6-Day Mountaineering Course Cordillera Blanca

Climbers will depart from Huaraz early in the morning and drive to Yanapaqcha trailhead. Approximately 3 hour hike to base camp. Preliminary skills are the focus of the day, including, introduction to mountaineering and hazard management, equipment use and care, climbing knots and altitude physiology.

Climbers will wake up at 6:30 am and have breakfast. Approximately 30 minute hike up to the ice. Focus on practical skills that includes, walking with crampons, kicking steps/following tracks, using an ice axe to walk and self belay, self arrest, team arrest, rope team travel techniques and snow/ice anchors. At around 4:30 pm descend back to camp for dinner and rest.

Climbers will eat breakfast at 7 am. Class begins at 8 am. Morning spent learning belay systems, equalised anchors and haul systems. After lunch, entire afternoon is spent on the snow practising the important skill of “Crevasse Rescue.” Return to camp by 5:30 pm for dinner and rest.

Climbers will leave campsite at 7:30 am. Head to ice to practice various techniques and scenarios of glacier travel. Climbers will be presented with problems they must solve using the skills they’ve practised and developed over last 2 days. Another crevasse rescue will be performed. Later on, climbers will head to an ice wall to learn a top-rope anchor system for ice climbing. After that, a pre-summit discussion will take place planning the following day’s climbing objective. Dinner will be served at around 5 pm.

Climbers will wake up at 3 am, eat breakfast and gear up. They will head up to the glacier and begin the summit attempt in pre-established rope teams. Depending on snow conditions, weather, and team health/fitness, the summit can be reached in approximately 4-6 hours. Descent will take approximately 3-4 hours. Climbers should be back in camp by mid-afternoon for lunch and rest. Those who wish to continue with skills practice will head back up to the glacier or to a location where instructor can work with anything climber still wishes to learn/practice.

Climbers will eat breakfast at 7:30 am, pack up camp, and hike to the road where transport will be waiting to return them to Huaraz. Upon arrival at the Skyline Adventures base, gear will be unloaded and accounted for. Afterwards, climbers will return to their hotel.