Untitled Document

ROCK CLIMBING IN NORTHERN QUIMSA CRUZ RANGE, 6 Days
Code: RCQUIMSA

Quimsa Cruz mountain range is also known as the "Yosemite" of the Andes, a true paradise for rock climbers.

Dates: Upon request
Price: Upon request (land services only)
Single Room Supplement: N/A
Difficulty: Strenuous
Accommodation: 5 nights camping.

Quimsa Cruz is located to the south of Cordillera Real, less than 40 km (25 mi) long, this small mountain range has it all. Named “the Yosemite of south America”, the northern section of this mountain range is mainly composed of great granite peaks and spires, a remote and pristine area paradise for rock climbers looking for "new routes to open"..

Unfortunately it takes a full day to get in and another full day to get out from the head-road, what leaves only 4 climbing days at the end, so in order to make the best use of the short four days left, we have selected the best climbing areas in the northern Quimsa Cruz. Besides few bolted routes all the rest are to be lead using rock protection (please contact us for more information about this subject). This itinerary is a suggested idea, we can adjust the length and difficulty according to you experience and expectations.

During the trip we will provide all logistics including: transportation to and from the road head, base camp and advance campsite organization, and the help of an experienced UIAGM mountain guide. For experienced climbers, the guide will act as a base camp assistant and will point the clients the most interesting routes. For novices the guide will lead the routes taking up to two clients at a time.

We have chosen three routes for this trip that will be accomplished deppending on weather condition and the capability of the clients. The routes are: Great Wall 250m (820ft) grade 4 French* (4 UIAA), Cuernos del Diablo north-west face 200m (656ft) grade 5 French* (5- UIAA), and Mama Okllo, 400m (1312ft) grade 6b French* (6 UIAA).

Let us say you that our instructors have been trained either by the German Alpine Club (Deutschen Alpenvereins, DAV) or the Chamonix climbing and ski school (ENSA), having them all received the UIAGM / IFMGA / IVBV international certification as mountain guides. For more information, please visit the Bolivian Mountain Guides Association website www.agmtb.org.

We strongly suggest to be fully acclimatized, ideally to have spent at least 3-4 days at the highlands and have already been higher than 4500m (14760 ft) before signing for this trip. For more information about this subject, please refer to the page acclimatization at our website.

* Check our table of conversion between the different ranking scales.

Itinerary:

D1. Transp.to Cuchu Mocoya. Trek to Penis pass. Camp.
D2. Climb of the “Great Wall”. Camp.
D3. Trek to Naranjani. Climb of “Cuernos del Diablo”. Camp.
D4. Climbing in Chiliwani Kota valley. Camp.
D5. Climbing Mama Okllo. Camp.
D6. Trek to Cuchu Mocoya. Transp.to La Paz.

Highlights:

Great sightseeing of Quimsa Cruz range on the way in and out to the climbing area.
Rock climbing on Granodiorite and Andesite; routes for every level of difficulty.

Day 1. Transport to Cuchu Mocoya. Trek to Penis pass. Camp.

Elevations
La Paz 3,650m (11,972f)
Campsite 4,850m (15,908f)
Timing
Driving: 7-8 Hr
Walking: 3-4 hrs
Meals
L,D

Early in the morning we take the paved road that heads south in the highlands, after a couple of hours we turn west and start traversing from south to north the western slopes of Quimsa Cruz mountain range. After a long driving day, we will arrive to Cuchu Mocoya mine from where we will trek across a mountain pass towards our campsite located near “Pico Penis” above Chiliwani Kota valley. Since there are no trained porters in the region we will count with the help of some porters brought from La Paz to carry our loads. After helping us, the porters will return to the vehicle that will take them back to La Paz (we will count with the same help on the very last day of the expedition). This scenic location all surrounded by granite walls will be our base camp for the following days presenting innumerable climbing possibilities in both sides of the valley and beyond.

Day 2. Climb of the “Great Wall”. Camp.

Elevations
Great Wall 5,040m (16,531f)
Campsite 4,850m (15,908f)
Timing
Climbing: 6-7 Hrs
Meals
B,L,D

After an early breakfast we will head for the first route of the trip: the north-west ridge of the “Great Wall” 250m (820ft) grade 4 French (4 UIAA). This route will allow you to warm up for harder ones and – from the top -, have a glace of the whole area and recognize your new challenges. Back to the same campsite for the night.

Day 3. Trek to Naranjani. Climb of “Cuernos del Diablo”. Camp.

Elevations
Cuernos del Diablo 5,271m (17,288f)
Campsite 4,850m (15,908f)
Timing
Climbing: 9-10 hrs
Meals
B,L,D

Today will be a long day because we do not only need to make a long approach to the mountain base and return, but to climb the north-west face 200m (656ft) grade 5 French (5- UIAA). This route has been named as “La Clasica” after the Bolivian-German expedition in 1987. Certainly the toughest part of the day will be to hike back up to the pass after a long climbing day, but the images of a cozy mess tent with a great hot meal will certainly will be encouraging.

Day 4. Climbing in Chiliwani Kota valley. Camp.

Elevations
Campsite 4,850m (15,908f)
Timing
None
Meals
B,L,D

Given the long tiring previous day, today has been planned as a rest day, but for those still bursting with energy there are hundreds of possibilities around campsite.

Day 5. Climbing Mama Okllo. Camp.

Elevations
Mama Okllo 5,281m (17,321f)
Campsite 4,850m (15,908f)
Timing
Climbing: 7-8 hrs
Meals
B,L,D

Today we have planned one of the toughest routes in the area: the south (colder) face of Mama Okllo, 400m (1312ft) grade 6b French (6 UIAA). If the “chef recommendation” do not please you, the guide can take you further north to Calzonani group where the options are so many that it is very difficult to decide “where to start biting for”. We will return to the campsite late evening for the last night of the trip.

Day 6. Trek to Cuchu Mocoya. Transport to La Paz.

Elevations
La Paz 3,650m (11,972f)
Timing
Walking: 3-4 Hrs
Driving: 7-8 Hrs
Meals
B,L

Today the same porters who helped us on the fist day will come back to help with the equipment transportation to the car. Depending of the road conditions, we may take a shorter route towards La Paz following La Paz river canyon, otherwise we will take the same route we came in 5 days ago.

ALTITUDE CHART

SERVICES

Included

Meals mentioned on the itinerary.
Full land transportation on the trip.
Common camping equipment: 4 season tents (one per each two people), dinning tent, kitchen stuff, and tableware.
Common climbing equipment: ropes, carabiners, slings.
Professional Bilingual guide(s) during the trip and transfers (on mountaineering trips we only work with professional UIAGM / IFMGA / IVBV international certified mountain guides).
Luggage transportation with porters and/or animals on trekking & climbing trips (20 kg / 44 lb per person max weight).
Cook(s) when camping.
National Park entrance fees.

Not included

International flight ticket.
Local flight tickets.
International & local airport fees.
Meals & accommodation in la Paz and other main cities.
Personal camping equipment: sleeping bag, foam pad, headlamps, and clothing.
Personal climbing equipment: rock climbing shoes, harnesses, chalk bag.
Insurance of any kind.
Any expense due to a rescue operation (rescuers fee, transportation, or medical cost).

MORE INFORMATION

Please get into our “Resources” page in our website, there you will find plenty of information about pre-departure, National Parks, suggested reading, useful links and much more.

If you would like us to make additional hotel reservations besides the accommodation that is included in your trip, please get into our Reservations page