Alpamayo

Our first expedition to climb Alpamayo was in July 2002 and was successful, with all team members reaching the summit. We returned to the mountain in 2003 where members got near to the summit, but had to turn back because of recent serac debris. Some of the team climbed nearby Quitaraju (6,040m) as a fine consolation prize.

In 2004, all members summited on both Ishinca and Alpamayo with expedition leader, Alun Richardson

In 2005, the serac on Alpamayo was unstable once again and our team climbed Quitaraju. They described the 600m route up the face as being 50 degree ice and "the best mountaineering route they had ever done".

In 2006, all members climbed Alpamayo, noting that other teams were jumaring fixed ropes (our team climbed the route 'alpine style'). We visited Peru earlier in the season in 2007, when there were fewer teams on Alpamayo. Andy Chapman's group opted for the French Direct route to the right of the Ferrari, as the unstable serac/cornice was back again. They climbed 10 pitches to summit on 1 July.

In 2008, all 10 members of Dave Walsh's team summited via the French Direct route on our most successful expedition to date. They reported that the mountain was busy, and that icefall was a problem. However, the day following their climb, there was hardly anyone on the route.

In 2009, all 5 members of Paul Moores' team summited.

Click to read details of the Alpamayo expedition.

Team Member Reports

• Alpamayo 2003
  "On the day that I arrived in Lima, the capital of Peru, the front page of the local paper was headlined " 8 Alpinists die in an Avalanche on Mount Alpamayo". This was the major mountain I had flown to Peru to climb. Eight people had..."
  report added 30th Aug 2003 by Ian Arthur

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