The first thing that meets me in the Pisco hut at 4600 m is a crucifix and a poem, named 'Grazie Montagna'. Italian in Peru? Anyway, for the moment I am quite happy to buy some bottled water instead of using the cow-water back at the tent. Tomorrow me and my guide Michel will climb the Pisco mountain, 5752 m. The weather looks good. Drink, eat and then sleep...

The feeling and the architecture of the hut is the same as for a one in the alps. With Italian help, two huts were built in the Cordillera Blanca about 10 years ago, one near the Pisco and the Huandoy, and one in the Ishinca valley near the Tocllaraju and Ishinca mountains. The original name of the mountatin is Matarrojo, but after the first ascent in 1951, the legend tells that the climbers celebrated with huge amounts of the national liquor Pisco.

I am reading in the guest book of the hut. Mostly Spanish and American names. But also Slovenian, Austrian, Peruvian and German ones, among others. I only find two Swedish names, both famous, climber Fredrik Sträng and ski mountaineer Per Westling. Behind me I can see the silhouette of Peru's highest mountain, the Huascaran 6768 m.

From here climbing parties go to Pisco, 5752 m, and the Huandoy 6395 m. Pisco is considered a acclimatisation peak and of easy grade, but last season (2005) an ice wall appeared on the normal route, the western ridge. This season the wall is mostly covered with snow according to my English speaking guide Michel (UIAGM Aspirant guide). The weather and the conditions in the mountains have been terrible so far this season. Most parties have been forced to wait or to turn back. Pisco is easy, but how will the weather be tomorrow?

In order to feel ok at 4600 m or higher, Huaraz is a great place for acclimatisation. The lowest altitude is 3100 m, enough to make me sick the first days. There is even a cinema in the small town – highly recommended. Really great mix of films, both mountain films, cultural, local and famous. Not so much of “Speed 2”, more of “Delicatessen”.

The local hikes were not so interesting. Me and my travel mate Linda hiked as many other people the 3-4 day “Santa Cruz” trek instead. It is perfect for acclimatisation and very beautiful. Rent some donkeys and porters though! Carrying your own stuff of 20 kg without proper acclimatisation was... rewarding so to speak.

The region I really want to see (next trip :-) is the Cordillera Huayhuash (pronounced Why-Wash), famous for film and book “Touching the void” by British climber Joe Simpson. It is on a very high altitude and very remote. Only a 4 hour bus trip from Huaraz though. You need 10-14 days to go around it, or you can do as Mr. Simpson and try to descend the ridge of it, but it doesn't seem recommendable... Anyway, there are really famous climbing routes also in that region. The book “Climbs and treks of the Cordillera Huayhuash of Peru” by Jeremy Frimer is recommended.

Interesting is also the local transportation. Chaos is only the middle name. In small Toyota mini vans business men, older women, school kids, gringos, families squeeze themselves together in ridiculously small seats. Especially if you are 190 cm tall and have 36” size in pants, there was almost a problem just getting in ;-) But when you get off the bumpy ride and see the pasture and the mountains, every drawback is forgotten. The donkeys take the heavy bags and then off you go.....

Michel and I wake up in the tent after some minutes of sleep at 1.00 a.m. It's really freezing outside but the motivation is high. Try to get some tea and a piece of bread and then off. We (I) are (am) really slow so off we go at 2.00 a.m.  We are the first to leave the camp.

After ascending about 200 m, the small path goes steeply down. It feels like walking in a dark labyrinth, a huge moraine full of rocks and loose gravel. I am very impressed by Michel who seems to know every step of the giant area. At 4.00 a.m. we reach the glacier at 5000 m. Crampons and rope on – it's still very cold but the weather is perfect! No wind and a night full of stars.

There is not much of climbing to go up on Pisco, but to reach the glacier we have to climb a few meters. Really nice to get warm! Now the height starts to affect me. I take an aspirin and hope to be ok. Our pace is steady and the breathing is much better than on the Santa Cruz trek for me. This is really good! At approximately 5500 m we reach the remains of the ice wall. Here is a climbing section in the darkness. Still, our torches are on.

The glacier walk continues. Michel is really happy to maybe make it to the top at dawn (6 a.m.). We push hard, but are about 20 minutes late. We reach the top at 6.30 a.m. and there is a wonderful view. The best scenery was just before dawn though, and I am glad to get some photos of those moments in happiness.

On the way down I can see the super huge crevasses on the glacier closer than what is healthy. I feel good to have hired a local guide, the crevasses change all the time. We meet more tired climbers, an Italian group that fights hard to get to the top.

At 10.30 a.m. we are back at the tent. We make a salad of avocado, tomato and onions, and then just sleep, sleep, sleep. Pisco 5752 m is a very good mountain to acclimatize on, if you are up for higher or harder ones like the Chopicalqui  6354 m (Michel's favorite mountain) or why not the Huascaran?

The people of the Peruvian countryside are generally extremely poor. If you go to Peru for treks and peaks, you support the tourism and that is important for not developing an even poorer society and a new civil war, as in the early 90’s. If you want to do something more there are some projects that you can choose from to support the region.

The 'Don Bosco en los Andes Association' is helping the people in the region. They offer local youths to work in the huts, and they are doing it very well. The food was great and the huts were clean – cleaner than most of the hostels in the valley. Most climbers, including us, stayed in tents beside the huts but that seemed very 'economic' – the price for staying in the huts were about 5 US dollars in 2006. I stayed in the Ishinca Hut and was the only guest the nights I stayed there!

I can't help writing some words stated by Italian climber Batistino Bonali:

'Subir a lo alto para ayudar a los que estan abajo'
'To climb high in order to help those who live below'.

By Anders Lindkvist, Stockholm.

Some of the nice flowers meeting you on the way up the mountains in Cordillera Blanca, Peru. These ones on 4000 m altitude.

The author and a Peruvian dog. Not his favorite pet, but this one got really friendly after a while (and some food).

Some of the donkeys traveling on the paths in Cordillera Blanca. These ones in the Punta Union pass, 4700 m.

Morning view of Artesonraju, 6025 m, from north.

View from Guest house 'Olazas' in Huaraz, 3100 m. The Huandoy massif to the left, Huascaran 6768 m in front, and Chopicalqui, 6354 m directly to the right. View from south.

One of many Sunday festivals in the city of Huaraz.

The Huandoy massif, 6395 m, from the top of Pisco 5752 m, just before dawn.

Just below the top of Pisco, 5752 m, on Sunday 25. June 2006, 06.02 a.m.

My  guide Michel on the top. The weather was perfect. The Huandoy in the background.

On the moraine back to the Pisco hut on 4600 m. Chopicalqui is seen from the north behind the huge moraine.

Pisco from the south. Twin mountain Chacraraju, 6112 m, one of the hardest mountains to climb in the Andes, to the right. Snow and ice starting at approximately 5000 m.

All photos with copyright (c) 2006 by Anders Lindkvist.
 

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