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Published: August 24th 2006
El Misti 5822m
This active volcano was our next project. 00
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Until we arrive home
After arriving in Arequipa a city of 1 million we found ourselves a nice hotel for around 8 pounds a night - fully equipped with Cable TV and excellent shower. First point of call was coffee and black jungle cake sitting in a cafe overlooking the central plaza. Life is relaxing at the moment. Some nice Italian food followed by a comfy bed.
It was time to do some more exercise. We joined a guide and rather controversially a French guy and set off early the following morning to the base of the volcano El Misti. Our plan was a two day ascent of this 5822m mountain which overlooks the city of Arequipa. Starting at 3400m we set off at a crawling snail pace. Within a hundred meters James was getting annoyed but held back. After being annoyed by irritating flies we started climbing up the scree covered slopes of the mountain. Six slow hours later we arrived at the High Camp around 4600m early in the afternoon. Sitting around in the baking sun we passed the remainder of the day eating and drinking Coca tea.
An early bedtime before the sun had
set at 6pm was in order prior to our 2am start up the final 1200m. A reasonable nights sleep was only spoiled by having to get up at 2am in the freezing cold. It was full moon and there was enough light to see by without using our head torches.
Very little can be said about a 6 hour climb up a zig zagging path slowly ascending the scree slope. Anne started to feel the pain around 5600m - needless to say James was still going strong! Around this time the top finally came into view. A huge 10m metal cross marks the highest point but was still iover an hour away. The French guy lent Anne his trekking poles to help her (a rather nice thing for a Frenchman to do). Eventually the summit was only a matter of metres away and Anne managed the final crawl before slumping to the ground for a short nap. James was surprised at how good he was feeling and was disappointed that there was no more to climb!
After about 20 mins or so on top we began the long descent - only intersected by a short excursion into the
crater. Surrounded by noxious gases we stood at the top of a 1200m scree slope. Despite taking nearly 6 hours to reach the top we would be down to the tents in a little over 25 mins. A fantastic scree run was negotiated safely by all - even Anne enjoyed it who normally hates scree.
An hour rest at the tents and we were ready to be off on the next 1200m down to the waiting 4X4 vehicle. Although slightly slower going we still did the descent in a little over 1 hours - James had managed to get his boots full of sand much of which ended up in the hotel room.
A couple of days followed in Arequipa chilling out visiting a huge convent, drinking coffee, cinema and watching Cable TV. We finally booked onto a 6am bus to take us to Cabanaconde, a small village clinging to the top of the Cañon del Colca. This is the second deepest canyon in the world only beaten by 143m by a canyon around 200km to the north. It is twice as deep as the Grand Canyon and has lots of condors flying around.
Found a nice
Our naff hired tent
Held down to the sand by two pegs and a few rocks. Hope the wind doesn't get up. hostel and then set off on a short walk which was cut even shorter by a sudden cloud burst of heavy rain. This was the first rain we had witnessed since Puerto Iguazu in Argentina over 2 months ago.
The following morning we again got a packed early bus to Cruz del Condor a rocky outcrop overlooking the deepest part of the canyon and where condors are a daily spectacle soaring on the early morning thermals. After watching the condors below us we walked back the 3 hours to Cabanaconde which was hot and not very interesting. We spent the rest of the day sorting out food for our 5 day walk and walked the first hour or so of the next days route.
Another early start and we had left the hotel by 6am - first light. An easy trek through terraced fields led to the start of the descent down towards the Rio Colca. Dusty and dry following a switch backing road we descended into the airy confines of one of the deepest canyons on Earth. A little unsure of the route as we got lower we thought that some local teenagers were pointing out our
The top finally comes into sight
Still an hour away - walking speed slows down to snail pace at over 5700m.
The summit is the small peak at the back. path contouring across a slope which was where the guidebook was saying we should be going. After scrambling up through rocks and shrubs we arrived at the traversing path. Although it looked a little dubious (being narrow with large drops on our right) we set off along it. Annoyingly after about 30mins we arrived at a section of path which had been taken out by a landslide. The teenagers had already crossed this but with heavy rucksacks on and a daunting 100m drop we thought better of this and decided to back track and descend to the river by a road. a much safer option.
Lunch at the river was followed by a bridge crossing (half the planks were missing and it swung dangerously in the wind) and a steep climb up to another contouring path towards Choco our first nights stop. Although this path was steep and narrow it was at least all there and eventually around 5pm we arrived in Choco a small friendly village who allowed us to stay in their town hall. They still had electricity and street lights despite the only access to the village is via the path which we had just traversed.
Anne on the summit
Thinks she is going to die, exhausted on top. Again setting off early we walked with a local girl on the first of two hard days of climbing towards Paso Cerani. Today we were stopping at another small village called Miña. Walking up the river for most of the day passing through sheer gorges and plantation of wild flowers. The Miña terraces eventually came into view and we were greeted by a young lad who offered to carry our bags on his donkey the following day upto the 5100m pass. We found a nice campsite just outside the village in someone's donkey paddock and passed the remainder of the day soaking up the fantastic views back to the Colca Canyon.
Getting up at 4.30am our donkey was 30mins late but we eventually set off up the grassy slopes. As we gained altitude the views opened up across the surrounding mountains and canyon. Above around 4700m it was starting to get hard work despite not carrying much. After 5 hours Paso Cerani came into view and we struggled the last few metres onto the top. It was freezing cold on top so we didn´t hang around. We sent the donkey back down put our rucksacks on and set
James on the summit
Once again looking in top form!!
8000m peaks next on the cards. off down towards the Valle del los Volcanoes. A steep and rocky descent past llareta and llamas brought us to a large grassy campsite next to a small stream.
A pleasant night followed although disturbed by a dog from a small corral nearby. The llamas came down low at night to join our campsite. The following morning was again bright and sunny and we set off back towards civilisation along a path which descended through cactus and wildflowers. Eventually arrived in Chachas another small village although big enough to have a shop and a small hostel. After being made to wait 2 hours outside we eventually viewed what was a horrible room. About a dozen bed cramed into a small room, we shared the room with old rotting meat and what looked like blood splatter patterns on the wall. Never really worked out what happened at this place but we didn't hang around in the morning to find out.
After walking up a very steep hill to a small saddle we realised the bridge that had been there had recently been washed away and there was a new road and bridge. Grudgingly we descended back to Chachas and
Even Monkey makes it to the top
Monkey found it pretty easy in James´ rucksack then walked around the hill which we had just climbed up prior to picking up our original path 3 hours later. The remainder of the walk to Andagua, our ending point, was through old lava flows and cactus covered sand dunes.
What should have been a simple matter of getting a 10 hour bus back to Arequipa was complicated by a fiesta bring held in Andagua. Unable to get a bus for 3 days we had to sit around and join in the festivities. One family invited us in for Chichas a type of beer made from maize. Apparently the fermentation process is started by chewing the maize. Even the Lonely Planet describes it as hygienically questionable!
We went to see a bull fight which was quite exciting - at one point a bull was released into the crowd of dancers and another managed to jump completely out of the ring and escape across the fields. Surprisingly only one person got knocked out although lots were trampled on and thrown to the floor.
Eventually we arrived back in Arequipa in which we have stayed for a few days eating good food and generally just recovering from our
ordeal!! Today we leave for Lima and hopefully we will be meeting Heather (James' sister) in 3 days time. Also tomorrow is Anne's birthday but will be spending much of the time on a bus!!
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