In 1969, I climbed Nevado Huascarán, Peru's highest at 22,205' with Gene and Betsy White, Mark Bostwick, and John Larson. It was a 22 day trip into the Quebrada Quilcayhuampa Valley and Cordillera Blanca.
At 22,205' on the summit of Huascarán: Ray, Betsy, Mark, John, and Gene. Photo by John Larson.
High up on Nevado Huascarán, we're looking over the mountain's backside to the cloud-covered Amazon.
Prelude
On the lower part of the glacier, where the crevasses are open and easily avoided, no climbing rope needed.
Background: bouldering in Colorado before the trip. I was an aerospace engineer but spent most of my off-work hours climbing. (I dug this photo out of my collection because of the red long-johns.)
Hanging in a butt-bag on Canary Pass, Eldorado. This was in winter, hence the red long-johns.
Same location, different day, and taken from a different angle.
Part 1: the Quebrada Quilcayhuampa
A clean-shaven engineer goes to Peru.
Loading our bus in Lima. The bus was crammed and it was a wonder we didn't lose anything off the top.
Sunday market in Huaraz.
Typical shop selling coca leaves, legally. The white powder is "ilucta," used to soften the leaves. It's said that chewing coca in most SA indigenous communities is like drinking wine in France or beer in Germany. I didn't try it.
On the way up to basecamp: this mule is apparently not used to creek crossings, it is afraid of the fast flowing water.
After a day's hiking into the Quebrada Quilcayhuanca, from Huaraz, we reach our basecamp at 13,600'.
John
We begin acclimatization to altitude with our first jaunt. This was first time above 15,000' for some of us.
The view is outstanding! And the clatter of the icefall is incessant.
Mark climbs onto the Chinchey glacier.
Camp at 16,300
The Chinchey glacier.
Gene, Betsy and John traverse the expansive glacier under the watchful eye of a UFO. (Just a blemish in the 35 ml transparency, I'm sure.)
Barb Euser, Gene, Betsy, and Mark.
18,000' our high-point above the glacier.
The following morning we noticed the hairline crack running under the tent had widened to 3/4". Time to move!
Mark strolls out of the Quilcayhuanca, headed back to town.
