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Published: January 19th 2007
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Huayna Potosi
I can do this..... Where do I start with Huayna Potosi other than it is by far the hardest thing that I have ever done in my whole life.
Huayana Potosi is a mountain an hour and a half outside of La Paz and stands at 6,088 m in height. To put this in perspective for you Mount Snowdon is 1,085 m, Ben Nevis is 1,344m and Kilimanjaro is 4,559m. The climb is not just about fitness but due to the altitude you just can’t breathe. There is less than 20% of people who make it to the summit in dry season and less than 10% in the wet season , therefore being one never to turn down a challenge I decided that I would like to give it a go. On visiting the tour operator the itinerary was as follows:
Day 1.
8.30am - Pick up
10.30am - Arrive at base 4,200m and begin climb
4pm (approx) - Reach base camp 5,200m
6pm - Eat Evening meal and then bed
11pm - Breakfast
Day 2
Midnight - Begin Glacier Climb
6-9am - Reach Summit at 6,088m
9-12pm - Head back
3pm (approx) - Return back to La Paz.
Huayna Potosi
Still innocent, not knowing what I had let myself in for My first thoughts on the itinerary were how the hell I would be able to sleep at 6pm, within half an hour of doing the climb I knew how I would be able to sleep. The first day of the climb we had to carry all of our own equipment (approx 12kg) as well as climb in the equivalent of ski boots (these are what you need to attach your ice clamps to) which are approx 3 kg (30kg when your tired). The incline gradually got steeper and steeper and was pure hard work. We were extremely lucky with the weather (considering it´s rainy season) as when we first arrived it was raining but as soon as we started to walk the sun came out a little, just enough to keep us dry without being too hot.
On arriving at the base camp I felt like I had already climbed the mountain and could not contemplate doing any more within 8 hours. After just an hour of walking I was stumbling around like a drunk as I was just that tired. I was so proud that I had managed to get so far while carrying all my equipment and
Huayna Potosi
No problem, I´m hardcore I was determined that I was going to make the summit.
After dinner there was a big blizzard and I was full of cold and didn’t get to sleep until after 9pm. I thought how quick things can change but on waking up my runny nose had cleared and the blizzard was gone. This just added to my belief that it was meant to be and that luck was on my side.
How wrong can you be……From the start of the glacier climb I felt like crying. I was so tired and had to have a break every few minutes to catch my breathe. The incline was anything between 30 and 60 degrees so just pounding your clamps into the snow was putting pressure on muscles that I didn’t even know existed. Then less than an hour into the climb my leg fell through the snow right up to my hip, I have never seen my life flash before my eyes before and god it really shook me up for a while. The funniest thing being that my guide was only half the size and weight of me and even though he was strong enough to lift me
Huayna Potosi
When it all still felt do-able out of the hole I ´m sure that if I had fell all the way through he would have been coming with me as I was attached to him!
The blizzard soon returned. Gradually the higher we got the worse the conditions became. By 5,500 metres we looked like snow women and were very tempted to give up but my brain just wouldn’t allow it. At nearly 5am and 5,600 metres we stopped and posed for photo’s and wondered how we were ever going to have the energy to reach the summit.
At 5,800 metres we called it a day. Unfortunately the conditions were so bad and Mother Nature combined with Huayna Potosi got the better of us. I would like to say that had it not been for the weather I would have definitely reached the summit but if I’m honest I couldn’t be certain. One thing I do know though is that if my body would have been able to keep up with my brain I would have.
So what goes up must come down! This was the really horrible part; the only advantage to coming down was really appreciating not only how far you
Huayna Potosi
Yipppppeeeeeeee - What another day to go! OH NO! have come but also how steep the incline has been. You already know that you have done well but when I was nearly rolling down the glacier I really appreciated how well I had done and that I should be proud of myself.
After a quick nap at base camp and picking up our gear it was down again. This was by far the worst section as we were now literally abseiling (it felt like it) in ski boots with no safety ropes on very wet slippery rocks. With absolutely no movement in the foot it was really hard and very impractical; at least going up my joints had a chance of surviving.
We finally get back in one piece (more luck than judgement) at midday relishing in our achievements questioning why we were ever so stupid to want to try in the first place!
This has definitely been one for the book of hard work!
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Asha Kayla
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You brave girl!
Hi Natalie, your journal is a good read, especially since I´m going to some of the places youve just been to! You are much braver than me.. I nearly died doing Inca trail so not braving that mountain!