huayhuash

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Messages 1 - 30 of total 30 in this topic

David Wilson

climber

Topic Author's Original Post - Jan 13, 2010 - 02:02pm PT

one of the best treks i've done is around the huayhuash range in peru. these photos are from 1996. we went back and did it again in 1998 after trying, and failing, to climb yerupaja..

view of the range from along the road to huaraz

view across the rooftops in the town of chiquian

the upper west face of yerupaja ( ridge of rasac is in the foreground )

lake on east side of yerupaja

lake to the east of yerupaja on a clear day

lake to the east of yerupaja

jauacocha valley with jirichanca above

lake jauacocha

meadow east of yerupaja

apogee

climber

Jan 13, 2010 - 02:04pm PT

Oh, my.

My, my.

Mungeclimber

Trad climber

sorry, just posting out loud.

Jan 13, 2010 - 02:09pm PT

schweet!

David Wilson

climber

Topic Author's Reply - Jan 13, 2010 - 02:09pm PT

pate, we went to climb the west face of yerupaja and the whole face, once primarily a steep snow route, had disintegrated into hanging seracs and bare rock sections. apparently the old direct west face isn't climbed anymore as a result of the changes

John Moosie

climber

Beautiful California

Jan 13, 2010 - 02:16pm PT

Yep, leaves me speechless too. Thanks !!!

climber

H2O..what is this H2O thing of which you speak?

Jan 13, 2010 - 02:29pm PT

OMG David!

Those have to be some of the most intensely beautiful photos ever posted on the Taco.

THANK YOU!!!

Fritz

Trad climber

Hagerman, ID

Jan 13, 2010 - 03:35pm PT

David: Beautiful photos and spectacular terrain.

In your photo of jauacocha valley with jirichanca above: I see some tents down by the ploughed fields. Is that your group?

Levy

Big Wall climber

So Cal

Jan 13, 2010 - 03:49pm PT

Stunning photos!

Thanks for posting them.

I'm thinking I should get down there sometime.

John Moosie

climber

Beautiful California

Jan 13, 2010 - 03:51pm PT

I keep coming back to take another peek at them. Beautiful.

Footloose

Trad climber

Lake Tahoe

Jan 13, 2010 - 03:56pm PT

Gorgeous!

Yerupaja... aka El Carnicero... the Butcher.

malabarista

Trad climber

San Francisco, Ca

Jan 13, 2010 - 04:17pm PT

I really want to do this trek, did you hire an arriero? When I was in Huaraz back in 1999 that seemed to be the way. I'm quitting my job soon this is a real possibility to get on this.

Ed Hartouni

Trad climber

Livermore, CA

Jan 13, 2010 - 05:55pm PT

how seductive are these peaks, to the eye of a climber, that the climber would forget all of the tragedy surrounding them and once again try to find a way to the top

I remember researching Siula Grande
and thinking that, if given the opportunity, I'd go up

so seduced by that fluting and the simple geometry formed by frozen water and gravity

thanks for the pictures!

Peter Haan

Trad climber

San Francisco, CA

Jan 13, 2010 - 05:58pm PT

Really impressive photos, David, Thanks!! Wonderful trek. AMAZING weather.

David Wilson

climber

Topic Author's Reply - Jan 13, 2010 - 10:40pm PT

malabarista, we were short on time as usual and hence needed to organize everything from stateside. with more time and a tighter budget i would hire an arriero and a cook via one of the small hotels in chiquian. as long as they came referred by the hotel i think you'd be fine and save a lot of money.

em kn0t

Trad climber

isle of wyde

Jan 13, 2010 - 10:53pm PT

so beautiful

Zander

Trad climber

Berkeley

Jan 14, 2010 - 10:36am PT

Beautiful place and pics David,
Thanks for posting.
Zander

ryanb

climber

Seattle, WA

Jan 14, 2010 - 01:41pm PT

That picture of the creek brings me back, I remember walking along that in the early morning cold and looking down into it and seeing a cow skull in its depths.

I did that hike in 2003 or so with an australian dude I met in Juarez while backpacking around south America. We wen't unsupported/unguided and it worked out allright. I would recommend being in good shape, budgeting plenty of time in Juarez to aclimatize and bringing a map and any food items you can't do without with you.

I hope Dave doesn't mind if I add a few pics to his thread:

[url="http://www.flickr.com/IMGs/ryanbressler/813052689/sizes/o/"][/url]

Edit: woops need to figure out new photo embed method...

David Wilson

climber

Topic Author's Reply - Jan 14, 2010 - 09:01pm PT

thanks for the photos ryanb - glad to bring up some good memories

survival

Big Wall climber

A Token of My Extreme

Jan 14, 2010 - 09:06pm PT

Wonderful Pictures guys!
Thanks for bringing us along!

Karl Baba

Trad climber

Yosemite, Ca

Jan 14, 2010 - 09:30pm PT

Looks killer

Where the best place to get beta and info on doing the trek as cheap as possible?

Peace

Karl

David Wilson

climber

Topic Author's Reply - Jan 14, 2010 - 10:47pm PT

wow, rokjox, this is really pretty tame terrain at this point - it's changed since your trip. karl, get a bus or ride to huaraz, the kick off town for the blanca. while acclimatizing there, poke around regarding resources for the huayhuash trek. you will either close on an outfitter you like or, if not, proceed to town of chiquian and hire an arriero through the hotel. the whole trip is casual. i will send you my contact for a fully set up in advance trip if you like david@wadesign.com. however, i checked and it was damn expensive through them last year. we're thinking of going back at some point...

David Wilson

climber

Topic Author's Reply - Jan 14, 2010 - 10:56pm PT

rokjox, 1985 was early. right in the sendero luminoso era. those roads may well have been dicey. now, the road to huaraz is paved and while they drive a little crazy, it's not too hair raising...

David Wilson

climber

Topic Author's Reply - Jan 14, 2010 - 11:10pm PT

rokjox, was that french girl really so bad...?

ryanb

climber

Seattle, WA

Jan 15, 2010 - 12:23pm PT

Karl,

We went unguided which wasn't too bad provided your people skills (and spanish) are passable. A bit of extra tea and some hard candies goes along way. The hardest part was lugging all of our food for the whole trip over 4-5000m passes. Its hard to find good light food options down there but white gas and butane canisters were available. We were also able to buy fresh food at a couple of towns along the way but I wouldn't want to rely on that as an option as you may pass through town when the store is closed or something.

Karl Baba

Trad climber

Yosemite, Ca

Jan 15, 2010 - 02:13pm PT

Thanks Ryan

Is there a good trekking book with the routes and info like that on it?

Peace

Karl

ryanb

climber

Seattle, WA

Jan 15, 2010 - 02:23pm PT

There is probably a book but we couldn't find one down there. The only guy in huarez who would sell us a map was Julio Olaza who has a mountain bike rental/guiding service at Jiron Lucar Y Torre 530.

I would highly recommend doing a trip or two with him as part of your acclimatization...he biked in the us for a while and now lives down there.

This looks like a newer version of the map we had:
http://www.amazon.com/Cordillera-Huayhuash-000-Topographic-Map/dp/0975860607/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1263582983&sr=8-1