Sun 12 Jul. / Hasta Luego Andes !!! We have reached the end of our Perùvian y Bolivian caminos. Highlights include unusual rencontres with Chamanes and other excentrics, discoveries of mystical sceneries and dramatic landscapes, initiations to Quechua rituals, rich culinary experiences, and clearly wild mountain rides:... 36 expedition days... 12 peaks (5 x 6000m + 6 x 5000m + Machu Pichu), 3 unsuccessful 6000m attempts... 22394 altitude meters climbed (approx. 5600 stories of a building or 70 times the Eiffel tower)... 12 nights slepts above 5000m (10 of which on glaciers) and 1 night at 6768m... -25*C min x 50+ knts wind-shield... 1200kg carried, incl. 440kg food and fuel... 16 mules hired to base camps... 0 condor seen - clearly a legend... uncountable arguments and so much funWhat s next ??? Passion is raging !!! Yep, much more in the Alps and Himalaya ... Join us!
Wed 08 Jul. -- The Cordillera Huayhuash is a unique mountain paradise, and one of the planet's natural treasures. It is home to some of the most spectacular mountain setting in all of South America, and contains some of the most difficult Alpine climbing in all the Andes. Furthermore, this quiet and remote range hosts just a handful of rural farmers and herders...For us, being in the Huayhuash was more than reaching challenging peaks. It meant discovering preserved landscapes and populations, while living an adventure in total autonomy. Climbing some of these pure, sharp, sauvage peaks was a bonus - which we took :)
Wed 24 Jun. -- Summitted and camped on top !!! Huascaran Sùr (6768m) is the highest mountain in tropical range, second in Latine America to Aconcagua (highest peaks in the Americas) only by 200m ... A good effort, which was saluted around Huaraz :) Our first plan was to summit both peaks Sùr (6768m) and Norte (6664m). But the prospect of an amazing sunset/rise atop and yet a new and original challenge had reason of our plans: Peak Sùr via the most beautiful route to the top (the Escudo SW face, D+, 60*) and camp on top. However we did not plan with weather changes (such thing as weather forecasting does not exists here) ... and as we summitted weather deteriorated, ending in stormy conditions: 50+ knts winds, -20*C, at >6500m. But the passion burning in us kept us warm :) Loved it!Next: Leaving for the remote Cord. Huayhuash, a true adventure range :) Our objective: Yerupaja (6634m) and Jirishanca (6094m) - pure, sharp, sauvage ... The Huayhuash is also home to the Sendero Luminoso "terrorist organisation" - Risk-mitigation ?!?
Wed 17 Jun. -- An epic tour, ending on an hectic Sunday ... What a chance for those who have time to admire the sun setting at the foot of Nevados Alpamayo and Quitaraju. The Alpamayo was elected the most beautiful mountain in the world at the 1966 Munich Exhibition, and nominated UNESCO World Heritage. This tour was really epic as we succeeded in climbing both the Alpamayo (5947m, French route, IV D+, 400m, 80*) and the knife-edge Quitaraju (6040m, North face, D-, 400m, 55*), but felt against terrifying ice cliffs of the Paramount Pictures symbol Artesonraju (6025m, North ridge, D, 800m, 60*) - on that hectic Sunday: Wake-up call at 12am/5000m x Ice-cliffs fight at 3am/5500m on Artesonraju North face x Rencontre with Zorró the wild-fox at 9am/4800m x Multiple bull-charges through marshlands at 11am/4300m x Fast home-ride with a Pegasys-horse and a super-buros 2pm/4200m x Unprompted cuy invitation at 6pm/3200m = An hectic day !!!Next: Again an unconventional tour to Perù highest mountains - Huascaran Sur (6768m) and Norte (6655m) - in 2 consecutive days ...
Sat 06 Jun. -- An exhausting but exciting tour!!! We had set ourself a cosy target for an acclimatisation tour in the Cord. Blanca: summit Ishinca (5530m, NE Ridge, PD-) on the way to Ranrapalca (6162m, NE face, IV D, 800m, 55*). Too easy, we overachieved :) on top of summitting, we traversed from quebrada (valley) Ishinca to quebrada Cojup in full autonomy; ie. Quebrada Ishinca up x Quebrada Cojup down = (15 km x 30 kg x 2000m) x (15 km x 25 kg x 2000m) x 2 summits ... Complications: no mulls; limited food; 2 thunderstorms ... Results: 2 happy climbers summitting 2 beautiful peaks and an unforgettable lunch experience back in the valley (check Peruvian Recipies photos) :)Next: Even more challenging - a 12 days 3 peaks tour in the quebrada Santa Cruz: the world famous Alpamayo (5947m, French route, IV D+, 400m, 80*); Quitaraju (6040m, North face, D-, 400m, 55*); Artesonraju (6025m, North ridge, D, 800m, 60*). Autonomy but with mulls this time :)
Sun 31 May -- Travelling through Bolivia and Peru is a slow process, nonetheless a wonderful experience for patient travelers. After a ceviche (excellent marinated fresh fishes) stop-over in Lima, we eventually arrived in Huaraz, our home for the next 6 weeks. At first glance, the capital of Andean climbing is still sleepy as not many climbers have yet settled here. The weather has considerably improved compared to end of April, and we can now hope to summit some magestic peaks of the Cordilleras Blanca and Huayhuash: Alpamayo, Huascaran, Jirishanca, Yerupajá, Rasac...Next: Leave for a "acclimatisation" 4-days tour in the Quebrada Ishinca with the objective to summit Ishinca (5530m, F) on the way to Ranrapalca (6162m, Face NE, D) - a nice start :)
Wed 27 May -- A dream. The 6439m of the Illimani and its 8km 3 peaks traverse will remain a dream for us... We had to cancel Illimani plans this time due to Kieran's sickness. And it is now tiime to leave Bolivia and its awe-inspiring landscape, La Paz and its Tango dancers, the Cordillera Real and its fascinating challenges. We will come back - if not for the Illimani traverse, for the even more difficult and yet virgin Illampu (6368m) traverse :) Farewell to Victor Vega "Chileno", our unexepted rope-mate, and travelers of all sorts we met here :)Next: 40+ hours bus back to Huaraz, home to the Peruvian Cordilleras. Shall we stop visit Arequipa?.JPG)
Sun 24 May -- What a week, but success !!! It started very paintfully for Chileno and Jeff on "black tuesday": After falling in a 'guet-apens' with indigens, Chileno was sent to jail ... meanwhile Jeff had a bus accident on his way back from Uyuni and latter was diagnosed with digestive infections ... Out-of-jail and treated, we happily went off to the Condoriri, the sacreed Condor massif, where we failed to climb the Cabeza two weeks ago. New plans: Cabeza (5648m, AD+) via the beautiful Southwest ridge, and ala Izquerdia (5540m, D-) via the Directissima in the South face :) Tough ride: we all got sick at some point and ended up climbing both peaks in dreadful conditions ... but we summitted !!! Esthetical climbs and beautiful sceneries :)What's next ??? Still looking for a nice route in the Illimani massif before heading back to Perú
Wed 20 May -- Sajama, top of Bolivia !!! Climbed: 6549m :) Sajama was not in our original plans, but the attractiveness of the highs + unexpected event set it on our map, luckily :) The scenery in the area is superb with enduring sense of remoteness and desolation. and the air is beautifully sharp ... There, we faced penitentes (sharp snow spikes formed by effecrs of wind + sun) for our first time ... painfull !!!Plans for the Illimani traverse are still cooking. But for now, we head back to the Cabeza del Condor + ala Izquierda as of tomorrow :).jpg)
Wed 20 May -- Meanwhile, just recovering from stomachal infections, Jeff set off in lunar and marsian expeditions - in the Bolivian Southern Altiplano :) the sceneris in the part of the world are breathtaking, with a continuous sense of loss of magnitudes ... Surreal. Luckily after the usual melodrama of organising tours in the regions, I ended up sharing a 4WD with a bunch of Aussies and Anglosaxons of other sorts. So FUN !!! Farewell to them :).JPG)
Wed 13 May -- Just back to La Paz. We left a week ago with the objective to climb three classic peaks of the Cord. Real via the nicest routes: Pequeño Alpamayo (5410m) - "an impressive and beautiful pyramid of snowand rocks", Condoriri (5648m) - the Bolivian Matterhorn, and Huayna Potosi (6088m) - our first 6000m. Planned changed when Victor, the Chileano, came back defeated from Condoriri: After falling in a 4m deep crevasse, sugar snow on the steep Southwest ridge stopped his ascension. We will be back! Nonetheless: back to La Paz with our first Andean peak and our first 6000m climbed :) Next, the highest: Illimani (6439m). Chileano joins us, but can we attempt the exceptionnal 3 peaks traverse with 8 km and a compulsory bivouak above 6000m ...
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Wed 6 May -- "An incongruous splash of blue amid the parched dreariness of the Altiplano, with clear saphire-blue waters" ... Impetuous? No, a true description of Lake Titicaca. There, we visited the people of Uros - inhabitants of estonishing flotting islands, and Taquile, which are tiny populations still living ancient style. En route to Isla del Sol in Copacabana we got hijacked by locals into their "3 de Mayo" festivities (mind you it was the 4th) and got handed over some sort of scary Totem :( On the Isla del Sol, the birth place of several revered entities - including the sun itself, we have set our first camp above 4000m, 200m only above lake-level :). Sceneries were fantastic, and we had first clear views over the Cordillera Real. So looking forward!!! And now: La Paz. We meet local "Guias" and we have been planning the next three weeks is underway: Pekeno Alpamayo (5410m), Condoriri (5648m), Huayna Potosi (6088m) and Illamani (6438m) ... Off we go climbing !!!
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Sun 3 May -- Sad to leave Cusco and the Machu Picchu ... We had such a good time meeting fun, existing or excentric guys on the caminos de los Inkas. Kieran and I tailored our own way through the jungle forest of Santa Maria, the mystical Machu Picchu, and the marvellous landscape of the Sacred Valley. Quite an experience ! Especially the initiation to Quechua rituals with Andros, the unusual rencontre of Chamanes, the wild mountain ride on trucks with Wioletta... After few sleepless nights in Cusco, it´s now time to take the night bus bound to Lago Titicaca . Our last stop before reaching La Paz and the Cordillera Real.[1].JPG)
Wed 29 Apr. -- Only discovered in 1921, the Lost City of the Incas is allegely South America's most spectacular archaeolgical site - and has retain its air of grandeur and mystery. A visit to Machu Picchu is an experience: Trails through high passes and jungle, and an early morning race up to the site put oneself in the right mindset. Early morning mist, dramatic Inka ruins and sharp Andean lanscapes add a mystical feeling. And the walk up to Wayna Picchu and Putucusi closes the ritual ...
Sun 26 Apr. -- Dramatic programme change! Amazonian rains are still showering the Cordilleras. Let's use that time to visit Peru & Bolivia and wait for cristal blue skies for our summits :) First stop: Cusco. Magnificent preserved Inka and hispanic city, once the most influencial place in Latine America. The tons of churchs from conquistadores time are built over Inka ruinas in an quite estonishing manner ... Definitely the must-visit-site in Peru, as observed by the number of tourists :( Next: Camino Inka Ancestral to Machu Pichu
Wed 22 Apr. -- We traveled today to Huaraz, the 'Chamonix' of the Peruvian Andes. The 8h and 3000m bus climb drove us through changing weather conditions and landscape: from the flat and desertic surroundings of Lima (it virtually never rains in Lima) to the green mountains of the west slopes of the Cordillera Blanca. Weather patterns in the Peruvian Andes depend on Amazon rain activities - which are still very active this year. ie. Huaraz is very wet and our mountains constantly showered ... check weather forecasts and maps on: www.snow-forecast.com/resorts/Huascaran. If current weather confirms, well we will explore local traditions rather than summits :)
Sun 19 Apr. -- Upon landing in Lima, our friend Thorsten with whom we are staying in Miraflores (Lima) organised us to be picked up at the Airport. Rodolpho, our driver and ex. Peruvian Marine Commando, drove us safely home after proudly exhibiting his AutoMat II Magnum 22 handgun - just in case ... We had the rest of the day to visit the Coasta Verde magnficent cliffs, the Pont des Soupires in Barranco and enjoy some Lomo Saltado and Cristal. No worries, despites first impression, Lima is nice and safe.
