J: Jirishanca (Photo page)

For the letter J, we bring you Jirishanca, or the Hummingbird's Bill (20,098'), the heart of the Cordillera Huayhuash in the Peruvian Andes. Severely carved by glaciers on all sides, what is left is a horn that is extremely difficult to climb (not catching me anywhere near there!). For what it's worth, the area on the east side of the mountain is also considered the source of the Amazon, though of course a river that vast has many, many sources in reality.

We trekked around the Huayhuash summer 2014, two days after completing the Alpamayo trek. That actually worked well--we really leveraged the fitness and altitude acclimatization we gained on the first trek! So here is...the Hummingbird's Beak.

Lake Carhaucocha, on the east side of the Cordillera. Jirishanca on the far right.

Lake Jahuacocha, looking up at Jirishanca.



From  Jahuacocha. Another glacial lake is behind the large moraine in the background.

Wave clouds forming on the peak. Check out the fluting on the faces, too!

Viscacha--a relative of the chinchilla, rather like a rabbit with a long tail.

Totally gratuitous newborn lamb. The woolies were everywhere in those mountains!

©Rebecca M. Douglass, 2015

Trekking the Huayhuash, Part III

When last seen (here), we were settling in to what I believe was our highest camp. The next night, we would be at our lowest camp. The whole way between was downhill, so naturally we had to throw in a gratuitous visit to the highest pass yet! Yes, that's the kind of people we are. But it was worth it. We were up at the crack of dawn, extra early because various members of the party were doing various routes. Most of us headed out in the frosty early morning to climb San Antonio Pass, the highest point on our route (well, the highest was a bit off to the side of the pass where we found more things to climb. It was amazing to realize that we were up at nearly 16,600' and still able to do extra exploring!).

From Punta San Antonio looking back toward camp in the low meadow. Nev. Cuyoc dominates the horizon.

 What we saw from the pass--the setting for the documentary Touching the Void. We had hoped to spend a night up in there, but health limits kept our party on a little easier track. The husband and his nephew, however, opted to descend that side of the pass (with a guide, of course--they don't let you out of their sight!) and hike down the next valley to our camp. The rest of us skidded back down the side we'd come up.

Looking up the Sarapococha valley with Yerupaja straight ahead, Nev. Sarapococho and Siula Grande behind it.

Once we were down to the Huancapatay valley again, the walking was easy and pleasant, with frequent stops to look back and admire the mountain behind us. As usual, the area also featured many stone walls, of varying ages.

Looking back at Nev. Cuyoc as we descended the long Huanacpatay Valley.

After lunch the walk got less pleasant, as we had to make the second big descent. My knees were totally unhappy with me, but as usual, I survived. Down in the bottom of the valley active fields were terraced and marked off by stone walls. Unfortunately, we got to climb some of those walls, as the locals were using the trail for an aquaduct. After the steep climb down to the river, the hike down the valley to Camp 7,in the town, went on far too long; this was our longest day and latest arrival in camp.

We go down there, to Huayllapa just around the corner of the valley.

From our highest camp we went to the lowest, in Huayllapa at about 11,500'. It's weird to think of elevations like that as "low," but it felt it--lots of oxygen, so that I started out in the morning at a brisk pace despite the steep climb back up out of town. It was also weird to camp in the middle of town. We were on the schoolyard, I believe, and shared our space for a time with some kids playing football (soccer).

The climb from Huayllapa to Tapush Punta the next morning was never steep, but it went on a long time, and lower down grew hot (to me) in a hurry. At a stream crossing I finally couldn't stand it any longer, and my husband snapped me wringing out my braids after a head-dunk in the creek.

Climbing 3000' or more up from Huayllapa to Tapush Punta was hot work. Sometimes you just have to go soak your head.

Once we were out of the deep Quebrada (valley) Milo and up into the Q. Huatiaq, the views improved and the air grew more comfortably cool.

There was an easier way up.  Nev. Raju Collota dominates the end of the valley; we cross a pass out of sight to the left.

This might have been anywhere on our treks. We saw lots of sheep, though this was the only flock with such tiny newborns. An adorable fuzz-ball with wobbly legs!

Sheep. There's an ever-renewing supply. I'm guessing this guy was only a day or so old.

By the time we reached the broad, flat Tapush Punta, it was not only very alpine, but the cooling breeze had become the sort of wind that prevents lingering. Good thing we'd had lunch a little lower down (another proof our guides knew what they were doing)!

Approaching Tapush Punta.

Leaving Camp 8 the next morning (and it was farther along than I'd wished, making another long day with a long climb and some uncomfortable descending), we climbed immediately--and fairly painlessly--to our last pass, Llaucha Punta. Our guide led us to a viewpoint a bit above the pass, where we could see the entire heart of the Huayhuash.

All our favorite peaks, from Llaucha Punta, or a little above.

We weren't the first to be there, and maybe not the first to think we could use a little divine help to finish the trip!

Cairns and prayer flags? Llaucha Punta.

As usual, the pass was windy, so we dropped to a nice lunch counter for our snacks. It was a short day, though a substantial descent, so we were in no hurry, with lots of resting and reclining going on.

Snack spot below Llaucha Punta. The boys, reading and resting. They read pretty much the entire Game of Thrones series on this trip. Thank goodness for e-readers!

We stopped for lunch within sight of Camp 9, but why hurry, when the views are like this?

Lago Jahuacocha and Nevadas Rondoy and Jirishanca.  Camp is just visible in the valley at the far left of the photo.

The late afternoon light down in camp was some of the best we'd gotten, and the still creek meandering out of the lake and across the meadow reflected the peaks. We had time for plenty of photography as the sun faded.

Evening reflections.

Our final morning, some of us rose early to add a 4 or 5 mile dayhike to the day's mileage. We went up the valley to the glacial lake below the peaks, climbed the moraine (not too high, but always steep!) and watched the sun rise behind the mountain. All that before breakfast (a true miracle for those who know me; I did eat a couple of food-like bars). The color of the water is due to glacial silt.

The author and our guides at Solteracocha just before sunrise.

After a late breakfast (I think it just about killed the boys to wait) we had a 10-mile hike to the end of the trail. The first several miles were easy, following a pipeline trail, until we had to descend in the usual painful fashion about 2400' to the town of Llamac. We could distract ourselves by watching the vegetation change from alpine to agrarian and semi-desert (saw lots of cacti and then agave on the descent).

Century plant (agave).

Our final night was spent in Llamac, which had the advantage of giving us access to showers of a sort and an early start the next day on the road to Lima (about 9 hours from there). Once again I had to suck it up, hold on tight, and just try not to freak out as we wound back down, then up, then down the narrow and winding roads.

Totally worth it.

Traversing the pipeline trail to Llamac--a last look at the mountains.

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Next: Machu Picchu and the Sacred Valley.

©Rebecca M. Douglass, 2014

Trekking the Cordillera Huayhuash, Part II

Ah, I have my computer back! You know what that means: you are in for another unmercifully lengthy account of trekking, with photos. Just to start you off, the first part of this trek is here. Go ahead and read it, or even better, use the "Photos and Travel" page link above to see the other posts on our trip to Peru. Go ahead. I'll wait.

My previous Peru post ended somewhat abruptly at the evening of the 3rd day, mostly because my computer crashed. So we resume our trek on the morning of the 4th day. We woke to clear skies and cold temperatures, and began hiking early enough to enjoy the still air.

Lake Carhuacocha enjoying the morning calm.

As usual, the clouds gathered around the mountains early, but never completely obscured them. We hiked up to the head of the lake, feeling very close to the mountains. Just to give it the perfect Lord the Rings feel, there were horses grazing in that meadow at the head of the lake.

Me, trailing along after the guys. Photo by Dave Dempsey

Climbing ever higher (and higher, and higher. . .) we passed a series of three beautiful emerald glacial lakes. The third, barely visible in the distance, had hunks of ice floating on it, and as we climbed away from it we were treated to a demonstration of why, or how. A modest section of snow and ice fell from the glacier above, streaming down the cliff in a temporary waterfall (snowfall?), and crashing into the lake. We were sorry to be too far away to see what kind of wave it made, or how much of an iceberg, as even across the valley the roar was impressive.

Lakes Quesillococha, Siula, and Gangrajanca nestled below Nev. Yerupaja and Yerupaja Chico (Siula Grande is out of sight to the left). The icefall was into the farthest, barely-visible lake.

As always, especially when we've climbed a steep and rugged 16,000' pass (Siula Punta) and then descended 1600 foot-pounding feet, we were glad to see our camp in the distance, though there were some moans about just how distant it appeared to be. We could also see the next day's (mercifully short and easy) climb ahead, a longish but mild ascent to Portachuelo de Huayhuash.

Huayhuash camp. Ours was the one in the background, barely visible as red and yellow specks beyond the stone corrals.

Next morning, as we climbed from our camp, we could see the mountains that had been just hidden from us. When we crossed the Portachuelo de Huayhaush, we also crossed back out of the Amazon drainage to waters that flow to the Pacific. (We crossed the divide with our first pass way back, and had been traveling down the east side of the range, crossing the headwaters of the Amazon River). It was an easy climb, made more challenging for me by a touch of, um, internal distress. I notice a dearth of photos (comparatively speaking) from that day's hike.

Looking over Huayhuash to the Nevadas Jurau.

 Our fifth camp provided us with a great treat--short on spectacular scenery, it more than compensated by having a hot springs! We didn't expect much, but it was in fact the perfect hot tub temperature, and our tired muscles appreciated it no end (I also appreciated a chance to at least thoroughly rinse my hair, as even I have a limited ability to immerse my head in glacial meltwater).

Steam rises from the pool in the early morning chill.

The sixth day had us back to serious climbing, headed for Punta Cuyoc, the highest pass on our main route.

Approaching Punta Cuyoc (at 4950 meters--16,330'--the highest pass on our main route).

Now we're looking at the west side of the range again.

Atop Punta Cuyoc, looking at Sarapo, Siula Grande, etc.

I just had to get a little higher--I was thinking of trying for 17,000', but the climb was a bit farther and steeper than I wanted.

The whole range from above the pass.

But I did take the obligatory selfie! Note the amount of clothing I'm wearing. Though it was sunny, it was windy and not that warm. I shed layers when climbing, but had to put them on as soon as I stopped. I took this photo somewhere around 16,400'.

Self-portrait at my high point--which I thought would be it, but in fact was topped the next day.

On the way down the pass, Second Son startled a vicuña off of the trail, and we were all able to spend some time admiring this wild ancestor of the alpaca. That evening, she (or another) could be seen happily grazing with our burros.

Keeping a close eye on the two-legged visitors.

We never learned the name of these lovely and cuddly-looking plants, so if you know, drop me a note. Of course, since they are some kind of cactus, we did NOT give them the hugs they seemed to demand!

Not as huggable as they look!

Most places the cacti were just fuzz-balls, but in this spot below Nev. Cuyoc, they were in bloom.

Cactus blossom

And our sixth camp, not far below 15,000' in a meadow at the base of Nev. Cuyoc. Rainstorms apparently over, we got some beautiful light as the sun went down, but no spectacular sunset clouds.

Camp 6, just under 15,000' at the base of Nev. Cuyoc.

I'll finish the trek next week! The farther I go with these, the harder it is to pick which photos to share. I've been a bit unmerciful, but have pity: I began editing with 2700 pictures! And that doesn't even count the ones my spouse took. . . What a trip!

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©Rebecca M. Douglass, 2014

Trekking the Cordillera Huayhuash, Part I

Slowly but surely, I'm making progress through the 2700 photos or so I brought back from Peru!  I posted reports on the first trek we did, in the Cordillera Blanca, here and here.

On finishing our first trek, we retreated to Huaraz for two nights and a day of recovery (and a little shopping). Somewhat refreshed, we headed back out to the Cordillera Huayhuash for our second trek. Naturally, this involved a long (4 or 5 hours) bus ride deep into the mountains on terrifying dirt roads that switchbacked down into and up out of deep valleys (because that seems to be what roads in Peru do). While other members of the party ooohed and ahhed and took pictures out the window, I concentrated on not getting carsick, as I hadn't been able to find my motion sickness pills that morning. (I had, of course, put them somewhere logical, and did find them days later). It is a testament to the skill of our driver that I neither threw up nor panicked on the drive.

First glimpse of the Huayhuash--before the pavement ran out.

We drove all the way to our first camp, to give ourselves a second rest day (some members of the party were sick and needed it). While most of us helped set up camp, our boys proved that teens are still kids--they found a box, hauled out their multi-tools, and turned it into a boat (or at least a barge) to run the rapids on the creek.

The Rio Llamac, not too far from its beginnings. Pretty tame, but still too much for the experimental craft.

The next morning we started for real, with a climb to our first pass (Cacananpunta) at 15,500'. Since we'd been hit the evening before with a storm that dumped rain and hail on camp, it wasn't any surprise that the pass had fresh snow on it.

Cold enough for ya?

Once over the pass, the hike was pretty easy, though, and ended in camp at Tuctupampa, near Lake Mitucocha, nestled under the face of Nevada Jirishanca, at over 20,000' (the mountain, not the camp).  Camp was in a very pretty valley with a meandering stream, which proved to be very deep--too deep for bathing in! That didn't stop us from enjoying the view.

Tuctupampa valley

As usual, it frosted heavily overnight, and the clear morning soon began to gather clouds. We took a detour to the lake, to get a better view of the mountains.

A lake half full of tules, and a mountain flirting with a veil of misty clouds. Not a bad morning.

The sharp-eyed kids spotted a fossil in a trailside rock, and we soon found we were surrounded by reminders that these 20,000' peaks used to be a sea floor.

Sea food, anyone?

The weather held pretty nice as we climbed on up and over Punta Carhuac (also called Yanapunta) (15,300'). A bit down the other side we stopped for lunch, while the mountain views were still great. Below, Eldest Son is watching with both interest and trepidation as Juan, our amazing cook, lays out lunch. Meals were often a challenge for ES, whose Asperger's syndrome gives him a lot of strong feelings about foods, but he ate a lot of things he never could have at home. Hunger is the best sauce, as Miguel Cervantes said. Or, as we say in our family, must be the altitude!

Looking at Nevada Yerupaja and waiting for lunch.

The big treat for the day was a field full of biscachas--relatives of the chinchilla, looking rather like rabbits with squirrel tails. They were the main wild mammals we saw, though we did see Andean foxes on a couple of occasions (at night, so no photos).

I like the tails--they look like fiddleheads.

Our camp at Lago Carhuacocha had incredible views of Nev. Yerupaja and the north side of Siula Grande (featured in the documentary movie Touching the Void).  It was also where we were as we listened to Brazil's futbol team lose spectacularly to Germany. Since the broadcasts were in Spanish, we couldn't follow them, but every time we heard that annoying "gooooooaaaaaaaal" yell, we'd holler, "quien?" and our wranglers would answer glumly, "Aleman." A bit of weather gave us a great sunset, a scenic end to our third day.

Not our dining tent. Limited camp space made this a camp we shared, along with the football (soccer) news.

I had intended to cover one more day in this post, but my computer is on the fritz and it's too much work to access all my photos off the back-up just now, so this will be the end of Part I. You can expect at least two more posts for this trek--the mountains and the scenery are worth it anyway!

©Rebecca M. Douglass, 2014