Peruvian Adventure 5/18/2006-6/28/2006

Steamboat à Denver à Miami à Lima à Huaraz à Cordillera Blanca à Huaraz àLazy Dog and LlacaàCordillera Huayhuash à Huaraz à Lima à Miami and home

6/13/2006: Laguna Carhuacocha: 13,730 ft:

	Day	Trek
High Point	15,170 ft	15,360 ft
Ascent	2,152 ft	5,664 ft
Descent	2,362 ft	5624 ft

Woke up to dense clouds hiding the peaks, but by the time breakfast was done, the ski was deep blue and the sun was shining. Before breakfast had settled we were on the trail and up over 2,000 ft to Carhuac Pass at over 15,000 ft. Stopped for a snack in one of the most dramatic settings I have ever been.

Crossing Carhuac Pass on our way to camp II. LàR Siula Grande and Jirishanca

Sitting on top of the pass enjoying a snack with the east face of Siula Grande and Yerapaja behind us. Siula Grande is most famous for providing the setting (west face) for Joe Simpson’s climbing epic Touching the Void. Yerapaja is the second highest peak in Peru (21,709 ft). The east face has seen only a few climbing ascents, but the most famous was the first in 1966 by Reinhold Messner and Peter Habeler . This climb really marked the beginning of the climbing career of arguably the greatest high altitude climber of all time.

Had a long descent though Yanayana Valley to Laguna Carhuacocha. The last obstacle was crossing a stream at the outlet of the lake.

A moment of hesitation before crossing Rio de Carhuacocha. Our trial is just visible along the hill side above the lake and behind Mo

We almost had a dip in the stream, but luck and skill prevailed and we made it to our destination. Set up camp at the east end of the lake allowing a view west across Carhuacocha to a line-up of the Andean giants of the Huayhuash range. From LàR there was Siula Grande (6344 m), Yerupaja (6617 m), Yerupaja Chico and Jirichanca (not visible in picture below (6094 m).

Fished many hours that afternoon, but could not get a bite. Since it was a warm afternoon I waited for a good long break in the clouds and took one of the colder dips in my life in the lake. Truly invigorating, but it won’t happen again any time soon.

Peru Adventure Part Two Chapter XII

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