Tom Fralich - Jul 20, 2006 11:30 pm Date Climbed: Jul 19, 2006
NW Ridge
Went up to high camp with Adam Jones hoping to climb the West Face, but opted for the NW Ridge due to very high winds on summit morning. It was a fairly long route with some interesting pitches, one being the summit pyramid and the other a 60m section along a rotten, icy cornice just after gaining the ridge. We spent a total of 5 days on the mountain.
Day 1...Hike from Pashpa (3600m) to Ishinca BC (4400m)...about 8 miles
Day 2...Move to High Camp (5100m) in 3.5 hours
Day 3...Storms and bad weather, waiting in High Camp
Day 4...Summit (6032m) in about 7 hours from High Camp, return to BC
Day 5...Hike out to Pashpa
Amazing climb!! Phenominal ice before the sun hits. Didn't actually summit. Got 7 piches up (all consistent WI4) and got very sick from the altitude and had to bail. Not hard to bail from the face as long as you know how to do v-threads.
Nice climb!! Left at 2am and was on top by 8:30. The wait at the first wall can be tough. I got very cold, also watch out for local guides that climb over you and cross ropes. I got my pack stuck trying to climb up. Otherwise it was pretty smooth.
Route Climbed: Northwest Ridge Date Climbed: July 27, 2005
We started several hours after everyone else (last to leave high camp) so we didn't have to wait too long on the way up, but had to wait on the way down. Leaving late made it so the sun was up as we got high on the mountain so it wasn't really cold at all.
Route Climbed: nw ridge Date Climbed: july 27 2005
very beautiful ridge and mountain. the route is quite easy, the steep sections at the top are not very difficult. the biggest problem is waiting for groups to climb it. the wind can make the wait damn cold. we waited for a group of 4 for almost an hour at the bergshrund. a guide had to turn back because he got so cold while waiting.
also, someone stole the trekking pole i stashed near the bergshrund, so be careful with your stuff.
still, a very asthetic route, depsite the crowds and thieves.
Started at 3.30 A.M., summit at 7.30. Excellent snow/ice conditions, perfect weather. Climbed free style (without rope) and thus saved a lot of time. Meet the sun just below the summit - sunrise was indescribable.
Route Climbed: normal route Date Climbed: june/2004
Escalamos la ruta normal en junio de 2004.
Salimos de huaraz en colectivo (40soles) a pasjpa y alli fuimos hasta el campamento base de la quebrada ishinca en burro (5USD un burro+10USD arriero) cada burro carga unos 40Kg.
En 4 horas se llega al C.B. a 4600m.
Del C.B. se tardan entre 2 a 4 horas en llegar al campo 1, segun nuestra forma fisica, a 5100m. Se puede montar el campamento al comienzo de la nieve o 30 minutos mas arriba.
Del C.1 salimos a las 2 am. en 3 horas se alcanza una escalera de aluminio que salva la barrera de seracs y se llega a la arista. Pasamos una primera grieta facil. Mas arriba existe otra grieta mayor, todas las cordadas de aquel dia se dieron la vuelta en la grieta pero nosotros conseguimos superarla por un delgado puente de nieve por su izquierda.
Hicimos cumbre entre las nubes y nos toco descender ya en la noche.
Damos recuerdos al grupo argentino de Toni, Laura y Sergio que nos animo a seguir y al grupo frances que nos ayudo en el descenso al C.B. cuando estabamos sufriendo una fuerte oftalmia.
Del refugio mejor no hacemos comentarios, precios muy caros y falta de ayuda cuando la necesitamos...
Route Climbed: Westface Date Climbed: 6 of august 2003
We satrted at 12`o clock down in the basecamp and reached the summit at 6:30 AM. From the face we didn`t see a lot because we were climbing all the time in the dark. But we just arrived at the summit with the sun and this was the most beautiful I`ve ever seen!
Great intermediate climb in the Cordillera, with just enough challenge. The ice climbing was perfect on the summit pitch...a worthwhile summit particularly if you go for the West Face Direct.
Route Climbed: NW Ridge (normal route, 1939) Date Climbed: August 24, 2003
The hike up to about 5700m is cake, and I bivyed on the lip of the bergschrund, intent on the West Face, but awoke in a whiteout. I cocooned in my bivy sac until 7am, when things hadn´t gotten any better, and went for the normal, NW ridge. The route was easy, with one 60 degree section to bridge the lower schrund, then a lot of circituitious walking, another short 60 degree section to bridge the upper schrund, and then the final 65 degree summit pyramid, which is about 120m. It took me about 4.5 hours from my bivy and back in a whiteout, solo, so I took off and traversed across the granite ridge connecting Toccla and Urus Este. I highly recommend this as a tasty desert after a bunch of snow. It´s just like a mini-version of a Sierra rock traverse, like the Palisade, or Evolution, with spectacular scenery of Ranrapalca, Copa, Aquilpo, and if it hadn´t been cloudy - a lot more. Anyways, back to the subject: this route is easy. Go for the icy West face if you don´t mind a few seracs (no big danger), and the weather is OK. August 2003 in the Blanca has had terrible weather. It was fun, still.
Route Climbed: NW Ridge Date Climbed: 2-3 September
It was a misstake to go to the Camp 1 at the first day. It made the trip one day shorter but a lot harder. But we reached the summit after a six hour climb. Summited with Andy Martinez Diaz, (muchas gracias por ayudarme amigo !!) and we were the only ones at the mountain that day wich made it an special climb. The clouds at the top (10:30 am.) were a bit of a bummer.
Tom Fralich - Jul 20, 2006 11:30 pm Date Climbed: Jul 19, 2006
NW RidgeWent up to high camp with Adam Jones hoping to climb the West Face, but opted for the NW Ridge due to very high winds on summit morning. It was a fairly long route with some interesting pitches, one being the summit pyramid and the other a 60m section along a rotten, icy cornice just after gaining the ridge. We spent a total of 5 days on the mountain.
Day 1...Hike from Pashpa (3600m) to Ishinca BC (4400m)...about 8 miles
Day 2...Move to High Camp (5100m) in 3.5 hours
Day 3...Storms and bad weather, waiting in High Camp
Day 4...Summit (6032m) in about 7 hours from High Camp, return to BC
Day 5...Hike out to Pashpa
iceisnice - Oct 3, 2005 9:31 pm
Route Climbed: West Face Date Climbed: june '05Amazing climb!! Phenominal ice before the sun hits. Didn't actually summit. Got 7 piches up (all consistent WI4) and got very sick from the altitude and had to bail. Not hard to bail from the face as long as you know how to do v-threads.
Peak_Bagger - Sep 9, 2005 4:37 pm
Route Climbed: Normal Date Climbed: July 25 2005Nice climb!! Left at 2am and was on top by 8:30. The wait at the first wall can be tough. I got very cold, also watch out for local guides that climb over you and cross ropes. I got my pack stuck trying to climb up. Otherwise it was pretty smooth.
GlennMerrill - Aug 8, 2005 1:05 am
Route Climbed: Northwest Ridge Date Climbed: July 27, 2005We started several hours after everyone else (last to leave high camp) so we didn't have to wait too long on the way up, but had to wait on the way down. Leaving late made it so the sun was up as we got high on the mountain so it wasn't really cold at all.
laureljarndt - Aug 3, 2005 10:06 am
Route Climbed: Northwest Ridge Date Climbed: July 19, 2005Beautiful day, very warm, no wait at the first ice pitch nor at the Bergschrund, pays to be slow!
althegreek - Jul 28, 2005 8:50 pm
Route Climbed: nw ridge Date Climbed: july 27 2005very beautiful ridge and mountain. the route is quite easy, the steep sections at the top are not very difficult. the biggest problem is waiting for groups to climb it. the wind can make the wait damn cold. we waited for a group of 4 for almost an hour at the bergshrund. a guide had to turn back because he got so cold while waiting.
also, someone stole the trekking pole i stashed near the bergshrund, so be careful with your stuff.
still, a very asthetic route, depsite the crowds and thieves.
corsalinimontaña - Jul 24, 2005 7:30 pm
Route Climbed: Normal Route Date Climbed: july 4th 2005Excellent conditions, although there was traffic at the steep climbing sections. From the morraine camp to the summit we made 4 hours and a half.
alexclimb - Jun 4, 2005 8:48 am
Route Climbed: Nornal Date Climbed: 24 May, 2005Started at 3.30 A.M., summit at 7.30. Excellent snow/ice conditions, perfect weather. Climbed free style (without rope) and thus saved a lot of time. Meet the sun just below the summit - sunrise was indescribable.
silencioso - Aug 17, 2004 1:13 pm
Route Climbed: normal route Date Climbed: june/2004Escalamos la ruta normal en junio de 2004.
Salimos de huaraz en colectivo (40soles) a pasjpa y alli fuimos hasta el campamento base de la quebrada ishinca en burro (5USD un burro+10USD arriero) cada burro carga unos 40Kg.
En 4 horas se llega al C.B. a 4600m.
Del C.B. se tardan entre 2 a 4 horas en llegar al campo 1, segun nuestra forma fisica, a 5100m. Se puede montar el campamento al comienzo de la nieve o 30 minutos mas arriba.
Del C.1 salimos a las 2 am. en 3 horas se alcanza una escalera de aluminio que salva la barrera de seracs y se llega a la arista. Pasamos una primera grieta facil. Mas arriba existe otra grieta mayor, todas las cordadas de aquel dia se dieron la vuelta en la grieta pero nosotros conseguimos superarla por un delgado puente de nieve por su izquierda.
Hicimos cumbre entre las nubes y nos toco descender ya en la noche.
Damos recuerdos al grupo argentino de Toni, Laura y Sergio que nos animo a seguir y al grupo frances que nos ayudo en el descenso al C.B. cuando estabamos sufriendo una fuerte oftalmia.
Del refugio mejor no hacemos comentarios, precios muy caros y falta de ayuda cuando la necesitamos...
risch - Jan 12, 2004 4:08 am
Route Climbed: Westface Date Climbed: 6 of august 2003We satrted at 12`o clock down in the basecamp and reached the summit at 6:30 AM. From the face we didn`t see a lot because we were climbing all the time in the dark. But we just arrived at the summit with the sun and this was the most beautiful I`ve ever seen!
Jim Clarke - Sep 26, 2003 9:51 am
Route Climbed: NW Ridge Date Climbed: 7/3/02Great intermediate climb in the Cordillera, with just enough challenge. The ice climbing was perfect on the summit pitch...a worthwhile summit particularly if you go for the West Face Direct.
hash - Aug 28, 2003 6:17 pm
Route Climbed: NW Ridge (normal route, 1939) Date Climbed: August 24, 2003The hike up to about 5700m is cake, and I bivyed on the lip of the bergschrund, intent on the West Face, but awoke in a whiteout. I cocooned in my bivy sac until 7am, when things hadn´t gotten any better, and went for the normal, NW ridge. The route was easy, with one 60 degree section to bridge the lower schrund, then a lot of circituitious walking, another short 60 degree section to bridge the upper schrund, and then the final 65 degree summit pyramid, which is about 120m. It took me about 4.5 hours from my bivy and back in a whiteout, solo, so I took off and traversed across the granite ridge connecting Toccla and Urus Este. I highly recommend this as a tasty desert after a bunch of snow. It´s just like a mini-version of a Sierra rock traverse, like the Palisade, or Evolution, with spectacular scenery of Ranrapalca, Copa, Aquilpo, and if it hadn´t been cloudy - a lot more. Anyways, back to the subject: this route is easy. Go for the icy West face if you don´t mind a few seracs (no big danger), and the weather is OK. August 2003 in the Blanca has had terrible weather. It was fun, still.
-Barry Hashimoto, Huaraz, Peru
TodoVertical - Dec 4, 2002 1:07 pm
Route Climbed: Wes Face Direct Date Climbed: July 1999In 20 hours non-stop on a beautiful hot summer day together with friend Jesús reached the summit and back to advance camp.
Peppeak - Oct 29, 2002 2:10 am
Route Climbed: NW Ridge Date Climbed: 2-3 SeptemberIt was a misstake to go to the Camp 1 at the first day. It made the trip one day shorter but a lot harder. But we reached the summit after a six hour climb. Summited with Andy Martinez Diaz, (muchas gracias por ayudarme amigo !!) and we were the only ones at the mountain that day wich made it an special climb. The clouds at the top (10:30 am.) were a bit of a bummer.
thomas.schmeidl - Apr 2, 2002 9:29 am
Route Climbed: NW Ridge Date Climbed: August 1997A fine climb - nobody except my friend Armin and me on the mountain that day! Unfortunately we reached the summit in clouds.