Recommendations:

HUASCARAN SHIELD CLIMB

Definitely, climbing the Huascaran shield represents a great challenge for experienced climbers, its 1200 meters of wall with hard ice makes it a high commitment objective. To climb this wall, you have to set up a camp in high altitude camp I. From here start the ascent to the rim of the wall and start climbing the Huascaran shield.

Once you have reached the summit, you will have to return by the normal route and spend the night in Campo Alto II.

FOOD FOR THE EXPEDITION TO HUASCARAN

If you decide to make the ascent with us, all meals will be provided, including a daily snack bag (chocolate, cookies, fruit, etc.) and all meals at the campsites. Dinner meals are varied dishes, including soup. Our cooks are constantly trained to provide a varied, nutritious and delicious food to face the mountain days. We also have a vegetarian option, you can request the service during the reservation.

If you are hiking independently, you will need to plan all the ingredients for your meals and bring your own gas or benzine stove. You can rent a MSR model stove, the rent ranges from 10 to 15 soles ($5 USD) that works with benzine and the price of this liquid is 8 soles per liter ($3 USD). You can carry light food, thermostabilized or freeze-dried meals to optimize your logistics and weight. In Huaraz, some mountain stores sell these products.

TRAVEL INSURANCE

We recommend buying travel insurance if you plan to do mountaineering in Peru. Most of the mountains in Peru are very remote and rugged, so if something goes wrong, you are likely to need an emergency evacuation and that can be incredibly expensive.

If you decide to choose travel insurance, be sure to purchase a plan that covers high-altitude and helicopter rescues.

ACCLIMATIZATION FOR THE HUASCARAN SNOWY PEAK

It is important to know the basics of high altitude mountaineering. Acute mountain sickness (AMS) is no joke, and if you make unwise decisions or ignore the symptoms, it could even kill you. Most people who acclimatize properly usually experience limited MAM symptoms, it is normal and there is no need to panic. It is suggested to research more about MAM and take it seriously for this type of expedition in Peru.

Although this mountain climb has a gradual ascent, you will eventually reach an elevation of 6,768 m, which is a significant drop for the average hiker. Many people coming to Peru arrive from near sea level and will need to spend a few days in Huaraz (3,100m) to acclimatize before making the ascent to Huascaran. It is recommended that you do progressive acclimatization treks for several days to prepare for the ascent to 5,000 and attempt a 6,000. One-day hikes around Huaraz or in the Callejón de Huaylas are the most recommended.

RECOMMENDATIONS FOR PROGRESSIVE ACCLIMATIZATION

Before ascending or climbing Huascaran, we recommend you to acclimatize beforehand. Especially if you are arriving from sea level (e.g. Lima) or low altitudes, it is an excellent idea to spend a few days acclimatizing in Huaraz (3100 masl) and doing some hiking and climbing in the Cordillera Blanca. There are a number of options that will be useful to help you acclimatize, condition your body physically and gain endurance. Here are four routes that will help you acclimatize and measure your fitness levels.