Chacrarajus - South Faces

The twin peaks of Chacraraju West and East offer some of the craziest snow runnel climbing in a mountain range famous for them. Its very name, 'chakra', means 'plowed field'. Most of the obvious lines have been explored, though many only have come to the summit ridge, without the FA party tagging the actual summit. Steep, dangerous and committing, there are no easy routes to the top, and it has sometimes been called the most challenging 6,000m peak in the Andes.

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Route List

1: Bouchard-Meunier Route, ED+ 90°, J. Bouchard, M.O. Meunier, 07/1977
2: French Direct, ED, M. Arizzi, X. Chappaz, R. Desmaison, J. Fouque, 06/1983
3: Astier Route, ED, Y. Astier, 05/1979
4: French-Swiss-Peruvian Route, ED+, P.E. Beaud, X. Bongard, H. Colonia, P.A. Romagnoli, 06/1984
5: Yugoslav Route, ED, F. Knez, M. Frešer, 06/1982
6: Northeast Face, ED A1, C. Gavudin, M. Davaille, R. Jenny, M. Martin, R. Sennelier, P. Souriac, L. Terray, 07/1956
7: 1972 Japanese Route, TD, K. Kochi, M. Tanaka, 08/1972
8: Fowler variation,J. Arnow, C. Fowler, W. Mooz, 07/1988
9: Richey-Brewer Route, ED, S. Brewer, M.A. Richey, 08/1978
10: Spanish-Peruvian Route, ED, A. Garcia, F.J. Escolar, W. Silverio, 08/1984
11: Jaeger Direct, ED, N. Jaeger, 07/1978
12: 1976 Japanese Route, ED, K. Kondo, M. Yoshino, 07/1976
13: Krik Srnega granita (The Shriek of Black Stone), ED+ A2 5.10 90°, J. Juhasz, M. Markovič, 08/1999
14: The Devil’s Reach Around, ED+ 5.10 M6 90°, A. Berg, Q.L. Roberts, 07/2017
15: 1962 French Route, ED, L. Dubost, P. Gendre, G. Magnone, J. Soubis, L. Terray, 08/1962

Sources

• “Cordillera Blanca: Escaladas,” Antonio Gómez Bohórquez, Andesinfo, 2003

• “Climbs of the Cordillera Blanca of Peru,” David Sharman, Whizzo Climbs, 1995

• “Classic Climbs of the Cordillera Blanca, Perú,” Brad Johnson, 2003

• “Nobody Knows Anything,” Alik Berg, AAJ, 2018

• “The Shriek of the Black Stone,” Jure Juhasz, AAJ, 2000

• “The Andes, A Guide for Climbers, 2nd ed.,” John Biggar, BigR Publishing, 1999

Updates

Mar 23, 2024: Initial version.

Mar 9, 2026: Minor graphic update

Apr 23, 2026: Caption update