Peru
I had the good fortune to go trekking in Peru with two friends, in the spectacular but lightly travelled Cordillera Blanca mountain range. Here is our journey in pictures.
The three amigos make a new friend while acclimatizing in Huarez.
Most of Huarez except this street was destroyed in a 1971 eathquake.
Schoolchildren cross the street in Huarez.
Victor (guide), Marcelino (cook), Andre & Adlai on the long drive from Huarez to our trailhead.
Course for our 8 day trek.
Scene from Day 1 on the trail.
Day 2: Psyched to be on top of our first pass at 15,250 feet.
Taking a break.
We saw lots of livestock. These two bulls face off after Andre fed one avacado.
Somehow we all managed to stick a foot in the water during the first 20 minutes of day 3.
Dave climbing.
Jancapampa Valley: above our campsite was a massive icefield with ten waterfalls plummeting down a rock face.
Adlai and I hiked to get a closer look...
Waterfalls.
We heard ice avalanches during the night.
Lucita, a girl from a nearby farm.
Day 4: our steepest ascent...
Adlai at the pass.
A common sight on morning 5: ice on the tent.
Our guide Victor takes a look back from the pass at 15,850 feet.
Big mountains on day 6: Quitaraju (19,800 ft) Pumapampa (18,300 ft) and Santa Cruz (20,500 ft).
First views of Alpamayo (19,500 ft).
"The most beautiful mountain in the world:" UNESCO.
In the shadow of Alpamayo, it become impossible to take a bad picture.
Lunch at the pass on day 7.
Andre catches a nap.
Adlai and Victor went trailblazing and snapped this picture of Santa Cruz from 17,000 feet.
Sunset.
Overlook, now on the other side of Santa Cruz.
Naturally, a rock-throwing contest broke out.
Winner: Adlai.
Near civilization again: Hualcallan teens play soccer right ouside our tent. They were good.
Andre with Cashapampa dog.
Leaving the trail, we were treated to Guinea Pig in Cashapampa (tastes like chicken).
I went on to visit Lima, Cuzco, and the famous Inca ruins at Machu Picchu.
Amazing Inca stonework.
Another view of the lost city.
Bottling water at an Inca "Fountain of Youth" near Cuzco.