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ARTESONRAJU (PARON VALLEY)
After leaving the Ishinca Valley and after big meals at La Brasa Roja, we traveled to Laguna Paron and up to the high camp on Artesonraju. Daily snows, low visibility and words of extreme caution from climbers who had been on the mountain in the days before convinced us to hold off for another day or two before attempting the final push. The weather did not break, however. Night after night snow dusted our tent and loaded up the 50-degree slope we were intending to climb. Each morning we watched the summit take a few minutes of sunshine before wrapping a mote of cold clouds and wind about its towers. Two avalanches swept upper portions of the mountain while we waited for our chance. Unfortunately, the route did not come into good condition before we had to leave. Atesonraju would have to wait.
Our trip to the Cordillera Blanca was magical. We saw
the most beautiful mountains in the world, climbed to over 6,000
meters, looked into wondrous ice caves and met some of the most genuine people on earth.
Nathan Cottam
Boston, MA
Dale Cottam
Cheyenne, WY
F. James Donnelly
Englewood, CO
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