Issue 28 September 2005
FEATURESVILCANOTA!by Des Rubens An account of a successful expedition put together by climbers entering (or, less kindly, well into) their "golden years" - golden referring to age rather than climbing ability Myself and Geoff Cohen, long standing climbing partners, were keen to go somewhere to jointly renew a commitment to the big hills. Dave Wilkinson, whom I had last met in Gilgit in 1975, became involved and added his mammoth knowledge of big hills everywhere. Finally, Steve Kennedy became involved. We had two members originating from England and two from Scotland - hence an 'Anglo-Scottish' title to the expedition. However, we weren't sufficiently energetic for funds to materialise from any charitable bodies seeking to promote good relations between the two formerly warring powers! Despite the title, we were all members of the SMC and all active in Scotland over many years.
A brief introduction to the team: Dave's fund of knowledge led us to settle on Peru as a choice of venue, partly as a change from the Indian sub-continent. We could make a relatively short trip, important to those of us with other commitments. The Cordillera Vilcanota, is in South-Eastern Peru about sixty miles from the ancient Inca capital of Cusco. Our main objective was the first ascent from the south of Colque Cruz, 1,6102m. However, there were other possibilities in the area and the range has plenty of scope for pioneering routes of a high-Andean nature. As well as the other Colque Cruz peaks, (numbered one to six), there is the Cayangate group and the Jatunhuma group within easy reach. Getting there: On 10th July, we arrived in Cusco, where we intended to spend two nights. We were met by Angelina, our agent, and were installed in a modest but excellent hotel. At 11,000 feet, Cusco is a stunning city. The centre of Cusco is a world heritage site, but unlike Edinburgh, which has a similar status, free of litter. We acclimatised by wandering around the Spanish streets admiring the Inca remains and enjoying the charm of the city. We topped up on supplies and boned up on local history, much of it gruesome. Apparently not every one was pleased with the arrival of the Spanish in the 16th century. All our arrangements having been made by Angelina, two days later we set off by minibus for the village of Tinqui accompanied by our cook Domingo and his assistant Quintino. These two turned out to be delightful companions who were charmingly solicitious of our welfare. Domingo was sufficiently enterprising to have brought a recipe book with him! We were served an excellent mixture of local and western food for the duration of the trip. Tinqui lies on the road across the western Andes connecting Cusco with the Amazon basin. This road is terrible. After some miles of good tarmac, the road veers off and reduces to a largely bumpy mud track. However, on the first of two high passes, we stopped and obtained a wide screen view of our objectives. Unlike the approaches to the Himalaya, where peaks are secluded by mammoth gorges, these Andean peaks rise abruptly above the Altiplano, a high level plateau, grazed by lamas and alpaca, with some basic agriculture thrown in for good measure. We observed the highest peak, Ausangate, with the Cayangate group behind and the Colque Cruz group furthest to the left. A few hours later we arrived in Tinqui, a largely mud built one-lama town with curs lying in the dust and even less to offer than Aviemore in the way of evening entertainment. We put up in a local hostel. The next morning the arrieros (horsemen) arrived. I have to regretfully admit that we required nine horses to carry all our gear for our three week stay in basecamp. Comparing notes on a similarly sized trip to India in 1977, I noted that barely two nags had been needed then. On the other hand, I have never enjoyed such luxury on a trip - perhaps it could be regarded as necessary respite care for the elderly. An example of this unusual service was the hot water supplied with the wake up call. It was only after enquiries that we realised that it was provided for washing! Peching our way up the first incline, it was not long before we were passed by our pack train. However, we enjoyed crystal clear views of Andean giants, with a foreground of herds of placidly moving alpacas. Picturesque, if poor, hamlets and villages were passed. Colourful Indian ladies in lampshade hats tended fields of laboriously turned earth. As a teacher, I was pleased to note the existence of a primary school, although it was not clear if attendance was compulsory. As we gained height, the hamlets gave way to sheiling like structures. With the vibrant colours, the wide horizons and the transparent atmosphere, it was rather like being in a National Geographic article. We camped at dusk, the tents being quickly erected by our arrieros. On the following day, we reached a col where the scenery changed as the mountains closed in about us. We descended towards a dramatic narrow valley, filled with lakes, one of which was azure blue. On the far side of the valley, the Colque Cruz group dominated. After another couple of hours we reached base camp, an idyllic small bowl of well-grazed pasture surrounded by some fine bouldering. We were at 4600 metres. Base camp was a pleasant place, generally providing decent sun-bathing during the day and hard frosts and brilliant skies at night. Tea and biscuits were to hand to alleviate muscles tired from acclimatising forays. We were content to be in a fine setting with spectacular peaks surrounding us. Base camp would have been even more idyllic were it not for the surprise presence of some friendly Slovenian mountaineers. We struck up conversation that evening, aided by a precious bottle of (our) Glenlivet. It turned out that they were leaving shortly and had not done any of our considered objectives. In fact, they had had a lot of unseasonable snow that had slowed their pace considerably. This was to have repercussions for us later.
First Blood: Although technically the Colque Cruz face appeared within our capabilities, it was clearly unclimbable, and dangerous, in these conditions. We turned our attention to Ichu Ananta, immediately accessible and beckoning us from the col. This peak gave a fine climb. The material was better on these north facing slopes. We moved together along some pleasantly spectacular ground, with fine short icy steps, delicate traverses, and a few holes thrown in for good measure to the summit, which we reached at about 4pm. This gave fine views of the peaks surrounding us, including a condor's eye view of the faces of Colque Cruz itself. There was our own original objective and to its left a much steeper but rather horrendous fluted face. However, we were much pleased to gain a first ascent and although our mountain was not technically very difficult, it was a fine peak with challenging approaches.
The Main Event: Steve and I climbed the approaches and the rocky part of the spur enduring some tedium but without technical difficulty, leaving a few cairns to aid routefinding on our return. We were fortunate to find a good bivvy not long after the beginning of the icy section of the ridge. A beautiful sunset and a good night's sleep was enjoyed in our exposed situation. Next morning, we roped up almost immediately and began with Steve traversing under the intimidating mushrooms of the icy ridge proper. The climbing was demanding and time consuming, being mixed and with unconsolidated snow. After about 60 metres, a route beckoned to the skyline and I decided to head for it. The ice was good and bypassing a threatening overhang without difficulty I led onto the exposed crest. There was only one line, which was along the well-defined ridge itself. Here we were able to swing our curvy modern tools with gusto. Another two long pitches of beautiful, steep, exposed but not too difficult climbing lead to a short levelling off. I crossed over to the south side to a fine, if chilly, lunching spot, overhung by a honeycombed icy cornice. The views over to our first foray on Ichu Ananta and down onto the deeply crevassed glaciers were outstanding. We were now on the level part of the crest leading to an intimidating looking icewall breached only by an icy chimney. The ridge here took on a fantastical form with gigantic snow mushrooms, through routes, massive icicles and bottomless voids. We were forced onto the south side of the crest where the snow was horrendous. Progress slowed dramatically. Initially Steve found a route down a short icy chimney and ploughed along just below the crest. This all took some time. My pitch ascended more steep unconsolidated horrors but eventually, with relief, struck more solid ground. This lead to the final obstacle on the ridge, the bottomless icy chimney that had been spotted days before as a possible route onto the easier angled ground above. So it proved, but it was a struggle with wide bridging and good ice giving way to several feet of truly dreadful snow before floundering over the top and panting for some minutes in the thin air. The crux of the route had been overcome. We estimated these two difficult pitches at a maybe soft touch Scottish Grade 5. Although the ridge was now broad and exposed to the sun, disappointingly, the snow was as bad as ever. Steve, heroically floundering up to his waist, led up to below a rise, just left of the prominent crevasse seen from base camp. Here we called it a day. The top of the ridge was not clearly defined and our decision to descend was arbitrary. Had the snow been good, we would have continued for another hour or so, but both on level ground and on the south side of the ridge, it was, without exception, very deep and unconsolidated. Unfortunately the clouds had been drifting across for a while and we had no views. Retreat went in text book fashion, abseiling off Abalakov threads and, for the descent of the icy chimney, our only snow stake proved its usefulness. Next day, we descended the rocks in gently falling snow, our only day when the weather seemed threatening. Meanwhile, Dave and Geoff had made the first ascent of Ninaparaco, the eastern subsidiary of Jatunhama 1 and at 5930 metres the highest point climbed by the expedition. On the summit day, an initial problem with a detached glacier shelf, unseen from below, caused delay, leading to a subsequent benightment. The route itself, on the north face of the peak gave challenging route finding and climbing up to severe on rock and Grade 3 ice. The pair had inspected the face closely in order to hit the summit ridge at the summit point in order to avoid any climbing on the adjacent convoluted ridge. The route was also serious, being overhung by seracs for part of the ascent. However, there was no thought of retreat and the narrow summit was gained at 4pm. Although they made rapid progress on descent, nightfall caught them out still on difficult ground and they endured a chilly night out. A mere detail to men of such calibre. We eventually gathered together at base camp, although Geoff and Dave were delayed a day or so by the unplanned bivvy. This aroused touching feelings of concern from Domingo and Quintino, who would regularly climb to the nearest viewpoint and anxiously scan the distant rubble for a sighting of the errant pair. Meanwhile, Steve and I indulged ourselves in an orgy of tea drinking and idleness with the occasional thought: "Geoff on descent = unplanned bivvy". Our most carefree day was on one of the final days before the arrieros returned. Steve and I climbed a minor subsidiary of Cayangate 1. Lightly laden, relatively well-acclimatised and on a cloudlessly transparent day we made rapid progress up via a small coire and rubble strewn ridges to a tiny glacier and a final pinnacle. The pinnacle we deemed too serious to attempt in our lightly equipped state but we enjoyed wonderful views of the entire Colque Cruz range, while in the distance the Altiplano undulated in khaki coloured waves to the icy triangle of Salcantay in the Vilcabamba. A few days later, we enjoyed a riotous farewell with the arrieros in Tinqui. Despite the lack of beershops, Steve, being from the west of Scotland, was able to activate his genetically based alcohol seeking homing device to procure additional supplies by pounding on the doors of the homes of the slumbering locals. Rather than this behaviour leading to violence, as might be an outcome in our own homeland, a civilised exchange of money and beer was achieved and the success of the evening assured. When we parted from the arrieros in the early hours, sufficient bonding had taken place for tears to be shed on both sides. A day later, we were also sad to be parted from Domingo and Quintino who had served us so well. In conclusion, what a great trip!
Acknowledgements:
Information: All our arrangements (internal flights, transport, food, accommodation) in Peru were competently made through Angelina Laiso (email: operaciones@aventuraquechua.com). Any other information can be gained from the expedition report, a copy of which is lodged with the MCS. |
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