After four acclimatisation hikes we started on May 22nd towards Cordillera Huayhuash. The road till there takes between 3,5 and 5h, it depends. On the way there the guide might stop the car to show you one place or another, so you are likely to be on the road for some 5h. On the way back you are so overwhelmed by what you have seen in Huayhuash that nothing can impress you anymore so you just sit silent in the car. You can see the best pics from Huayhuash  in the  gallery, however here comes the story.

Cordillera Huayhuash is a smaller mountain range stretching over approx. 30 km. It comprises several peaks over 5.000m but the most extraordinary ones are Nev. Jirishanca (6.094m), Yerupaja Chico (6.089m) and Yerupaja Grande (6.617m), Siula Grande (6.344m) and Sarapo (6.127m). Circumnavigating the main ridge of Huayhuash is what the Classic Huayhuash Trek is about. It covers 120km and takes between 10 to 12 days (it depends, if you want to take a day off – which is highly recommendable – and/or want to visit the base camp of Siula Grande, scenery of the dramatic book “Touching The Void”). Each day you will walk 8-15km, each day you will cross a pass. The highest points are Pass Cuyoc and Pass San Antonio (both have ca. 5.000m), the lowest is the village Huayllapa (3.600m).

(more…)