Chachani Mountain

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We came to Arequipa looking to climb a mountain, as there was nothing suitable for novices in Cusco and we didn't have time to return to La Paz. My first choice for us both was Ampato, a mountain of 6310m about 70km from Arequipa. I thought it would be impressive to see, having a permanent large glacier, and would be easier to ascend on summit day as it would be crampons all the way. The other option was Chachani, a volcano just outside of Arequipa. This fit Josie's requirement of being over 6000m (to make up for not having done Huayna Potosi) but without a glacier I thought it might be more difficult as some parts would require crampons and others not.

So we initially opted for Ampato. After much searching and deliberating we found what we thought was a tour agency that would give us the trip we wanted. Quechua Explorer seemed to know what they were talking about and were happy to talk through our needs and show us the equipment we would be using. We also found out later that they were one of the most respected climbing agencies in Arequipa. We explained from the beginning that we wanted a private trip, just the two of us, so that we could have more control and have the best chance of summitting. They seemed to understand this and we agreed on a price for the 3 day trip. However, after we had been away for lunch and returned to try out equipment, had selected all our equipment and finalised plans we were casually told that another person would be joining us on the climb. Apparently some guy form Lima, fully acclimatised and fit, was coming with us. We were very annoyed and after a few brief words, walked out. The agency later phoned us at our hotel, still keen to sign us on the trip. Clearly it wasn't going ahead if we didn't go. I calculated that after they were sure we were going ahead with it they had touted an extra place to make a few extra bucks. I also worked out that there would be 3 people to one guide, which is not standard procedure. When I questioned this they sounded flakey and it seemed that one person would be going up with the cook rather than a qualified guide. Having lost faith in them completely, we decided to cancel the trip.
Weary after a full day lost, and frustrated by the underhand behaviour of the tour agencies, we went on to quickly book a standard 2 day group trip up Chachani from a randomly picked operator. This was $80 US per person compared to the $250 that Ampato would have cost. For this price we were assured of a group no larger than 4 people (although by this time we were sceptical to say the least!). So we were picked up the next morning and taken to the mountain, picking a Columbian couple up along the way. It seemed there were only 4 of us until we reached the foot of Chachani and were joined by another two jeeps, 8 people in total, with one guide. But by this time we realised it was pointless to make a fuss. We were also annoyed to be told that we needed to carry our tent, after having been told there would be a porter to do the job. So after Josie loaded me up with two sleeping bags, 2 mattresses, a tent, two ice-axes, two pairs of crampons, her large plastic mountain boots, oh and 8 litres of water, off we set up the short climb to base-camp at 5380 metres. Arriving at around 2pm we found a nice flat sandy spot for our tent and erected it before setting about getting some rest. After an hour we were called to the 'cook's' tent for some soup. It wasn't nice, and josie found a piece of mouldy pumpkin in hers. Later we were again summoned for food, but Josie didn't want to leave her sleeping bag. I thought I should eat as I would need the energy, so went along and was given an old margarine tub filled with instant mashed spud and heated-up tinned sardines. Already feeling nauseous due to the altitude, this didn't sit well on my stomach. When the sun went down the temperature plummeted and everyone retired to their tents. We found we had been given inappropriate bags for the temperatures. One was nearly adequate, the other being a summer bag (I'm not sure what the outside temperature was but the tent was covered in ice due to condensation from our breathing. It was a cold and uncomfortable sleepless night, interrupted around midnight, when I hurled up the fish and soup from dinner. Josie was most impressed that I managed to stick my head far enough out to project it away from the tent. The wake up call(or rather the get-up call in our case, as we weren't asleep) came at around 1.30am. We hurried into our thermal outer-layers and staggered to the cook's tent for Coca tea, warming at least, and dry bread (that we politely declined). Then it was time to set off by torchlight (or behind someone with torchlight if you didn't have one, as the guide instructed us!) up the first part of the mountain. This was sandy with large rocks. Josie was immediately uncomfortable in her borrowed plastic snow boots, which were too big and more suited to technical iceclimbing than walking. She couldn't feel the rocks and neither of us could feel our toes, it was so cold. After a short while I vomited again, but felt OK to carry on, and the guide didn't seem to concerned as I didn't have a headache. Josie, on the other hand, was not happy and decided to turn back. I wasn't too worried about turning back. I was more concerned at the prospect of spending the rest of the night in that vile freezing uncomfortable tent. There was nothing else for it though, so we left the group and retraced our steps back to camp, where we spent the rest of the night, the most uncomfortable night I've ever suffered. We kept all our clothes on and put the two sleeping bags together, but what with the freezing wind and the hard floor it was impossible to sleep.The group returned around three in the afternoon and everyone made their way back to the waiting jeeps.

After a day of recovery and a good steak dinner, we got to talking about how it would have been easier to attempt Chachani from the bottom base camp instead of the high camp, as there was only one hour's walking between them, and also my pack would be considerably lighter without having to carry tent, bags etc. It seemed more sensible to attempt it fully rested, straight from a comfortable bed, rather than a tent, so we made the decision to try again, but do it in a day. We were determined to find an agency who would cater to our needs and not try to fob us off with a two day group tour. We found Colca tours and laid out our plan and the exact equipment we would need. Josie bought a pair of boots suitable for universal crampons so she wouldn't have to walk in plastic boots again. And we were set. Our jeep would pick us up at 11 oclock that evening and take us to the mountain, where we would be guided up by our personal guide, just the two of us, for which we had paid a premium. We estimated that we would set off walking at around 2am, reaching the summit by around 10, and returning to the jeep at about 2 in the afternoon. But on being picked up from our hotel at eleven we were told that another guy would be joining us, a 41 year old German guy, coming from Lima. We asked to speak with the tour agency on the phone and were offered a $40 refund as compensation. Although we were annoyed it was getting late, our plans were already set, with a great deal of time, money and effort invested in this mountain, and we figured that this German guy didn't know what the score was and couldn't really be blamed. It transpired later that he had been looking to do a 2 day trip but that the agency had talked him into joining our group as they felt this would be more profitable to them. When we picked up our companion from his hotel, after chatting we found out that he was actually 55 years old and not acclimatised for high altitude, having not been out of Lima recently, which is nearly sea level. Arriving at our destination, we were hastily fitted for crampons, kitted with ice-axe and gloves that were too small, and set off uphill. After high camp our German friend began to look tired and when we put our crampons on his didn't fit and he ended up going on with only one crampon (our guide, not having any of his own, borrowed the other!). Josie was initially quite nervous traversing the snow, and wasn't sure that her ice axe would catch her if she slipped. Having never worn crampons before she was uncomfortable. However, she quickly became used to it and the going was quite easy, the angles of the slopes not too steep. Although I was worried about our guide, I was quite confident I could lead us both on and off the mountain safely, always looking out for our safety rather than placing ourselves in the hands of the guide. After the snow was a very long and arduous climb up the first peak, Fatima, after which we would be able to see the summit. This seemed to go on forever and we left the German and the guide behind. While we were resting the guide caught up and told us the German was tired and would wait for us where he was while we summitted and returned. We weren't very happy about this but our guide insisted on coming with us. Just before the summit we noticed some people heading up behind us and Josie's competitive spirit sprang into action, which I found quite amusing. Of course I let her get to the top first 😊. The panoramic views at the top were amazin. Misti, the perfectly conical neighbouring volcano, rising to nearly 6000m stood nesrby, and Coropuna, the highest volcano in southern Peru; with Ampato, Hualca Hualca and Sabancaya in the distance. The weather looked changeable at the top, with clouds coming in from Cusco. It didn't seem like a good idea to linger up there so, after half a yoghurt each and an apple (our appetites had mysteriously disappeared with the rising altitude - even chocolate had lost its appeal) we began what was to be a long and painful descent. Having walked now for 9 hours and with little food in our stomachs, we soon found ourselves exhausted and the going was very slow, particularly on downhill areas where the snow was patchy. When we reached the last snow traverse, we found that we were the last ones to leave and by this time our guide had gone ahead to find the German guy. Not wanting to see anyone left on the mountain, another guide from another company, without a group (Miguel Zarate) came to check we were ok and accompanied us until our guide returned. We were more worried when we saw the state that the German was in. Although he wouldn't admit it, he was clearly suffering from altitude sickness. He could barely walk in a straight line and kept falling over. He refused water several times but I insisted that drinking water would help his body absorb more oxygen and made him eat some jelly worms as well, to get some sugar down him. It was apparent that we needed to get him down the mountain as quickly as possible, but with him being ill and exhausted this was no easy feat. We stopped for regular rests and made sure he drank and ate. I kept close and supported where the terrain would allow and tried to keep him away from danger. Josie and I had both got a second wind by this time, faced with the immediate situation, and luckily we all made it to the bottom without any problem. The German seemed much better after a rest in the car and said he was never trying anything like that again. It crossed our minds that he might have been the same guy from Lima that would have been joining us on the Ampato trip. It stood to reason that when we had cancelled, the agency would probably have cancelled the trip completely as it wouldn't have been worth their while at what they had charged him, and he may well have booked onto a Chachani tour as a second choice. It also seemed coincidental that he had an extensive knowledge of the Ampato Ice Mummy. But we'll never know!
We got back to our comfy hotel in the evening, wiped out with exhaustion, but glad we had achieved our goal the second time around, and Josie chuffed to have finally reached her goal of hoofin' it up a 6000m mountain. Steak and chips for tea tonight! 😊
Just a final note, compared to the other places we've been, the tour agencies and guides in Arequipa don't (as far as we could see) regard Chachani as a high risk mountain and therefore don't concern themselves too much with the wellfare of the tourists climbing it. This was a stark contrast to the quality of service and guiding we encountered in La Paz. Beware!

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Comments

[Mike and Barbara]

Amazing pics, well done both of you. Hope you didn't mention the war!