Home > Trip Reports > Feb 20, 2016, Vallunaraju, Peru, 18655 feet

Feb 20, 2016, Vallunaraju, Peru, 18655 feet

2/20/16
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Posted by Dr. Pow on 2/22/16 2:51am
I am traveling central/South America in lieu of ski season in the northwest. Poor me. I have been living vicariously through TAY and CC since Nov. Great reports by the way. I walked into climbing shop in Huaraz, Peru, and saw some rusty touring skis with silverettas hiding in the back. Lucky for me they had some Tlt 4s kicking around! The shop was nice enough to let me haul them up Vallunaraju on the 20th. The approach was straight forward, but steep. I acclimatized for one week prior. No sickness but tired easily. We were at the summit by 6am for sunrise. The sun wouldn't hit the west aspects for a few hours but who gives a shit, i was skiing! Consistent carvable corn to 5000m where the moraine turned to fingers of ice. Descent was muy rapido. Back at camp by 7:15am, drinking coca tea with pisco by 7:30. Might do another summit bid this week, either Vallunaraju or pisco. The 6000m peaks are not in commission until May or June. I'll have to return for Alpamayo and huascaran..

Photos here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/18868349698/permalink/10153940479829699/
Awesome, thanks for the random post from distant lands!
I love the pictures and the story about the ski find.
How's the climbing season overall down there? When is the usual ski mountaineering season? (I'm guessing you found pretty late-season conditions?)

I wonder if those are the same bright pink (?) skis that I borrowed to ski Pisco back in 2008?  Enjoy the Cordillera Blanca--it's an amazing place, even though the minibuses were terrifying.

These skis were yellow.. Long approach to Pisco, strong work! I was looking at it yesterday. Just got back from a 7 day alpamayo yoyo circuit in the rain. Beauty!

Oh. And there was a collectivo upside down 30m below the road on the way out of huascaran. Scary shit. Same van I was riding in.

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feb-20-2016-vallunaraju-peru-18655-feet
Dr. Pow
2016-02-22 10:51:22