Set in the rugged and majestic Cordillera Blanca, this is one of Peru's most famous and popular treks. It offers a stunning array of scenery, from canyon valleys, towering glaciated peaks, and emerald green glaciar lakes. That is, it offers it if you don't have cloudy days...five days in a row. =) So the trek didn't really live up to all the hype it generates in my personal case, but I still got some cool scenery so I'm stoked.
L - Looking down valley into the Quebrada Santa Cruz
R - Nevados (peaks/mountains) Paria and Artesonraju (left to right)
Below - Nevado Talliraju
I took five days to do the trek, making a couple side trips here and there. The trek starts at 9500 feet, and winds its way up a steep walled canyon called the Quebrada Santa Cruz.
Following a rushing river most of the way, you pass by various side rivers cascading and falling into the canyon, as well as lots and lots of grazing cows. Eventually the canyon floor opens up into grassy valleys and a couple of lakes, with some ideal spots for camping. In the upper reaches of the canyon a trail splits off and heads up to the Alpamayo base camp, beneath the base of impressive peaks and after a scramble up a hill, a emerald green glaciar lake. Alpamayo is considered by many to be the most beautiful mountain in the world. Farther up valley leads to more impressive views of the surrounding valley, canyon walls, and towering white peaks. From there it is a steep climb up to the 15,500 foot pass of Punta Union before dropping into another canyon that probably would have been pretty if I could have seen it. Despite waiting a day to have the pass clear for the spectacular views, I received nothing but dark clouds that let you see all of 100 feet in front of you and obscuring all the majestic views from the pass.
View from pass towards Quebrada Santa Cruz
View over otherside of the pass
The lower parts of the canyon on the other side were pretty anyway, once I had dropped below the clouds. You follow out the canyon to meet up with a winding, dirt, mountain road, taking you straight through the Cordillera Blanca in a daring, heart-stopping way.
L - Glaciar Lake
R - View from pass
Below - View of a crazy mountain road from the top of a truck
The ride back over the mountains was actually the highlight of the trip. Not only were the views spectacular, with the road meticuously winding its way high up
into the mountains before winding even more dramatically down over the otherside of the pass, but I also took the best transport offered over the pass. Not a bus, not car, but atop a transport truck full of empty beer bottles, riding just over the main cab in the storage space with unobscured 360 degree views of the scenery. Serving as company, and also tour guide from time to time, a donkey driver (arriero) for a tour rode with me (for the guided, full-package tours, you get a guide, donkeys, and arriero, who loads his animals with all your stuff and is in charge of setting up camp, making your life a whole lot easier. I did it the hard way, went on my own, and thus carried all my own stuff. There were some definite moments when I really wanted a donkey). I think I was overcharged for that spine-tingling, heart-stopping ride, but I don't care, I would have paid double to have that experience.
L - Road down in the valley
R - View back up valley from the truck
Now that I am back in Huaraz I am already planning the next trip, around the northern side of the mountain range where Alpamayo resides. More remote, more demanding, and hopefully, with clearer weather, it should be an amazing adventure. Until then!
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