Alpamayo Climber's Log : Climbing, Hiking & Mountaineering : SummitPost

Alpamayo Climber's Log

rdesota - Nov 19, 2023 4:42 pm Date Climbed: Jul 13, 2023

Amazing climb of Alpamayo

One really beautiful climb in nice conditions!

Jake - Jul 21, 2019 11:41 am Date Climbed: Jul 3, 2019

Attempt finished before reaching the col

Attempt finished before reaching the Col (at 5200m) due to the lack of the partner's acclimatisation and time constraints. Maybe in the future...

Darren9 - Aug 22, 2017 11:58 am Date Climbed: Jul 15, 2016

Sierra Mountaineering Club - French Direct

An expedition team organized and supported by Sierra Mountaineering Club out of California climbed this route in July 2016. Two teams of three successfully summited. This is a spectacular mountain and an amazingly aesthetic ice route, well worth the attention it gets.

NatureGirl - Nov 26, 2016 3:06 pm Date Climbed: Aug 21, 2016

French direct

awesome climb, had great conditions. check out my trip report for more.

jmizz - Oct 2, 2016 4:05 pm Date Climbed: Sep 4, 2016

French Direct

Awesome climb. 3 days to High Camp @ 5500 m, left for summit next day at 1 a.m. Reached summit at 8, 7-8 pitches of fun climbing! Fixed anchors at the top of every pitch. Conditions were great even though later in the season.

Matt Lemke - Sep 13, 2016 11:02 pm Date Climbed: Jul 20, 2016

French Direct

Climbed the whole route in the night, summitted 1 hour before sunrise and watched the sunrise on the summit. One of the most memorable sights I have ever seen. A set of fixed lines on the entire route allowed us for a very fast descent!

Josh Lewis - May 24, 2016 3:32 pm Date Climbed: Jul 17, 2014

French Direct - Outstanding Climb/Epic!

The climb alone made going to South America worth it, albeit this might have been my most difficult climb to date. The views were world class, always exciting light on the peaks. We did this climb in 6 days, summited on day 5.

A few factors made this climb more difficult than usual. I was battling sickness, had some tainted water, my water froze (ironically a good thing) which made me very dehydrated, got caught in a white out, partner had to bail due to nearly passing out (he was so gone), and being with an aggressive partner who was not keen on me getting food when I needed it. I pushed myself a bit to make it to the corniced summit. It felt like I was literally inside Dr. Seuss's book "The places you will go" due to going through a dazzling fluting and seeing hanging bulges of snow and ice above. The place was daunting but was absolutely spectacular at the same time. Getting on top with the cold mist roaring by I said "what have I done". At the same time I was excited to make one of my dream peaks. It took so much training and effort to get up. I loved it, but was thrashed and knew I had to get out of here.

The mountain felt as if it was coming down on our descent. Snow kept rushing by. I was starting to get buried. Fear surged, it was way hotter than it was supposed to be. I felt so sick. My partner accidentally dropped his delay devise. After 8 or so rappels we finally get off the face and make our way to camp. After packing up and making a very difficult walk to the col, I pass out again at the rap station. I watched one of my partners rap into a cloud of darkness. It was so beautiful and creepy at the same time. After waking up I threw up. It felt like forever waiting for the team to make it down. Waking up again I threw up some more. "Oh man, this is getting rough" I thought to myself as I look down the bergschrund. After two more raps, the steepness finally eased up enough to down climb the rest...

hunterslee - Feb 15, 2016 7:20 pm Date Climbed: Jun 28, 2015

French Direct to the true summit.

Jan and I had the route to ourselves, thankfully. Fun climb. Had stellar weather and a birds eye view of the range from the main summit. Worth the effort.

SarahThompson - Jul 28, 2015 9:47 am Date Climbed: Jul 21, 2015

French Direct - Toughest climb to date!

A very beautiful and rewarding expedition! Day 1: Trek to base camp with burros. Day 2: Climb to morraine camp. Day 3: Climb to high camp (two technical sections extremely strenuous w/ heavy packs). Day 4: Rest at high camp. Day 5: Summit! Dom, Kylie, Boggy & I had the route to ourselves!! Climbed in 7 long pitches plus tiny summit pitch (2 snow + 5 ice). Day 6: Descend to base camp. Day 7: Hang at base camp waiting for burros. Day 8: Hike out and taxi back to Huaraz.

StargazerLily - Jul 23, 2015 5:08 pm Date Climbed: Jun 22, 2015

French Direct - Only team on summit day

French Direct. Headed up Alpamayo-Guitaraju Col in near white out condition. Prayed for the tent to stay the 1st night when blizzard blowing all night. Reward is we were the single ascent team (my guide Lucio and yours truly) on summit day. Single tent on high camp for two days. 25 people pulled in after our ascent. Ice face was climbable after one day of sunshine and strong wind. 7 pitches (60 meter each) from the base where the crevasse line is. Lots of powder snow falling. Ice condition is good after pitch 3/4. Narrows down to only one climber could pass at last pitch. Summit is tiny. 8 hour ascent. Descent takes less than 2 hours with the last pitch 120 meter long!
It was epic starting from base camp approach. Gaining Alpamayo Guitaraju col itself is a decent climb with large crevasse openings left and right. Ropes were used to gain the col. Long epic rappel down the high col. is my second favorite part outside descending the west face of Alpamayo!

mhauss - Aug 11, 2014 9:52 am Date Climbed: Aug 7, 2014

Stomach Flu

Got the stomach flu while at high camp and had to retreat. Was a struggle to get down while throwing up every half hour. The route seemed quite straightforward...will have to return again another time

squick - Oct 1, 2013 6:19 am Date Climbed: Sep 1, 2013

French Direct

Great climb, perfect weather and only people on the mountain (very late in season) but a real struggle getting over the col. Anchors generally in place but some took a bit of finding.

Planned to climb N face of Quitaraju the day after but overnight snow luckily put us off as a huge avalanche ripped down the face the next morning.

CTHLOY - Sep 22, 2013 10:11 am Date Climbed: Jul 30, 2013

French Direct

The scenery around high camp and the view from the summit was breathtaking, the route was in perfect conditions, not too many people, clear sky - couldn't ask for more!:)
We did it in 9 1/2 pitches, the first 2 were snow, then grippy ice. Every 20m or so were Abalakov anchors available (but check for quality). We had 4 snow pickets and 9 ice screws, and two 70 m half ropes.
Btw, French Direct is now the normal route since a huge summit mushroom is threatening over the Ferrari route.

Vitaliy M. - Aug 31, 2013 11:51 am Date Climbed: Jul 7, 2013

French Direct

Climbed NF of Quitaraju and Alpamayo on the following day. Incredibly fun climb with great views. Very worth doing. My partner and I did not hire burros or porters, so getting over the col with 60lb packs wasn't quite fun.

TR: http://vividrea1ity.blogspot.com/2013/07/french-direct-on-alpamayo-and.html

Humberto - Jul 25, 2013 5:19 pm

Bad weather

We only had 4 days to try and summit, so 24 hrs stuck at Morraine camp put us seriously behind schedule. As soon as the snow stopped we started even though we all knew that conditions were either going to be to unstable or too hard to make a successful climb. Regardless, lots of fun, good exercise, and beautiful views from the Col. Will be back!!!!

alisha - Jun 14, 2013 2:05 pm Date Climbed: Jul 27, 2012

French Direct

Our group hoped to do Quitaraju too, but the snow was deep and fluffy and we were a bit tired. Only one other group on the route. A very fun, worthwhile climb!