaganuco Valley , our starting point, from which we will start our return trip to Huaraz.
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