Santa Cruz

Also known as: Pucaraju / Pukaraju / Pico de Huaylas

Height: 6,259 m
Country:
Peru flagPeru

Santa Cruz, standing at 6,259 meters (20,535 feet), is a towering peak in Peru’s Cordillera Blanca, and though often overlooked for its more famous neighbors, it offers an impressive and challenging ascent. Santa Cruz draws climbers with its rugged, glaciated terrain and stunning high-altitude views. Its proximity to peaks like Alpamayo and Quitaraju allows mountaineers to immerse themselves in the heart of one of the most beautiful ranges in the Andes.

The most common route up Santa Cruz involves ascending through steep snow and ice fields, requiring technical skills and the ability to navigate crevasses and steep ice slopes. The approach typically starts from the Santa Cruz Valley, following glacier routes that provide breathtaking views of surrounding peaks and valleys. Reaching the summit is physically demanding and requires a strong understanding of alpine climbing techniques.

From the summit, climbers are rewarded with sweeping views of the Cordillera Blanca, including nearby giants like Huascarán and Artesonraju. Santa Cruz is ideal for experienced mountaineers looking for a lesser-known but highly rewarding challenge in Peru. Its remote location and technical requirements make it an appealing choice for those looking to test their skills in a pristine, high-altitude environment.

Prepare for an adventure climbing Santa Cruz. This overview provides essential details on routes, difficulty, costs, and the best times to go, helping you plan a successful expedition.

Difficulty

  • TD: Very hard (alpine grade 5)

When to go

  • June to August

Guide links

These guides offer organised mountaineering expeditions for Santa Cruz. From here you can check each guides profile, or browse directly to their website to see the trip. You can separately view the guides directory to browse all guides in one place.
Below is a curated list of independent mountain guides offering expeditions for Santa Cruz. Each guide provides their own experience, allowing climbers to select the approach that best suits their style, budget, and experience level. You can explore each guide’s dedicated trip page to review what they offer, from logistics and support to pricing details, with no additional influence from us.
GuideInfoCost
Grupo Alpamayo Tours logoGrupo Alpamayo Toursview guides trip webpage from $750
View the summit location and surrounding terrain to get a sense of the mountain's environment. This map offers a valuable perspective on the peak's position within the region, aiding climbers in visualizing their route and nearby landmarks.
What you can see from the summit of Santa Cruz. Click and pan around the map to explore, and zoom in/out to see the names of neighbouring mountains.

These climbs are similar in length, difficulty, and elevation. Offering a similar level of challenge as the Santa Cruz climb.

climm Huandoy
Huandoy
 D
Peru
$15,000
 6,360 m
climm Jirishanca
Jirishanca
 D - TD
Peru
$10,000
 6,094 m