Clément Bublot, his little brother Théophile and their friend Alban flew to Peru to realize one of their dreams: to climb Alpamayo (5,947 m) and Quitaraju (6,040 m), two emblematic peaks of the Cordillera Blanca.
To meet this challenge, they required rigorous preparation: several months of jogging, ice waterfalls, chutes and high mountain summits. A look back at an exceptional expedition to the heart of South America.
ARRIVAL IN PERU & ACCLIMATATION PHASE
After 24 hours of travel, the three mountaineers arrive in Huaraz, perched at an altitude of more than 3,000 m in the Andes Mountains. A key step: acclimatization, essential before attacking peaks of nearly 6,000 m.
For eight days, Clément, Théophile and Alban go on hikes to different high altitude lakes, around 4,400 m. They sometimes sleep in small huts, sometimes under the stars, their sleeping bags covered in frost when they wake up. Every morning, they go back down to the plain to resupply before heading back to another high point.
The weather is mild except one afternoon when a violent storm breaks out:
“We were far from any shelter and only had a small tarpaulin to protect us. When the hail started to fall, we took refuge under it, enjoying a French Beaufort sausage while waiting for the lull. That day, our progress was very slow..."
As the days go by, the body gets used to it, but the altitude makes itself felt: each effort requires more energy. After six days, they decided to climb their first Peruvian summit, Ishinca (5,530 m), the final stage of their preparation before the main objective.
THE FINAL EVENT: THE ALPAMAYO & THE QUITARAJU
For these climbs, the team is reinforced: two guides, two porters, a cook and donkeys to transport the equipment. The organization is meticulous. Every day, they drink coca mate, a traditional tea that helps with altitude sickness.
The approach to the summits is done in several stages, between base camp and high camp. Then comes the big departure.
The alarm goes off at midnight. The wind has been shaking the tent for hours:
“The departure was done quickly. From the first pitches, we understood that the cold would be terrible. From the bergschrund we shot eight or nine lengths of 65m. Waiting at the relays, in the freezing wind, was a real ordeal. It was almost –15°C and it felt even worse but by 7:30 we were all at the top. »
After a short day of rest, they tackle Quitaraju. Same departure at night, same biting cold but the sunrise over the Cordillera Blanca rewards them for their efforts.
The descent, on the other hand, is perilous: the south face heats up quickly and the snow softens. The eight 70m abseils seem endless. When they finally reach the base camp, the tension drops.
A DRAMA THAT MARKS THE EXPEDITION
During this adventure, the three French people witness a tragic accident: another mountaineer falls while crossing a bergschrund during a rappel. Despite the intervention of emergency services, he did not survive his injuries.
Clément confides:
“This episode made us think a lot about the mountain, about the risks we were prepared to take and about our limits. »
THE RETURN: PRIDE & MEMORIES
After several weeks of effort, Clément, Théophile and Alban return to France proud and transformed. Their bags are filled with souvenirs but also with 75 sachets of coca mate, unfortunately confiscated at French customs!
Cairn accompanied them on this expedition by equipping them with two pairs of sunglasses: the RIVER POLARIZED model for mountaineering as well as the GRAVITY ski mask. Equipment that they were able to test in extreme conditions, as close as possible to the summits.
