Quillqueyhuanca Cojup High Alpine Trek

Timing: 3 or 4 days
Grade: Hard

The Quillqueyhuanca to Cojup Trek is an exciting high alpine short trek for strong hikers who want to stay away from the popular & busier Santa Cruz trails and is also an excellent acclimatisation hike for climbing expeditions to climb 6000m or technical peaks. The trek highlight is crossing a 5100m alpine pass between Quillqueyhuanca & Cojup Valleys, giving unprecedented close views of the surrounding high Cordillera Blanca peaks.

This is a physically demanding trek suitable for people with good fitness and who are comfortable in high alpine conditions and hiking on unformed trails. Good acclimatisation to the altitude is required for this trek.

Day 01: 04 day trek option: Laguna Churup Hike & Camp at Pitec (acclimatisation day)
For those who would benefit from an extra acclimatisation day, we commence the trek with a day hike to the beautiful high lake Laguna Churup 4450m and then descend from the lake to camp for the night at Pitec located at the entrance to Quillqueyhuanca Valley. 4 to 5 hours hike

For 03 Day Option:
For clients who are already well acclimatised to the altitude, you can choose to omit the Laguna Churup Hike.

Day 02 (or 01): An easy hike of 4 to 5 hours up the valley Quebrada Quillqueyhuanca from Pitec to camp at the top of the valley at Olivos (4250m). In the afternoon hike into neighbouring Cayesh Valley for close views of glacier covered mountains San Juan, Cayesh and Chopiraju.

Day 03 (or 02) : We start with a 2 hour hike past Laguna Tullpacocha (4300m) then follow a ascending zig zag trail climbing steadily for around 3 hours to our high campsite on a plateau at 4850m by a small lake, close to the mountain Huapi.

Day 04 (or 03): We leave early & ascend to the pass Chocu 5100m. The route up to the pass offers some of the most panoramic mountain views in the Cordillera Blanca and we are surrounded by several 6000m+ peaks. There is a long descent down into the Cojup Valley where we have a pleasant flat hike down the valley to the road end where we meet our transport & drive to Huaraz. About 6 to 7 hours hiking and one hour drive to Huaraz

Map – trek route
Download PDF for climb description & notes
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Contact us for more information and prices.

If you know, tell us the approximate dates that you would like to be climbing and the number of people in your group, as well as if you prefer a private climb or would be happy to join with other people.

 

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