5947m | Cordillera Blanca | Peru
⏱ 8 Day Add-on 📅 May – September 💰 $6,790 USD
Add-on expedition: This itinerary is available as an add-on to any of the other Peruvian expeditions not already featuring Alpamayo — including the
Moderate Technical and
Introductory itineraries.
Alpamayo — The Jewel of the Peruvian Andes
Nevado Alpamayo was nominated the most beautiful mountain in the world during a 1966 photographic exposition in Munich. It seems to have held on to this legendary title and few mountains will contest it. Alpamayo means 'muddy water' in Quechuan.
The Ferrari route is the most straightforward route on the southwest face, but objectively it can be the most hazardous due to the overhanging ice cliffs. We will continue to avoid this route as long as this hazard exists. The Ferrari route gets about an NZ grade 3, whereas other routes can be up to grade 4. If you can climb the first pitch (60–70 degrees) then you can probably summit, as the technical difficulty remains the same for 7 to 8 pitches.
Is This For Me?
If you have some experience or desire to climb NZ grade 3 climbs or harder, and feel you would enjoy longer, more technical routes, then you are likely to enjoy the challenge of Alpamayo (5947m).
Itinerary (8 Days)
1
Relocate to Alpamayo Base Camp (4300m) — From the Ishinca valley, we descend with light packs to the Santa Cruz valley and ascend to Alpamayo Base Camp. 5–6 hours.
2
Rest / Contingency Day — Rest and acclimatisation at Base Camp.
3
Col Camp (5,500m) — Scree trail and granite slabs lead to the moraine and glacier. The Alpamayo–Quitaraju Col can involve 10–100m of up to 70-degree ice. We then descend 100m onto the plateau to Col Camp.
4
Rest / Contingency Day — Rest and preparation at Col Camp.
5
Summit Alpamayo (5947m) — One hour glacier travel to the bergschrund, then 275m of sustained steep climbing. Descent to Col Camp via rappels on the route climbed.
6
Rest then descend to Base Camp — Morning rest, afternoon descent.
7
Base Camp to Huaraz — Burros from Base Camp through the valley. Celebratory dinner in Huaraz.
8
Departure — Mountain Sized Brunch, debrief and departure.
