The Cordillera Huayhuash (Huayhuash Range): The Huayhuash Range is the second highest tropical mountain chain in the world, after the Cordillera Blanca (White Range), immediately to the north. Even though it is located 120 kilometers from the Pacific Ocean, the crest forms part of the Continental Divide of South America; the waters of the eastern slope flow to the Marañon River, a principal tributary of the Amazon.
Running from north to south, the main zone that has some twenty summits within about 25 km, with a secondary mountain change of summits of lower elevation toward the west that is about 15 km long. Six of the peaks are higher than 6,000 meters. Among the peaks, Yerupajá (6,617 m) stands out - it is the second highest mountain in Peru (after Huascarán, at 6,768 m.) Also of note is Siula Grande (6,344 m), which achieved fame through the book and subsequent film “Tocando el Vacio“ (Touching the Void) by mountaineer Joe Simpson.
