Region: America - South and Antartica

Stephen Reid with Mike Cocker and Jonathan Preston (June-July 2007)

The main aim of this team was to explore the little visited Cordillera Carabaya of Peru (which lies SE of the Cordillera Vilcanota, not far from the Bolivian border) and make the first ascent of the S Ridge/Face of Chichicapac (5564m), the second highest peak in the area. The journey to their base camp at the western end of Laguna Chambine was something of an epic, but once there, they set to work to explore and acclimatise, first by climbing an apparently virgin rock tower (5200m) which they named Fiesta Peak. Although initially encouraging in appearance, a reconnaissance of the South face of Chichicapac revealed that much of it was threatened by cornices and séracs, making it too dangerous to attempt. However, they were able to make the first ascent of its North Ridge (D), and also the first ascents of Mamacapac (c5450m, PD) and the South Ridge of Cornice (5660m) (D). On return to ‘civilisation’ they discovered that there were riots in full swing, and they therefore adopted a low profile until, with immense sighs of relief, they were able to board their homeward-bound flight.