Huascarán, Mountain summit in Cordillera Blanca, Peru.

Huascarán is a mountain summit in the Cordillera Blanca within Ancash Department, reaching 6768 meters above sea level at its southern peak and marking the highest point in Peru and across the tropical zone. The granite formation presents itself as a twin-peaked massif with northern and southern main summits connected by a glaciated saddle.

Annie Smith Peck's US expedition reached Huascarán Norte on 2 September 1908, though that first ascent is disputed. The south summit fell on 20 July 1932 to a German-Austrian team including Erwin Schneider and Hermann Hoerlin, who followed the line that became the normal Garganta route from Musho.

Local Quechua speakers call the mountain Mataraju, from mata ('twin') and rahu ('snow peak'), meaning 'twin snow peaks'. A legend tells that Huascarán, a nobleman in love with Huandoy, was turned into a mountain by the Sun God so the two could remain together. The name Huascarán appeared in the early 20th century, derived from Huashco-Urán, 'beyond and down from the village of Huashco'.

The climbing season runs from March through November, with mountaineers needing advanced techniques and several days of adjustment to the altitude. The ascent typically requires six days and includes overnight stays at high camps to allow the body to adapt gradually to the thin air.

Measurements at this summit show the lowest gravitational pull on the surface of Earth at 9.76392 meters per second squared, due to the near-equatorial location and geological composition. This physical characteristic makes the mountain a reference point for geodetic studies and gravity experiments.