SO close...

In my previous post I wrote that climbing Huayna Potosi is the biggest challenge of our tour up to now. As with all great and difficult endevours, there is always the chance of failure. It is this edge that makes these challenges worthwhile and exciting. In the end it is not the final goal that differentiates success from failure, but the experience in striving to reach it. If I sound slightly philosophical it is because this was one of the hardest and most worthwhile experiences in my life (and because I´m reading the Art of Travel (thanks Friedel))!

In short we did not reach the summit of Huayna Potosi. We did come very close though... We reached the staggering height of 5900m (as high as Kilimanjaro). But I am getting ahead of myself. This maybe the end result, but as it is the process that shapes, let´s start at the beginning... Monday morning we got up nice and early to meet our guides for the tour. It is a family business with Miguel in charge and his son Juan second in command. For this journey we were left in the very capable hands of Juan (25), whose being doing these trips for 9 years and his younger, energetic brother (16). I can really recommend them. They were experienced, professional, spoke a bit of English and a lot of fun! They first checked all our gear, supplied us with the rest and then we set out on another hair-raising, death-defying taxi ride through the completely INSANE La Paz traffic to buy some supplies. After this it was about an hour´s drive through the bumpy, dirt road of Zongo Pass to Campo Baso, altitude 4700m. We pitched the tents, had some lunch and then it was off for some training.

our tent at Campo Baso

We went off into the mountains to the Huayna Potosi glacier. Here we practiced the techniques needed for the trek. This included the use of crampons (spikes on snow boots), ice-axes and ropes. Juan showed us the different ways of going up and down the ice depending on the incline. We finally ended with a vertical climb using two axes, a lot of fun, but a bit scary... After a few hours of hard work (everything on this altitude is hard work), we returned. By now it started raining and our backpacks got quite wet. Back at the base Juan showed off his remarkable cooking skills by preparing a feast of hot soup (with meat and veggies) and pasta. That night we spent a restless night in the tent on the uneven and rocky ground while the rain kept on...

training at the glacier

The next morning it was the first official day of the tour. First goal: Rock Camp, 5130m. This is a relatively short walk, but was really tough. We had to carry our heavy backpacks (containing all our gear for the last day) and the air was thin. On the way we were bombarded by horizontal snow and icy rain as the temperatures dropped. We finally reached the refugio after about 3 hours. By now it was really cold. The owner of the refugio and Juan said it was between -10 and -20 degrees! There was no heating in the refugio, but at least there´s a roof and good matresses. After lunch we huddled in our sleeping bags to get some heat back in our bodies. Just before supper the clouds cleared and allowed us some breathtaking views of the surrounding mountains and the peak. We went to bed at 19h.

me at the refuge

a clear view of our ultimate goal

We got up at oh30. It is crucial to start early, because you have to reach the peak at about 6h30. After this the descent becomes more difficult and dangerous due to slushy snow and small avalanches. We packed a backpack that Lloyd and I would share. We donned our warmest clothes, put on our snow boots, turned on our head lamps and started for the summit. We were tied together by rope. Juan in front, then Lloyd and lastly me.

Lloyd and Juan

taking a breather

Everything was snow and ice. We plodded through the cold and dark hour after hour. Initially we made excellent progress, but then the trouble started. We hit a long stretch of soft, new snow that made progress very slow and hard work. We ended this with a 30m near vertical (actually about 60 degrees) climb with ropes Juan attached at the top. We kept on going, but it was becoming harder and harder. The extreme cold (my beard actually froze) and the altitude were beginning to take their toll. We were in a tight spot, we were exhausted but couldn´t rest because of the cold and the time. Finally, after nearly 5 hours, we gave up. It was a difficult decision, but I believe the right one. We were only 180 vertical meters from the top, but another 1h30 of climbing. We were just to exhausted to continue and started to show some signs of altitude sickness.

Returning, utterly exhausted, we took it step for step. But even in this state we couldn´t miss one of the most beautiful sunrises I have ever witnessed. The morning sun turned the snow light pink and revealed the awe inspiring surroundings. We simply gaped in unbelief at the splendour!

a picture is worth a thousand words

the long way down

Finally we got back to the refuge for some rest and a cup of hot coffee. We made our way down to the base camp and all the way back to La Paz. Even though we didn´t reach our goal, the journey was one of the best experiences of my life and a huge success. It is incredible to come into touch with yourself and nature in such a real way, physically and mentally. I won´t make climbing high mountains a hobby though... Today we rest. Tomorrow the road of death awaits... Neil