Huaraz, Peru

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We took an overnight Linea bus from Trujillo to Huarez - and paid the extra 10 soles to get on a "VIP" bus. It was well worth the extra 3-4 bucks as the seats were nice and comfy. Combining this with relatively no stops we were actually able to get some sleep. As we arrived in Huaraz as the sun was coming up, it became evident that this was going to be a place we would spend some time in. Although the town lost its luster after a day or two (sort of reminded me of some old colorado mining towns like Idaho Springs) we settled on 5 days as the area is very majestic and beautiful. I really felt at home here surrounded by the mountains.

Views of the Cordillera Blanca, above Huaraz during our mountain bike ride
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At 3091m, Huaraz is surrounded by the Cordillera Blanca to the East and the Cordillera Negra to the west. Outside of the Himalayas, this area is the highest in the world. The Cordillera Blanca mountain range has over 20 peaks above 6000m and I believe the second highest mountain in South America at 6768m (Huascaran). A true mountaineering paradise. Unfortunately I'm with 3 companions, so my time is limited and we all have different desires.

Cordillera Blanca

Laguna LLanganuco (Chinanchocha) above Yugay
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As we took a day or two to catch our breath (coming from Sea Level), we roamed around town and talked with several tour operators and guides. After several discussions we settled on these activities: Hiking, biking, and para-gliding. So here's how our schedule went:

6/7 - roamed around town and talked to guides as we arrived at 7am in the morning. We had breakfast at Cafe Andino with some new friends (Clementine and Maud) we met on the bus and then settled into our hostel

Hiking around Laguna LLanganuco (Orconcocha)
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6/8 - This day was set aside for paragliding, unfortunately we woke up too late and Alex's primary desire to go para-gliding did not match his planning ability. So we settled on catching our breath, watching Germany beat Poland in a Eurocup 2008 match, and drinking beers. At the end of the day we waived goodbye to Alex as he headed back to Lima to catch a flight back to the states. It was hard to see him go as it made us realize even more that our vacations were moving along and would soon end as well. With only Matthias, myself and Adrian left, the group was a little quieter. Although Alex was cool, let's just say he was our stimulate for bringing out our inner child and getting us into trouble. Regardless, our adventures over the last month would not have been the same without him.

Iglesia de la Soledad, which was just a block up the stree from our hostel
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6/9 - We rented bikes from a local shop and headed out of Huaraz at 8am. We traveled up gravel roads and single track for 25km, increasing our elevation to 4000m. We then hit a gravel road down 15km at high speeds as we took in the local scenery. Afterwards we were fairly tired, but it was worth it to get out of town and actually be in the mountains.

6/10 - We made another early start and picked up a 2 hour comusetta to Yugay, a town 50 clicks north of Huarez. The roads are fairly rough in this area - coupled with the frequent stops it took awhile to get here. Although a mecca for mountaineering, biking, climbing, etc. we learned that it takes some time to do things in the Cordillera. As we took a taxi from Yugay into Parque Nacional Huascaran there was relatively no evidence of the 1970 earthquake that hit here, causing a massive avalanche of ice and mud that completely wiped out the city killing over 20,000 people. After another hour ride we arrived in Laguna Llanganuco and began our trek around two lakes... Chinancocha and Orconcocha. Highly recommended, these lakes our nestled between two 6000m peaks in a glaciated valley. With turquoise and emerald hues, the lakes were amazing, and the views were fantastic. Our final goal was to trek above Orconcocha along a stream and up through the valley. At one point, we got ourselves into a pickle and had to cross the river. We could have back tracked but we would be wasting time. So we took off our gear and transferred ourselves across. Things were going great until, unfortunately, one of our companions preceded to throw Matthias's left boot in a more vertical direction, causing it to hit a tree and drop into the river. So our trip on hold as we patrolled up and down the river looking for Matthias's shoe. Eventually we found it, but with time passed we decided to relax, eat a late lunch, and start heading back. Although wet, Matthias's boot survived the day and will most certainly be used on another hike.

Looking west towards the Cordillera Negra
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6/11 - We packed our things and checked out of the hotel. With a scheduled bus at 10pm for Lima we had a free day to ourselves. As I prepared myself for a short hike above town, I mistakenly checked my email. With some domestic issues brewing back home I ended up spending most of my time making phone calls and on the internet. Not my ideal day, but I was able to make some time for updating my blog. As the day ended in Huaraz we settled on some cappucinos, chocolate cake and banana bread from our favorite cafe (Andino) before getting on our bus. I felt the pull of the mountains to stay, and although I resisted I did not feel 100% satisfied with my visit here. But I soon relieved that feeling with the thought of more mountains in Bolivia, Argentina, and Chile in my future.