HOW IT FEELS TO HIKE FOR A WEEK ON UP TO 5200 M
(HUAYHUASH TREK)
It’s beginning of September 2022. After spending a solid 10 days at the coast of Ecuador and Peru I made my way to Huaraz, a city located on a height of over 3000 m at the outskirts of the Cordillera Blanca. My travel schedule is delayed, because I wanted to spent more time with my (now Ex-) girlfriend Oona who I separated paths with in Máncora and it was worth every extra minute I could spend with her. Now I have to be creative with my time scheduling and hurry up with my preparation of one of the most legendary hikes in the world.
With the naive belief, that 10 days don’t bother my acclimatization too much, I decide to start my preparation hikes right away and organize everything to do the legendary Huayhuash Trek in just a few days. A story about challenging yourself, moments that make it worth and the feeling of being competely disconnected from the world in the middle of the second highest mountain range in the world – The Andes Mountains. Â
First Preparation Hike: Laguna 69
After travelling for about 20 hours from the tropical beach town Máncora in northern Peru, I finally arrive in Huaraz. Even though I barely slept in the bus, my body feels alright on these 3000 m of altitude and I feel confident my acclimatization isn’t completely lost. I roam the streets in search for a travel agency that offers the Huayhuash Trek and find nothing really promising. After dinner I return to the hostel and think about what to do tomorrow. I cannot lose more time, because I already arrived a few days later to Huaraz than planned and I got a ticket for Machu Picchu that is not postponeable. So I decide to sign up for the Laguna 69 hike that my hostel offers for just 12 $ and starts at 4:30 AM. Because it’s already so late and I still have to pack my things for the trek, I only get to bed at 1 AM. After 3 hours of sleep I get ready quickly and get picked up right away. I thought, I’ll be fine, because I can sleep in the bus that takes another 3 hours to get from Huaraz to the Trailhead of Laguna 69. I wasn’t sleeping a lot in that bus. Soon we arrive at Laguna Lagunillas, which is on the way to Laguna 69.
It’s 8:30 AM and the hike starts. At first, just plains, small incline, I’m feeling good. After a few kilometers we go up the mountains and step by step I’m starting to feel weaker and weaker, fall behind most people and the last mile to the lake was just pain. I’m totally exhausted, my body has no energy and I realize that I did loose a lot of acclimatization during my time at the coast and the sleep deprivation for two days in a row didn’t help either. I did hikes on this altitude before in Ecuador and was fine. Finally, 3 hours later I arrive at the lake. I’m barely able to do anything. It took me 10 mins until I was even able to make some pictures. However, the views… the views were something else! A crystal turquoise lake situated between big gray mountains. Above it a glacier and a waterfall in the distance that feeds this wonder.
Actually, I carried my drone all the way up here and wanted to fly it. That’s until the DJI App on my phone shows a critical failure and requires a reinstall and I realize that the drone was just extra weight for training. We start to descend and oh boy, the way down is even worse than the way up. I have no energy left and even when I was back on the plain, the road just feels like never ending. As if I’m walking on an infinite route. My eyes close while I’m walking and I feel as if I’m falling asleep while hiking. These 14 km were an extraordinary experience. In the bad way. I sleep the entire time on the way back to Huaraz and get to bed right after an early dinner and a stunning sunset in Huaraz. Laying there, a deep disappointment about myself overwhelms me. How would I ever be able to walk the Huayhuash Trek, which is severly more difficult than Laguna 69, if I barely managed to finish this hike? I take the decision to do a second preparation hike, to see whether actually sleeping enough and the acclimatization I’m currently getting helps. Tomorrow is the day to decide if I do the Huayhuash Trek or not!
Second Preparation Hike: Laguna Churup
I woke up the next morning, fresh and recovered. I feel like this is going to be an amazing day, and how right I was! Laguna Churup is a slightly easier hike than Laguna 69, but I didn’t know it better. Afterwards, I clearly wish I would’ve done Laguna Churup first and Laguna 69 afterwards. Though Laguna Churup is technically a little more diffcult, it is a shorter trek and it’s closer to Huaraz so you don’t have to wake up super early. Only at 9 AM I left Huaraz with a colectivo (which looked and sounded like it’ll fall apart in a minute) to Laguna Churup. 45 min later I arrived at the trailhead and commenced my hike. I was actually fine all the time, was full of energy and the height really didn’t bother me. Instead I was bothered by the stupid entrance fee regularities of the national park administration, which I’ll talk about in the guide for Huaraz. I arrived at the lake quickly and I found it even prettier than Laguna 69, because it was surrounded by greenish nature and has a more versatile landscape than Laguna 69. I ate my lunchbox and even decided to go a step further and climb the lake above Laguna Churup to fly my drone from there (which I nearly lost in a height of more than 150 m due to connection failure). Soon I realized about the clock and had to return. The last colectivo is leaving 4:30 PM and I surely don’t want to miss it. I’m still energized and decide to do some trailrunning, training my lungs, my coordination and my mind. Overpassing some other hikers, I arrive at the colectivo earlier than expected and had an absolutely stunning day. I feel confident about going on the Huayhuash Trek.
Right the next morning I find an offer that suits me. It’s 5 days instead of 8 days, but since I’m late in my travel schedule, this is my only option. Also, the offer includes transport to Lima on the 6th day, which is perfect, because it saves time and money. Right after booking the trek, I start with the preparations. I repacked my things sorted by three categories. The stuff I gonna carry with me on the trek, the stuff the donkey will carry for me during the trek, and the stuff that goes straight to Lima. I bought some trekking socks and snacks for the trek and try to go to bed early. Goodbye Cordillera Blanca. The Cordillera Huayhuash awaits me.
HUAYHUASH TREK DAY 1
Today I woke up at 3:30 and got ready for the trek. Now I’m sitting in the bus that picked me up at 4 am and I’m feeling a little nervous. I think the first two days will be manageable, but I’m afraid of the upcoming days. I’m still having some residous coughing from Covid, but I did Laguna 69 and Laguna Churup before, should be acclimatized and I’m feeling like it should work out. But I’m really not entirely sure of my fitness.
At 10:30 we finally arrived at Quartelhuain (3900 m) and started the hike. Surprisingly, our guide Ricardo is taking it very slow and making a lot of breaks, which is really good. I’m carrying my 70L Backpack, which is easier to carry due to the back support, but is heavier, which I can feel in my legs. Until the pass the views are nice, but not overwhelming. As everyday from now on, we had lunch at around 12:30. This time right before the pass. After the pass I can feel the height and the tiredness, but the view is really amazing, even though clouds cover the landscape more and more. The group consists of 20 people who are split in two subgroups. One is 8 people, the other one is 12 people, I’m in the one with 8. I’m also the ONLY person that is not from Israel. Therefore, it’s very homogeneous. Hebrew is mostly spoken and it’s hard to take part in the social dynamics, when being surrounded by 19 Israelis.
When we arrived at the Campsite Janca I was totally done. The way from the pass to the campsite was downhill, but long. At least it felt so, because looking on the map it was only 10 km in total that day. Additionally, it was really cold, because the clouds covered the entire sky and it was really windy. However, as we arrived, I realized what a luxury a guided tour is. There is a large living room tent, a kitchen tent and fully equipped sleeping tents and everything is ready as soon as you arrive. Every meal is cooked for you, you get a snack bag and fresh water for the day every morning! Additionally, all the stuff you don’t need during the day is carried by an army of donkeys. I immediately went into my tent and built up my sleeping mat & bag (I was the only one with his own equipment) and layed down to warm me up. Soon my body decided to take a nap, until Ricardo called me for dinner at 7:30 pm. As soon as the sun sets, it is freezing. I came outside my tent and was shaking. Also, I had a little headache from the altitude, the evening was really unpleasant. I ate my dinner, which was nice, had a little talk with the Israelis in my group and straight went back to my tent.
HUAYHUASH TREK DAY 2
At first, the hike up to the pass was a struggle. I was not fully recovered, the clouds damped my mood and I was frustrated by the Israelis barely speaking English. I put on my headphones, listen to some music and feel how the rhythm synchronizes my breathing with my walking. All of a sudden, it isn’t that hard at all. I pass the group and just keep walking. And while they walk faster and take a lot of breaks, I walk slow and continuously in a peaceful rhythm. After a while I’m way beyond the pass and cannot see the group anymore. I walk and see the range of the Cordillera Huayhuash right in front of me. Huge mountains embraced by the clouds that cannot escape these tremendous entities. I start to cry. Not out of sadness, but out of happiness, realizing where life brought me and that this is the only place I’m supposed to be at this specific moment. It’s wonderful.
After flying my drone to capture this moment from a worthy perspective, I keep on going, pick up on the donkeys and arrive at the Campsite Laguna Carhuacocha 1 1/2 Hours before everyone else. I cuddle with Rambo, this sweetheart dog and enjoy the view on the misty marvel I encountered here.
After spending the entire day at the camp, taking a nap, eating lots of food and enjoying the sunset, I decide to sleep outside. I finally get to use my camping gear I’m carrying with me for such a long time. I build up my tarp and my bivy bag, but as it turns out, I just dodge the tarp and sleep next to it, I want to see the stars!
The clouds move away as the sun sets and reveal a sparkling sky, I never before encountered in my life. I lay there in my bivy bag, perfectly warm, breathing the ice cold mountain air of Peru and marvel at the sky. Some clouds roll in, I fall asleep. But not for long. At 1:30 AM the dogs bark at something. I wake up, open my eyes and see the absolute craziest stars ever. Not a single cloud, nowhere! The Milky way stretching from one horizon to the other, filling the sky with incountable amounts of light pieces. A dozen of shooting stars fly above me within an hour. The pure amazement doesn’t allow me to sleep, so I have to remind myself of the wake up call in 3 hours and the expected hike. I hide my eyes from the sky in the sleeping bag and go the sleep.
HUAYHUASH TREK DAY 3
Waking up at 5:30 AM with some Coca Tea, I only have to open my eyes and see how the landscape is waking up. Light floods every dark corner of the mountains slowly. The sky is burning red and the Cordillera behind me becomes properly visible in its intimidating shape. The mountains are huge. Over 6000 m high. I go down to the lake and enjoy how the rising sun fills the mountain range with red color slowly from top to bottom. All this spectacle is reflected in the laguna, while it’s happening. One can only see that for 10 minutes, at that time of the year between 6:15 and 6:25.
Since I had to pack all my camping gear, which nobody else has to do, I start walking half an hour after the group. However, I pass them quickly and keep going to the Mirador Tres Lagunas. With so much confidence from the past day, I was surprised how much my performance declined. Though the Mirador Tres Lagunas is only on 4800 m I did have issues getting up there. I was neither the first, nor the last to get there, but I was totally done once I arrived. But all of that doesn’t matter at all. It is the most impressive view I ever saw in my life. I just stay there in awe, breathe and let myself inspire what Pacha Mama (Mother Nature) created in this spot of the world. It’s fantastic. I stay there longer than the rest of the group, just to soak in the experience in its full scale. The way from the pass above Mirador Tres Lagunas to the Camp was tiring. I spent the last bit of energy I had to climb the pass. Though it’s only downhill, it is still hard. I have headache from the altitude and just keep walking, hoping it doesn’t take long. The sun is really strong and though I have long-sleeved clothes, sunglasses and a cap, the radiation feels unbearable and there is no shadow anywhere to find and my water reserves are empty.
Arriving at the camp, I was just glad and didn’t want to walk a single meter more. After I rested a little bit and enjoyed the setting sun, I met an American guy, who actually rented his own donkey in Llamac and is doing the Huayhuash Trek by himself. I was excited, that’s an adventurer of my caliber! If I would’ve had someone inspiring me to such an idea, I would’ve done it for sure as well! However, he is just complaining a lot about his donkey, because it is very old and stubborn, walks slow or not at all and “is definitely not a Huayhuash donkey”. A donkey driver of our group offered him to take his donkey with him and confirmed afterwards that this donkey is unbelievable old and he should ask for half his money back (He paid 60 Soles or 15 $ per day). Still, what an adventure, I admire him for that! Again, I slept under the stars and it was just as beautiful as the night before, however, much warmer, since by bivy bag didn’t freeze!
HUAYHUASH TREK DAY 4
After the usual morning procedure, we left the camp around 7:20 AM and started walking. Until 9 AM I was just weak and couldn’t really give performance. Also, some severe back pain evolved and it really hindered me. Ricardo, our guide gave me a little massage and I applied some pain killer cream on my back and just took a long break. That helped for the moment. But then that random magic happened again and I was full of energy, moving my way up to Paso del Trapecio far earlier than the group. I arrived there, left my backpack at the pass and climbed to the Mirador at an altitude of 5150 m, just with my hiking poles and my drone. I arrived there an hour before everybody else, really enjoyed these majestic glaciers and mountains that reveal themselves only at this viewpoint. It was more than worth the climb. As soon as the others arrived I continued with them together. We had lunch and separated at a small lake not far from the camp. While the others moved on after a while, I slept at the laguna for like an hour and made my way to the Campamiento Elefante. Subjectively, it was a rather easy day, even though objectively speaking, it was much harder than the third day.
As soon as I arrived at the camp, I decided to jump on one of the rescue horses and explore the vast valley a little bit. The horse was very hard to control, but it still was a lot of fun. I rode the horse to a nearby river, which it didn’t want to cross, so I rode it back to the camp. There I did some galloping, which really messed up the dogs that instantly attacked the horse and were barking crazy. So I had to stop, but I really enjoyed that half hour of independent riding. Maybe someday I’ll just get my own horse and cross South America with it, who knows 😀
After that, I sat down and enjoyed the sunset. It was fantastic and the best sunset I’ve seen in Huayhuash. However, as the sun set, it became really cold. It was below 0 °C before 9 PM and it got even colder that night. Yet, I decided to sleep outside to really test the limits of my equipment. I woke up at 1 AM and felt slightly too cold. I enjoyed the marvelous night sky for another half an hour and moved to the tent. And actually, it was a bad idea, because in the tent it was even colder, since I didn’t take my bivy bag with me inside. Heating the small amount of air in the bivy bag is very much easier than heating the huge amount of air in the tent. I should’ve stayed outside and just keep going, because it wasn’t too bad, it was just a little uncomfortable on my thighs.
HUAYHUASH TREK DAY 5
Wow, what a day. The hike started going uphill immediately from the camp and within an hour we were at the pass. Or at least the others were. I was struggling heavily with back pain. My backpack surely was the heaviest in the entire group, about three times heavier than the backpack of our guide. The reason was simply that I was carrying more equipment. The backpack itself was heavier than the others and I also carried my drone, a big powerbank, my poncho that didn’t fit on the donkeys and so on. However, my backpack was not as heavy that it would explain the backpain. It was only on the left side and very local. If I ignored the pain, it would start to transform into a form of painful stinging. I was only able to hike with an enormous amount of breaks and 800 mg Ibuprofen. 30 mins after the rest of the group arrived, I finally reached the Passo Santa Rosa.
What a view! I was blown away, I couldn’t believe what my eyes are witnessing. A tremendous snow capped mountain and in front of it a turqouise lagoon. It was an intense experience and a worthy last site for this trek. I descend down to the lake and after enjoying the massiveness of this landscape a little longer, the path goes away from the big mountains and leads us to a plain. I turn back a last time to say goodbye to the Cordillera Huayhuash. It’s the last view I get of these mountains. With respect and gratitude, I keep on walking and soon the mountains are completely out of sight. My backpain is reduced to an acceptable level and I keep walking, passing skeletons of cows and green plains. I reach a valley and at the horizon I can see the destination of our trek and the first sign of civilization for 5 days. The village of Huayllapa. At some points, the path evolves into a small river and I’m glad about my waterproof hiking boots, because I literally have to walk in the stream. I pass a cascade of waterfalls. A 120 m high wall that is covered with a dozen of waterfalls, one below another, absolutely stunning. Then, finally after 20 km of walking I reach Huayllapa. It’s the end of the trek. There is still no signal, but one place has WiFi and I can finally call back my mom and tell her that everything is alright. After a good dinner and the first shower in 5 days, I finally go to sleep.
The next morning we are picked up at 5:30 AM and make our way to Lima. Our backpacks are fastened on the roof of the car and off we are. The drive was an adventure by itself, because it consisted of a narrow road with steep slopes to the left and right. If I look out the window, I can see how close the wheels are to the slope. If the driver makes just one mistake, we would fall hundreds of meters into the valley, its terrifying. At every curve the driver honks to make opposing traffic aware of us, the road barely fits two cars next to each other. After hours of driving we finally reach closer to the coast. It’s fascinating, because we had sun the entire morning and all of a sudden clouds appear, they become thicker and thicker until they cover the entire sky. One can literally see the boundary between the mountains, that block off the clouds and the coast that is notoriously grey. If you look up Peru on a weather map, you can see the clear line, that I crossed this moment. Within a few kilometers you enter a completely different microclimate. Finally, we arrive in Barranca, where I say goodbye to Ricardo, our amazing guide who now returns to Huaraz and make a last picture with him, before we keep heading to Lima. That’s it with the Huayhuash Trek. What an experience.
