Nameless beauties

Always above 4000m, we cycle through an area so remote, that a very high pass or a stunning gorge bare no name...

After leaving our beautiful night spot near a lake at 4230m, we descend gently in sunshine, until we reach a great flat valley. Apart from a few isolated farms, it is very empty. The first junction connects to a single track, tarmacked road in a similarly wide flat valley that we are heading up and which is surrounded by volcanic rock formations. The valley has several deserted settlements; posters advertise plots of land for sale to rebuild a town.

On our right appears a steep hill, then several, covered with Puya raimondii, "the queen of the Andes". We are relieved that they exist elsewhere than in the Huascaran natural park, and notice that there seems to be a correlation with the absence of sheep and cows.

As we go on the landscape becomes wilder, the climb steeper and the sky darker. We turn sharply out of the valley and now it is very steep and it hails. The last 400m of climbing are really tough, the first 200m because we are at the limit of our lowest gear, the second because it has become so windy. The pass is also the limit between districts and is covered in broken glass. There is no pass marker, just a cow skull on a wooden stick. What is happening here?

The descent is superb, we even see a fox watching us on the road. After about 15km of descent, the valley narrows, with stunning volcanic cliffs, columns, etc. We spot an abandoned village on the other side of the river. We plant the tent, get the usual evening rain and wake up to new morning light.Read more