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Climbing in Peru: Alpamayo Expedition

Climbing/Mountaineering in Peru with Southwest Adventure Guides, LLC

Highlights

  • 16 day itinerary maximizes acclimatization and chance for success
  • Bi-lingual guides ensure your trip runs smoothly
  • Most favorable client-to-guide ratio in the industry
  • Visit cultural sites around Huaraz
  • Climb Alpamayo, often described as "the most beautiful mountain in the world"
  • Satellite phone access and pulse oximeters on all trips

Full Description

Long considered one of the world's most beautiful mountains, Alpamayo remains one of mountaineering's most coveted summits.

Situated in the "Himalayas of South America," the Cordillera Blanca is much more accessible than its Asian counterpart, yet there are scores of peaks over 19,000 feet. This expedition takes advantage of the rich Peruvian culture and the magnificent alpine terrain to climb the French Route on the Southwest Face of Alpamayo.

After arriving in Lima, we travel by bus to Huaraz (9,500'), at the very foot of the Cordillera Blanca. After spending a day in Huaraz checking and repacking gear, we drive north along the foot of the mountains to the trailhead of the beautiful Quebrada Santa Cruz, passing Huascaran on our way. We trek up the Santa Cruz valley for two days to Quebrada Arhuaycocha, below the rugged and majestic peaks of Taulliraju and Artesonraju. Here we will place our base camp in preparation for our climb of Alpamayo. After a day of rest at base camp, we begin by carrying up to an intermediate camp called "campo moraina" or moraine camp. From moraine camp, we catch a glimpse of the first steep snow climbing between high camp and the col between Alpamayo and Quitaraju. Once established at the col camp, we prepare for our summit bid. In 2009 we will be climbing the French Route to avoid the more objectively hazardous Ferrari Route.

The French Route is characterized by steep snow and ice climbing up to 70 degrees and is a more direct ling to the summit on Alpamayo's SW face. After our summit climb, we carry our equipment back down to base camp, then retrace our route back to Cashapampa, Caraz, Huaraz and finally to Lima where we depart for home. Our trips are fully supported with burros, porters, and cooks. Pack weights are light to ease the adjustment to the altitude, and give us a greater chance for success.

Includes:

  • An AMGA certified or trained alpine guide who also speaks Spanish
  • All ground transportation
  • Hotels, tents, and food while on the mountain
  • All group climbing and camping equipment

Excludes:

  • Food and drinks in towns
  • Personal climbing and camping equipment
  • International air fare
  • Costs of a personal nature
  • Extra hotels or transportation due to illness, injury, or early return

Day by Day Itinerary

Day 1: Arrive in Lima, Peru.
Day 2: Today we travel to the high mountain town of Huaraz (9,500 ft.).
Day 3: In Huaraz, we organize equipment and food for our expedition.
Day 4: Drive to Cashapampa. We begin our trek up the lovely Santa Cruz Valley to camp at Illma Corral.
Day 5: Another splendid day of trekking in the high Andes to reach our base camp for Alpamayo.
Day 6: We hike a load of equipment and supplies to camp 1 (moraine) and return to Base Camp.
Day 7: Today we hike to and stay at camp 1.
Day 8: A rest and acclimatization day at camp 1.
Day 9: We shuttle a supplies to camp 2 (col camp) and return to camp 1.
Day 10: Today we move to camp 2.
Day 11: Summit day on Alpamayo.
Day 12: Extra summit day or rest day.
Day 13: Summit day on Quitaraju or extra summit day on Alpamayo.
Day 14: From the col camp we descend down to base camp.
Day 15: From base camp, we trek down valley to Cashapampa and continue on to Huaraz.
Day 16: Bus ride from Huaraz to Lima.
Day 17: Depart Lima on an evening flight.
Day 18: Arrive in the U.S.

About The Operator:

Southwest Adventure Guides, LLC

Headquarters:

Durango, CO

Established:

January 1989

Southwest Adventure Guides LLC (formerly Southwest Adventures) has been conducting domestic and international trips and courses since 1989. We are not a travel agent. We guide our own trips with our own staff and support networks. Our courses and trips run throughout the year. In the spring and summer months we conduct rock climbing, mountaineering, alpine climbing, backpacking, and mountain biking trips and courses in Southwest Colorado and Southeast Utah, as well as high altitude mountaineering expeditions and courses in Peru, Bolivia, and Alaska.

In the winter months we conduct avalanche courses, backcountry skiing, ice climbing, and winter mountaineering trips in Southwest Colorado, as well as international high altitude climbing and trekking expeditions in Mexico, Ecuador, and Argentina.

In the fall and spring we conduct rock climbing trips and courses in Moab/Castle Valley and Indian Creek, Utah, as well as alpine climbing and backcountry skiing trips and courses in the San Juan Mountains. We also offer custom trips and expeditions to places like the Ruth Gorge in Alaska.

All of our guides undergo extensive training and have many years experience in the discipline in which they work. Additionally, all of our Senior Guides are either American Mountain Guides Association (AMGA) Certified or Trained.

What sets Southwest Adventure Guides apart?

  • Experience: Over the years we have conducted thousands of trips of all shapes and sizes, involving a wide range of activities.
  • Small group sizes: Our trips usually have between two and six people plus one or two guides per trip. The trips are small and very personalized.
  • Guide Certification: Many of our guides are AMGA Certified, and all of our guides have participated in AMGA courses and trainings. This means you will experience the highest level of professional service and technically proficient guide.
  • Leadership: Our guides are experienced professionals that have developed highly effective teaching skills and have unparalleled training and experience. Our Senior Guides also speak the language in the countries in which we operate international expeditions, insuring that your trips runs as smoothly as possible.
  • Pre-trip support: You have access to a small and personal office staff who have actually "been there and done that".
  • Economy: If you're looking for a "tour bus" experience and five star hotels, you might want to look elsewhere. While we can arrange this type of experience for private groups, we believe that a "sanitized " experience isolates you from the culture, and from a rewarding experience.
  • References: We maintain a data base of previous and current clients who can provide references for Southwest Adventure Guides' trips and guides.
  • Strong Domestic Program: We are not an office in a large city, far from the mountains. Our office staff and guides live, train, and work in the mountains every day. We train international mountaineering clients weekly in the San Juan Mountains of Colorado.

What does all this mean?

What all this means to you is that your trip runs smoothly, with a high rate of success, no hassles, the highest possible safety margins and unsurpassed customer service. We know the places we run trips and love the job we do. It's that simple.

Whether you're looking to do a major high altitude climb, learn some new skills, or just have an enjoyable mountain adventure, Southwest Adventure Guides has the experience to pull it together for you.

Policies

Participants should have prior, basic mountaineering experience, glacier travel, and be comfortable climbing ice up to grade WI 3. They should be comfortable with self arrest, walking in crampons, and have multi-pitch ice and rock climbing experience. If you do not possess these skills, or need review, we recommend doing a skills course with us in Colorado prior to your Peru trip.