Climbing Alpamayo 2023

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After several easy acclimatization routes (new in my Peruvian collection) and easy climbs in the Cordillera Blanca, the first "main" route of the season - Nevado Alpamayo, has been realized perfectly comfortably.

 
View of the Most Beautiful Mountain of the World – Nevado Alpamayo from the neighboring Nevado Kitaraju

With each time climbing Mount Alpamayo, my tactics and technique of climbing this mountain becomes more refined. The details of the route, preparation and acclimatization options, expedition organization are being worked out.

At the Mount Alpamayo base camp

However, in this publication, I just want to share with you the impressions of the last climb pf the mountain that can be called "Really the Most Beautiful". Moreover, the impressions are the freshest, since less than a week has passed since our ascent to the top of Alpamayo!

Night view of Nevado Alpamayo from the High camp 5500 m

So! The first ascent of Nevado Alpamayo in the season 2023 was more than successful. The chosen acclimatization format made it possible to prepare in 5 days from the sea level for an ascent of almost 6000 m and to climb the route without additional risks and problems associated with a lack of acclimatization.

Snow openwork decoration of the Nevado Alpamayo summit

The peculiarity of the winter season 2023 (June - August is winter in Peru) is consistently clear and dry weather, with minimal rainfall.

Sunset play of light on the ridges of the Cordillera Blanca

This climatic feature of this season led to active snow melting, which in turn created new, uncharacteristic for the area, risks and climbing features.

Our Morena camp and Laguna Aruaycocha at the foot of Nevado Alpamayo, with a glacier collapsing into the lake at the top of the photo

The Cordillera Blanca area is mainly snow and ice routes. Most of the approaches to the alpine routes are connected with the crossing of mighty glaciers.

Sunset panorama of the Cordillera Blanca from the Alpamayo – Kitaraju pass

This season, the level of snow cover has been critically reduced. New, deep and difficult to cross crevasses got appeared on many routes and approaches.

Huge crevasse at the base of the Nevado Tocllaraju summit dome - expanding, at least 100 m deep

Perhaps, it is that with the crevasses and the dubious quality of the remaining bridges the main difficulty and danger of climbing the Cordillera Blanca in this season is associated.

On the approaches to the ice pass Alpamayo - Kitaraju

On our acclimatization route to Tocllaraju, a giant crevasse opened up at the base of the summit dome. The second crevasse on Tocllaraju opened at 6100, just below the summit.

Nevado Kitaraju, northwest face. The photo shows all the current features of the route

On the approach to the Alpamayo-Kitaraju pass, several very unpleasant glacier ruptures also opened up, some groups of the climbers did not dare to cross the tricky bridges (a group from Ecuador turned back in front of us, they said that they could not cross the huge crevasse). On Nevado Huascaran, the route was temporary closed after the death of a guide who fell into crevasse with a bridge and his rope.

Climbing the Alpamayo – Kitaraju Pass

In general, in such a situation with crevasses, it is likely that the Nepalese tradition of using portable ladders for crossing the crevasses will soon migrate to Peru for the transition of the commercial groups.

Incredible snow sculptures of Nevado Alpamayo neighboring peaks

But, at the moment, there is nothing like that, and the crevasse crossing can be organized with the use of a stationary belay and all the risks involved.

View of Nevado Huascaran from the Nevado Alpamayo route

The climbing route to Nevado Alpamayo in this season is good in conditions. Due to the lack of snow, the only difficulty of the route is to access to the face via two very unpleasant bergschrunds.

Nevado Alpamayo climbing route

However, once on the wall, the further route to the top is pleasant and relatively easy (especially if you have refreshed your ice climbing skills on my Norwegian training program and feel confident on the 70-80 degree ice).

On the Nevado Alpamayo climbing route. The first half of the face is more gentle, closer to the top the slope becomes steeper

The profile of the wall is smooth, without any "crux sections". However, it is necessary to make a correction - this "simple" route runs at the altitudes close to 6000 m and certainly requires good ice climbing skills, adequate physical condition and properly selected equipment.

The lower, most difficult bergschrund at the foot of the Nevado Alpamayo West Face

Usually, belay on the Nevado Alpamayo route is organized using the snow stakes - this is one of the specific features of the route. However, in the season 2023 there is an unusually large amount of pure ice on the route, which is convenient for belaying on the ice screws and organizing “Abalakov sling”.

Belay station on the Nevado Alpamayo route. Many slings...but no trust in any of them!

Definitely, there is some faults in all this splendor. Three large snow “mushrooms” hang over the route line, which, under the normal conditions, seem to be stable....

They look so compact and inoffensive.... Just look at the following photo

Local guides predict their fall after the onset of the seasonal snowfalls. However, remembering all the previous Nevado Alpamayo accidents, it is uncomfortable to feel the presence of an imminent danger from which it is impossible to hide or escape on this route.

On the left - the middle mushroom from the previous photo - its height is about 15 m

In any case, concluding this short report, it is necessary to pay tribute - without any doubt, Nevado Alpamayo fully deserves its honorary title of the Most Beautiful Mountain in the World.

This is an absolute classic. A few moments at sunset when the western face of Nevado Alpamayo reflects all the colors of the sunset. Incredible and unforgettable sight

You can argue as much as you like that all the mountains are beautiful and there cannot be the most beautiful. However, it is enough, at least, once, to get in the "zone of attraction" of Nevado Alpamayo - and there will be left no doubts.

Nevado Alpamayo West Face view from the very foot. The scale is incomprehensible even in the presence of the two climbers in the left side of the frame

This mountain has a very special, solemnly elevated atmosphere, some kind of inexplicable noble grandeur. And the feeling of the climbing of Nevado Alpamayo is a very special emotion.

On the snow summit of Nevado Alpamayo. Usually there is no access to the main summit from the 'French Route'. But in this season, a wide snow bridge has been blown up and you can risk to walk 70 m more along the exposed ridge to reaching the Main summit of Nevado Alpamayo!

Our next climb of Nevado Alpamayo is planned in a week, so I am sure that I will return to this topic more than once - including from a more specialized point of view - regarding preparation, acclimatization and selection of the equipment.

On the summit of Nevado Alpamayo - The Most Beautiful Mountain in the World

In the meantime - just enjoy incredible photos from one of the most beautiful alpine ascents - the climbing route to the summit of Nevado Alpamayo!

I couldn't resist - my traditional summit handstand was duplicated at the foot of the mountain!

At the summit, exposing the upper body was not as easy as at the bottom - a strong icy wind was blowing.

Paramount Pictures logo - Artesonraju and Venus

Sunset colors of Santa Cruz Gorge

Fantastic sky of the Southern Hemisphere

The author of the text and photos - Alex Trubachev
Your mountaineering and rockclimbing guide in Argentina, Peru and Bolivia

MCS EDIT 2023