Hiking Cordillera Huayhuash - 6 days in remote mountainous paradise

Day 1

The expedition group of 7 (consisting of besties Rubi and Cass from Australia (Darwin in fact) and Canada, Ziv from Israel, Miguel from Spain and an Israeli-Canadian couple Elad and Avery) set off from Huaraz at the ungodly hour of 3am, to begin the first day of hiking at 11:30 from Queropalca (3800m) after a stop for breakfast and snack supplies. We left behind our duffle bags of clothes to be loaded onto the donkeys and began the liesurely 4 hour walk to the campsite at Laguna Carhuacocha (4100m). It wasn't long before we turned a corner and were presented with spectacular views of snow capped mountain peaks looming in the distance. The weather started off mostly cloudy but cleared up when we stopped for lunch at 1pm, the warmth of the sun and blue skies lifting everyone's spirits.

However after we set off again it wasn't long before the clouds returned and a light but steady rainfall began. This was an opportunity for me to discover that my rain jacket was in fact not very rain-proof at all, so I needed to put on my down jacket unearth it to avoid getting wet. Ziv from Israel kindly lent me his bag rain cover, and we also had some good chats about travelling, the merits and pitfalls of religion, and finding meaning and happiness in life. He's a lovely guy who's had his fair share of adversity in life; he married young, got divorced at 22, abandoned his religion, and has a 10 year old child who he's raised himself while living in a sharehouse of 5 people.

The dampness was beginning to soak through my insufficiently waterproof layers and my hands were getting painfully cold, so thankfully it wasn't long before we arrived at the incredibly picturesque campsite on the edge of Laguna Carhuacocha, with 4 majestic mountain peaks looming behind. There was a rudimentary toilet block which somehow had plumbing. The rain stopped almost immediately and the sun began to shine through the clouds enshrouding the mountains, creating an incredibly dramatic scene of contrasting illumination and shade. After dinner everyone welcomed an early bedtime of 8:30 due to the lack of sleep the previous night. I woke up at some point to take a piss and was treated to the beautiful spectacle of the campsite and mountain faces in the distance illuminated by the bright light of a full moon in the clear night sky.

Day 2

After breakfast and a 7:30 departure we headed through the valley, skirting 3 turquoise lakes before beginning the step ascent first to the Mirador de las tres lagunas for a view back along the valley of lakes, then continuing up to the Siula pass at 4800m. It was a somewhat tough grind, I could definitely feel the my calves and glutes working and gradually fatiguing, but we made good time and had lunch on the pass just after midday.

All that remained was a liesurely 500m descent through mostly swampy marshland to arrive early at 2:30 to Huayhuash campsite (4300m) where our tents were set up waiting for us. We played Shithead and liar's dice in the communal tent to kill time until dinner. Everyone expressed their appreciation for the group, we were all within a relatable age range and got along well. We also appreciated the quality of the food thanks to chef Carlos, considering the constraints he has to work with preparing meals in this remote environment.

Day 3

We woke to perfectly clear blue skies which allowed the rising sun to quickly raise the temperature from bitterly cold to crisp and chilly. After the rehearsed morning routine we set off just after 7 for the Trapecio pass at 5030m. Along the way I stumbled across a small fat toad or frog hopping about on the grass; he was very cute but seemed quite out of place. Before the main ascent to the pass we walked past a patch of wet marshland with islands of clumped moss-like vegetation protruding from the water.

I was feeling strong today and my legs had started to get used to the abuse so I maintained a decent place for the climb to the pass. Once at the top we were rewarded with a stunning 360 vista of both the new valley and mountains over the pass and the ones wed just come from. The mountain range to the left featured long slender vertical pillars of rock packed tightly together but crumbling apart at the top like gradually decaying stone ruins.

After indulging in the views we descended into the next valley and passed some lakes before arriving at of elephant campsite at 1pm, in time for lunch. Since we had plenty of time left in the day and the weather was still half decent, we decided to take on the optional ascent to the lookout on the San Antonio pass (5020m). It was a short but brutal climb, with no switchbacks just a steady incline of up to 45°. It was probably the most elevation I'd ever gained in a day and definitely the steepest ascent. I had to stop for many breaks but made it in the end, and the adversity immediately faded into distant memory once I reached the top and was captivated by the views of the snow-capped mountain ranges beyond. It was a majestic vista too expansive to fit into the frame of a single photo.

We stayed there reaping the rewards of our efforts until the sun was sinking low in the sky and then returned down the steep slope to camp. On the way we were treated to the beautiful scene of the valley and rocky snow-capped ridge of Cuyoc mountain bathed in the warm light of the setting sun, projecting long shadows across the fields where the pack horses were grazing.

The sky became perfectly clear by the time darkness set in, allowing us to vividly see stars in all directions, with the Milky way dividing the night sky in half. I took a long exposure shot of Cuyoc silhouetted against the starry backdrop before bed, and again later in the night when I got up to take a piss and discovered it illuminated by the full moon. Frustratingly I needed to get up twice to take a leak that night, and each time it takes quite a while to get warm and comfortable enough to fall asleep again afterwards. With the clear skies it was bitterly cold at night; I had to wear 2 layers of socks, thermal pants, 3 layers on top including my puffer jacket, all inside my sleeping bag liner and then the thick sleeping bag tied up tight around my neck like a cocoon.

Day 4

The clear skies persisted into the morning and for the rest of the day. Since we had done the San Antonio pass the previous day, today only involved a liesurely descent through the valley to Huayllapa village. It was a nice walk and we passed an impressive set of waterfalls on the way, but otherwise lacked the spectacular vistas we had grown to expect, and we were conscious that each step we took down we'd have to make up again the next day.

When we arrived in the village our commune of tents were set up on the soccer field. We went to a hotel/tienda down the street to take advantage of the WiFi and hang out in cosy shelter to play liars dice until dinner. Ziv and I coughed up some cash to stay at the hotel that night to treat ourselves to a proper bed, hot shower, electricity and internet access. Best 25 soles I've ever spent!

Day 5

It's fortunate that it was an easy day yesterday and I got some good rest in a real bed because today involved a 1300m climb to Tapush pass (4800m). Thankfully the weather was still great and it was a long and gradual grind but not too steep. Along the way we came across some cool ice formations encasing blades of grass next to a trickling creek, similar to ones I had seen on the Annapurna circuit.

I felt strong and we made good pace, reaching the pass at midday. Summiting the ridge revealed a small lake and rocky sloped mountains beyond; not the most majestic pass vista but still pretty. After a break we descended into the next valley and arrived at camp around 1:30 for lunch. Everyone was super exhausted after the strenuous day and retreated to our tents for a nap, myself included.

Later, after the usual routine of liars dice then dinner, we did a compliments game as suggested by Cass. It was super wholesome and heartwarming, and Ahmer came in half way through for the next day's briefing so we did a round for him too.

We needed to have an early start at 4am (!?) the next day so ensure we had time to catch buses and also because the donkey drivers needed to make a big journey back home. So I went to bed in my big puffy jacket which I would just continue to wear when I got up, and it was my warmest sand cosiest night so far. But also the last night of the trek sleeping in a tent in the freezing cold under the stars, which was a bittersweet prospect.

Day 6

We got up dreadfully early as planned, had a yoghurt and cereal breakfast under the illumination of my fairy lights, and begrudgingly set off for Yaucha pass (4800m). Thankfully the climb was again very gradual, however I felt out of breath at times. We arrived at 7am and the sun had barely started illuminating the mountain faces behind us. Beyond the pass was an majestic wide vista of many snow capped mountain peaks, and a dramatically ridged valley channeling glacial water down from some of them. It was possibly the most impressive landscape we'd seen so far, but would've been even better if it wasn't for the clouds shrouding the mountain peaks and blocking the morning sun rising behind them; afternoon would be the ideal time with the sun pointing in the opposite direction and illuminating the mountain faces instead.

We continued along a ridge, the scene evolving with the change in perspective, until arriving at the lookout at the end which provided a view up a valley containing two lakes, as well as a cool volcanic looking mountain painted in vibrant colours of red, yellow, grey and white from mineral rock, grass, stone and snow respectively. We spent as much time here to savour the final spectacle of the hike as Ahmer would allow, then finally scrambled down the steep slope of the ridge and along the valley until we got to the road and waited to be picked up by the van. And with that our expedition was over, with mixed feelings of relief and disappointment. It was an amazing experience and will be hard to top as one of the most spectacular and enjoyable hikes in the world and of my life.