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Altitude: 3,052 meters
Climate in Huaraz: The area
features an average annual temperature of 18°, (Maximum
18° and minimum 9° C). The rain season runs from
December to April.
Climate at the Huascaran National
Park: Heavy rain from December to March and a markedly
dry season from May to October, with sunny days reaching
temperatures of 25°C and extremely cold nights.
Climate at the mountains: Heavy
rains from December to March and a markedly dry season from
May to October, where sunny days post temperatures of 25°C
and freezing nights.
Access to Huaraz: The best
overland route is via Lima-Pativilca-Huaraz (408 km), which
takes around 7 hours. Other routes include Casma- Huaraz
(149 km), which takes around six-and-a-half hours by car;
and Santa-Huallanca-Huaraz, which takes around five-and-a-half
hours. It takes 35 minutes to fly there from Lima, although
there are no regular commercial flights.
Access to Chavin de Huantar:
The site lies 110 km southeast of Huaraz (around three-and-a-half
hours).
Access to the Huascaran National Park:
The most recommended route to get to Huaraz and the entire
Callejón de Huaylas is by the road that runs from
Pativilca (Kilometer 210 of the North Pan-American Highway)
and climbs up to the highlands, crossing over altitudes
of up to 4,100 masl (Lake Conococha, the headwaters of the
Santa River). The route runs for 410 km from Lima (6-8 hours)
along a winding road in excellent condition. There is also
an airfield that receives charter flights.
Access to the Cordillera Blanca:
From the city Huaraz, one can drive to the towns of Carhuaz
(32 km / 30 minutes), Yungay (39 km / 40 minutes) and Caraz
(67 km / 50 minutes), towns which lie at the foot of the
massif.
Access to the Cordillera Huayhuash:
The mountains are generally reached from the town of Chiquián
(360 km northeast Lima), an ideal place to stock up on provisions.
Health matters: Visitors are
advised to take precautions against high altitude sickness,
and will need a minimum of 3-4 days to be able to tour the
park without undue haste.
Snow Conditions: Glaciers are
also receding in the Andes, where the snowline loses two
meters every year. This sparks continuous changes in the
aspect of the mountains, access routes and how to tackle
them. Large chunks of compact snow called seracs constantly
break away from the mountains. Rain in the valley generally
turns to snow above 4,500 meters. Snow generally sticks
well to steep Andean slopes, and often forms cornices on
cliffs on the windless side of the summit. Occasionally
one comes across cornices on both sides of a cliff. Another
characteristic of the region is the formation of layered
walls of snow. Because the mountains are located in the Southern Hemisphere, the
consequences of the directions the various mountain slopes
face change compared to the Northern Hemisphere.
Climbers can get information in Huaraz on recent climbs
and learn about snow conditions on the mountain. Climbers
are advised to pack plenty of winter clothing, as the cold
and winds are intense in the evening.
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