Team Summits Chopicalqui

First, a quick apology that this dispatch did not go up sooner. While we left the mountains two days ago, we have been keeping a hectic schedule of eating huge meals, drinking coffee, sleeping plenty, and celebrating our climbs of Pisco and Chopicalqui. Chopicalqui was a difficult climb, and only 2 of us (Tom and Adrian) stood on its true summit. But it was a proud day regardless. 3 more of our team (Vijay, Andrew, and Jaime) were stopped only 150 meters below the summit when a key snow bridge across a crevasse collapsed. The crevasse took its toll on the summit team as well; Tom fell into it on the way back down the peak!

But despite this difficulty, the climbing was superb. In seven years of guiding groups on the peak, we have never seen it nearly as direct or steep. The route took on the ridge and all its obstacles, climbing through regular seracs and short 70 degree snow and ice walls. It was the perfect challenge for our strong group after its climb of Pisco. And all of us on the mountain reveled in incredible views of the night’s full moon to the west, combined with a cloudless sunrise to the east.

Thank-you to our teammates- Andrew, Amit, Vijay, and Tom – for a great first trip of the Peru season!
-Jaime A. & Adrian B.