Nevado Tuco

A nice mountaineering outing at a relatively low technical difficulty without many crowds. Keep in mind that the condition of this climb will vary by season given the snowfall, and in low snow years, there can be some sections of ice climbing where two tools are required. This climb can be completed in a day from Huaraz, or more leisurely in two days.

From the road where the sign to Nevado Tuco is, follow a shepherd's trail along a plain for about 0.5 km until it ends, from here, the trail disappears at times, but the routefinding is relatively straightforward. Continue walking along the flat plain on the right side of the river, towards the right of the large hill in front of you. Cross the river, there is a nice bridge on the far right side, but the river can be crossed slightly more difficultly at other locations. From here, follow a faint trail up the hill to the East, until reaching another plain, at which point Nevado Tuco will be directly in front of you. You will pass several small lagunas, but aim for the large laguna that is to the West of the summit, which is climber's right. This is a nice area to camp if you are climbing this in two days. Just before reaching the large laguna, stay left, and hike up the knife-edge ridge to the left of the laguna. Stay on this trail, and stay low until you reach the glacier; there is a hidden snow ramp that will take you up the mountain. 

Once you reach the glacier, climb directly up this snow ramp, which at times can be very icy, covered in penitentes, and difficult to navigate. Towards the top, veer right until reaching a small glacial plateau. From here, climb about 100m of moderately steep snow until the true summit is visible. The true summit can be a straightforward, easy snow slope, or a short 5m ice step depending on conditions. Regardless, it is a lovely outing where you will definitely be away from the crowds, and an excellent acclimatization peak that can be accessed in a day from Huaraz. If climbing this in a day, be sure to give yourself an early start or ask for beta with glacier conditions as penitentes can turn this outing into a brutal one. About 2 hours from car to the beginning of the glacier, then 2-4 from the beginning of the glacier to the summit. If you are concerned about time, altitude, or glacier conditions, it is comfortable to climb this in two days, however it can easily be done by a strong party in one day.

Drive south from Huaraz until you reach the highway to the Pastoruri glacier. The beginning of the trail is about 20 minutes before reaching the Pastoruri glacier, and is marked with a sign saying "Nevado Tuco" as well as other peaks. About 2.5 hours from Huaraz.