Countries of the World/COUNTRYS.BIN/dp/0045/00453.txt

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$Unique_ID{COW00453}
$Pretitle{266}
$Title{Bolivia
Climbing and Skiing in the Bolivian Andes}
$Subtitle{}
$Author{Stan Shepard}
$Affiliation{Embassy of Bolivia, Washington DC}
$Subject{climbing
la
peaks
cab
climbs
cruz
first
paz
quimsa
real}
$Date{1989}
$Log{}
Country:     Bolivia
Book:        The Cultural Guide of Bolivia
Author:      Stan Shepard
Affiliation: Embassy of Bolivia, Washington DC
Date:        1989

Climbing and Skiing in the Bolivian Andes

     When I search for ways to describe the mountains of Bolivia, "graceful",
"elegant", "peaceful" are the words which come. The quality of the light and
clarity of the air are astonishing. By day, these peaks and glaciers shine
with a painful brightness and at night they glow in the reflected starlight
of the southern constellations. There can be few finer experiences than to
walk up an Andean valley, your pack loaded with a week of supplies, your
destination one of these splendid ice peaks.

     With exceptions, the mountains are easy enough to approach, and many fine
climbs do not exceed 1000 meters in elevation gain from your base camp, a
moderate day for a fit and acclimatized climber. The importance of training
and acclimatization cannot be stressed enough, because while these are
friendly mountains, blessed with exceptionally fine weather and stable snow
and ice conditions during the climbing season, they still are big, serious
mountains and there have been bad accidents here.

     However, the alert and fit climber will find less danger and greater
enjoyment in the Bolivian cordilleras than in perhaps any other major range on
earth. The elegant ice wedge of Condoriri, the granite needles of the Quimsa
Cruz, the dark fortress of Tiquimani, the giants Ancohuma and Illimani and
Sajama-any one would offer a worthy goal. Taken together, these peaks and
the hundreds more like them can give you some of the best climbing you will
find anywhere.

The basic geography

     Most of the interesting peaks of the Bolivian Andes stand along the east
rim of the Altiplano, on a roughly northwest to southeast chain of three
cordilleras - the Apolobamba close to the Peruvian border, the Cordillera
Real, Bolivia's principal mountain range, and the more compact Quimsa Cruz.

     If you fly to La Paz from Lima, you will get a good view of the enormous
Cordillera Real and can see something of the Apolobamba, with its many
mid-size ice peaks, farther north.

     At the northern end of the Cordillera Real stand Illampu (6362 m) and
Ancohuma (6427 m). These major peaks, together with their many satellites and
neighbors, such as Aguja Yacuma (6056 m) and Casiri (5828 m), provide the
greatest concentration of interesting climbing in Bolivia.

     Three other major peaks, Calzada (5871 m), Chearoco (6127 m) and
Chacacomani (6094 m), rise above extensive icefields and form the crown of the
central Cordillera Real. They are separated from the Ancohuma massif by the
Casala pass (5040 m).

     South of the icefields stands a line of sharp summits, including Wila
Lloje (5596 m), Yanko Huyo (5512 m), Pacokeuta (5589 m), Jankho Laya (5545 m),
Warawarani (5542 m), Kallhuani (5492 m), and the finest of all, Condoriri
(5648 m). South of Condoriri the cordillera flattens a little until rising to
a huge blunt pyramid north of La Paz, Huayna Potosi (6088 m). West of Huayna
Potosi stands Tiquimani (5595 m), notable for its large rock walls and
aggressive form.

     To the south of the capital you have a view of two major peaks, the oddly
flat Mururata (5868 m) and Illimani (6450 m), the immense multi-summited
mountain which has become a symbol for the city.

     South of Illimani, made insignificant by the distance, is the third of
Bolivia's important ranges, the Quimsa Cruz, geologically an extension of the
Real, but separated from it by the stupendous Rio Abajo trench cut by the Rio
Chuquiapu, a river fed by the glaciers of Chacaltaya, La Paz's local ski area.
The Quimsa Cruz provides two distinct types of climbs-large snow and ice
peaks such as Gigante Grande (5750 m) in the southern half, and small granite
towers in the northern half. The dividing line is at Mina Viloco. The Araca
group offers especially fine climbs on granite.

     To the west of the Altiplano and the salt flats, you can also see an
enormous volcano rivaling the giants of Ecuador. This splendid mountain is
Sajama (6542 m). Several other interesting volcanos, notably Parinacota
(6330 m), Pomerata (6240 m), and Acotango (6050 m), mark Bolivia's border with
Chile.

The climbing

     Some generalities: On the whole, the Bolivian mountains are about the
right size and shape - big, but not too big. During the cold and dry months,
Bolivia provides snow and ice climbing outstanding for its quality and safety.

     Superior rock-granite equal to the best of Yosemite or Chamonix-is
found in several places in the Cordilleras Real and Quimsa Cruz, although much
Bolivian rock tends to be an adequate but uninspiring brown metamorphic.
Pupusani and Kasiri, the sharp little peaks east of the Yungas Cumbre, provide
high standard climbing on steeply tilted sedimentaries.

     The northern Quimsa Cruz offers dozens of small granite towers above
lakes and meadows. Sizeable granite walls will be found in the eastern cirques
of Illampu and Ancohuma, which themselves offer mixed climbs-granite and
ice-of a high standard. One such climb is the 1983 French route on the south
buttress of Pico del Norte (6085 m). The first three pitches are vertical
granite topped by a roof. The remaining 24 pitches provide free climbing on
slabs and mixed terrain.

     Some history: Today hundreds of climbers are active each season in
Bolivia, but as recently as the 1970s, climbing was relatively infrequent.
With a few exceptions, the leading climbers of the early days were Germans or
Austrians resident in, or visiting, Bolivia.

     Some of their climbs - the ascent of Illampu stands out - were
outstanding. achievements under difficult conditions. If these climbs seem
moderate today, remember that those climbers did not own polypropylene
underwear, their hardware was a joke and the approaches to their climbs took
days.

     In 1898, Sir Martin Conway and his two Swiss guides achieved the first
ascent of Illimani, by a long route circling around from the south and east
above Rio Abajo. In 1904, the first explorations of the Quimsa Cruz were
carried out by the poet Henry Hoek. In 1911 Dr. Teodoro Herzog made several
climbs in the group and published its first map. A German party led by Adolf
Schulze repeated Conway's route on Illimani in 1915, and in 1921 and 1923, we
find Schulze on Ancohuma, for its first and second ascents. The first ascent
of Huayna Potosi took place in 1919.

     In 1928, German and Austrian climbers reached the summit of Illampu in a
climb of advanced technical standard for the period. Sajama was climbed in
1939 by Pietro Ghiglione, and in 1940 Illimani was climbed by the "Nido de
Condores" route which since has become the "standard" line. Other important
1940 first ascents were Condoriri and Tiquimani.

     Beginning in the middle 1960s, the major ridges and walls became the
scenes of modern climbs. Many are of a high standard. Typical routes of the
period can be found on the impressive and rather dangerous south face of
Illimani, the beautiful west ridge of Huayna Potosi, the west face of
Tiquimani, and the long lines on Illampu. Young Bolivian climbers have been
infected with the chalk bag and sticky shoe ethic; the current standard is in
roughly the 5.10 range, which may not seem high by Smith Rock and Verdon
standards, but remember that we are talking about 5000-plus meter altitudes
and multi-pitch routes.

     Weather. Bolivian mountain weather is incomparably superior to that of
the Alps. Extended periods of good weather begin in April and hold through
August. The climbing season traditionally covers June and July, when
sub-freezing temperatures and cloudless skies make the Bolivian Andes