Particle.news
Download on the App Store

Huascarán Park Suspends All High‑Mountain Climbing in Peru’s Cordillera Blanca Until March 2026

Officials say accelerated glacier retreat has created unstable ice features that pose immediate safety risks.

Overview

  • The temporary ban covers ascents and snow, ice, and mixed routes on all peaks, applying to tour operators and visitors through March 31, 2026.
  • Sernanp based the move on Inaigem reports documenting rapid ice loss, new crevasses, ice caves, and forming lakes, alongside increasingly volatile high‑altitude weather.
  • Lower‑altitude circuits and permitted lagoon visits, including Churup, Chinancocha, and Llanganuco, remain open during the rainy‑season slowdown for mountaineering.
  • Enforcement will rely on park control points staffed by 25 rangers, with administrative sanctions for those who ignore the restriction.
  • Tourism groups acknowledge the scientific rationale yet warn of income losses for local guides and businesses and urge a technical working group to design mitigation, as geologists separately flagged Casga as a high‑risk landslide zone.