Our friend BIll has written a report on his mid-June 12-day climbing trip to Peru.

[Photos and comments below!]

Team consisted of 2 strong hiker-skier guys and 3 experienced climbers from Colorado, plus me. We were to be 2 teams of 3 (not ideal but 1 of the experienced Coloradans (Duane) insisted he'd be responsible for his 2 less experienced buddies Stephen and Aaron. I was to team with Glenn (who has done the 7 Summits) and Jim (climbing-law enforcement ranger who was my partner in Norway this past Feb). Plus 3 trekking family members.

Our 1st climbing objective was to be Huascaran Sur via the El Escudo (the Shield), but we had been warned several times that the Candeletta portion of the ice fall approach to the Shield had been very unstable the last several years; complete with ice falling. We had also heard and read reports of deep snow on the approach glacier (no one had even gotten to the first camp before we left). This argued for an easier peak. Artesonraju (19,767') became our mutually agreed upon objective. Glenn was going to bolt for home after the climb and the others, except for Jim and me, were headed for Machu Piccu. Not much time. Questionable conditions. Spent our 1st night in Peru at 7k' in Caraz (~1.5 hours N of Huaraz), then hiked into basecamp at ~13.8k'/4200m by Laguna Peron -- 2 nights there. Moved up to camp on the moraine (~15.7k'/4800m) and about 3-4km from the base of the route. In camp, 2 guides climbing together told us they bailed with 100's of meters still to climb, because of soft snow and the lack of anchors. 1st night in the moraine camp was beautiful. Did an exploratory hike down off the moraine and then up the glacier to the base of the route the next day. Returned to camp in blustery, snowy conditions. Blowing much of the night, then cleared.

Moderately alpine start (slept in a little expecting bad weather). Got up the approach glacier to the base of the route as 2 teams of 3, when my team-mates informed me that they were going down as they had apparently discussed and already decided. First time I had heard about the discussion and the decision. They hiked out and took our porters (Jim and I had hired a porter to carry some of our stuff, 2 porters for Glenn's stuff, and a 4th for some of Duane's group's stuff).

I roped up with the other 3 guys -- now 2 teams of 2. We got to over ~19k' by 4:30p.m.. Duane and I were simul-leading when we heard this plaintive calling from below, reminding Duane that he had agreed to a much earlier turn-around time. While it wasn't anything I had agreed to, there was the matter of 1 mixed section we'd climbed that seemed to warrant rappelling. That would be an issue if I sent them down with both ropes... The summit seemed at most a few hundred meters up and away, but with the sun setting at ~6p.m. and with the 2 neophytes with us, lousy anchors on a  slope well over 45 (55-60) degrees with several ft of soft snow on it, we agreed to descend. I would set 3 or 4 pickets and hold them in place so they would not rip through the soft snow, while the other 3 guys rapped 1 at a time. Then I would downclimb to them. Did this 3 or 4 times. Then with the arrival of complete darkness, I'd let the others rap off the several pickets I'd hold in place. Then I'd  bury pairs of pickets from which I rapped. Easy down-climbing and then walking down to toe of glacier. Crampons off at midnight and back up to the 15,700' camp on the moraine at 1a.m. Took one spill when some huge talus blocks shifted and dumped me -- whacked and scraped an elbow (rug rash inside capilene and pile layers) -- landed hard enough that I was seriously hoping that I didn't damage my camera. The camera seemed OK.

I hiked out later the same day at 2p.m. to catch a ride back to town to try to get in a climb with Jim. Had part of a day to hike in, a day to climb our next peak, and a day to get down and out... After hours in a small stationwagon, we started early in the evening up ~3 hrs to the moraine camp at about 16k' for Chopicalqui (21k'). Climbed next morning to over 18k' via new terrain (i.e., off route) -- cool climbing getting up there. Later, when we could see it, we traversed and rapped down onto the normal route. Climbed and hiked higher and higher. Conditions deteriorated -- whiteout with <20' of visibility. a little after 1p.m. We were at about 18.4k' witht 2k' to go --  not moving quickly enough -- so went down.

There was a French team of 2 that left 4 hrs ahead of us and took the correct approach to the ridge. We saw them later in camp. They said they'd turned back just shy of the summit in whiteout conditions.

Back at road next day with our 2 porters and the French guys, we hailed a collectivo (4 wheeldrive Toyota minivan). Got our packs up on the roof and climbed aboard past 2 huge bags (rice and corn). Rode hours down dirt road. Steep dropoffs. Including 2 infants, there were 21 of us in the collectivo.

Stationwagon ride to airport next day. Police checkpoints every few 10's of km. Our driver paid little bribes each time. No pay = no go. Parts of Peru are very pretty and the mountains are pretty spectacular. I had reservations for a 12:30a.m. flight but no ticket. In LA while changing planes on the southbound leg of my trip, the airlines agent accidentally took my return ticket. On my return northward, it took hrs in LA (connection) getting a new ticket --- in Peru, it had taken about 55 seconds.

Was hardly able to manage my bags with my right arm in the late morning when I returned to SFO. Very strange. Was experiencing a major loss of strength with swelling in elbow and radiating to forearm and upper arm and neck. Dang it. By the next  morning (Saturday), I had a fever and by evening mild hallucinations. Started on cipro (antibiotic).

Monday after the trip to work and to my Dr.  Dr says " it's infected -- finish your antibiotics." Xray technician said the elbow looked chipped. Radiologist looked at the xray and said no problem and no fracture. 2 weeks of cipro provided little improvement -- couldn't even deliver a cup of coffee to my mouth right handed. I think the xray technician was right. This started as a mere rug burn, a whack, and got infected even though I cleaned it and bandaged it.  Blood tests showed continued infection -- switched to a month of augmentin and back to cipro for several weeks. Dr pronounced the infection to be definitely gone and the elbow ready for use again. Had it MRI-ed  to ensure there was no ongoing no bone infection.

Meanwhile, my Ann had been away promoting her book during most of July (see:  www.annparker.net  ) After doing a book-signing in Leadville (her 2 historical fictions are set in Leadiville), about halfway through her visit to Colorado, she stepped off a curb into a hole and broke her ankle. Right ankle of course. She had a rental car to return to Boulder, but which she could not drive. Friends in Leadville saved the day! They helped get Ann and her rental care half of the way across the Rockies to where her brother and his wife met them to get Ann and her rental car back to Boulder. Nice, thoughtful people all around!

With her cast removed,  Ann is getting around much better now..

No summits, but a fun trip with good people. That's much of the story for my mid-June 12-day visit to Peru.

Life is good.

                  Bill

All photos with copyright (c) 2006 by Bill McConachie.