summit attempt of Vallunaraju (5686m)

The summit still 3 hours away

it's 2am in the morning, and I've been intermittently waking up every 30mins or so since trying to sleep at 6.30pm. it seems to be getting warmer in the tent - somehow in my glazed mind it's because of the snow that's banking up on the fly. I know I've got to wake up at some time, but desperately want to get some sleep in too.

we're already camping at 4850m, and our aim at 2.30am is to start the 6 hour climb to the peak of Vallunaraju - 5686m. (That's a 800m ascent, much of it over 5000m high. Man that sounds hard.) It sits proudly at the end of a valley in the Cordillera Blanca, aptly named as the many mountains there are dusted - or loaded as Vallunaraju was for us - with white (blanca) snow. It's not a technical summit, but at that altitude and with deep snow, it's not an easy final ascent.

we had started out the previous day from Hurarz at 7am, Piotrek (a Polish traveler who I had met through the agency) and Rolando, our wry guide. It's about a 1.5hr (and like 20km drive) out, and a nice surprise was being driven there by Fey who had taken me to Laguna 69. Fey? Odd name no? well tonight when coming back I found out that his name is actually Freddie! I could never work out why he looked at me odd...

Farmlands around Huaraz

Entering the parque with our 4wd

Fey runs a rather run down rattly taxi that may not look like much, but has the heart of a 4wd, and is certainly driven as one! Rocky roads, slushy river crossings, rain and hail.. we bumped and grinded our way through. Like the other day, the drive up to our starting point was beautiful - up through farmland first, then massive rockfaces, gurgling rivers and all with the dusted peaks around us.

Ronaldo and Piotrek about to start the climb up to base camp

Valle de Lluta - we are walking up the right hand side

Clouds part momentarily

So around 10am we started climbing the 550m to get us to our base camp. Now, perhaps because I may not be acclimatised, or indeed that fit, it was not easy. Lets just say I was huffing and puffing, ignoring advice to try and breathe through my nose cause I had an invincible belief that I couldn't get enough air that way... I needed my mouth open. In Nepal I was trekking at similar altitudes with only a day pack and less ascent - this time, it was with a fully loaded pack (clothes, sleeping bag, crampons, ice pick, kite, umbrella!) and with a steady (read some parts on all 4s) climb. Now I think I'm ok at altitude, but it well and truly had me.

Beautiful plays of light on the other side of the valley

Pointing at the air it seems

Boys navigating the poles at base camp

After setting up camp (or rather, me watching as the 2 able bodied men got confused with tent poles) and lunch, we (well I) struggled up over boulders to the first part of the glacier for me to find out about crampons. I've never used them before, and this trip appealed to me as it was a chance to learn. I guess there's not too much to them, and I do enjoy being just a tad taller! I also got to practice sliding and digging the axe in to stop... fun!

Marios pointing out where he had explored earlier in the day

Geared up to practice with the crampons

The rain had held off all day, but around 5pm the clouds really rolled in and the rain started. The luxury of having a guide/cook - getting hot food in the tent without any work! Piotrek and Ronaldo laughed at my umbrella, but it was also rather useful as a tent awning. About 6pm, we were all in the tent and after a bit of chatting tried to get some sleep. I felt so fatigued, and so happy to be lying down but lying there... nothing. It's always tricky getting sleep at altitude - but you try, and in the end get snatches.

2am

So 7pm rolls around, then 9pm, and then perhaps 10.45pm, then 11.30pm, and then i think it's time to get up, but then find out I've got some more time to sleep, then 1.30 comes and then after 1 final roll to my side, 2am! We pack up our packs, and use the beautiful moonlight to walk up over now icy boulders to the glacier. It's actually not that cold, as long as you don't get your hands wet as I did filling my waterbottle, and on the walk up I wore only my long sleeved baselayer, and fleece. But as we're going through snow and windy sections, I put my jacket on, suit and rope up, and then we're off.

2.30am - start of the glacier climb. Moon beautifully lit up the mountain

Ronaldo marking the way

It's bloody hard. I had thought that with a bit of rest and the walk before I'd be somewhat more adapted. Wrong! From this point to the summit it's a steady climb. No flat bits to relax on - just variations of steep. I was in the middle, so therefore walking (or trying to) in Ronaldo's holes. The snow was generally hard enough (that's why you summit early - before it gets slushy and soft) but it was still a bit of effort not to end up knee deep in snow. I would go about 10 steps on a small incline, or about 5 steps on a steeper one, before needing to stop. I was in good spirits, I felt ok, but just got so so tired, so so quickly.

4 hours later, I'm still just holding on, but now it feels like that after every 3rd step I need to stop and lie down to recover. I'm super hungry, but feeling a bit nauseous; feeling happy but fatigued; wanting to keep going but happy to stop. I decide that when the sun comes over the horizon, I'll stop. The summit is still 2 hours away, and to be honest although summiting appeals, I want to enjoy it too. 

The boys head off up to the summit

Sunrise comes...

So it's 6.15am, the horizon is warming up, the lights of Huraz are slowly disappearing, the blue/white of the snow is merging into first a warmer, then brighter white white. The others trudge off, and I sit down to enjoy the morning up on the roof of the world. The Cordillera is spread out around me, it's super quiet and I just sit and enjoy.... and scoff about 2 chocolate bars. Then my bum gets really really cold and as the sun is stronger now, I decide to start making my way down.

   

It's nice to be alone and at my own pace - stopping to take pictures, eat some more, chomp to de-ice my camelbak, rest when I want. It's much easier on the way down; I discover that it's easier to step on the edges of the up-tracks, rather than inside the footsteps, I do try and slide down but always get stuck in the deep snow. It's not suddenly easier though. I still get puffed and discover that my nose has run and solidified (yuck) on my face, but the sun is out, the snow is really sparkling, and I'm having a magical time.

On the way down I think about whether mountaineering is for me - I love trekking and hiking, and also the high altitudes. But the actual ascent of a peak? The challenge (physically or technically) of it? It doesn't really get me. Perhaps I'm not competitive enough, or not up for doing something just for the challenge, or perhaps I'm simply just a bit lazy to train so that I'm physically strong enough, or perhaps I'm just a bit clumsy, but somehow mountaineering isn't as attractive as trekking. I'm loving being up there, but don't feel bad that I'm not summiting.

So the sun is out in full force, the sky is generally clear, and all that white snow is making me hot. More derobing, more snacking and idling, and about 2 hours later I'm de-cramponed and back down at our tent to lie in the warm cocoon. I doze, I read, I snack, then I get active and pack up the tent and bags, and wait.

The others have continued to the summit, and they should be coming down about 3 hours after me. But 11.30am passes, then 12.30pm, then 1pm, and just as I'm planning how to notify the Guardaparque, they come. From about 100m after they left me, the snow got deeper. About thigh deep. And walking through snow that deep, at 5300m, for 3 hours more? Bloody tiring. A rather healthy portion of me is very happy that I didn't push on but of course, a small part of me wishes I had.

Heading back down

We lunch (now with Mariusz, another Polish mountaineer who we had met yesterday), and then start our way down. It's about 1.5 hours of rocks, mud and boulders. I must of looked like a 70y/o woman wobbling about her walking sticks. What can I say, I have no balance. And with a big pack? it's having a dead weight that swings me around. I'm persistent, I'm careful, but I'm all over the place. About 5 mins from the bottom, the rain and hail sets in. Fey is ready and waiting with the car, we bundle in and start the journey back to Huaraz.

Photo by Mariusz of Rolando and Piotrek approaching the summit

So 2 days - over 1300m climb - 800m of it on snow. I didn't quite make it, but am happy nonetheless.  I got to see the sunrise at over 5000m amid a white topped mountain range. In sparkly snow. The sun on my face. Eating chocolate. Not bad for a Friday morning hey!

Hiking Laguna 69

The fabled Laguna 69. Actually just a pretty lake.

Yes... there is a lake here in the Cordillera Blanca in central Peru, called Laguna 69. On questioning 3 agencies, the taxi driver and park ranger, it's just the number of the lake, nothing more. Though why lake 68 and 70 were rewarded with proper names, I don't know!

Morning views of the king of Cordillera Blanca - Cerro Huascaran (6768m). The Cordillera is the world's highest, most glaciated tropical mountain range.   

About 20minutes out of Huaraz

At 6am this morning I set off with 3 Israelis to hike up to this lake. Because the rain starts about 2/3pm, you need to get going early to take advantage of sunshine. to get there - 1 hour on pavement, then a 30 min breakfast stop at the designated surprise restaurant, then 1.5 hours on bumpy dirt road and we got up to our starting point of 3800m. The road wound it's way up through some pretty impressive slick rockfaces, and also went past a pretty lake too.

The laguna next to the starting point of the trek

Welcomed by the locals

One of the beautiful waterfalls on the way up

On arriving, the others had a smoko, and I started heading up. It's already pretty high, and i was definitely feeling the thin air already through the zig zagging inclines. The others were well behind, enjoying starting off slowly, accompanied by regular cookie breaks and chats. One thing I've noticed about Israelis of all ages - is that they are the most food focused group of people! It started with Shai, who I hiked with last year - part of his ultralight packing included a little coffee pot, ground coffee from Israel and of course, hell (cardamon). You meet a lot of Israelis in South America - most are of the 22-24 year age range, fresh out of 3-4 years in the military, over loud, over excited and sometimes over the top. But I've had great experiences with them - and part of this is because they are always trying to feed you!

Just shy of a clear view

This doesn't look so bad, but it was a climb climb climb. Up to 4400m.

First sneaky view of the Laguna

So back to the hiking... along the way I was overtaken by JD, who is volunteering here working with bees, and then played tag with 3 Canadian girls. There's always a nice comradery with other hikers on the hills. Wheezing and regularly stopping on the steep bits, and skipping and having fun on the marshy bits, I finally made it up to 4500m to be treated with the deep blue depths of the lake, and accompanied by the occasional crack of ice as the glacier above split.

Glacial rock down to the lake

Marissa and JD snacking

Hiking is a funny thing - on the way up, the rain starting to get heavier, having to stop every 10 minutes, i was like, stuff this hiking business. I started to plan my exit out of Huaraz, reasoning that it was better to spend what time I had left seeing Ecuador and Colombia, instead of hiking. After all I'm going to Nepal next so I reasoned that I'd get my fill there.

On our speedy descent. I saw also this other lake that I had missed on the way up

Then on the way down, even though we (I was walking with the others by now) descended fast and I had spells of nausea, I was back to, this is great! Of course I should take advantage of being here right now and get some more trekking in. But the wet sucks. it's ok when you can come back to a hot shower, but being sweaty from climbing and bouts of sun, then half soaked, but not enough to 'shower' before heading into a perhaps wet tent, is not all that fun.

On our drive down, suddenly this spare tire came onto our windscreen. Surprised that it didn't crack the existing oh about 20 deep cracks already there!

Tomorrow is a rest day as my big toe is recovering from the stupid sprain I game myself last Friday. Day after tomorrow, I'm pretty set to go on a 4 day hike from a lake called Churup. How sweet does that sound! Just got to take a naughty photo of the map in one of the gringo cafes here so I can have a chance of navigating the not so obvious route over the glacier/snow section...

Nearing town 

Now we're entering civilisation - complete with a electricity.

Before I sign off... The end to our hike was the bumpy, swervy, splashy and still nauseous ride back to the paved section. The road takes you through many small pueblitos (villages) on the approach to the bigger town. Houses are mud and plaster (though how this works when it rains heavily for 4 months a year) and as you near town, often feature blaring slogans of political candidates. What was special about today, was that it was Tuesday, because... each Wednesday and Sunday are the market days in Yungay. Market days begin at sunrise, and are important as this is when the campesinos (people from the country) can earn money to then buy staples such as rice. These local markets are also frequented by buyers who then take them to Lima to sell for a profit. So, in readiness for the next day, all the women and men were waiting (and trying to wave down our full taxi) for taxis to take them and their colourful bundles of wares (in this case carrots, lettuces, rocotos (spicy bell beppers), flowers, potatoes and other veggies) down to market. I wanted to get a picture of them, but feel rude snapping away from inside the car as we slid past. They are a really interesting sight - these women of the Alitplano, wearing the big colourful skirts with bowler hats, at this time covered with plastic bags for the rain. Huddled around them or strapped to their backs are children, who help carry things also - or have a great time playing in the mud.

The alive with pleasure moment? The smiles on people's faces, as they stood in mud and pouring rain as it grew dark and chatted with each other.

Trekking my way up Patagonia

The last month has been a pretty solid succession of trekking through various national parks in Chile and Argentina, doing multiple day treks, camping, eating copious amounts of ice cream, chilling out, battling wind, rain and exhaustion and having some amazing moments, seeing majestic mountains including a complete spread of the Andes range, chilling out in the park with artensanal beer in 36deg heat in El Bolson, as well as meeting some pretty awesome people at hostels and campsites! Throughout the text I've put links to sounds/ music from my trip, as well as pics here and there to try and share the sorts of experiences I've had. (Just note that not all media players will play the file format - but VLC player does)

After leaving Ushuaia, I headed up to Puerto Natales in Chile to do the full circuit trek at Parque Nacional Torres del Paine with Shai and Rick. It sort of seems a fair while ago, so I'm going to just recap some of the main memories of my time trekking. For me, Torres del Paine was an exhilarating challenge – with 2 very capable 22 y/old boys pushing me along we managed to complete an 8 day trek in 5 days. There were moments of utter exhaustion – trying to make the final steps up to Campamento Paso after 9 hours of battling the strongest wind I've ever walked through (and with a pack on) going up to and down from the John Gardner pass, to tranquil moments of wandering along the lakeside in the sunshine on our final day and the sound of waves on the pebbles, tasty memories of Shai's coffee to perk up the morning, to the exhilerating memory of running down stones in Valle Frances being chased by the snow and rain, to the utter hilariousness of snacking on every sweet we could find at the mirador for the Torres, and finally, the MOST amazing hamburguesa back in Puerto Natales after completing the trek – stinky, tired and in utter heaven. The boys made the trek so awesome - Rick has written an amazing account of each day on his blog – so Shai and Rick – thank you so much for pulling me along and can I just say we are bad ass!

Next stop was El Calafate for a day of chilling out, and then to Parque Nacional Los Glaciers at El Chalten to visit Cerro Fitz Roy and Cerro Torre. Rick was pushing on to Bariloche, so Shai and I took advantage of sunshine finally (at TdP we only had 1 day of sunny weather) and took our sweet time getting to our campsite. Had a fun time being pushed around by the wind as we walked along the glacial lake to the mirador and cooked up a rice storm for dinner complete with postre as a treat. The next day we had intended to head up to Laguna de los Tres, but after about 4 hours of more wind and rain (yes it was back) we were like, this is no fun and decided to head back to El Chalten to find a hot shower and dry bed. Cloud was obscuring Cerro Fitz Roy so although it was a pity we weren't able to get up to the Laguna (it's meant to be very beautiful) we did get glimpses on our way back. El Chalten is an odd sort of place – a climbing mecca, the town is very seasonal and filled with mountaineers and climbers. It also has regular power outages and very slow satellite internet. (the things you remember about a place when you're travelling!). It is beautifully sited though, and the next day even though the mountains were still in cloud we had a bright day to pound the pavement in town. (it's really not that big so it was a little repetitive). I did find an amazing shop that had awesome cookies, coffee and best of all – bulk buy oats, nuts, raisins etc. This has been the one thing I look for when I go through towns – like a natural shop were I can pick up snacks. Odd the things you end up gravitating towards!

After El Chalten, Shai and I took a 24hour bus ride up the gravel Ruta 40, my legs and feet got a bit swelled from so much sitting down but oddly, it didn't feel long. After clocking up 124 bus hours so far, it's amazing how easy it is to pass 10 hours on one now. Before coming it would have been 10 hours! Eek, but now, it's like, great, time to relax and sit. And it passes so quickly (having a computer helps though to watch movies or catch up on blogs:) I said goodbye to Shai and got off at Esquel which is 4 hours south of Barilcohe. My intention was to try and find a farm to volunteer on for 2 weeks or so near El Bolson, to rest my weary feet before trekking my heart out in Bariloche. Didn't quite happen – ended up the next day in Parque Nacional Los Alerces, did some day hikes, met 2 great people – Lissa and Max who I decided to stay an extra night at the campsite with, made my way up to El Bolson and well, a week later I'm only just leaving. Los Alerces was nice – not breathtaking, but peaceful and dare I say it sort of 'pedestrian' – lots of families holidaying by the lake with short easy walks etc. After 2 nights in the parque I headed to Lago Puelo for a night and did a nice short day hike up through pine forest to one of the ridges alongside the lake. Oh the glorious smell of heat in pine needles, after so long in cold weather it was sensory overload.

Getting to El Bolson was like walking into heaven. It was dry, hot, there was NO WIND, I headed out to the pubs till 4am, ate too many empanadas at the craft market, drank beer on the grass while listening to live music and cooled down with amazing ice cream multiple times a day with new friends.

I did also see one of the most special vistas of my trip so far – climbing up sliding gravel/rock to Cumbre Piltriquitron, to get a 360degree view on the north-south stretch of the Andes range and glaciers towards Chile, and facing the other way mountain ranges stretching into the pampas in Argentina. And all of this in bright sunshine, spotless blue skies and blue sunshine.

I also went on a solo 3 day hike up into the mountains. It was lovely doing it alone, and I learnt that I have a tendency to not stop and confirm whether a track Is the right route – but my sense of direction is good enough to find the right way. A lovely morning scramble up to a small glacier just after sunrise, swimming in a very cool and refreshing Rio Azul after 5 hours of climbing down 1000m of track in over 30 degrees and the ice cream back in town! (Hmm. I can see an ice cream theme emerging slightly)

I had hoped to see Lissa or Max in El Bolson, but they had both left the morning I got back, but in trying to find them at the campsite I met 2 other people – Evan who started in Santiago and is cycling through South America and Mark has motorbiked it down from Alaska other the past year and a bit!!!. I had intended on going to Barilcohe, but in the way things evolve, ended up staying an extra 2 nights in El Bolson, stocking up on spices, drinking beer while listing to jazz in the park - listen to some chunky beats, making the most amazing steak on a campfire with Evan, meeting a group of young Argentineans who adopted our campfire and played/sung amazing tunes into the night. The girl's voice was divine – you've got to listen to one of their songs!

The days have also had moments of contemplation, thoughts of what I am doing, how I can make it less 'consumerist' and more meaningful, and there are inklings starting of what I think I'd like to give a go in the future. But after a week being gloriously lazy and decadent in El Bolson, I'm now off to Bariloche where I'm devising a plan to trek into Chile, work my way up through the Chilean lakes there, then back into Argentina and to Barilcohe for a bit of rest and maybe even Spanish school! We shall see how plans evolve – the magic of this travel is the way it evolves and changes depending on mood, who I meet and what my body tells me. Just listing to the world and letting it guide me. On that note, it's now guiding me to snacks for the last 20mins of the busride, and hmmm perhaps to some chocolate in Barilcohe when I arrive! (after all that's partly what it's famous for so better be a good tourist!)

\\

Until next time:)