Huayhuash trekking in Peru [practical guide].

ONE OF THE 10 MOST BEAUTIFUL TREKS ON THE PLANET

The circuit of the spectacular Huayhuash mountain rangeThe trek in the Peruvian Andes is one of the most beautiful treks in the world. A trek of 8-10 days duration with several passes that are around 5,000 metres high where, along the route, we will contemplate some of the most abrupt and wildest mountains on earth, such as the Yerupajá (6.617m) or the Siulá Grande (6.344m), the mountain from the famous Joe Simpson's book/movie (Touching the Void).

The extraordinary beauty of this place is well known to our friend Sergio Ramirez, founder of the guiding company ourmountainwith whom he has been organising this and other treks in the Andes for more than 25 years. It is a privilege to be able to share with you the fantastic report that Sergio has dedicated to us about the Huayhuash trekking.

Text and photos: courtesy of Sergio Ramirez Carrascal (nuestramontana.com).

MESSNER AND HABELER. YERUPAJÁ GRANDE, YEAR 1969.

In 1969, two unknown young mountaineers opened a route on the east face of the Yerupajágrande (6.636m) on the emblematic Huayhuash mountain rangeThe expedition was a great success. Years later, one of them, who would participate in this expedition replacing a member of the original team, would relate in one of his books the difficult moments and the "fear" they had to endure on this majestic and vertical wall, seen from the beautiful meadows of the village of Queropalca, which remains today, as intact and natural as it was when he was a member of the original team. Reinhold Messner y Peter HabelerThey saw it from the crest of Peru's second highest mountain.

Years later, each would write their own story. The route has never been repeated.

Huayhuash Trekking

A PLACE THAT EXCEEDS ALL EXPECTATIONS

The Huayhuash mountain range has become one of the 10 most beautiful trekking destinations on the planet.Here, people from all over the world come together in search of that feeling of freedom that they find every day on this coveted route. All those who have done it agree on the same thing, the place exceeds all expectationssimply beautiful.

MAP AND PROFILE OF THE TREKKING HUAYHUASH

MATACANCHA, START OF TREKKING

As if frozen in time, just like the village that Messner and Habeler observed, we pass through two villages that have not changed at all since those years, Llámac and Pocpa, whose smiling inhabitants come out effusively to greet every visitor who crosses their narrow, postcard-perfect streets. It takes about 5 hours to reach Matacancha (4.413m), where the trek beginsWe will start from Huaraz (3,100m), the city where all the logistics for this trek are organised.

The muleteers and their donkeys are waiting for us to load our luggage and start walking, we have to carry everything, only the wildlife will be our company on the way. a route that can last from 8 to 11 days if we want to enjoy it in its entirety. The 120 kilometres The route, which runs through this hidden part of the planet, still embodies the pure concept of adventure and solitude.

FIRST STEPS: BEAUTY AT OVER 4,000 METRES.

Every day Huayhuash has to gain an altitude pass, the first at 4,700m (Cacananpunta) descending and camping in the Mitucocha lagoon (4.200m) where in 1961, a young Walter Bonatti was impressed by the place before making a route to the snowy Rondoy, which has not been repeated.

The second pass rises to 4,650m (Carhuac) reaching on the way down the Carhuacocha lake (4.350m)The sunrise is one of the most incredible that can be seen in the mountains. The rocky walls and white ice walls are tinged with orange when the sun rises, illuminating the camp with its rays of life and literally bringing us to our knees in front of such natural beauty. Of course, you have to get up early and wrap up warm, the cold is usually intense at this time of day, so you have to earn it.

The third step is more than impressive, as beforehand you cross the viewpoint of the 3 lagoons: Quesillococha, Siula Cocha and Gangrajanca.Its turquoise waters, poured from the great glaciers of Yerupajá, Siulá and Carnicero, make the tranquillity of the beautiful valley rumble with the occasional avalanche from its vertical walls of rock and ice that get lost in these cold waters.

Reaching the Siulá Pass (4,800m) will make our longest trekking day worthwhile, an impressive mountain range will appear before our eyes, snow-capped peaks of over 6,000 metres, hanging glaciers that descend into picturesque valleys and rivers that end their journey in the Pacific Ocean and even in the Atlantic Ocean itself. Here there is a source of the mighty Amazon River.

We will descend to the camp that gives its name to the whole place, HuayhuashThe "guinea pig", a very little known rodent that enters houses in the highlands and feeds on the blood of the villagers' animals such as the guinea pig or "cuy", this meat is highly appreciated during important celebrations in the Andean culture.

THERMAL BATHS OF VICONGA. A WELL-DESERVED REST AT THE HALFWAY POINT OF THE ROUTE.

A few days later, halfway along the route, we come across the natural thermal baths at Vicongawith a view of another local mountain range. A good hot shower at 4,600m will revitalise the body for the final part of the circuit, which continues on to the highest point, the 5,000m of the Cuyoc Pass. The privileged view of the wild south-west faces of the mountains will surprise us again as it does every day.

The lagoons are everywhere, of all sizes, shapes and colours, and in some of them you can fish for trout.

On this day we visited the "San Antonio Pass (5.100m) an exceptional viewpoint over a large part of the Huayhuash mountain range, not to be missed, a little extra effort but well worth it.

HUAYLLAPA: CULTURE AND TRADITION

The next day we will reach the "lowest" part of the trek (3.500m), another place stopped in time, one of those places that fascinates us to walk, the village of HuayllapaThe local people still preserve their traditions and typical costumes and, of course, you can join them for a nice chat and a good beer to cool down in the heat of this colourful valley.

We will ascend again to reach the high passes on different days. Tapush y YauchaWe will climb to 4.750m and 4.650m respectively. Before the final day of the trek, we will take a detour to a point called "El Mirador", an exceptional point where we will be able to observe almost the entire mountain range, looking back in awe at the route we have done so far.

END OF ROUTE AT THE JAHUACOCHA LAGOON. NOSTALGIA AND DESIRE TO RETURN

The emblematic Jahuacocha lake (4000m) will be the closing place of the trekking, the sunset will include us in a magical natural painting and the mountaineering atmosphere will be unforgettable.

The joy of returning home soon with the nostalgia of leaving such a beautiful place is always perceived in the atmosphere, the experiences, the landscapes, the people, the green valleys, the colourful flowers, the strong shepherds in the highlands with their cattle, the great condors flying over our walk and that breathtaking combination of high snowy peaks with natural landscapes whose journey seems to have no end, will make us miss Huayhuash on our final day and being there, and we will miss Huayhuash.

Like all mountain ranges, this one has several routes and even ascents of moderate difficulty. If the one described above is the usual one, the route of the Rasac Glacier pass and the west face of the Siulá Grande are even more exciting, but this is another story.

Sergio Ramírez Carrascal
www.nuestramontana.com

Practical guide

Best time: between April - October, better between May and August
Duration of the trekking: 8 to 10 days for the full round trip and 5 to 6 days for the half round trip.
Difficulty: moderate, but we will always be above 4,000 meters, a good previous acclimatization is recommended.
Highest point: Cuyoc Pass 5000 m.
Necessary equipment: the usual for high altitude trekking, shoes or boots (preferably waterproof), a good sleeping bag and warm clothes.
Permits required: Each community charges an entrance fee, there are toilets in each camp and a hot water swimming pool halfway along the route.
Recommended agency: Our Mountain (www.nuestramontana.com).