All six climbers joined us for a fourteen-day trip to acclimatize and then climb Nevado Pisco and Nevado Chopicalqui, and Wally, Peter, and Rafael continued on for two more peaks on an eight-day extension. The base for their climbs in the Cordillera Blanca was Huaraz, and located as it is in a valley over 10,000 feet, acclimatization began upon arrival. The team did a few acclimatization hikes, including a scenic hike to Churup Lake and an ascent up to the glacier on Vallunaraju, a beautiful 18,000 foot peak. Once everybody felt well acclimated, the team did some skills practice and then went on to climb Pisco (18,872'). The team's success on the mountain was quite good, with the majority making it to the summit.

      Chopicalqui presented far more difficulties than the preceding summit. To attain high camp, the team was required to work through some complex and challenging terrain on the glacier. After crossing a number of snow bridges and ascending a few sections of steep ice, the climbers put in a camp at over 18,000 feet. The following day they found fantastic conditions and climbed to the 20,847-foot summit.

      Following Chopicalqui, the team took a well-deserved rest day in Huaraz before continuing on to the Ishinca Valley to climb Ishinca and Tocllaraju. The approach to the valley requires a long trek through open fields to base of the mountains. Burros assisted on the trek making the approach hike an enjoyable jaunt through the Peruvian outback.

      After arriving in the valley, the team climbed Ishinca, a pretty little mountain with a pretty little glacier that requires pretty big lungs. The peak towers 18,143 feet above sea level.

      As they climbed Ishinca, the team got better and better views of Toqullaraju and Ranrapalca. The route wanders up through some interesting seracs and up a series of short ice cliffs. It finishes on a 40+ degree slope for a little under two pitches that climbs up to a tight little summit ridge. A short traverse on the summit ridge took the climbers right to the 18,143-foot summit.

      Following Ishinca, the team geared up for Tocllaraju, an absolute jewel of the Andes and the premier peak of the Ishinca Valley. The standard route requires about three pitches of steep snow and ice climbing as well as some exciting glacier travel. The final stretch of climbing is up a 65-degree face that leads directly to the summit, which the team reached at eight in the morning. From there they were treated to phenomenal views of the entire Cordillera Blanca.

      AAI's Peru team had a very successful trip. To celebrate they participated in a South American feast known as a pachimanca. A pachimanca is a meal prepared using a traditional South American cooking technique. A lamb is slaughtered, seasoned and then buried in a hole lined with hot rocks. The result is an excellent meal to top off an excellent trip.

The Second Cordillera Blanca trip of the season ran from July 26th to August 14th and succeeded on all four of its summit goals. Team members were:

• Hans Otto Meyer of Bloomington, Indiana
• Barbara Von Przewoski of Bloomington, Indiana
• Jeffrey Love of Toronto, Ontario