Ishinca Valley Expedition,

Located in the Northern Andes, the Cordillera Blanca of Peru is one the world’s foremost mountaineering arenas. The breathtaking pyramids of snow and ice that make up ‘The Blanca,’ as it’s respectfully referred to, soar up to 22,200′ and contain more than 30 peaks over 18,000′ tall. Due to the fact that these grandiose mountains are so easy to access, our expeditions to this region enjoy more time climbing in the alpine zone and learning mountaineering skills and less time on the approach to base camp. We will aim to climb Urus (~17,900′), Ishinca (~18,200′) Tocllaraju (~20,000′) and possibly Ranrapalca (~20,000′). The ultimate goal of the expedition will be for students to lead the summit bids on these glaciated peaks and to learn the skills needed to lead similar expeditions on their own after the expedition. This course starts in the beautiful mountain town of Huaraz (~10,000′) where we will stay in a family-run bed and breakfast called Familia Meza. We will spend the first three days organizing food and gear, acclimatizing, and preparing for the mountains. After a half day of driving and a half day of hiking, we will arrive at our base camp at about 14,300′ in the Ishinca Valley.
Certificates of Completion Available:
Avalanche Field Course
Companion Rescue
LNT Trainer (optional)
SIET Advanced Mountaineering Course Diploma
College Credit: 3-5 (Contact us for details)

PLEASE NOTE: PREREQUISITES APPLY TO THIS ADVANCED MOUNTAINEERING COURSE, SEE OUR WEBSITE FOR MORE DETAILS

Highlights include:
High altitude climbing up to ~20,000′
Rescue skills for professional mountain guides (rock, ice, avalanche, and crevasse rescue)
Avalanche terrain and snowpack assessment
Snow and alpine-ice climbing
Leadership skills for aspiring mountain guides/outdoor educators

English