Alpamayo (possibly from

Quechua Quechua may refer to: *Quechua people, several indigenous ethnic groups in South America, especially in Peru *Quechuan languages, a Native South American language family spoken primarily in the Andes, derived from a common ancestral language **So ...

''allpa'' earth, ''mayu'' river, "earth river") or Shuyturaju (possibly from Ancash Quechua ''huytu, shuytu'' oblong, slim and long,

''rahu'' snow, ice, mountain covered in snow) is one of the most conspicuous peaks in the

Cordillera Blanca The Cordillera Blanca (Spanish for "white range") is a mountain range in Peru that is part of the larger Andes range and extends for between 8°08' and 9°58'S and 77°00' and 77°52'W, in a northwesterly direction. It includes several peaks ove ...

of the

Peru , image_flag = Flag of Peru.svg , image_coat = Escudo nacional del Perú.svg , other_symbol = Great Seal of the State , other_symbol_type = National seal , national_motto = "Firm and Happy f ...

vian

Andes The Andes, Andes Mountains or Andean Mountains (; ) are the longest continental mountain range in the world, forming a continuous highland along the western edge of South America. The range is long, wide (widest between 18°S – 20°S ...

. Alpamayo Creek originates northwest of it. The Alpamayo lies next to the slightly higher

Quitaraju Quitaraju or Kitaraju (possibly from Ancash Quechua ''kita'' dam, Quechua ''rahu'' snow, ice) is a mountain in the Cordillera Blanca in the Andes of Peru, about high. It is situated in the Ancash Region, Huaylas Province, Santa Cruz District. ...

. In July 1966, the German magazine ''"Alpinismus"'', published a photo of Alpamayo taken by American photographer Leigh Ortenburger accompanied by an article on a survey among mountaineering experts, who chose Alpamayo as "The Most Beautiful Mountain in the World".

Climbing history and routes

Most popular routes start from the village of Caraz, on the north of the Cordillera Blanca. A French-Belgian expedition including George and

Claude Kogan Claude Kogan (1919–1959) was a pioneering French mountaineer who, after climbing a number of peaks in South America, turned to the Himalayas. After notable feats such as the first ascent of Nun (7,135 m (23,409 ft)), she died in October ...

claimed to have made the first ascent in 1951. After studying the photos in George Kogan's book ''The Ascent of Alpamayo'', the German team of G. Hauser, F. Knauss, B. Huhn & H. Wiedmann came to the conclusion that the 1951 team did not reach the actual summit, thereby making their ascent via the north ridge in 1957 the first. The most common climbing route, known as the Ferrari route, is situated on the southwest face of the mountain. It was opened in 1975 by a group of Italian alpinists led by Casimiro Ferrari. It is considered a difficult climb, demanding good

crampon A crampon is a traction device that is attached to footwear to improve mobility on snow and ice during ice climbing. Besides ice climbing, crampons are also used for secure travel on snow and ice, such as crossing glaciers, snowfields and ice ...

and ice climbing technique. There are incomparable views of steep ice faces, ''penitentes'', gigantic white walls and ridges like those of

Huandoy Huandoy (probably from Quechua ''wantuy,'' to transfer, to transpose, to carry, to carry a heavy load) or Tullparaju (possibly from Quechua ''tullpa'' rustic cooking-fire, stove, ''rahu'' snow, ice, mountain with snow,) is a mountain located ins ...

Norte,

Artesonraju Artesonraju is a pyramidal mountain peak located near the city of Caraz in the Cordillera Blanca mountain range in the Peruvian Andes. It is located at the Peruvian province of Huaylas and its slopes are within two cities: Santa Cruz and Caraz ...

and Huascaran Norte, similar to the finest of the

Himalaya The Himalayas, or Himalaya (; ; ), is a mountain range in Asia, separating the plains of the Indian subcontinent from the Tibetan Plateau. The range has some of the planet's highest peaks, including the very highest, Mount Everest. Over 100 ...

n scenery. There are also at least six other alternative climbing routes, the second most popular being the Vasque-French route.

References

External links

Alpamayo on Summitpost
- numerous photographs
French Young Expedition to Alpamayo
- photographs and good topo

- An Australian climber's stunning photos of climbers on the Ferrari Route, and his 1987 ascent/descent of the more difficult French Route.
Climbing Alpamayo
2007 ascent of the French Direct route, including many photographs
French blog post on the ascent
- photographs and ascension story {{Authority control Mountains of Peru Mountains of Ancash Region Huascarán National Park Five-thousanders of the Andes