CLIMB ECUADOR NEWSLETTER 2003 -- Part 1

CLIMB ECUADOR ran two trips this season -- one to Bolivia (May 29 -- June 14) and one to Peru (June 16 -- July 6). All went well, everyone returned home safe, and lofty heights were achieved.
 Full report below. Plus the latest news for 2004. Read on !!! (Allow about 20 minutes to read the entire newsletter).

INTRODUCTION:
I visited Ecuador for the first time, on my own, in August 1997 to study Spanish and go climbing. I immediately fell in love with the mountains, people and culture of Ecuador and began traveling there about 3 times/year. By 1999, I was convinced that I knew enough about the country to lead a group there. I decided to place some ads in magazines offering a climbing tour to Ecuador. In the spring of 1999, I “booked” my first clients, two businessmen from New York City, and we set out in June 1999 on CLIMB ECUADOR’s first trip ever. We climbed Rucu Pichincha, Iliniza Norte, Cotopaxi and Tungurahua. (We were not able to go to Chimborazo on that trip because there was a national strike (“paro”) going on at the time and all roads were blocked.) I had 3 more groups that year. Things were going so well in Ecuador that I decided to extend the reach of CLIMB ECUADOR to other countries.

In the fall of 2000, I traveled to La Paz, Bolivia on my own to lay down the groundwork for a possible trip the following year. In 2001, I organized my first group to Bolivia. Peru followed in similar fashion in 2002. Soon I felt compelled to change “I” to “We” since many people in 3 different countries now work to make each CLIMB ECUADOR trip successful and enjoyable. Today, in addition to offering 7 separate climbing itineraries total, to Ecuador, Bolivia and Peru, “we” organize trips to Cuzco, Peru, the Inca ruins at Machu Picchu and cruises within the Galapagos Islands. I began writing the “CLIMB ECUADOR Newsletter” a couple of years ago as a way to stay in touch with former and prospective clients. Each Newsletter describes the most recent trips, giving some degree of closure to them, and discusses what is coming up next for CLIMB ECUADOR.
NEWSLETTER:

This past summer, CLIMB ECUADOR ran two trips -- one to Bolivia (May 29 -- June 14), and one to Peru (June 16 -- July 6). In addition, we put together the itinerary for a family of 3 who visited Cuzco, Peru, hiked the Inca Trail, and explored the ruins of Machu Picchu. All trips went as smoothly, logistically, as any CLIMB ECUADOR trip has gone, and our final climb on our Peru trip, of Huascarán (22,205 feet), the country’s highest mountain, marked the loftiest summit to date for any of our trips.
Both the Bolivia and Huascarán itineraries can be found at our website (www.climbecuador.com), along with itineraries for Ecuador, Cuzco and Machu Picchu.

The Bolivia trip consisted of 7 climbers -- Michael Duncan, 53, (California), Herman Kreiley, 58, (New York), Pat Post, 52, (Louisiana), Peter Schnopp, 51, (New Mexico), Michelle Peot, 32, (California), John Vernon, 53, (Massachusetts), and Stan Marcus, 44, (Canada). We originally had a group of 5 for Peru -- Russell Stark, 42, (Nevada), Pat Post, 52 (Louisiana), Carlton Swan, 50, (Washington), Sheilah Bryan, 58, (Colorado), and Rick Burnett, 46, (Maryland). Unfortunately, Rick Burnett injured himself running shortly before our departure date and had to cancel so we set out with a group of 4 clients. Of these 10 people on both trips, 6 were former CLIMB ECUADOR clients - Herman (“The Herminator”)(Ecuador 2002), John (Ecuador 1999), Russ (“Kid Rock”)(Bolivia 2002), Pete (“Cotopaxi Pete”)(Ecuador 2001), Pat (Ecuador 2003) and Sheilah (Ecuador 1999 and Bolivia 2001). To all those in participated in our climbs this summer -- THANKS !! And thanks for putting up with the some of the unavoidable indignities of traveling in South America. A few announcements before we launch into a description of our summer adventures:

FUTURE TRIPS:
Our next trip will be to Ecuador for these dates: December 28, 2003 -- January 12, 2004. We’re starting the New Year off right -- on a “high” note, so to speak !! We plan on climbing Rucu Pichincha, Iliniza Norte, Cotopaxi and Chimborazo. 16 days total. A detailed description of this trip can be found at our website. This trip is confirmed. Seven people have mailed in their deposits and I already have my plane ticket. Anyone who might be interested in participating in this trip, and spending New Year’s abroad (champagne and gazoos are included!!), please contact me soon.
Most likely, our next trips after this January will happen during the Summer 2004 climbing season. Exact dates T.B.A.

Email announcements with dates, etc. to follow sometime in early 2004.
BOLIVIA 2004:
HOTEL EUROPA:
One of the more exciting developments to come out of our trips this summer is that we discovered a “new” hotel in La Paz. Not that the old one, the Sucre Palace, was inadequate, but our “new” one, the 5-star HOTEL EUROPA is in another league entirely. It was purely by accident that two our Bolivia group members met some tourists who were staying at the HOTEL EUROPA and found out that the hotel offers excellent group rates. I spoke with the hotel’s manager and sure enough, we were offered similar rates not THAT much more than what we were paying at the Sucre Palace, considering the EUROPA is one of the finest hotels in La Paz. We quickly packed our bags and spent our final 3 nights in La Paz luxuriating in the Europa’s 5 star comfort. The hotel is of German design and boasts a pool big enough to do laps in, an excellent steam room, jacuzzi, massage parlor, business center with free internet, and gorgeous rooms stacked with goodies, such as heated floors, cable TV, laptop outlet, refrigerator, safe, and more. The extra phone in the bathroom comes in handy in the event you run out of toilet paper (although you still have to get up to open the front door when room service arrives!!). PLUS, a full buffet breakfast is included !!
Eggs, omelettes, waffles, French toast, bacon, sausages, fresh fruit, juices, yogurt, cereals, breads, pastries, coffee, tea, etc. NOW I have your attention. Am I right??
Drop by www.hoteleuropa.com.bo  for more information.

NEW PRICE FOR BOLIVIA -- $2400:
It can’t be all good news right? Sorry to say, but because all Bolivia clients will be staying at the HOTEL EUROPA, single occupancy, it is necessary to raise the trip price for Bolivia to $2400 to offset the added hotel costs. But $2400 for a 17 day/4 mountain climbing trip is competitive with other outfits even WITHOUT the HOTEL EUROPA. Throw in 8 nights at the EUROPA and, well, quite frankly, you will not find a comparable deal anywhere. As always, budget travelers will have the freedom to choose a less expensive hotel to lower their overall financial burden.

NEW ITINERARY: SAJAMA (21,486 feet) and PARINACOTA (20,767 feet): I plan on offering two different climbing itineraries for Bolivia beginning in Summer 2004. The first one will be our standard itinerary described in detail on our website (Chacalataya, Tarija, Huayna Potosi, Illimani, etc.) which we’ve run successfully for the past 3 years. The new itinerary will include climbs of 4 different mountains, culminating with expeditions to Sajama, Bolivia’s highest mountain (21,486 feet/6549 meters) and Parinacota (20,767 feet/6330 meters). Sajama and Parinacota are two dormant volcanoes in the Cordillera Occidental mountain range of Bolivia very close to one another and near the border between Bolivia and Chile. Sajama is 15 miles from the border while Parinacota (along with her twin, Pomerata (20,413 feet/6222 meters)) is situated on the border.
The normal climbing route on both mountains are non-technical, with a maximum degree of incline of 40 degrees. The struggle, as always, will be with altitude and fatigue. Yossi Brain, author of  "A Climbing Guide", describes the two mountains this way: “If Sajama is Bolivia’s Chimborazo, then the perfect cone of Parinacota is Bolivia’s Cotopaxi . . . . .” referring to Ecuador’s two highest mountains. Both mountains look remarkably similar to their Ecuadorean counterparts. This trip will be an excellent opportunity to visit the isolated and beautiful Cordillera Occidental of Bolivia and climb this country’s highest peak. Try entering “Sajama” and/or “Parinacota” in a Google search to find out more about these mountains and to see some pictures.

To get to Sajama and Parinacota it is necessary to drive 6 hours from La Paz on a new, paved road (NOT like the road to Illimani) to the village of Sajama. Near the town are some thermal hotsprings which can be enjoyed before and after both climbs. We will need to bring most of our supplies with us since Sajama has very few services. We will stay in this area about one week to complete both climbs, then return to La Paz. For acclimatization climbs beforehand, I’m planning on doing Mururata, the rarely climbed, 19,000 foot flattop mountain between Illimani and Huayna Potosi (which has some excellent glissading opportunities on the descent), and the mountain Ilusioncita (16,896 feet) which is accessed from the Condoriri Base Camp, the same area used for our climbs of Tarija and Pequeño Alpamayo. Ilusioncita offers some challenging rock climbing possibilities near the top. The trip will last 17 days total and will cost $2400, the same as for our standard Bolivia itinerary. While in La Paz, we will stay at the 5-Star HOTEL EUROPA. Former Bolivia clients and “first timers” are all welcomed. Detailed itinerary to follow by email soon.
 

PERU 2004:
You all know the expression “good help is hard to find.” Well, there are few places where this holds true more than in South America. Which is why I am practically giddy from how smoothly our 8-day Huascarán expedition went this summer. Now I know I have a slight bias working, but in all honesty, the support group we had for Huascaran was really great. Victor, the head guide, Glacier, his friend of many years, ages 43 and 58 respectively, 7 porters (4 of whom were Victor’s brothers) and a skilled cook named Wilder made our climb easy and enjoyable. These guys were so humble and hard working, that I was operating with a guilty conscience for the entire 8 days. Anyway, this group is ready to lend their services again next year so I urge anyone who has any desire whatsoever to climb Huascarán, and break 22 K (it’s 22,205 feet), to consider coming to Peru with CLIMB ECUADOR in Summer 2004.
In addition to offering a Huascarán itinerary, with 2 acclimatization climbs beforehand (see “Peru Itinerary #3” at www.climbecuador.com for more info.), I hope to bring people to other mountains in Peru’s Cordillera Blanc as well. At least one client has expressed interest in climbing the mountain, Alpamayo (19,506 feet/5947 meters), often referred to as “the world’s most beautiful mountain.” This is a technical climb, with the angle of ascent reaching 70 degrees. People will need to have ice climbing experience before taking on Alpamayo. Other mountains I have in mind are Copa (20,085 feet/6118 meters)(which we saw clearly from the summit of Urus (18,023 feet) this summer and is quite beautiful), Chopicalqui (20,849 feet/6354 meters) and Pisco (18,867 feet) (which a CLIMB ECUADOR group climbed in 2002).

BOLIVIA -- MAY 29 -- JUNE 14, 2003:
Our Bolivia trip this summer was packed with high mountain adventure. All 7 clients (Herm, Stan, Michelle, Mike, Pat, John and Pete) and I assembled for the first time in the lobby of our “old hotel,” the Hotel Sucre Palace on the morning of May 29 to meet one another and to board a van for our first official group activity -- a guided tour of La Paz. After a 3-hour tour of La Paz with our English speaking, Bolivian guide, we had the afternoon free to explore this cosmopolitan city on our own. That night we met for dinner and went to the Vienna Restaurant, which many consider the finest restaurant in La Paz. If “the Vienna” is the finest eating establishment in La Paz, and it may very well  be, their prices do not reflect this, since we all ate well for about $12/person.

For our second day, we drove in our private van up and out of La Paz, onto the high desert plateau known as the “altiplano,” to Lake Titicaca. On the way, we enjoyed views of the snowcapped  peaks of the Cordillera Real, the main mountain range of Bolivia. We arrived in the town of Huatajata  on the shores of Lake Titicaca, had a quick breakfast in a local restaurant and boarded a motor boat  which carried us to the islands of Kalahuta and Suriqui. The views of Lake Titicaca, some nearby  islands, and the distant mountains were impressive. We hiked for an hour on the island of Kalahuta  visiting centuries old Indian ruins, before traveling in our boat to the island of Suriqui where tortora reed boats (remember the “Kon Tiki”?) have been made for centuries. Afterward, we traveled by boat back to Huatajata, enjoyed a lunch of freshly caught trout, then returned to La Paz in the afternoon.

CHACALTAYA: Our first acclimatization hike was of the mountain Chacaltaya. Chacaltaya is in the foothills of the Cordillera Blanc, very near to La Paz, but at 17,530 feet, it is a pretty good- sized foothill. Plus it has the distinction of being the location of the “world’s highest ski resort.” No lie. Vail it is not, but it does have a single rope tow and a nice ski/hikers’ lodge. All 8 of us, minus Pat who had to return to La Paz early because of nausea, reached the summit easily and trekked down about 3 hours to the highway where we met our van for the return ride to La Paz.

TARIJA: Next up was the mountain Tarija -- which at 17,272 feet is another nice acclimatization climb before the 6000 meter peaks yet to come. We drove out of La Paz, up onto the dry and desolate altiplano once again and followed the Cordillera Real until we turned into the mountains at a nondescript point. We drove to the small village of Tuni, loaded our gear onto mules and trekked into the Condoriri Base Camp where we would spend two nights camping. Condoriri, nicknamed “the Bolivian Matterhorn,” is one of the most visually striking mountains in Bolivia. The easy trek to base camp provided great views of this mountain the whole way and of others in the area. We set up camp near a lake situated right under the steep, snowy slopes of Condoriri and got ready for tomorrow’s climb.
Early the next morning (around 4 AM), John, Stan, Herm, Pete, Pat, Michelle, Michael and I, along with guides Juan, Julio, Agustin and Elio set out for the glacier which we would ascend to get to the summit of Tarija. John was not feeling well so he decided to return to base camp and go back to sleep -- a tempting option at 4 AM !! The rest of us roped up with our respective guides and began the slog up the hard ice of the glacier. Michelle set the pace and arrived to the summit first. She then proceeded to the summit of Pequeño Alpamayo (17,618 feet), which is a well-known peak right behind Tarija -- a peak I consider “optional” for any clients who have the energy and motivation to continue onward and upward. Pete also summitted Pequeño Alpamayo. The rest of us stayed on the summit of Tarija and enjoyed an absolutely perfect sunny day -- typical for Bolivia during the dry season -- with views of the climbers on Pequeño Alpamayo, nearby Huayna Potosi, and the rest of the Cordillera Real stretching off in the distance. We relaxed back at base camp that night and trekked out the next day for the return trip to La Paz.
 

HUAYNA POTOSI:
Huayna Potosi is often referred to as “the easiest 6000 meter peak in the world.” Whether this is true or not, I could not tell you, but CLIMB ECUADOR groups have enjoyed consistent success reaching the top of this 19,974 foot mountain each year. This past summer was no different. On June 8, 2003, Pat, Herm, Pete, Michelle, Stan and I all reached the top of this mountain on another picture-perfect day and enjoyed views of Illimani, the entire Cordillera Real, Lake Titicaca, the vast altiplano, Sajama (Bolivia’s highest mountain) way off in the distance, and the city of La Paz.
Here’s how the climb unfolded.
After visiting the local markets in La Paz to buy food for our 3-day climb, we drove out of the city to the base of Huayna Potosi and set up base camp by what is called the “Casa Blanca” (the “White House”). The next morning, we set out in plastic boots, accompanied by a dozen porters who carried our gear, and climbed up to high camp (“Campamento Argentino”) situated at 18,000 feet on a flat glacier field. Michael was suffering from a bout of food poisoning and pulled out of the climb early, and John had a case of “soroche” (altitude sickness) and elected to stay at base camp.    At high camp, we spent a cold and restless night in tents. We got up at 3 AM, had a quick breakfast and continued our ascent up the glacier under a star-filled sky, and with the lights of La Paz off to our left. There are only two sections of the entire climb of Huayna (normal route) that are not easy slopes -- one is right above high camp, a short 30 meter section, and the other is called “La Pala” (the “Shovel”), the final long steep section (500 vertical feet) of 50 degree snow and ice, leading up to the summit. With a little determination and perspiration (the sun was out by now and it got hot fast !!) we all made it. We then descended to high camp, packed up all our gear, continued down to base camp and rode in our van back to the hotel in La Paz.

It’s not all rock and ice on a CLIMB ECUADOR trip. Our itineraries blend in a variety of side trips designed to give clients a taste of the people and culture of the host country. With two nights and a full day off between our climbs of Huayna Potosi and Illimani, we enjoyed what is called in tourist lingo as “La Paz by Night” (a guided nocturnal tour of the city of La Paz, followed by a dinner and a show) and a day trip to Tihuanaco (7th century Indian ruins about an hour’s drive from La Paz). Seeing the lights of La Paz at night is a beautiful sight, but the real excitement occurred at the restaurant where we had dinner and watched a show of folkloric music and dance. Everything was going along fine that night until John Vernon got into a conga line behind a sleek and sexy Colombian woman dressed in a skin tight black leotard. John had apparently spent a little TOO much time in the mountains preparing for Bolivia, and well, to make a long story short, had to be restrained by club security. (You know I’m kidding, right?) Mike and Pete also showed that they are equally adept on glacier slopes in plastic boots as they are on a dance floor in sneakers. As for me, I had carefully chosen my seat so that it was impossible for any of the Bolivian dancers to reach me and pull me onto the stage. We all made it back to the hotel safely (thank god, because insurance does not cover these kinds of events) and got ready for our next climb.

ILLIMANI:
Our final and most ambitious climb was of Illimani (21,125 feet), Bolivia’s second highest mountain. I always look forward to our Illimani expedition for a number of reasons -- the 4-hour drive from La Paz to the village of Pinaya where we start is through very rural and picturesque countryside, the base camp for Illimani is one of the most beautiful I have ever seen, and the climb offers everything from easy trekking to some tricky rock to steep and challenging glacier slopes (similar to the 8-day climb of Huascarán in Peru described below). As is sometimes the case, we lost some group members for this final climb. John, Stan and Michelle all decided to skip the Illimani climb for personal reasons. I never like to see any client leave a CLIMB ECUADOR trip early since for me, one of the most satisfying aspects of my job is to see people travel to a new mountain, climb well, and summit. But people have different needs and agendas and everyone is afforded the freedom to exit a trip whenever they wish. So on June 10, the rest of us -- Mike, Pete, Pat, Herm and I -- along with 3 Bolivian climbing guides (Juan, Julio and Agustin), our cook, Yolanda, and our driver, Edwin, set out from the Hotel Europa in La Paz destined for the village of Pinaya in the shadow of Illimani.

There are two main routes to drive from La Paz to Illimani -- the high road and the low road. The high road stays high, oddly enough, with many parts of it where there is a sheer drop-off on one side. The low road has its moments too, but passes through the base of a beautiful canyon, with similar scenery as one finds in the southwestern United States, following a river which is nothing more than a trickle during the dry season. This time we took the low road. It was another typical day in Bolivia for this time of year -- dry, sunny with a virtually cloudless sky. After four hours of driving we were hopelessly stuck in mud about a mile from our destination -- the village of Pinaya. With some local help and after some rather comical moments, we eventually freed ourselves, reached the end of the road and loaded all of our gear onto mules. The trek to base camp was easy and relaxing, with the three main snowy summits of Illimani high overhead. Once at base camp, we set up our tents, had a snack (before dinner) and played Frisbee (mandatory on all CLIMB ECUADOR trips). (Did I mention that base camp/Illimani is PERFECT for Frisbee, and that Frisbees fly much, much farther at altitude?)
 

From base camp to high camp, local porters carry our gear, so clients only carry light day packs. The porters (who all live in Pinaya) arrived in base camp early, around 7 AM and we all set out for high camp a couple of hours later under yet another clear blue sky. We climbed up and onto one of the immense rock haunches of Illimani and after about a 5-hour ascent, reached high camp (called “Nido de Condores” or “Condors’ Nest”) at 18,000 feet. The first thing I noticed was that much of the snow had melted away from high camp compared to last year (and the year before). This was due to a combination of global warming which is causing glaciers worldwide to slowly recede, and the fact that it did not snow that much during Bolivia’s “wet season” earlier in the year. This year we were able to camp on dry rock and gravel which makes it a little warmer in the tents at night but does not make it any easier to sleep. After some restless hours lying in our sleeping bags we got up at 2 AM and got ready for our final push for the summit.
I was feeling tired that morning so I decided to drop out of the climb at around 19,000 feet and return to high camp. The others, Pat, Pete, Herm and Mike, continued climbing accompanied by guides Juan and Agustin. Pete, Herm and Mike all made the 21,125 foot summit of Illimani sometime around noon on June 12. Pat came very, very close, reaching a height of around 20,700 feet before dropping out due to fatigue. They all arrived back at high camp at about 3 PM ready for tea, soup, crackers, cookies and sandwiches. I played waiter and cheerleader since all I had done all day was sleep and then assisted the porters in breaking down camp for the descent to base camp.
Once back at base camp, a party atmosphere quickly took over. Since Illimani marks the end of the climbing portion of our trip, noone has second thoughts about hoisting some cold ones so, anticipating this, I had put in an order several days earlier while in Pinaya for beer, and a lot of it. The beer was waiting for us when we arrived in base camp, brought up by mules -- two burlap bags full of 16-ounce “Paceñas” (the local draught brewed right in downtown La Paz). I quickly put the bags in an ice cold glacial stream to get the trail dust off them and to chill the beverage and soon bottlecaps and Frisbees were flying. But CLIMB ECUADOR wasn’t done yet -- we added to the party two buckets full of a variety of recently cooked fresh local potatoes.
(Quick aside: Potatoes are native to South America where the crop was first discovered and cultivated in the Andes Mountains some 7000 years ago Westerners did not come into contact with the potato until the mid-1500s when the Spanish Conquistadors brought the crop back to Europe from Peru and Bolivia. Today, the “International Potato Center” is in Peru where over 10,000 native strains have been identified, and over 3500 species are maintained and made available to breeders and farmers worldwide.)
So forget pretzels or nachos, chips or dips, Cheetohs or Fritos -- a bucket of hot South American tubers is the ONLY thing to have with cold beer in an Andean setting. They were delicious and the perfect way to break the ice between us clients and the guides, porters, muleteers and other local folks. The buckets were emptied onto a long table as a kind of large hors d’oeuvre plate and everyone gathered round for what became a memorable end to a great trip. Once the sun went down, it cold FAST so we soon retired to our tents for our final night camping under the stars.

The next day we drove back to La Paz and prepared for, oh, I almost forgot, ANOTHER party -- MY BIRTHDAY PARTY !! Yes, June 13th. I turned 46.
All CLIMB ECUADOR trips end with a traditional farewell dinner and this trip was no different. This year we went to the Cafe Paris, a very nice restaurant next to the famous Hotel Paris on Plaza Murillo in downtown La Paz. As usual, we brought along bottles of wine, and this time, because of the special occasion -- a birthday cake. After our celebratory farewell meal and well wishes, we all headed back to the Hotel Europa. Pete, Herm, and Mike flew back to the states the next morning. John and Stan were already home by this point. Michelle also flew home the next day. Pat stayed on in La Paz because she was joining the CLIMB ECUADOR Peru trip beginning on June 16.
CLIMB ECUADOR’s 2003 Bolivia trip finally came to a close.
 

Continue to Part 2.
CLIMB ECUADOR Newsletter 2003 -- Part 2
Newsletter continued:
PERU -- JUNE 16 -- JULY 6, 2003:
With over 30 peaks in the Cordillera Blanca of Peru over 6000 meters (close to 20,000 feet), Peru is climbers’ heaven. The number and concentration of high snowy peaks and the sharp, spectacular scenery is a must see for trekkers, hikers, backpackers and climbers alike. There is something for everyone from easy walk ups to impossible ice walls and CLIMB ECUADOR has only begun to tap the climbing possibilities around Huaraz, the climbing mecca of the Cordillera Blanca.
Since Peru is still relatively new ground for CLIMB ECUADOR, I was a little anxious going into this year’s trip, especially since we were planning on climbing nothing short of the country’s highest mountain -- 22,205 foot Huascarán. As I mentioned above, I was pleasantly surprised at how smoothly everything went, logistically, and ecstatic that we achieved a 100% summit success rate on Huascarán (two clients, Pat and Russ, and I all made it). One “bad” decision I made regarding this Peru trip was to rely on the food prepared by the staff at the Ishinca Hut where we stayed, instead of bringing and preparing our own food. I make a conscious effort on all CLIMB ECUADOR trips to have really good food and alot of it. I’ve suffered through 3 weeks of fried bologna and undercooked spaghetti on Denali (for a commerical trip that cost thousands of dollars, I might add) and I do not want to go through that again, nor do I want any of my clients to do so. In my opinion, food is cheap enough in South American countries, when purchased at local markets, so that we should never have to skimp or cut corners. Plus we have the luxury of mules and porters (which in all fairness are not available on Denali), so why not? Former clients can attest to the fact that our trips to the supermarket are major events where an often heard query on these outings is “Do we really need all of this??” Anyway, you will never go hungry on a CLIMB ECUADOR trip which is why the poor quality of food served to us at the Ishinca Hut in Peru was a constant source of frustration and something which will never happen again. Having said that, let’s move on, shall we?
 

LIMA: Whether you are going to climb in the Cordillera Blanca, trek the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu, surf at some of Peru’s beaches or head into the jungle, international travelers will need to fly into Lima, Peru’s largest city. With about 10 million inhabitants, Lima is not the place to go to get away from it all. So our plan was to have our group meet here, spend just one night, then take the bus to Huaraz, the town in the foothills of the mountains where most climbing expeditions begin. Sheilah, Russ, Pat and I were together for the first time on June 16 at a comfortable hostal in downtown Lima.
We enjoyed one night on the town before taking a bus north to Huaraz. Carlton planned to meet us a few days later due to a scheduling conflict at his job. And as I mentioned before, Rick had to cancel out of the trip entirely due to a leg injury.

HUARAZ: Huaraz is a small mountain town of about 10,000 people which is filled with tourists (mostly climbers) from all over the world during the climbing season (late May through August). We spent two nights here getting oriented and preparing for our first trip into the mountains to climb our first two peaks -- Ishinca (18,138 feet) and Urus (18,023 feet). We spent one day touring the area around Huaraz, enjoying views of the Cordillera Blanca, of Huascarán, our main objective, and the interesting and colorful towns and villages that fill the Callejón de Huaylas, the name of the valley where Huaraz is located. The highlight of our day trip was a visit to the site where the town of Yungay once stood. On May 31, 1970, this area of Peru suffered one of history’s great tragic events -- a major earthquake struck the region killing about 70,000 people in the Callejón de Huaylas valley.
The town of Yungay was located right under Huascarán’s high, steep, icy glaciers and when this earthquake hit, an enormous piece of Huascarán broke off starting a deadly avalanche of ice, snow, rock, mud, and water which in a few minutes time crashed into the town of Yungay destroying the entire town and burying alive some 18,000 people. Although it’s been over 30 years since this horrific disaster, people in the area still lament friends and family members lost on this infamous day. The site where Yungay once stood (the town has been relocated and built anew further down the road) is now a memorial to the 18,000 people who lost their lives. It is in effect, one large burial site, since it was decided back then to leave the people of Yungay buried under the now-hardened mud and not to disturb their final resting place. One can still clearly see the line of rock high up on Huascarán where a piece of the mountain broke off -- a visual reminder of one of history’s greatest natural disasters.
 

ISHINCA:
The 4-hour hike from the trailhead into the Ishinca Valley and up to the Ishinca Hut is one of the most beautiful treks I know. The trail starts in the small, rural village of Collón, gradually leaves behind the dust and heat of the valley and follows a glacial river up through an old growth forest, alongside high, rocky cliffs and ends at a flat, expansive camping area right under the snow and ice of a number of 6000 meter peaks. Our gear was already here when we arrived, having been brought in on mules. All that was left to do was chose a bed in the Refugio Ishinca and familiarize ourselves with our new home. Our climbing guides, Victor and Glicerio, set up a big tent outside the Refugio for them to sleep in and to store our group food and gear.
Since our ultimate goal on this Peru trip was the lofty 22,205 foot summit of Huascarán, I structured the itinerary so we could all acclimatize slowly and thoroughly. The Refugio Ishinca is situated at 15,300 feet so the next day we merely rested, hiked around, and played some Frisbee.
The third day we all hiked up to an upper hut at 16,500 feet by the base of Ishinca. The next day was summit day and what a beauty it was. The weather was perfect and brought out quite a “crowd” for Ishinca. Sheilah, Pat, Russ and I all summitted, along with some 20 other climbers from various countries. Carlton, who arrived in Lima but two days earlier, and who came to Huaraz on his own, and up to the Refugio Ishinca with a third guide, Roger, was able to climb all the way to the summit of Ishinca as well despite being a “new arrival.” I for one was amazed to “run into” Carlton on the trail up Ishinca, and equally amazed that he was able to the summit with the rest of us. In hindsight however, it turned out to be an unwise rush to altitude and Carlton suffered from altitude sickness the next few days and ultimately decided to return to Lima, unfortunately missing both the Urus and Huascarán climbs.
The next day was another rest/Frisbee day at Refugio Ishinca. On our sixth day in the mountains we climbed the nearby peak, Urus (18,023 feet). Urus turned out to be a very exciting climb with exceptional views of the entire Cordillera Blanca. Pat, Russ, Sheilah and I once again all made it to the top. We took full advantage of having 3 mountain guides at our disposal -- Sheilah climbed with Glicerio, Pat with Roger and Russ with Victor. I climbed by myself because I wanted to spend extra time taking photos. It was another clear sunny day and from the summit one could see Huascarán, the twin peaks of Copa, Tocllaraju, Palcaraju, and Ranrapalca - - all mountains over 20,000 feet -- and a sea of other snowcapped peaks that form the Cordillera Blanca. We all arrived back at the hut at different times and spent one final night at the Refugio Ishinca.

Carlton showed symptoms of pulmonary edema that evening so he decided, and we all concurred, that he should go down to Huaraz immediately. Rather than wait for daylight, he asked that we make arrangements for him to descend immediately. We called Huaraz by satellite phone and arranged to have a transport meet Carlton and guide, Roger at the trailhead at 6 AM and bring them to the hotel in Huaraz. So at 2 AM Carlton and Roger set out together hiking down through the Ishinca Valley to lower altitudes. The next day Sheilah, Russ, Pat, Victor, Glicerio and I hiked back down to our waiting van and by early afternoon that same day we were back in our hotel in Huaraz.
We checked in on Carlton who was in his hotel room, having gotten down safely the night before, and he was busy making arrangements to return to Lima and eventually back to the states.
 

HUASCARAN: Big daddy was next. First we had a day off in Huaraz to relax, rest up and make all necessary arrangements and purchases for our 8-day assault of Huascarán. Part of the R&R that day included a trip to some local hotsprings which were heavenly. Sheilah informed me that evening that she had decided to skip the Huascarán climb for personal reasons and was flying back to the states early. That left only Pat, Russ and I. Arrangements for the expedition went smoothly thanks to Victor, our head guide and his friend Glicerio, our other guide. These two were consummate professionals and took care of most of the equipment rentals, food purchases, and various reservations, etc. themselves. Victor and I also sat down and worked out what proved to be an excellent 8-day climbing itinerary that would ensure our success on Huascarán.
The entourage that finally assembled on June 27th for our drive to the town of Musho where we started our approach hike to Huascarán was somewhat of a family affair. 4 of the 7 porters we had were Victor’s brothers, and our cook, Wilder, was the son-in-law-to-be of Glicerio (he was engaged to Glicerio’s daughter). The other porters were close neighbors of Victor’s and all were very experienced in the ways of the mountains. We arrived in Musho in two vans and soon had our boxes of food, fuel tanks, backpacks, ropes, stoves, tents, etc. all loaded onto a mule train for our ascent to base camp. The hike to base camp at 14,000 feet took about 4 hours. It was a hot, sunny and dusty approach hike at first but once we gained some altitude the air was cool and sweet. The snowy twin peaks of Huascarán, north and south (the highest one) loomed off in the distance. Once at base camp we went about the business of getting settled in. Base camp on Huascarán consists of a series of flat areas dug into otherwise steep, rocky terrain. We had the entire base camp area to ourselves so we could choose the best sites for our collection of tents: 7 personal tents (Russ, Pat and I each had our own tent), one cooking tent, a large dining tent complete with table and chairs, and even a “bathroom tent.” This was NOT roughing it in any sense of the phrase. We had scheduled the following day as a rest/acclimatization day so no one was in any particular hurry. The views of the valley spread out below and the ensuing sunset were impressive.
Here’s the 8-day itinerary we followed to climb Huascarán:
June 27: Drive to the town of Musho. Hike up to Base Camp at 14,000 feet.
June 28: Rest and acclimatization day.
June 29: Hike up to Refugio Huascarán (15,500 feet). Sleep in hut.
June 30: Climb up to and establish CAMP 1 at 17,000 feet.
July 1: Climb up to and establish CAMP 2 (High Camp) at 19,200 feet.
July 2: Climb to the summit of Huascarán (22,205 feet). Descend to High Camp.
July 3: Descend from High Camp to Base Camp.
July 4: Hike down to Musho to meet our van. Drive back to Huaraz. Farewell dinner. Fourth of July
celebration!!!
The plan was to hike up slowly to ensure that we would have enough energy on summit day to
make it to the top. So no single day, except for summit day itself, was particularly grueling. Day 3 we hiked for about 3 hours, 1500 feet vertical, traversing the immense rocky base of the mountain, to get to our next camp -- Refugio Huascarán. The brand new (it’s two years old) Refugio Huascarán sits at about 15,500 feet below the south peak of Huascarán. It comes complete with a helicopter landing area for emergency rescue missions -- a somewhat sobering sight. The hut itself has all the comforts -- hot showers, new tiled bathrooms, modern kitchen facilities, a large dining area, comfortable rooms with new bunkbeds, mattresses, blankets, pillows, sheets -- camping should always be like this !!!
Since we had brought a mountain of food with us, we ate outside in the dining tent with the rest of our team and even found some time to work in some pre-dinner Frisbee. Our Peruvian companions-- accomplished Frisbee throwers they are NOT. But judging from their giggles and squeals, they sure did enjoy the game.
After a restful night indoors we set out on Day 4 for Camp 1 on Huascarán’s glacier. It took about 4 hours of moderate hiking to get to our campsite at 17,000 feet. The weather, as usual was clear and sunny and made the slog up the glacier hot. We dug in for the evening and began to contemplate the next day’s climb, which was up through what many consider an unstable section of the mountain. Last year, 3 Americans died in a serac fall/avalanche between Camp 1 and Camp 2 (or High Camp). This was big news back in 2002 and the government authorities closed Huascarán to all climbers for some time while they finished the rescue efforts and decided whether the snow and glacier were safe enough for other climbers. Luckily, 2003 brought different snow conditions. The rainy season in early 2003 was not as rainy as in 2002 so not as much snow fell in the Cordillera Blanca. The avalanche danger on Huascarán and other mountains was less than in 2002.
Nevertheless, looking up from Camp 1, one could see why this next section was a cause for concern for all climbers -- it was a steep, broken area with many crevasses and overhanging seracs. Victor and Glicerio (our guides) reassured us that all would be fine, that they were very familiar with the route, and that the snow would be most stable during the early morning hours when we planned to climb. They further explained that the 3 Americans who died in 2002 made a bad decision which led to their accident -- they tried to summit and then to descend past High Camp all the way back to the Refugio Huascarán IN ONE DAY. This meant that they were passing through the most dangerous part of the climb during the late afternoon hours, when the snow was LEAST stable. Our plan, and one which worked perfectly, called for us to pass through this area, both on the ascent and descent, during the very early morning hours, when snow bridges and seracs were still frozen hard. So with all this in mind, we set out shortly before daybreak on Day 5 for High Camp.
The ascent to High Camp was exciting to say the least. There were many crevasses, overhanging seracs and some tricky sections where we secured various snow protection devices, but the guides and porters handled all aspects of the ascent smoothly and professionally so at no point did any of us feel rushed or ill at ease. Basically, we kept moving as much as possible because there were very few areas where one felt like sitting down and having a sandwich. Finally, right before the final slope leading up to the col between the north and south peaks, the guides declared that the avalanche danger was minimal and we could stop, rest and have lunch. I fell hard in the soft snow and breathed deeply for a long time. After ascending for about another hour we arrived at a flat windswept area at 19,200 feet -- the location for “High Camp.” Again, we dug out our tent platforms and settled in.
Next day was summit day. I don’t think anyone got much sleep that night. It was very cold. Certainly not “Denali” cold, but I would guess it got close to 0 F overnight. We got up at around 2 AM, shook off the frost, had some breakfast and began putting one foot in front of the other. The summit teams were Russ on a rope with Victor, Pat on another rope with Glicerio and I roped up with our cook, Wilder, who as it turns out is a “guia aspirante,” or an “apprentice guide,” and one of our younger porters who wanted to reach the summit of Huascarán for the first time himself. Wilder, despite his “apprentice” status, was as good a guide as I have ever encountered in South America.
I was extremely impressed with how he managed the rope and handled all safety issues the entire day and was very grateful to him for carrying my pack part of the way when fatigue began to set in. He will be a fully licensed guide for the 2004 climbing season and I look forward to having him guide future CLIMB ECUADOR clients. Victor and Glicerio have over 40 years guiding experience between them so there was certainly no problem there and they will DEFINITELY be part of future C.E. climbs.
The ascent was straightforward and non-technical. There was one short, steep section of 70 degree ice that was a little disconcerting to negotiate in the dark, but it was so short, only about 30 feet, that it was over before one realized. Wilder practically pulled me up like a side of beef when I hesitated and began to whine. The rest of the ascent was a slog up the endless slopes of the top area of Huascarán. Russ had it in high gear that day and summitted and returned to High Camp in 7 hours total. I accomplished the same feat in about 9 hours. Pat took almost 13 hours. Reaching the summit of Peru’s highest mountain was a real thrill. The views were somewhat obscured by low lying clouds but all of the Cordillera Blanca, Cordillera Negra, and the vast expanses of Peru heading west to the Pacific Ocean and east to the Amazon jungle were laid out around us. The early morning sun finally began to warm up the frigid air so the descent was not as painful. We all eventually rendezvoused in High Camp, had some soup, tea and beef stew and slowly recovered from our long ordeal. (Pat had forgotten to put on sun cream that day and after spending 13 hours in the sun on the glacier, her face was so badly burned that it took many days and alot of peeling for it to heal.)
The descent took 2 days. Again, the guides made sure everyone was securely roped in and anchored when we crossed any large crevasses or descended through any unstable areas. We particularly enjoyed the gentle glacier between Camp 1 and the Refugio Huascarán because we got to play Frisbee and glissade on our Gore-tex pants much of the way. Some of us (okay, just me!) even snuck in an early shower at the Refugio and a cold beer. Once we reached base camp, the mood quickly became celebratory. We had some wine and Pisco Sours saved for this triumphant moment and we toasted together, in both Spanish and English, our success on Huascarán.
We were back in Huaraz the next day. That evening, Victor, Glicerio and Wilder, Roger (our third guide on Ishinca and Urus) Pat, Russ and I shared many beers in our hotel sitting room before heading out to an Argentine restaurant in downtown Huaraz for steaks. Once at the restaurant we switched over to wine and soon us gringos didn’t even notice our sunburn and muscular aches and pains. The “Farewell Dinner” indeed went “swimmingly.” It was the Fourth of July so we had another reason to celebrate (as if we needed one). Eventually our memorable night came to a close and we reluctantly parted ways with Victor, Glicerio and Wilder, in anticipation of next year!!
 

CONCLUSION:
That about does it for this installment of the CLIMB ECUADOR Newsletter. Sorry to have babbled on for so long, but there was a lot of ground to cover. As a last little plug, please keep in mind that Huascarán is NOT a technical climb and its degree of difficulty is the same as for Cotopaxi in Ecuador. Even if you have limited high altitude, alpine experience, Huascarán is doable. I think I speak for Pat and Russ, as well as myself, when I say that the 8 days we spent on Huascarán this summer were some of the most exciting we’ve ever experienced in the mountains. Everyone have a good winter and keep in touch !!

Roger Kovary
CLIMB ECUADOR
147 West 79th Street, #1D

New York, NY 10024
(212) 362-4721
www.climbecuador.com
rkovary@aol.com