2 pratts in a tent

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Ola once again, this time from a lovely cafe in Huaraz. We arrived on Sunday 31st May after an overnight journey from Lima. Huaraz is the outdoor capital of Peru, and probably South America. We have met loads and loads of hardcore climbing dudes (ie the type of people who attempt everest are all here).

This is the entry point to the Cordillera Blanca, the 2nd highest mountain range in the world (22 peaks over 6000 metres) and renowned as the most beautiful mountain range on earth, as well as one of the most dangerous - for those in the know, the events that shaped the book and film "touching the void" all happened here - we saw the mountain first hand. This mountain range also contains the world's most beautiful peak, according to World Mountaineering Association - Mount Alpamayo.

Anyway, we spent the Sunday chillaxing and wandering the town, and trying to get an idea of which tour operator to do our trek through... we were torn between doing 4 days in the mountains on our own (with 15-20kg on our back) or hiring a guide with a cook and donkeys... Lee was up for the former, but the donkeys won in the end. After all, you have to support the local economy, don't you! More of that later...

The next day was spent doing hardcore downhill mountain biking getting saddle sore at over 4000 metres. Fortunately, our lungs were still well acclimatised from spending so much time at altitude in Bolivia and on Inca Trail. Unfortunately, despite riding on £2000 bikes, my ass was not acclimatised to bouncing up and down over big rocks for 4 hours. Anyway, we got amazing views of the mountains and watched our fellow Yank rider stack it over a wall when a car came in the opposite direction!!!

That night we finalised plans for the 4 day, 3 night Santa Cruz trek. By that point we had met 3 Aussies in the same boat as us and decided to pool together to negotiate a good deal on guides and donkeys.

We set off on the Tuesday morn at 6 am,arriving at our starting point at 11am. The Santa Cruz trek is rated as one of the most beautiful walks in the world and takes you through the epicentre of the Cordillera Blancas. It is 48 km spread over 4 days. mostly undulating slopes but with a few really tough climbs thrown in, especially when you are walking at up to 4760 metres.

Best thing is to just look at the pics, but the highlights were the views from Punta Union Pass and Alpamayo base camp where you get the full view of the mountain used at the beginning of all Paramount Pictures films. Spectacular! The lowlights were waking up at 3am each morning realising that my sleeping bag was not quite up to the job, then lying there like a hypothermic insomniac for the next 3 hours begging for 6am to arrive so I could get a hot cup of tea. Never thought I'd say that!

Anyway, go look at the pics. Go on... NOW!

Ta taa

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Comments

[Laurenzo]

hey you guys, loved this blog entry of the santa cruz trek. It looks so beautiful there. Lee in the pic that you and neil have your backs turned to the camera and are staring at the mountain - is that the big bad boy that joe simpson climbed?? PS I see you may have fallen victim to developing a little fetish for all the beauty peru/bolivian hats! Txx

[Crozza and Lee]

Hey T
The Mountain we're staring at is/was considered to be the most beautiful mountain (Alpaymayo) in the world as voted by the World Mountaineering Association (back in 1966!!). The Joe Simpson Mountain is in not in the Santa Cruz trek afterall but in a Huayhush, or something like that - a 9 day trek which we simply weren't hardcore enough for. However, we did get to see the Mountain used in Paramount pictures (the mt that comes on before some films start), awesome. Would have loved to stayed longer in Huaraz coz there's some cracker treks to do and our hostel was fab. Lauren, there are just too many hats dude, I can't cope, I love them all! Am now in surfer's paradise, Mancora, and am trying not to buy anything, just love all the surfers shorts etc. But saving myself for vintage shops in BA, it's my b'day, def buying something there! Love ya. xxx

[laurenzo]

make no excuse - sure "you're on your holidays!" lol xx