Climbing Cordillera Blanca

The cordillera Blanca features Huascaran national Park which is at the same time the heart of the Huascaran Biosphere reserve and which UNESCO in December 1985 officially declared Natural Heritage of Mankind to protect the world’s natural and cultural Heritage

Huascaran National park spreads across 34000 hectares between 2800 to 6768 meters (9184 to 22202 ft) in altitude and occupies approximately 9% of the Ancash department

The park was created the on July1st 1975 it covers almost the entire Cordillera Blanca the highest mountain range in peru an the world’s highest tropical zone

Within its perimeter it features 26 mountains over 6000 m (19680 ft) in altitude one of them Huascaran South, the highest mountain in Peru and near by thirty other summits topping 5500 m (18040 ft)

The mountains store Major hydric reserves distributed in 663 glaciers and 296 lakes that flow into 41 watercourses headed for the Santa, Pativilca and Marañon rivers As for the National Pak itself the fundamental objectives are to protect and conserve their natural resources, geological formations and scenic beauties and spread the natural and cultural values of the cordillera Blanca to promote scientific research and to stimulate and control tourist development an additional idea its to help improve the living standards of nearby communities.