How cold is Huayna Potosí?

Temperatures on the higher glaciers of Huayna Potosí stay dangerously low, often landing somewhere between -10°C and -15°C (14°F to 5°F) as climbers start the midnight push. If you factor in hard alpine winds plus chill, the felt temperature can drop to about -25°C (-13°F) fast.

Getting through it and making the summit usually comes down to correct technical layering. You really need well-made thermal base layers, a bulky windproof down jacket, and thick waterproof gloves. Once the sun clears near the Amazon basin around 6:00 AM, the air warms quickly, so climbers can remove layers while descending.