November 12th - November 21st
Time for our Huayhuash Circuit trek. Deep breath, it´s nine days until you see civilization!!
Time for our Huayhuash Circuit trek. Deep breath, it´s nine days until you see civilization!!
WHO- Keeli, Celene, Pat, Justin, Patrice, Jonny
COUNTRIES REPRESENTED- USA, Canada and France
COST- 130$ per person, tipping the arrieros an extra s./30per day, food was included as well as mules and tents,
sleeping bags, kitchen tent, propane
WHAT- A nine day trek through the Peruvian Andes, known as the Huayhuash Circuit, it is one of the more
difficult hikes as well as the most beautiful. On average of 4400meters, we hiked up and over passes almost every
day. The following is a brief recap and some of the better photos.
COUNTRIES REPRESENTED- USA, Canada and France
COST- 130$ per person, tipping the arrieros an extra s./30per day, food was included as well as mules and tents,
sleeping bags, kitchen tent, propane
WHAT- A nine day trek through the Peruvian Andes, known as the Huayhuash Circuit, it is one of the more
difficult hikes as well as the most beautiful. On average of 4400meters, we hiked up and over passes almost every
day. The following is a brief recap and some of the better photos.
DAY ONE
Start- Pocpa 3,475m
Finish- Matacaucha 4,000m
Ascent- 635m
Outlook- Rough start, we arrived at Andean Kingdom at 5am; caught a bus to
a small town; missd the bus to Pocpa by 15minutes because the driver was
stopping every five seconds to pick up more passengers to make some extra $;
had to hire a private mini bus s./130 to Pocpa. Got to camp (or near where it
was supposed to be) and it was dark and freezing ass cold. Sooooo glad for
gloves. Even if they are the itchy Alpaca kind.
Start- Pocpa 3,475m
Finish- Matacaucha 4,000m
Ascent- 635m
Outlook- Rough start, we arrived at Andean Kingdom at 5am; caught a bus to
a small town; missd the bus to Pocpa by 15minutes because the driver was
stopping every five seconds to pick up more passengers to make some extra $;
had to hire a private mini bus s./130 to Pocpa. Got to camp (or near where it
was supposed to be) and it was dark and freezing ass cold. Sooooo glad for
gloves. Even if they are the itchy Alpaca kind.
DAY TWO (alternate route)
Start- Matacaucha 4,000m
Finish- near L. Mitococha 4,230m
Ascent- 685m high pass (snowflakes!!) right away at
4,685m.
Outlook- A hard push right away but then a long gradual decline
thereafter. Camp was situated along a beautiful river where we washed
along the edge. Did I mention that all the water is glacial cold? Literally,
glacial. Optional 30 minute hike to a lake (?) was so-so but the views of
the mountains are simply ridiculous.
Start- Matacaucha 4,000m
Finish- near L. Mitococha 4,230m
Ascent- 685m high pass (snowflakes!!) right away at
4,685m.
Outlook- A hard push right away but then a long gradual decline
thereafter. Camp was situated along a beautiful river where we washed
along the edge. Did I mention that all the water is glacial cold? Literally,
glacial. Optional 30 minute hike to a lake (?) was so-so but the views of
the mountains are simply ridiculous.
DAY THREE
Start- near Lake Mitococha 4,230m
Finish- L. Carhuacocha 4,138m.
Ascent- +/- 400m. ´easy´ day!
Outlook- Trek along high altitudes but on a relatively easy incline
until you get to the lake. Able to buy cervesa if wanted, the guys
definitely did. Celene and I are not interested at the moment in drinking
anything but refreshing water! BEAUTIFUL view of Siula Grande and
Yerpaja, the second largest mountain in Peru. There were these amazing
Sampas plants that you hop from to get across the marshy bits of the
trek and it turns out they only grow a millimeter a year....and I was
hopping from one giant circle to another. It was like a plant out of a Dr.
Seuss book.
Start- near Lake Mitococha 4,230m
Finish- L. Carhuacocha 4,138m.
Ascent- +/- 400m. ´easy´ day!
Outlook- Trek along high altitudes but on a relatively easy incline
until you get to the lake. Able to buy cervesa if wanted, the guys
definitely did. Celene and I are not interested at the moment in drinking
anything but refreshing water! BEAUTIFUL view of Siula Grande and
Yerpaja, the second largest mountain in Peru. There were these amazing
Sampas plants that you hop from to get across the marshy bits of the
trek and it turns out they only grow a millimeter a year....and I was
hopping from one giant circle to another. It was like a plant out of a Dr.
Seuss book.
DAY FOUR (alternate route to three lakes view)
Start- L. Carhuacocha 4,138m.
Finish- Huayhuash 4,330m.
Ascent- 700m. high, high pass
Outlook- Started off going up immediately; longish day of hiking with a
steep pass but damned great views of the lakes. All three were different color
blues-turquoise. Justin tells me that the color is affected by the glacier
´powder´ that sifts down on the bottom of the lakes. There are avalanches
happening quite regularly and it makes your heart skip a beat to be able to
watch the powder pour like water (or ball-bearings as Pat said) off the side of
the mountains. The small town of Huayhuash is quaint and I was able to take a
quick bath-swim in the river. Again with the glacial temperature. It´s great to
be able to see the glacier where the water is coming from!
Start- L. Carhuacocha 4,138m.
Finish- Huayhuash 4,330m.
Ascent- 700m. high, high pass
Outlook- Started off going up immediately; longish day of hiking with a
steep pass but damned great views of the lakes. All three were different color
blues-turquoise. Justin tells me that the color is affected by the glacier
´powder´ that sifts down on the bottom of the lakes. There are avalanches
happening quite regularly and it makes your heart skip a beat to be able to
watch the powder pour like water (or ball-bearings as Pat said) off the side of
the mountains. The small town of Huayhuash is quaint and I was able to take a
quick bath-swim in the river. Again with the glacial temperature. It´s great to
be able to see the glacier where the water is coming from!
DAY FIVE (Hot Springs)
Start- Huayhuash 4,330m.
Finish- L. Viconga 4,407m.
Ascent- 420m. steep pass at 4,750m.
Outlook- Again started off with a slight incline then it´s all
upwards...later it gest marshy with the strange sampas grass islands
everywhere. The lake we pass looks like an old mine because it´s super
steep and a deep cobalt blue. The Shining Path´s (a terrorist group) old
headquarters are directly on the hill above camp. The hot springs or one
cement pool with scalding hot waterfalls next to it, was a little dirty for
my preference. As in, everyone bathes in it once a year it seemed. I
jumped in then on my way back I took another quick bath-swim in the
river. Super clear and gorgeous. I love taking freezing baths.
Start- Huayhuash 4,330m.
Finish- L. Viconga 4,407m.
Ascent- 420m. steep pass at 4,750m.
Outlook- Again started off with a slight incline then it´s all
upwards...later it gest marshy with the strange sampas grass islands
everywhere. The lake we pass looks like an old mine because it´s super
steep and a deep cobalt blue. The Shining Path´s (a terrorist group) old
headquarters are directly on the hill above camp. The hot springs or one
cement pool with scalding hot waterfalls next to it, was a little dirty for
my preference. As in, everyone bathes in it once a year it seemed. I
jumped in then on my way back I took another quick bath-swim in the
river. Super clear and gorgeous. I love taking freezing baths.
DAY SIX (El Mirador Day)
Start- L. Viconga 4,400m.
Finish- n. Rio Calinga & Rio Q. Huanacpatay
Ascent- high pass at 5,245m. start at 4,400m, then hiked
down to 3,800m then back up to 5,245m. The hardest
thing I have done EVER.
Outlook- Climb hard and fast then begin a rapid descent ot 3,800m. But
not before we took our awesome photo of booty shorts and legwarmers. It
was necessary yes, at least we didn´t do the naked in front of a glacier
photo that everyone else seems to have done! haha. You can choose to do
the optional El Mirador or continue along for 3 more hours to camp. I
chose to do the view and it was a goddamned killer. My ipod really
pushed me through and I found a fossil at the summit. The views were
spectacular and I felt a bit like a superstar for making it up. Little did I
know that we got to do really fun ´dirt skiing´ down the side of the
mountain. It is one of my newest favorite activies. I recommend it highly.
Too bad there was three more hours of hiking to get to camp. Damn long
day. It would be an understatement to say I was SPENT.
Start- L. Viconga 4,400m.
Finish- n. Rio Calinga & Rio Q. Huanacpatay
Ascent- high pass at 5,245m. start at 4,400m, then hiked
down to 3,800m then back up to 5,245m. The hardest
thing I have done EVER.
Outlook- Climb hard and fast then begin a rapid descent ot 3,800m. But
not before we took our awesome photo of booty shorts and legwarmers. It
was necessary yes, at least we didn´t do the naked in front of a glacier
photo that everyone else seems to have done! haha. You can choose to do
the optional El Mirador or continue along for 3 more hours to camp. I
chose to do the view and it was a goddamned killer. My ipod really
pushed me through and I found a fossil at the summit. The views were
spectacular and I felt a bit like a superstar for making it up. Little did I
know that we got to do really fun ´dirt skiing´ down the side of the
mountain. It is one of my newest favorite activies. I recommend it highly.
Too bad there was three more hours of hiking to get to camp. Damn long
day. It would be an understatement to say I was SPENT.
DAY SEVEN
Start- Rio Calinga
Finish- past Punta Tapish
Ascent- 1,100 m. no joke.
Outlook- I had a bad day. I was so wrecked from the day before that I
had a mini-breakdown and cried a little. Celene was my human crutch.
We finally made it to camp and I needed the little R&R that was left of the
day to prepare for the next day! All ascent until late in the end, then there
is a sharp decline to a valley campsite. You find yourself crying out,
¨WHERE´S CAMP!?¨ on a fairly regular basis, at the top of your
lungs. Try not to frighten the locals.
Start- Rio Calinga
Finish- past Punta Tapish
Ascent- 1,100 m. no joke.
Outlook- I had a bad day. I was so wrecked from the day before that I
had a mini-breakdown and cried a little. Celene was my human crutch.
We finally made it to camp and I needed the little R&R that was left of the
day to prepare for the next day! All ascent until late in the end, then there
is a sharp decline to a valley campsite. You find yourself crying out,
¨WHERE´S CAMP!?¨ on a fairly regular basis, at the top of your
lungs. Try not to frighten the locals.
DAY EIGHT
Start- past Punta Tapish 4,400m
Finish- along R. Achin 4,000m n. L. Jahuacocha 4,066m.
Ascent- 447m. steep push to start, then all downhill- THANK
GOD
Outlook- Did much better. It helps to go uphill and push the mules along.
Celene and I seemed to practically jog up that pass. Not really but it was a
good decent pull. Did I mention how much I love all the chocolate snacks we
get to eat all the time? The campsite is fantastic, I again went swimming. The
mountain views are all glaciers and almost blind you when it is shining brightly
out. There was a special meal prepared for us of ´patchumunca´ or sheep
smoked in the ground and marinated. I had a baby bite to celebrate the
occasion. It is very very rich and chewy. My grandma tells me she prefers
lamb. huh.
Start- past Punta Tapish 4,400m
Finish- along R. Achin 4,000m n. L. Jahuacocha 4,066m.
Ascent- 447m. steep push to start, then all downhill- THANK
GOD
Outlook- Did much better. It helps to go uphill and push the mules along.
Celene and I seemed to practically jog up that pass. Not really but it was a
good decent pull. Did I mention how much I love all the chocolate snacks we
get to eat all the time? The campsite is fantastic, I again went swimming. The
mountain views are all glaciers and almost blind you when it is shining brightly
out. There was a special meal prepared for us of ´patchumunca´ or sheep
smoked in the ground and marinated. I had a baby bite to celebrate the
occasion. It is very very rich and chewy. My grandma tells me she prefers
lamb. huh.
DAY NINE
Start- n. L. Jahuacocha 4,066m.
Finish- Llamac 3,300m
Ascent- 300m a high point of 4,300m.
Outlook- Had to HAUL ASS to make the bus. But it was a good swift
way to end the trek! We made it back to Huaraz by the afternoon and it
was nice to have a HUGE Chifa meal. Mmm, chifa. I will also be retiring
my boots forever to the trash. My achilles heel will thank me for it
someday I´m sure.
Start- n. L. Jahuacocha 4,066m.
Finish- Llamac 3,300m
Ascent- 300m a high point of 4,300m.
Outlook- Had to HAUL ASS to make the bus. But it was a good swift
way to end the trek! We made it back to Huaraz by the afternoon and it
was nice to have a HUGE Chifa meal. Mmm, chifa. I will also be retiring
my boots forever to the trash. My achilles heel will thank me for it
someday I´m sure.
Huayhuash Circuit - Peruvian Andes
