6/10
Elisha and I took a bus bright and early to Caraz wher we took a taxi up to Laguna Peron which is at about 4500 (14,760ft). When we arrived at the lake, we took a hike along this huge and beautiful shimmering turquoise lake. From the lake there were staggering views of Nevados Pisco, Piramide, Huandoy, and Peron. These mountains rise straight up and tower over the lake and valley and are of course plastered in sparkling white snow.
After our hike, we took the taxi back down the bumpy and windy mountain road (where we got a flat on the guy's super bald tires) to Caraz. At Caraz, a cool little Andean mountain town, we hung out, had lunch, and visited the market. We then took a collectivo just passed Yungay where we visited the memorial to the more than 20,000 people who died from a giant avalanche that was caused by an earthquake. There was a cemetary there as well as a huge statue of Jesus overlooking the mountain (Mt. Huascaran, Peru's highest) where the avalanche roared down from as well as another big mountain right next to it. Unfortunately, while we were there, the mountain tops were obscured, but it was interesting to look at the pictures from the avalanche.
You can see on the mountain the huge rock face that used to be covered in ice before the earthquake and then you can imagine how the avalanche could have been so big and fast (280 to 330 km per hour). If you want to know a bit more about it, check out the wikipedia site http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1970_Ancash_earthquake
The interesting thing is the guy who wrote about an avalanche like this happening in a book he wrote in 1960, and he supposedly got his info from extraterrestrials.
When we got back to town, Elisha worked on packing and then Kim, Elisha, and I went out for a bit of a fancier dinner as a goodbye to the two of them. Elisha is leaving from Lima tomorrow and Kim from Lima on the 13th. So we went to a nicer restaurant run by a french guy. We had llama burgers there. Yum! When we got back to the hostel we had a little music party where we made hot coco from the special Inca Sol chocolate bars where you melt them in milk.
6-11
Said a very sad goodbye to Elisha (and Kim) as they boarded their fancy bus to Lima. Spent the rest of the day getting prepared a bit for my trek, walking through the market and the town, and finishing my novel while reading in the warm sun on top of the hostel roof which also has spectacular views of a large portion of the Cordillera Blanca
In case you didn't get the Josh Ritter reference from one of the last posts, perhaps you got the one from the the title of this post since it is now a major motion picture. On my own from Les Miserables
6-12
I took a collectivo early in the morning up to Llupa where I hiked past Andean villages for a bit over an hour until I arrived at the trailhead for Churup Lake. I then hiked up to Churup Lake (4465m/14,645ft). It was a pretty and steep hike with some mountain views, waterfalls, and even a bit of required rock climbing (though they had rope in place in case you got nervous). The lake is pretty, sitting belwo glaciate Nevado Churup and some big cliffs. After having a cheese and palta (quechua for avocado) sando, I hiked up to Laguna Churupita (4580m/15,022ft) a tarn at bit higher up in the same glacial basin. I then climbed up a pass (about 4800m/15,745 ft) that had nice views down to Churup Lake as well as some other small tarns and gave some views of some huge completely snowcovered peaks. On the way back down through the villages all of the colorfully dressed women and men were bringing their burros, sheep, and cows back in from the field and carrying bundles on their back. As I did a lot of extra hiking, I was arriving quite late back down the hill. Most tourists actually take a taxi up to the trailhead or are on a tour and the rest that walk through the village are usually doing it earlier, so I think they were surprised to see a foreigner walking through when they were back from the fields. They all gave me big smiles and big hellos. Especially the cute old ladies who were sitting on the rocks and in front of the doors to watch the procession of animals coming through.
When I got to the main road, a guide who spoke English, but lived up in the village picked me up. It was nice to talk with him and ask him some questions that we had. One that Elisha and I had been wondering was what was the green plant the ladies were always carried bundled up on their backs? He said it was a plant used to feed the cuys (guinea pigs). He said everyone in the village had cuys, but they mainly ate them for special occasions like birthdays. He also told me he was confused about the current weather. He said it was supposed to be the dry season, but the mountains are hidden and there is snow and rain. I am hoping and praying that it clears up for my big treks of the Huayhuash as it is supposed to be just absolutely magnificent and my re-do of the Santa Cruz.
Tomorrow I leave bright and early for the 10 day Huayhuash trek. No need to worry as I am doing it with a group. It is a bit more expensive than doing it on my own; however, the trail isn't too well marked and the guides know of special places to go, plus it will be nice to not have to carry 10 days worth of food. We will have burros doing that!
Elisha and I took a bus bright and early to Caraz wher we took a taxi up to Laguna Peron which is at about 4500 (14,760ft). When we arrived at the lake, we took a hike along this huge and beautiful shimmering turquoise lake. From the lake there were staggering views of Nevados Pisco, Piramide, Huandoy, and Peron. These mountains rise straight up and tower over the lake and valley and are of course plastered in sparkling white snow.
After our hike, we took the taxi back down the bumpy and windy mountain road (where we got a flat on the guy's super bald tires) to Caraz. At Caraz, a cool little Andean mountain town, we hung out, had lunch, and visited the market. We then took a collectivo just passed Yungay where we visited the memorial to the more than 20,000 people who died from a giant avalanche that was caused by an earthquake. There was a cemetary there as well as a huge statue of Jesus overlooking the mountain (Mt. Huascaran, Peru's highest) where the avalanche roared down from as well as another big mountain right next to it. Unfortunately, while we were there, the mountain tops were obscured, but it was interesting to look at the pictures from the avalanche.
You can see on the mountain the huge rock face that used to be covered in ice before the earthquake and then you can imagine how the avalanche could have been so big and fast (280 to 330 km per hour). If you want to know a bit more about it, check out the wikipedia site http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1970_Ancash_earthquake
The interesting thing is the guy who wrote about an avalanche like this happening in a book he wrote in 1960, and he supposedly got his info from extraterrestrials.
When we got back to town, Elisha worked on packing and then Kim, Elisha, and I went out for a bit of a fancier dinner as a goodbye to the two of them. Elisha is leaving from Lima tomorrow and Kim from Lima on the 13th. So we went to a nicer restaurant run by a french guy. We had llama burgers there. Yum! When we got back to the hostel we had a little music party where we made hot coco from the special Inca Sol chocolate bars where you melt them in milk.
6-11
Said a very sad goodbye to Elisha (and Kim) as they boarded their fancy bus to Lima. Spent the rest of the day getting prepared a bit for my trek, walking through the market and the town, and finishing my novel while reading in the warm sun on top of the hostel roof which also has spectacular views of a large portion of the Cordillera Blanca
In case you didn't get the Josh Ritter reference from one of the last posts, perhaps you got the one from the the title of this post since it is now a major motion picture. On my own from Les Miserables
6-12
I took a collectivo early in the morning up to Llupa where I hiked past Andean villages for a bit over an hour until I arrived at the trailhead for Churup Lake. I then hiked up to Churup Lake (4465m/14,645ft). It was a pretty and steep hike with some mountain views, waterfalls, and even a bit of required rock climbing (though they had rope in place in case you got nervous). The lake is pretty, sitting belwo glaciate Nevado Churup and some big cliffs. After having a cheese and palta (quechua for avocado) sando, I hiked up to Laguna Churupita (4580m/15,022ft) a tarn at bit higher up in the same glacial basin. I then climbed up a pass (about 4800m/15,745 ft) that had nice views down to Churup Lake as well as some other small tarns and gave some views of some huge completely snowcovered peaks. On the way back down through the villages all of the colorfully dressed women and men were bringing their burros, sheep, and cows back in from the field and carrying bundles on their back. As I did a lot of extra hiking, I was arriving quite late back down the hill. Most tourists actually take a taxi up to the trailhead or are on a tour and the rest that walk through the village are usually doing it earlier, so I think they were surprised to see a foreigner walking through when they were back from the fields. They all gave me big smiles and big hellos. Especially the cute old ladies who were sitting on the rocks and in front of the doors to watch the procession of animals coming through.
When I got to the main road, a guide who spoke English, but lived up in the village picked me up. It was nice to talk with him and ask him some questions that we had. One that Elisha and I had been wondering was what was the green plant the ladies were always carried bundled up on their backs? He said it was a plant used to feed the cuys (guinea pigs). He said everyone in the village had cuys, but they mainly ate them for special occasions like birthdays. He also told me he was confused about the current weather. He said it was supposed to be the dry season, but the mountains are hidden and there is snow and rain. I am hoping and praying that it clears up for my big treks of the Huayhuash as it is supposed to be just absolutely magnificent and my re-do of the Santa Cruz.
Tomorrow I leave bright and early for the 10 day Huayhuash trek. No need to worry as I am doing it with a group. It is a bit more expensive than doing it on my own; however, the trail isn't too well marked and the guides know of special places to go, plus it will be nice to not have to carry 10 days worth of food. We will have burros doing that!
1 comment:
Cuy food! Mystery solved. Though I figured as much. Crazy how much they love those rats;)
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