Verónica Mountain

The Nevado Verónica, also known as Wakaywillque, is a mountain located in the department of Cusco. It has the highest peak in the mountain range known as Urubamba. This snow-capped mountain is characterized by its rugged topography, with steep slopes exceeding 40 degrees, making it highly susceptible to avalanches.

Access to the mountain requires a hike, providing a great experience, and it is also one of the best places for rock climbing. It is considered by the local inhabitants as a protective Apu of agriculture in the Sacred Valley of the Incas.

Photo: reddit

Location

It is located 50 kilometers from the city of Cusco, on the border of the provinces of Urubamba and La Convención.

Climate and Temperature

The area has an average temperature ranging from 10°C to 13°C.

Altitude

The highest peak of Nevado Verónica is 5,800 meters above sea level.

How to Get to Nevado Verónica

To reach Nevado Verónica, you must take a bus from the city of Cusco to the district of Ollantaytambo, specifically to the town of Piscacucho, where the hike to the mountain begins. It is a total of 20 kilometers that can be completed in 1 to 2 hours.

Photo: Trover

Adventure Sports

• Trekking
• Climbing

Historical Ascents of the Mountain

The mountain was first climbed in 1956 by a team consisting of the French climber Lionel Terray, the Dutch climbers Geoffrey Egeler and Tom de Booy, as well as the Swiss climber Raymond Jenny and the Peruvian climber Eliseo Vargas, who ascended from the northern side of the mountain.

In 1974, the British climber Richard Toon and the American climber Tom Hendrickson made the ascent from the southern side of the mountain. The first Peruvian expedition to summit the mountain was in 2009, led by the climbers from Cusco Alfredo Zúñiga and Jorge Sirvas, who achieved this feat after a 3-day climb.

Video: Amapacoan Gaia