N.Z. EXPEDITION CLIMBS VIRGIN PEAK IN ANDES

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29269, 29 July 1960, Page 12

N.Z. EXPEDITION CLIMBS VIRGIN PEAK IN ANDES

(New Zealand Press Association)

INVERCARGILL, July 28. New Zealand’s first expedition to the Andes has reached its main objective—the 18,750 ft virgin summit of Cayesh, in the Cordillera Blanca, Peru. According to a cablegram received today at the Invercargill headquarters of the expedition, Cayesh was climbed on July 21. The summit party comprised L. Crawford, a Christchurch carpenter, D. Ryan, an Invercargill gymnastic instructor, and L. Stewart, an Invercargill doctor. The expedition is led by L. Warburton, of Invercargill, and other members are M. Davis, of Bluff, and R. Wood, of Invercargill. Cayesh. a pinnacle of rock and ice, in 1958 beat a strong Swiss party, and this year it was one of the objectives of an American

expedition. However, the New Zealand team met the leader of the American party (Henry Kendall) on its way into the mountains and was told that the Americans* first objective would be Chopicalqui. There are eight other expeditions in. the Peruvian Andes this season —from Britain, Italy (2>. Canada, Brazil, Switzerland, Mexico, and France. The New Zealanders, who travelled by various routes to Peru, assembled in the mountain town of Huaras on June 24. There Crawford became seriously ill with pneumonia, but the advance party, which had already left, pressed on to establish Camp 1 at the beginning of July. About a fortnight later it was joined there by Stewart and Crawford. The expedition returned to Huaras on Wednesday. After rest and reorganisation it will attempt the unclimbed lower peak of Chacaraju. It may also attempt Huascaran (22,220 ft highest peak in the Cordillera Blanca.

The party will return to Lima, capital of Peru, on its way home about the middle of August.