PERU CORDILLERA BLANCA 1980 Snowing lightly throughout the night, I didn’t sleep well and struggled to find a comfortable

position on my sleeping pad in my tent, pitched on a huge talus scree. I was camped at 15490

feet (4700 meters) on a ridge above Laguna Morocochaa overlooking Nevado Huascaran and to

the north Huandoy and Chakrarahu above the llanganuco valley. It had cleared early morning,

and there was a beautiful sunrise touching the peaks as the alpenglow touched the Andes.

Fresh snow and the low temperatures that night froze my poly bottle of water, and my boots

were frozen, but I managed to get them on and got up to start the primus stove for hot water. I

greeted the morning with thankful praise to the Lord, celebrated the clear day and the privilege

to be in the remoter part of the Cordillera Blanca. Packed up, and began descending this

remote trail in 1981 back into the eastern slopes of Mt Huascaran.

The Cordillera Blanca, located in the northern range of the Peruvian Andes Mountain Range,

has a tremendous concentration of over 19,600 foot (6000m) peaks with the highest called

“Huascaran” at 22,204 ft (6,768 m) above sea level. The mountains run roughly north to south

and the Yurak Janka (in Quechua language), is known as the highest tropical mountain range in

the world. The area was declared Huascaran National Park in 1975 and in 1985 UNESCO

declared this protected area as “Biosphere Reserve” and “Natural Heritage” site respectively.

My route was planned after studying maps in Cuzco as I had explored part of Peru for over two

months, trekking the Cordillera Vilcabamba and C Vilcanota, then descended by canoe into the

remote headwaters of the Urubamba River where it narrows at the Pongo de Monique gorge. I

was here to hike on my own unassisted, circumnavigating from the Santa Cruz trail around

Nevado Huascaran.

My route would take me from Lima to Huaraz to the north, then by truck to Cashapampa north

of Huaraz. Here I would begin the classic Santa Cruz trail, but then vary on my own exploring

different remote passes and exit south of Nevado Huascaran. The first day was planned to

ascend the trail from Cashapampa up ruta quebrada honda to lake Hatunqucha, then continue

the steep and exhausting trail and brutal elevation gain to Punta Union pass 15,617 feet (4760

m) where I would camp the first night. Here there were amazing views of small lakes and

icefields below Taullraju peak 19127 feet (5,830 m) down south to Camino Yamana hiking

above the village of Vaquerio then hike to pass that looked west into the valley of Llanganuco

lakes with views of Huandoy 20980 ft (6395 m) and Nevado Pisco 18,871 feet (5752 m).

Descended and backtracked towards the south, and climbed another rocky remote pass and

difficult pass that gave full views of Nevado Huascaran both north and south peaks. The trail

descended down the south side of Nevado Huascaran to Huaypan. Since this time in 2018,

there are roads leading over the pass at Llanganuco Lakes, and down the river valley I traveled

https://cordillerablanca.info/about-cordillerablanca.phphttps://www.cordillerablanca.info/huascaran-national-park.php

on the south side of Huascaran. I was fortunate to have seen this area before tourism and

development came.

The Cordillera Blanca is best hiked in and around the winter months from April through to

October known also as the Andean summer. Access to the Cordillera Blanca is from the town of

Huaraz located 8 hours north of Peru’s capital, Lima. I had chosen to hike without pack animals,

wanting to savor the solitude and keep to my own timetable. The trail in most places was used

by locals, except for two passes, and most often wound its way ever upward through a variety

of scenery: stunted polylepis trees with peeling, red papery bark, giant lupines and towering

cliff-faces dripping waterfalls spawned by large icefields. The peaks surround me were

breathtaking, and to me this was more beautiful than anything I had seen of the Himalayas,

more lush and pristine.

The pass ascending to Punta Union, was a steep approach and although I had been at altitude

for several months, I still struggled with a heavy pack up a steep trail, often gasping in the

oxygen-depleted air. I reached Punta Union late in the evening and saw this area having one of

the finest views of ice-covered Peaks in Peru. The white craggy pyramid of Taulliraju guarded

the pass, fresh snow sliding off its flanks into the turquoise lake at its feet. In the morning

sunrise, the snowy summits that flank the valley ahead were touched with orange. The sky was

that pale, washed blue that comes after rain. The only sound was the murmur of avalanches.

This is Peru’s great secret. Unlike the Himalayas, where you have to trek long distances in order

to see the best mountain views, the Cordillera Blanca offers more accessible panoramas.

Cordillera Blanca and Nevado Alpamayo from Huaraz, Peru north of LIma

Huaraz market. Huaraz is reached by bus 7 hours north of the capital of Peru, Lima

The ascent up the Santa Cruz route to Punta Union Pass is a long day to reach 4700 meters, my first camp. Nevado Alpamayo in the distance. Below: Cordillera Blanca Mountain Range

Evening sunset from below Punta Union pass 15,617 feet (4760 m)

Laguna Arhuaycocha Peru below Alpamayo, Taullraju peak 19127 feet (5,830 m)

Self portrait Portachuelo union pass

Taullraju peak, Pucaraju pass Above and Below

Punta Union Taullraju Peak

Looking back down to the first day ascent to the lower lake, Punta Union

Trees in rose family polylepis sp, lupine

Lupine, unknown flowers middle and right

Descent into Colcabamba on the east side of the Cordillera Blanca

Pucaraju pass looking north

Huari pampa children

Second pass above Llanganuco lakes, right Nevado Huascaron from the past late evening clouds disappeared

Nevado Huascaran evening light from the SE of pass above Llanganuco Lakes Below. Peaks from the pass

Third pass crossing over to the western drainage on the south side of Nevado Huascaron

Nevado Huascaron from the south, both North and South Peak 22,204 ft (6,768 m)

Nevado Huascaron; Below: Mountain People of the Cordillera Blanca