From Caraz to Shilla

Our plan is a 7-day tour of the Huscarán, the highest (6768m) mountain in Peru, and one of the highest in the Andes. It's time to see the snow up close. In so doing we have several high passes to cross, some of questionable feasibility. Just thinking of it, Alain’s back pain and leg sores protest.

Adding to the uncertainty, the shoulder rainy season has now started - but with an unseasonal massive 2-hour downpour, which flooded out the market below our hotel room.

The big climb is over 2000m (effectively 2828m with ups and down) - so we have decided to split it into three parts of 1100, 900, and 820 m. From Caraz, we start parallel to the Cordillera Blanca, and soon begin to see white summits on the horizon, shining in the morning sun after last night's deluge. The road is quite busy, some sunday activities (e.g. a marching band in the middle of the road) making it interesting. The real climb starts after the town of Chuaraz, animated and clogged up by the sunday market. Out of Chuaraz, numerous dogs (with online bite warnings) give us an opportunity to rehearse our dog-skills (go slow, look at them, shhht them and if all else fails hide behind your bike and pretend to throw stones at them); in fact all goes well.

Shilla, our first stage, is another very steep little town. The only listed accommodation is the absolute pits, (PM for details) but we manage good shopping and good dinner. We also find out -- too late -- that there are other accommodation options that could easily have been much better.Read more