Indonesian Digital News Archive

Earlier this summer a team of climbers from AlpineAdventures traveled to the Peruvian Andes to attempt a new route on the 5440 meter (17,847 ft) Puscanturpa Este. After three weeks of working the mountain, they finally managed to summit the tricky North Face. They named their new route Poco Loco.

The team captured plenty of video of the climb and they plan on releasing the full film down the line. The trailer for the film, which you'll find below, gives you a good idea of what the climbers had to overcome to stand on top. The rock climbing elements alone look challenging, particularly at altitude.

Dutch Peru Expeditie 2012 Trailer from vincent van beek on Vimeo.

Try saying that title three times fast!

Alan Arnette is about to embark on his next expedition, this time setting his sights on the 5947 meter (19,511 ft) Alpamayo in Peru. According to his blog, which has some great information about the peak and the logistics of climbing it, he'll set out this week for Lima, where he'll join a team guided by the Altitude Junkies.

Located in the Cordillera Blanca range of the Andes, Alpamayo is an iconic mountain for its shape and appearance. The peak features two very sharp summits that are connected by a precarious ridge with an ice cornice stretching between them. Alpamayo also has a unique fluted face that gives it a look unlike nearly any other peak and has earned it the distinction of being called "the most beautiful mountain in the world."

It is also a challenging technical climb that will test the mountaineers. As Alan notes in his blog post, on summit day the team must negotiate a 457 meter (1500 ft), 6-pitch wall that is located directly below the summit itself. It is a steep final ascent and a dangerous one.

If you're familiar with Alan's blog posts and Everest coverage, you know he always does a great job of keeping us updated from the field and sharing his progress and thoughts on the climb. I expected that this will be a similar experience and even has a page dedicated to his Alpamayo updates. If you want to follow along, simply click here.

As usual, Alan is climbing to raise money and awareness for the Cure Alzheimer's Fund, a cause that is very near and dear to his heart.

Good luck Alan and enjoy the climb!

Machu Picchu is amongst the most visited destinations in the world and for good reason. The site is a spectacular ancient ruin set atop a mountain in Peru with the Andes as a dramatic backdrop. One of the best places to view the Inca fortress is from Huayna Picchu, a nearby peak that requires a bit of a hike to reach. The video below, which was shared by one of my compatriots at Gadling yesterday, takes us on the journey to the top of that mountain, which does indeed provide a fantastic pay off.