Region: America - South and Antarctica

Ken Findlay with Kieran O’Sullivan, Brian Swales and Keith Waddell (July-August 2008)

In 2006, Paul Hudson made a solo reconnaissance trip (MEF Ref 06/14) into the Eastern Cordillera Blanca of Peru which proved that there was still much left to explore: as a direct result, this team hoped to make the first ascent of the South ridge of Nevado Copa (6188m) from a base camp at Lago Allicocha, but only reached 5000m.

Late one night while Findlay & Swales were on the mountain, two masked bandits entered BC and attacked the Cook: they slashed his hand and hit him on the head with the butt of a rifle before being disturbed by the other climbers but escaped with a load of money.