Peru 2006 Expedition in celebration of our 30 th birthdays Brian Hynek Jared Workman.
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Transcript of Peru 2006 Expedition in celebration of our 30 th birthdays Brian Hynek Jared Workman.
Peru 2006 Expedition
in celebration of our 30th birthdays
Brian Hynek
Jared Workman
Time to take off the cast and see if those 3 fractures from 6 weeks ago are healed.
it’s just a little swollen, black, and crooked…
Some high altitude physical therapy is in order!
I hate flying and I feel like throwing up.
After 21 hours of travel we see the mountains from the bus. They look big and menacing.
The most terrifying part of the trip for Jared –
riding in the cab with a “lazy-eyed psycho” for a
driver.
ramming sheep
assessing road damage
Okay, well he did have a psychotic look in his eyes, and he ran a crippled old
man off the road, hit a number of sheep, goats
and dogs, typically drove 3X the posted speed limit, and he came inches from
decapitating Jared and the front ½ of his car…but he always got us there on
time!
First stop – Vallunaraju (18,700’)
We backpacked up to the glacier at 16,500’ for
some acclimatizing and refreshing of our glacier
travel and crevasse rescue techniques
We explore a sweet ice cave under the glacier. They must have filmed parts of Superman here!
Are you sure this snow anchor will hold me??
Trust me!
Dropping into a crevasse
See, it holds you…now you just have to get yourself out.
“Climbing out of this thing with a big pack on and at 17,100’ is tough
work!”
This climbing really hurts my foot. Fortunately there is no shortage of ice water on the edge of the glacier.
After Vallunaraju, we head back to Hauraz for a day of rest, shopping, and getting provisions for a week in the mountains.
Mmm, ceviche. Tasty raw tentacles, crab, shrimp and fish soaked in lime
juice.
We buy 60 lbs of dry goods for our expedition. How are we supposed to get the 170 lbs of food, climbing gear, winter clothes, and camping gear up the
mountain???
Los Burros! That’s how!
$5 a day and they’ll each carry 100 lbs of gear to base camp? Sign us up!!
Now if we could only strap crampons on these things the
mountains would be easy.
Pisco Base Camp
Summit
(map stolen from “Classic Climbs of the Cordillera
Blanca” by Brad Johnson)
First Destination: First Destination: Pisco (18,900’)Pisco (18,900’)
6,100’ total vertical 6,100’ total vertical gaingain
XXtaxi drop-
off
The land of turquoise lakes and many mountains rising 10,000’ above the alpine
valleys.
Pisco Base Camp (15,300’)
“The Valley of Giants”
Home of beautiful sunsets
After a day of rest at Base Camp, we head for Pisco’s summit. We are climbing by 1:30 a.m. and Jared is quite sick with flu symptoms.
It is an arduous climb by the light of the moon for 5 hours. We are occasionally ensconced in clouds and snow flurries.
Finally there is some daylight. Looking great Jared!
Drugs…I need drugs.
Much better now. Is it sleepy time yet?
What views!
The route up Pisco
At least when we aren’t in the clouds
We only encounter one technical
stretch…a short pitch of near-vertical
snow/ice climbing.
Summit Shots!!
Do we have to move?
“What do you say we head down to
where there’s more oxygen??”
We were just on that 18,900’
summit behind us! Let’s celebrate!
30 seconds later…
Apparently climbing high
mountains isn’t good on a bad case
of the flu.
On the bright side, Jared hasn’t
coughed up blood in hours.
After a couple 4:30 a.m. beers, I’m feeling loads
better.
Don’t I look ready for another peak?
Back to Donkey Camp and time to head for the next
mountain – Yanapaccha
(17,900’)
Base Camp
Summit
(map stolen from “Classic Climbs of the Cordillera
Blanca” by Brad Johnson)
YanapacchaYanapaccha
5,100’ total vertical 5,100’ total vertical gaingain
crevasse navigation crevasse navigation up steep snow and ice up steep snow and ice
on the west faceon the west face
XXDonkey Camp
base camp is well behind this ridge
somewhere
Yanapaccha’s West Face
The route weaves through the crevasses up the middle of the face to the summit.
Another early start by moonlight. 3 hours of steep loose scrambling to the glacier’s edge.
Unfortunately, Jared severely injures his ribs
at the glacier. I continue up with our guide and he
heads back to base camp.
Finally it is breaking day.
Heading toward the summit on 65 degree snow and ice.
Looking across the steep snow climb toward Huascaran. Better not fall - it’s a long way down.
Definitely one of the coolest summits ever!
Great weather and great views in all directions.
Off to the most expensive hotel in Huaraz to spoil ourselves on a (kind-of) hot bath and relaxing in the quiet gardens. $57, inc. full breakfast
The End