Considered a classic climb in the mountaineering world, Alpamayo
boasts impressive flutted funnels from 17,500 feet to
the summit above 19,000 feet requiring ice climbing technique.
In 2001, Christian organized and led the expedition
composed of Canadian, US and a Swedish climber. Eric Otto made his climbing debut
at the tender age of 13 on this classic peak in the Cordillera Blanca near the northern
mountain town of
Huaraz
.
The team spent three weeks on Alpamayo,
and spent five days waiting out a storm, and were rewarded for their patience
with five of the six summitting.
Christian treated a German climber during the climb when an icefall struck him and
broke his arm.
The expedition team approaching high camp on Alpamayo
after two weeks of climbing.
Eric Otto and Christian Otto at high camp on
Alpamayo. From the photo, one can see why it’s called the “Ice Pyramid
of the
Andes
”