Mountain Quickie
- Height: 20,840 feet (6,350 meters)
- Normal route: Southwest Ridge
- Grade [0]: AD-
- Elevation gain: 1,550 meters from moraine camp
- Time: 1-2 days from moraine camp to summit and back
- Equipment: crampons, 2 axes, rope, pickets
Overview
The mammoth Chopicalqui is one of the Cordillera's most striking peaks. It offers a challenging ascent requiring intermediate level alpine skills, and an excellent opportunity for climbers who want to make an ascent to high altitude. Chopicalqui is the fourth highest mountain in the Cordillera Blanca.
It is located immediately northeast of Peru's highest mountain, Huascaran. It offers superb views of the two Huascaran peaks, the Huandoy group, and Chacraraju, all of which are close at hand. The southwest ridge is a moderate snow climb, but deep snow or bad weather could spoil chances of success.
On portions of the climb, two ice tools for steep sections. but perhaps the main challenge of Chopicalqui is the occasional deep snow which is often found on this side of the peak. This is an aerobic challenge and can be quite a difficult one. Be fit!
Approach and Camps
The approach to this mountain is similar to Pisco [0]. From Huaraz [0] take a collectivo to Yungay (1.5hr). In Yungay find a shuttle to Pisco base camp in Llanganuco valley (Quebrada Llanganuco). Make sure that you go 10km behind the second lake at the first hairpin-curve (tourist buses usually only go to the first lake!). It will 5km past marker 77km and the curve, on the curve near the Kinzl Glacier.
Dropoff (elevation: 4200m)
Walk up through the trees, following the trail up the narrow valley between the mountain on the left and moraine of the glacier on the right. Follow to meadow (20 minutes) where the Chopicalqui base camp is located.
Base camp (elevation: 4300m)
From base camp, follow the trail up onto the crest of the moraine ridge on the W side of the meadow. Then follow that crest (stay on the trail following cairns) for 1/2 km before dropping down onto the boulder covered Kinzl Glacier and to the other side to the foot of the moraine on the far side. Climb onto this steeper moraine ridge, rising southwards. Stay on the ridge crest on a good path, then loose boulders, all the way to moraine camp, located below a large cliff, before you get to the snow-covered glacier above. 3-5 hrs from the road.
Moraine camp (elevation: 4800-4900m)
Water may be tough to find in the moraine camp.
Route - Southwest Ridge
From the moraine camp, scramble up the rock slabs to reach the right side of the glacier. Ascend toward the rocky buttress (it should be on your right-hand side), but not too close because of rockfall. Head generally east under a big (and loose) rock wall and watch out for crevasses. Climb up snow slopes (30 degrees) to to small col at the end of the southwest ridge. Possible camping spots here just below the col (5600m, 4 hrs from moraine camp).
Above this on the route, there will be the odd pitch here and there of steep, belayed climbing. From the col, avoid seracs and crevasses and gain the southwest ridge. Watch for windslab avalanches and the snow can be very deep. Also watch for hidden crevasses. Climb the 40-50 degree sloes to the summit shoulder.
From this flat spot (6200m), climb the easy 45-degree slop to a large crevasse. Some years, a very steep 10m ice wall must be climbed quite close to the summit. In 2004, it was possible to easily go around this wall, but in recent past years, that has not been the case. Surmount this 80-degree ice, past seracs on the left and then climb the 55-degree exposed ridge to the summit (5-7 hrs from col camp).
Descent on the same route (2-4 hrs to moraine camp).