Nevado Shaqsha, Peru: 2 new routes by Italian expedition

Two new routes which reach a peak, probably never climbed before, on the beautiful Nevado Shaqsha (5703m, Huantsàn massif, Cordigliera Blanca, Perù), located in the Quebrada Rurec Valley which many describe as being the Yosemite Valley of South America. The new lines were forged by an Italian expedition comprised of Andrea Di Donato, Giuseppe Trizzino, Ivo Scappatura, Luca D’Andrea, Massimo Massimiano and Roberto Iannilli.

On 11, 15, 16 and 17 May 2010, after three bivvies on the face and one during the descent the team Di Donato, Iannilli & Scappatura established "El sueño de los excluidos", a 1340m line (+100m scramble) which climbs the SE Face of Nevado Shaqsha and exits on a virgin peak at 5040m which they called "Punta Giampiero Capoccia". The route follows a series of slabs and cracks on the lower section beneath the bivvy, then continues up and arête with difficulties up to VII/VII+, A2.

On the following day, so with one bivvy more than the other team, Luca D’Andrea and Massimo Massimiano reached the same summit via their route, shorter but more demanding, also because they endured winter conditions with snow and ice seeing that the south face corresponds to our north faces. "La Teoría de la gota de agua" is the name of the 800m route which climbs the first 300m of "El sueño de los excluidos" before moving onto the south face and climbing difficulties up to VII- and A2.

QUEBRADA RUREC VALLEY - a brief introduction
Quebrada Rurec forms part of the Huantzàn massif, a group which culminates with
Mount Huantzàn (a 6113m giant in the Cordillera Blanca) and which also includes the beautiful Nevado Shaqsha. It is characterised by grantire rock faces, true big walls which gave it the name "Little Yosemite" even if, it has to be said, there is nothing little here.
The size, rock quality and difficulties make this an ideal location for big ascents, at times with the help of aid while those pitches which go free are always demanding. The relative low altitude (summits not much higher than 5000m) and the proximity to the equator render everything more complicated due to moss or cracks filled with vegetation and therefore difficult to protect.
The climbing history on these walls is short and still to be written. The first to set their hands on these rocks were the Spaniards Callado and Pedrocchi who in 1997 established "Montrek" up climbed Punta Numa, the charateristic peak whcih dominates Base Camp (800m, 6c+, A4, 14 days). In 2001 the Italians Roberto Iannilli and Luciano Mastracci established a second route on the peak "Hasta luego zorro" (1200m, 7a, A3+). In 2005 a Spanish and an Italian expedition climbed, just one month afte each other, up the unexplored peak nearby "Risco Ajudin". The Spaniards produced "Dominguerismo vertical" (700m, 6b, A2) while the Italians (Ianlilli once again, this time with Giulio Canti) forged "Libertad es partecipacion" (600m, 6c+, A3, plus circa 900m short roping). Together with Enzo Arciuoli they then ascended "Pietrorrrago: vaffanculo!" on the beautiful slabs at the start of the valley (420m, 6a). In 2007 the Italian mountaineering group Ragni di Lecco with Pedeferri, Pavan e Palma carried out the first ascent of "Qui vado ancora" (500m, 7c, 7a obligatory) up Punta Numa.