UKC

From my understand and research it seems that the best weather for alpine climbing in Peru is June-August. I have looked at some rainfall graphs and these seems to be the months with least rainfall and with the coldest temperatures.

How does this translate to conditions in the mountains over a season in Peru? Does going early in the season (ie June) give any greater chance of finding good ice or is it best to go later and wait until conditions have settled after the wet season?

Any advice from anyone who has been would be great.

In reply to Matt_b:

Haven't a clue but i'm very interested in this one as well!

So, er... bump!

In reply to Matt_b:

I'm also planning on Peru next June and wondering about the conditions, particularly as there is currently a LaNina in progress and causing some strange weather. Apparently the last wet season (Oct-Mar) was not so wet and so this past Blanca season was relatively dry (on top of the gradual deglaciation etc noted elsewhere). What this may mean for next season I have no idea.

There is some useful info on the SA Forum at Summitpost.com, particularly this second page:
http://www.summitpost.org/phpBB3/south-america-50.html

I would be interested to hear more first-hand reports from anyone who was there this year. And would they agree that in June north and east-facing routes are best? This would seem to rule against a few classics

Are the photos in Brad Johnson's book really well out of date? I know that a big avo took off part of Artesonraju S face etc, but anything else?

We're planning to do the Inca Trail in mid-late May to start acclimatising, then spend all of June climbing in the Blanca. I spent 6 wks climbing in Bolivia some years ago and it was great, but I'd prefer not to go there again, if Peru is not in the best nick.

D

In reply to Damo:

I live in Peru and have been on mountaineering holidays in various bits of the Peruvian Andes (Cordillera Blanca, Huayhash and Central) throuh the "season" (and beyond) over the past three years.

The weather/snow has been unsettled this year but it hasn't stopped people from doing good stuff.

The Brad Johnson guide is great but route conditions will depend on the weather each season. We attempted the SE ridge of Chopicalqui intending to descend by the normal route in July this year. There was NO snow on the slopes to the right of the SE ridge, none, just bare loose rock slabs. We turned back at 5500m in a large part due to a lack of snow and deteriorating ridge line.

I'll put this thread in the direction of my climbing partner here. He's a geography teacher and this kind of question is right up his street!

In reply to Matt_b:
Also interested in this thread as going to be there July/Aug.

Damian

Hi Y'all

I live in Lima too and climb with Ben, (or Kammon?!! He was referring to the East Face of Chopi. The 2009 season was a really big snow year and an avalanche stripped the face late on, and the following season (into 2010) was very dry so no renewal. However, good route choices and not just bee lining for the potentially out of date pics in the Johnstone guide can get some great product. The southern end of the range is hardly mentioned in any guide and there is much to do. Big stuff is changing and serac and minor ice fall has claimed quite a few lives recently, of people who knew what they were doing and just got very unlucky. Some were on lines and routes that I have done and would consider safe (e.g. West face of Toclaraju). It does give pause for thought.

May is often the start of the season, and with more snow. South Faces can snap into condition reasonably quickly. North Facing routes are getting more and more dessicated, but things like Quitaraju and Ranrapalca (NEFace) are still doable for much of the season. Artesonraju SE face got stripped then reformed quite quickly again. Not sure on the state at the end of this year. Things do get climbed throughout the year, just that the weather craps out more after September time.

I may well be looking for partners in late July into the 1st week of August. I have three weeks holiday and no partners fixed as yet.

cheers

Alex

In reply to Alex Shipp:

Thanks guys, will have to see how the next few months unfold.

West face of Toclaraju is one route I had in mind, as was east face of Chopicalqi. But I had also looked at the southern end, Caullaraju in particular, and Huantsan. I found some recent (2007?) images of the southern side of the col between Chinchey and Pucaranra and it looked like total death, and not in a way that would be fixed anytime soon. Not sure of the north side from the Honda.

D