Santa Cruz, Mountain summit in Ancash Department, Peru.

Santa Cruz is a mountain in the Cordillera Blanca of the Andes in Ancash, Peru, reaching 6,259 metres. Its massif has three summits: Santa Cruz (South or Grande) at 6,259 m, Santa Cruz Norte at 5,829 m and Santa Cruz Chico at 5,800 m. The upper slopes are snow and exposed dark grey rock ridges, as seen in the photograph.

The first ascent of Santa Cruz's main summit (6,259 m) was made on 20 July 1948 by the Swiss climber Frédéric Marmillod and the Hungarian Ali Szepessy-Schaurek, who climbed the southeast ridge. The massif has three summits: Santa Cruz or Santa Cruz Sur (6,259 m), Santa Cruz Norte (5,829 m) and Santa Cruz Chico (5,800 m).

Quechua communities living in the surrounding valleys maintain farming and herding practices rooted in generations of mountain life. Their presence and way of living shape how the land is used and cared for today.

The trek to Santa Cruz takes approximately four days and covers around 50 kilometers of mountain terrain. Visitors should allow time for acclimatization and bring winter clothing, as temperatures drop well below freezing at higher elevations.

The glacial lakes along the trek contain minerals that color the water in different shades of blue, ranging from turquoise to deep indigo. These colors shift depending on the time of day and light conditions, creating an ever-changing display.