In the Shadow of Cayesh

‘’In the Shadow of Cayesh’’ Maparaju Ascent, Cordillera Blanca, Peru, 2025 Maparaju was meant to be an easy summit. In reality, it turned into a 15-hour climb. We began our ascent at midnight under calm, frigid skies. With no known ascents yet that year, there was little to no clear path to follow. We ended up navigating an unusual route, scrambling along steep, exposed rock faces until we reached the edge of the glacier. From there, we ice-climbed up the glacial tongue and continued quietly across the ice, pushing toward a distant boulder field, unsure how far the summit still lay. Just before sunrise, after one final push up a steep slope of snow and ice, we reached a plateau beneath the summit. In that stillness, I launched my drone into the crisp air and captured this self-portrait, facing the jagged spire of Cayesh in the distance. I had dreamt of photographing this peak for years, and to see it under such light filled me with awe. We continued our ascent, one challenge at a time, encountering technical sections of mixed climbing that were far more demanding than anticipated. But the adrenaline, and the quiet thrill of pushing ourselves, kept us moving. Reaching the summit felt like a deep relief after a 9-hour vertical effort. We stayed up there for nearly an hour, taking in the view and looking back at Cayesh, one of the most breathtaking peaks in the Andes. The artwork is a composite of several drone images captured throughout the 3-day expedition and stitched together to reflect the scale and intensity of the experience.