Travel in Peru.

So, driving the roads between Lima, Huaraz and Cashapampa runs the gamut. The main road out of Lima headed to Huaraz is a normal, well paved high speed highway. However, once you turn inland from the coast towards Huaraz, the road becomes a two lane road, like most backroads in the US. After a few miles- however, the road begins to deteriorate. By the time you reach the switchbacks that start to climb the Andes, the pavement has numerous potholes devolving into broken pavement and eventually becoming a mixtgure of broken pavement, patches of gravel/dirt road and widened dirt sboulders to allow traffic to rnun in both directons. The following clip is a two minute clip from the actual ride back to Lima. I was moved to take the video after missing a chance to take a picture of a unique road warning indicating a problem ahead: a hornrd cow skull propped up against some rocks in the middle of the road. Be forewarned, Dramamine may be needed for this clip.

Road from Huaraz to Lima


Of course this is a one-minute clip which approximates about 3 hours of the trip. It wouldn’t be a big deal if it weren’t the only viable route to Lima from Huaraz—a new road to the coast from Huaraz is currently under construction.

The road from Huaraz to cashapampa is generally in slightly better condition, but has tighter switchbacks and narrower lanes, Oh, and much of it is dirt road. Overall, if you don’t get carsick, and you trust your driver, the drive is highly entertaining. La carretta esta estmulenta.

Josh

The big man at Llamacorral

Josh is about the same age as Adrian. He's a big, tall guy. Amazingly strong and he has tremendous endurance. Plus, he's a wild man on a mountain bike. While at first blush, one might think Josh is really a 21 year old, it becomes pretty clear pretty quickly that he has an uncanny ability to make good decisions. Unlike me, Josh looks for the most fun option first and then decides if that's the right option, or should he go for something more toned down. It's good to have someone around who pulls me out of the "safe" decision mode.

What's more important is his high level of positive energy. When it gets to be "go time", he's fully firing and ready to jump in both feet first. On virtually every difficult part of this trip, Josh has carried more than his fair share of the load--which helped me continue on.

What was a surprise to me was how good Josh's Spanish is. He was able to fit right in. Does Josh have an Achilles heel? Si. Please see the section post on "Travel in Peru". Nothing more to be said.

I suspect he's going to have a long and very rewarding mountaineering career.

Adrian

Adrian with "Peruvian Mountain Dog"
Adrian’s an interesting guy. 32`years old with a definite grunge style to his appearance. Tall and skinny, he doesn’t look like the typical outdoorsy professional guide—More like a former bass player from a Seattle grunge band. Very easy going about most things but clearly has a basic plan for how, where and when things should be happening. When things are falling behind a bit or need adjusting, he seems to have connections thoughout Huaraz and the cordillera blanca that seamlessly get things straightened out with no sense of scrambling. For instance, once we returned from Cashapampa, we quickly cleaned up and headed to Siam los de andes for best Thai food ever. Around 9 pm, Alfredo arrives to let us know that our transport to Lima for the next morning cannot drive because some special permit is needed. The 8 hour trip is critical to getting Josh and I home. Somehow, between 10 pm and 8 am the next morning, Adrian has arranged a new private transport with an emergency backup of professional bus tickets just in case the private transport doesn’t work out somehow—all the while stopping off to say goodbye to friends in Huaraz and drinking pisco sours with Josh and I in celebration until well after midnight.

He’s been active in the Huaraz scene for so long that every restaurant we go to, he’s greeted like family that hasn’t back to visit in a long time. The kids of the owners treat him like a favorite uncle. Our plans for after returning to base camp change when our arriero invites us to his home for cuy after we ride horses back to Cashapampa. Once there Tony and his wife asked Adrian to be their daughter’s godfather. It was an unbelievably positive and intimate experience, and I feel honored to have been invited into it.

The funny thing is, despite his laid back, unperturbed exterior, when things begin to go pearshaped, he quickly and subtly switches into a serious driven professional guide mode. Suddenly you realize he’s taking control of the situation, making decisions, setting up constituency plans and evaluating his resources. On the day that he and Josh summited Quitaraju, a Peruvian guide for the German team took a 60 meter fall when the anchor he was rappelling from failed. Despite being tired and almost back to col camp, he helped assess the situation since the Peruvian team didn’t have a radio to contact their Austrian IFMGA`certified guide. Upon returning to camp, Adrian told us, it was unclear when we’d be descending, but cautiously continue breaking down camp. He also informed me that I may be pressed into service as a physician and asked if I would be able to do so if needed. In the meantaime, he conferred with the Austrian guide and obtained phone numbers and contacts for emergency helicopter transport if needed. Once he saw the injured guide descending on his own, he was willing to start our descent to basecamp. Definitely not just a bass player from the Seattle grunge scene.

A whole lotta catching up

Back to basecamp. The trip up to moraine camp was hard, but doable. Going from moraine to col camp was probably the hardest physical work I've ever done. 50 lb pack, over glacier terraine and 2 pitches of ice climbing. We decided to wait one day to allow the massive German team to clear out before trying our summit bid. The weather turned kinda bad and we waited until 11 am when there was a little clearing to make our bid.

Alpamayo



As has been the case, Josh was massively strong again today. I was sucking wind by the time we got to the first pitch--not even sure if I could climb. Thankfully, I was able to ice climb more efficiently than I travel on glaciers. Spindrifts, horizontal snow and bad visibility were the general tenor, but we summitted around 5:30 pm.

Rappeling down, we had to deal the darkness for the last two pitches. To add to the fun, the trail was completely covered so we did a bit of exploring for our route home. Finally got back to camp at 10 pm.

Quitaraju


I knew I was out for Quitaraju. It would be in 2 days and after the summit, we'd have to pack 50 lb packs back to basecamp. I knew I couldn't do it. Josh and Adrian left around 1 am. I saw them almost back to camp at 12:30 pm, but then they turned around. Turns out a Peruvian guide had fallen 60 M when an anchor pulled out. Adrian returned to the base of the mountain to see what he could do from there. They finally rolled in around 2:30 pm and looked beat.

Team Alpenglow on the return


Twas great to get back to basecamp, easy breathing and real food.

The food is amazing. Alfredo has been feeding us 3 hots a day plus afternoon cappuccino. Breakfasts have included omletes with sausage, eggs with potatoes, and pancakes. Each day there’s coffee and fresh squeezed orange juice. Lunch always consists of a soup (today was cream of pumpkin), rice and a main dish of traditional Peruvian food. Today was beef with potatoes, yams, and some other squash. Dessert is usually canned fruit, although last night was pudding. Dinners are similar to lunch, just with larger portions. Tomorrow, Alfredo will be bringing up dinner to moraine camp.

Getting naranjas ready for Jugo de naranja


Today was a rest day. We spent many hours on basic systems, how we’re going to climb together and rescue systems. I called Janene which was awesome. It might be the last call for a few days.

Today was a load haul to moraine camp, 4860 M (about 16200 ft). it took a couple hours to reach the site which is only about 1.5 miles away, but 2000 feet up. Uneventful hike, however, I`m now occasionally called El hombre antiguo de Alpamayo. On the pulse ox, I came in with strong numbers 83 O2 and 83 pulse. At base camp last night after dinner, my numbers were surprising, 92 O2 and pulse of 78, marked improvement over the numbers earlier in the day. When Adrian asked what we thought our numbers would be, I had joked “92”, he said, if your O2 is in the 90’s I’ll carry your pack. Pretty funny. Josh continues to be very strong. Lots of great stories being told. Rest day tomorrow, then the big push.

2 base camp

Today was a leisure hike up from just past llamacorral at 12400 to basecamp at 14200. Felt great, better than yesterday`s hike. Breakfast was great and then we headed out. It was hysterical to be passed by our pack of burros- mine was in the lead again of course. I shall refer to him as burro el mas rapido . After hiking up the valley, we turned left and entered the hanging valley and a series of switchbacks . At the top, was another plain where a scattered mix of burros cows and horses meandered along the river beds. In the background, Quitaraju, Alpamayo and Artesanraju stand over the valley. At basecamp, Alfredo has made an awesome lunch. It`s tough roughing it. Tomorrow is a gear haul to moraine camp.

Burro scratching


Arriero's dog


Something else

...and the hiking begins

A three hour drive on bad dirt roads (well 2 hrs on them after 1 hr on broken pavement.) we made final adjustments to pack and duffels and headed up the trail. We would meet the pack burros in Llamacorral later. Starting off at 9100 feet, we hiked pretty leisurely to llamacorral at 12000 feet in 3.5 hrs. Josh and Adrian hike much faster than me, but I maintained my pace of 2.7 mph. 15 minutes after arriving, MY burro arrived first, trotting in ahead of all the others. J and A walk faster, are faster on mtn bikes, out-eat me but by god, my burro was fastest. Feel great at 12500 feet. Finally got a chance to call janene on the sat phone. Really good to hear her voice, if only for a couple minutes. Once the sun is down,it gets cold fast

Mountain biking

Today was the first full day in Huaraz. To help acclimatize, we did some mountain biking. We were hauled up to 13K feet on the Cordillera Negra and then headed back into town on dirt roads and some single track trails. It was pretty hard for me, but with some coaching from Julio, I improved significantly over the day. Definitely gives me new found respect for the mountain bikers. The vegetation shows huge and I mean HUGE aloe vera plants, like 6 feet high and 10 feet across. The mountain ranges are awe inspiring and the sky is virtually cloudless. It felt like 70F today with bright sun. My idea of winter.

Tonight, we ate at an amazing Thai restaurant here. The husband is from Thailand, via California and has been here 11 years. His wife is Colombian and met him here in Huaraz. They ahve a place in Colombia near the Darian Gap and split time between Huaraz, Colombia and traveling to Thailand for ingredients (among other things). Really great food.

I feel great. There's a slight dry cough but more likely secondary to a little reactive airway disease. Head is totally clear. Tomorrow we drive to the trail head and start out for Llamacorral, leaving from Cashapampa.

Lima to Huaraz

Landed in Lima an hour late. Not bad for Newark. Oddest thing was, in the 2 seats next to me were two riders who are very good friends with my son. They were headed to Lima and then over to Machu Picchu and its sister city. Completely bizarre to fly to Peru with two people you indirectly know but had no idea would be traveling at all. It made for a very pleasant flight.

In Lima, Adrian spotted me right off. We had to wait about 1/2 hour more for Josh to arrive. Josh has some pretty amazing climbing experience in his past. Nepal, Rainier, Several 14K footers in Colorado. He's a mountain biker and does ice climbing. Really impressive. And very pleasant to be around. This is gonna be a good trip.

We stayed at a really nice hotel, El Patio, and got to see a bit of Lima, but not much. We left early the next morning for the 8 hour trip to Huaraz.

The drive starts out with barren landscape as in NO plants whatsoever. After a couple hours of the this (headed North up the coast), we start to climb a bit and start to see some native vegetation and some crops==sugarcane and corn mostly. We finally turned inland and started climbing up a series of switchbacks, all the time seeing more varied crops and farm animals. As the corn or peppers are harvasted, they're laid out on the ground in irregular swatches to dry. It makes for a patchwork of red, black and yellow over the farmland.

The ponies are very attactive and appear quite well cared for and well bred. I'm hoping the ponies we ride out are like these fellows. The look like great fun!

In Huaraz, we're staying at Olaza's. It is fantastic and close to everything we need to get to. Everywhere we stop, restaurants, shops, hotels, the owners greet Adrian like he's old family. It is awesome and really gives Huaraz a very friendly, inviting feeling.

Tres Dias

All packed. Batteries charged. Spare cards for the camera. Only need a power adaptor and to get to the airport on Sat.

Una semana

Feeling great. Climbing well. Hiking strong. Running freely. Got my technical clothes and boots packed. Crampons, treking poles, harness, prusiks, cordelette, biners, ice screw and Vthreader packed. Snacks, gels, camelbak, batteries, sterilizer, diamox, lomotil packed.

I'm getting excited.

Pics? You want pics?

Pretty Exciting Week.

Climbed well, ran pretty well, minimal hamstring hassles. BUT, Gregory messed up my order on duffels. Only sent one and I need 2. After contacting Moosejaw (bought through them), they were supposed to send me out another bag. BUT they delayed and then sent it ground. So, today they're overnighting me the second bag to make sure it gets here (haven't received the tracking info yet though). I'll check again tomorrow if I don't hear. What a freakin' hassle.

Then, and more dramatically, Janene was taken out by a couple of dogs who dislocated her patella. She's on injured reserves, but looks like no surgery needed. However, Hanna will probably have to drive me to the airport next week. As for me, I haven't done any more work on getting my stuff together. Maybe tomorrow. I'm just happy that Janene's going to have a short rehab and be back on her horse shortly.

Last interval training was today. Woot.