Santa Cruz trek

Thursday 13/7 - HUARAZ (6th day).

Santa Cruz trek (11/7 to 13/7).

I booked this famous trek in an agency, at the cost of 120US$.

We were 10 in the group: 7 females + 3 males; from 5 different nationalities. 4 Israelis + 3 German + 1 Spanish + 1 Russian + 1 Belgian (me).

There were two mountain guides (speaking some English) and one horse man.

We met in Huaraz at 6:00AM at the minibus, and took breakfast two hours later in Yungay after having bought the 5-days ticket for the Parque National Huascaran (65 Soles).

The trek started in Colcabamba (3300m), few houses along the dirt road from Yungay to Yanama, where we met with the horseman and his 5 donkeys.

The donkeys equipped, we started our hiking around 12:00AM. 

For the first hour we passed by some small remote villages.

We quickly noticed that boys were missing two fingers on each of their hands and also two toes on each of their feet. The guide explained this was because of the difficult conditions (bad food, cold temperatures) but we believed it was rather because of the closed community. In any case, these boys will have a difficult life (isolation, education, handicap). I distributed some sweets, gathered by the handicapped hands... The girls seemed not to be impacted.

After these villages we only crossed some other trekkers, crazy like us.

Despite the nice weather, it became quickly very cold once the sun disappeared (which goes fast in the high mountains). During night it was -3 and -5°C outside the tents.

So we decided to walk faster to skip one night: we managed to make the classic tour in three days instead of four.

The first campsite was Paria 3870m, along the Rio Huaripampa.

The highest point reached was Punta Union 4750m

The second campsite was Taullipampa 4250m, along the Santa Cruz river.

The trek ended in Cashapampa 2900m, reached at 2:30PM.

Difficult to describe the panoramas we have seen, the milky way during night, the feelings, the fantastic experience we got... 

Photos reduce but can help.

1st day: Bus stop at the Laguna Llanganuco lake.

1st day: On the road to our starting point.

1st day: Part of the zigzagging dirt road we took.

1st day: Colcabamba, end of the bus ride.

The donkeys are loaded with the tents, sleeping bags, kitchen, food...

1st day: Remote village along the trail.

1st day: Crossing local people.

1st day: our first stop quickly became a market place. 

1st day: along our hiking trail.

1st day: Arriving to our 1st campsite.

2nd day: Sunrise view when opening the tent.

2nd day: Breakfast in still chilly conditions (it was -3°C during night).

2nd day: Underway, spectacular views, happy to be there.

day 2: Our five donkeys at work.

2nd day: Arrived on our highest point, mountain pass at Punta Union, 4750m.

2nd day: 180 Degrees panorama view from Punta Union.

2nd day: Arriving at our campgound.

2nd day: 2nd Camp site.

2nd day: Unloaded, our five donkeys feel better.

3rd day: Walking on the sediments of a lake (natural dam broken in February).

3rd day: And here's my shaddow too.

3rd day: Still 9.2km of descent to do.

3rd day: After two days of autonomy fianally a 'buvette' ! 

3rd day: Finally meeting other people on the trail !

3rd day: Few beers at destination, awaiting rest of the group and transportation.

3rd day: Moving the equipment from one uncomfortable collectivo towards...

an even worse one.  Excellent !

Back in town (Huaraz), view from my hotel room.

  

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