Bill Rossbach joined Mark for a couple weeks of climbing based in Quebrada Ishinca. Though we had our share of not so great weather (it snowed briefly in Base Camp) The good weather was there when we needed it.

Huascaran from our hotel room in Huaraz.

Trekking into the Isinca Valley. The high ridge between Tocllaraju and Palcaraju is in the background.

Our comfortable Base Camp.

We started this trip with an acclimatization hike up to about 17000. Tocllaraju is the peak behind.

Our first real climb was a traverse of Ishinca. We climbed up the West Ridge and down the Southeast. A fun, not too challenging day.

On the summit of Ishinca

Nevados Urus. These peak rise directly above base camp. Urus Este is the rightmost of the three peaks and, believe it or not the lowest. On this trip we climbed the west summit, off to the left.

Climbing on Urus Oeste.

Almost to the summit of Oeste.

Sunset on Tocllaraju. The normal route climbs up around the left skyline and then to the summit.

After Ishinca and Urus Oeste, we set our sights on Tocllaraju. Here, bill hikes up to high camp.

Tocllaraju high camp.

Sunset from high camp, looking west to the Urus peaks.

Climbers on Tocllaraju.

Bill and Peter Alvarado on the last steep pitch of Tocllaraju.

The summit, of course. Huascaran can be seen far in the back on the left.

Descending from Tocllaraju high camp.

Back in Base Camp.

We wanted on more steep climb. The north side of Ishinca looked interesting, though we knew little about it. So we went exploring...

The route looked feasible, though the ice cliff at the top was a big unknown.

A beautiful day. Easy well frozen snow at the start.

Bill and Peter just below the ice cliff.

On the ice cliff. There were about 20 feet of 80° ice, lots of fun at 18000 feet!

Pulling over the top of the steep pitch.

Another summit photo.

The stream very near our base camp.

And a last view of Tocllaraju.