Santa Cruz Trek with Three Peaks in the Ishinca Valley — 12 Days

We drive the Callejón de Huaylas to Caraz and up to Cashapampa (2900m), with a first view of Nevado Santa Cruz. A steady ascent follows the river through a steep, hot gorge before the valley opens to puna grassland and camp at Llamacorral (3750m).

An easier day mostly flat past Lagunas Ichiccocha and Jatuncocha, with a final uphill hour to Taullipampa (4250m) below Taulliraju. An optional side trip climbs towards Alpamayo Base Camp and Laguna Arhuaycocha for closer views of Alpamayo, Artesonraju and Quitaraju.

A steady 2½ to 3 hour climb to Punta Unión (4750m) on the continental divide, with views of Rinrijirca, Pucajirca, Artesonraju and Taulliraju, then a long descent into the Quebrada Huaripampa to camp in the secluded Quebrada Paria (3900m).

An easy walk through Huaripampa, then an hour’s climb to Vaquería (3600m). Our vehicle crosses the Portachuelo de Llanganuco pass (4767m) — a panorama of Huascarán, Huandoy and Chopicalqui — and descends to Huaraz.

A 1½ hour drive to Pashpa or Collón (3400m), then a lovely gently-rising walk up the Quebrada Ishinca through quenual forest, with Tocllaraju ahead, to Ishinca Base Camp (4390m).

We climb the East Face of Urus, leaving at 4am up a steep ridge and moraine to the ice (3½ hours), then a steadier hour on ice and a final easier rock climb to the 5495m summit for sunrise over Tocllaraju, Palcaraju and Ishinca. A steep, long descent returns to camp.

A rest day before the next climbs, which can also serve as a bad-weather day.

A 3am start, a steady climb to Lake Ishinca (2½ to 3 hours), then steeper moraine to the glacier. We rope up and climb the north face — a steady slope with a few steeper sections and a final 50° stretch of about 40m to the summit (5530m). Return the same way to Base Camp.

We leave Base Camp mid-morning carrying all our equipment and climb a steep moraine ridge over large rocks for 3 to 4 hours to Morena Camp (5300m), immediately below the glacier.

An early 1–2am start, steady pleasant climbing for 3½ hours to the first large crevasse, a steep 60m section (45–70°), then a ridge to a second crevasse and a steep, exposed 65m bergschrund (60–70°) where the guide fixes a rope. Above it, a gentle snow hike reaches the 6034m summit; we descend with several rappels to Base Camp.

A relaxing 4-hour walk down the Quebrada Ishinca valley to Pashpa or Collón, then drive back to Huaraz.