Back in Huaraz: getting ready to Huayhuash and canyoning

"You can't have a better tomorrow if you are thinking about yesterday all the time."
~Charles F. Kettering

Sunday, September 7th 2008

I got back from the Santa Cruz trek with a taste for more of the same. I was not the only one.
Six out of our original group of eight wanted to put more miles on our trekking boots.
We had a hard choice to make. The trek in question was the Huayhuash circuit known to be one of the most beautiful but also one of the toughest trails in the world. The experience of the Santa Cruz pass was still etched in our brains and Huayhuash had 8-9 of those in the course of eight grueling days... However this was a once in a lifetime chance to see one of the world´s greatest landscapes - something that if you miss you may regret the rest of your life...

So with a little trepidation and over a good meal in Huaraz we all agreed to test ourselves in the trails and passes of the mighty Huayhuash circuit. We found another three brave souls to join us and together we went back to Alex from "Andes explora" and closed a deal for the trek starting Tuesday morning. This time we used our experience from the Santa Cruz and asked for a couple of extra things that will make our lives a little better on the road. We also asked for our Santa Cruz guide again. It was almost dark by now and we wanted to try something fun and relaxing for the day we had left before the trek, the choice fell on Canyoning also know and waterfall rappelling. I was still a tired from the Santa Cruz and went to bed early.

Monday, September 8th 2008

I woke up early and packed all the thing I needed in a small bag: a change of socks, a towel and a dry shirt.
As I went outside clouds still covered the sun, I hoped that the day will warm up later.
We boarded a small van for a 20 minutes ride outside of Huaraz. The van stopped on a small bridge and we all disembarked. I looked up at the sky trying to find a window in the grey blanket of clouds above up but to no avail. We climb the hill above the road and stood above the first waterfall - a 20 meter drop of ice cold water in the chilling morning wind. The guides tied the ropes and we started descending one by one, the screams for below were a clear indication for times when a poor soul could not avoid the ice cold water..
As we stood shivering below the fall the guides moved the ropes to next waterfall and the process repeated itself.
Descending down the rope was an
enjoyable experience made better by the futile attempt to avoid getting wet and the laughter of the people below when the inevitable happened... We rappelled down a third waterfall which was a bit taller and narrower than the previous one and rushed to our towels and dry clothes by the bridge. While we tried to get the blood flowing again through our frozen limbs the guides setup the rope for one more decent, this time it was a free rappel from the bridge to the river below - no walls to support you just you and rope, but also no freezing water to avoid - it was the best descend of the day for me.

As we took the van back to Huaraz it started to rain.
While I was happy that I managed to avoid the rain during the canyoning, I was not happy with the prospect of trekking in pouring rain.
I spent the rest of the day looking for better rain protection and some extra aids to keep me warm in the cold nights like a hot water bottle and a warm blanket to help my sleeping bag drive away the harsh cold when I sleep. It rained all through the day and the Internet weather forecast promised us more rain for the coming week. This was not a good beginning for such a hard trek but still we didn´t cancelled. Huayhuash here I come !