Huayhuash Trekking

Huayhuash Trekking (8 days- 7 nights).
This trekking spans above 126 km- 6’705 m elevation gain in the most magical nature I might have experienced yet.
What struck me the most is the intensity and diversity of the colors. Guided by a superwomen of a guide (Rocio, whose father pioneered the Huayhuash Trek) and her son Andy, our 8 person group could explore the Cordillera Huayhuash. We were accompanied by Sonia, Rocio’s sister and cook extraordinaire and Carlos and Robinson, taking care of the donkeys.
A truly special experience with very special people. I might buccher the passes and mountain names, I am sorry for this, this was translated from Queshuan to Spanish; I am fluent in neither of them.
Day 1: Departure from Huaraz later than expected (09.30 instead of 5:00) to rest tired Costa Ricains who summited the Pico Matteo the day before. It takes about 4:30 hours to arrive to LLamac, the village that serves as departure point for the Huayhuash Trekking and where our guide Rocio grew up. We get to know Marino, Rocio’s father and Huayhuash legend and outside of the village her mother (Mathilde, who, at 74 years old lives alone in a shelter in the mountains. We set camp at 4180 m above sea in Cuartel Wain.
Day 2: Cuartel Wain- Carhuacocha (17 km)
Start is fixed at 6:00 and at 6:50 everybody gets going. The first ascent leads us to the Cacanapunta Pass (4700 m) which separates the Ancash Region to the Huanuco. The second pass is Carua, which I walk alone with Neema, the american of our group. We arrive at the Carbuacocha Laguna: a lake surplombed by the highest peaks I have ever seen. In this remote place live Ernest and Gloria, who survive through farming and selling beers and Inka Cola to the thirsty tourists. Camp with the most beautiful view at Carbuacocha. I learn 2 Spanish words a days (today: acetuna, mujado and how to tell I don’t have money in Queshuan).
Day 3:
We leave along the lac, the turquoise water contrasts with the golden « hucho ». We climb the Seula Pass (4800m) and have a clear view of the surrounding mountains. Jesus spends 2 hours telling me about his life in Spanish, I understand about 70% :). Dinner is fresh trout from the river.
Day 4:
Ascension of the Trapezio Pass (5’100 m), followed by a off the path climb to 5200 m, where the majestic Huayhuash Cordillera surprises us and leaves everybody speechless. This day is the most varied of the trip: yellow valleys, huges, white peaks, striking lagunas, red rocks and friable looking stony ridges. We go down to our camp in what looks a starting storm, which dies pretty soon. We wash in the river and even watch « Broad Peak » (courtesy of the Costa Rican) in the tent.
Day 5:
It is the day of the San Antonio viewpoint, about 2 hours above our camp (5’200m). We start early and are rewarded with once again a beautiful view, alone at the pass. We have the Juraud (6400 m), Sarapo (6300 m) and Sacada (>5500 m) right in front of us, and of course the Siula Grande (6344 m), featured in the movie « Touching the void ». We go back to the Elephant Valley, where our camp is and start the long descent to the village of Huayallapa. Carlos is from this little town and we sleep in his hostel ((almost) hot shower!- wifi!). This is the only evening where it rains pretty heavily, we are very lucky with the weather.
Day 6:
From the village we need to climb 1200 m to reach the Tapushpunta Pass at 4750m. At the pass I meet a group of Chilean Backpackers (they do the trek solo), one of them explain the O Trek to me by drawing in the mud. At the camp Gashapampa, it is sunny, Jesus grind coffee beans from Costa Rica with his thermos bottle. In the evening, the superstitious Latin American exchange ghost stories.
Day 7:
Pass of Yaucha (4800m) with a snow storm. Some brave participants decide to climb further and we are rewarded by a nice view, sun and most importantly 3 gigantic condors, which fly above us. From the view point we see the camp in the valley, next 2 lagunas and in the background a giant glacier. The descent is longer and harder than Sierre Zinal but we make it. I decide to do an extra walk to go closer to the glacier and find myself on top of a cliff above a turquoise lake, with the glacier right before me and a rainbow. Pure bliss! Dinner is spent slighlty worrying about the international strike that might disturb our return to Lima and therefore the flights of some participants.
Day 8:
Last day! After the mandatory photoshooting in front of the summit, we leave. A « Mirador » later, we start the gruelling descent to Llamac. We made it, it is the end. We eat at Rocio’s house and leave by bus to Huaraz.
I take one of the best showers of my life and we have a last dinner together in Huaraz before I take the bus with Neema to Lima. I sleep like a baby in the very comfortable bus.Read more