Details from Alpamayo and off to Huascaran
On Sunday morning, Jaime and Gordon left Huaraz for Musho to begin their climb of Huascaran. Below are the details they gave us of their time on Alpamayo, including photographs. We will be hearing more from them on Huascaran soon.
Alpamayo account:
While moving from BC to Moraine Camp we had snow some of the way up and most of the afternoon and night. We had light loads since we did a carry on the 14th; but this day, the 16th, Patric made his way back home.
Up in the moraine the weather was not so good. We woke up the 17th with snow around camp. We packed up again to move to Col Camp. We started early, knowing that we would have heavy loads (between 25 and 30 kilos each!) and that we would be moving up slowly. As the day passed, it started to snow again. This was the fourth day of snow high up on the mountain.
We arrived to high camp at around 4:30 pm in the middle of a heavy snow fall. We set up the tent, brewed some drinks and decided to stay and rest the next day. We had worked very hard moving up to high camp.
The 18th was cloudy during the morning, but later on it cleared up for a couple of hours. We got into our sleeping bags in the middle of some snow and we decided to wake up around midnight to see how the weather was doing and then decide whether to go for the summit. So, we did not go for the summit…it was snowing again and there was no visibility at all! Again, we stayed in the tent. This day, a big group of Germans arrived!
On the night of the 18th we decided to see how the weather was doing again and also wanted to wait to see what the other groups would do. We woke up at 10:30 pm to check the weather. Again, cloudy and snowing! Again, we stayed! Some groups went and we thought that the big German group went too.
At around 4:00 am, we realized that only the guides of the German group went to equip the face with fixed lines and some other teams as well, making it around 9 climbers on the face. So, since Gordon was wide awake and me too, we decide to go for the summit. We left the camp at 5:50 am and were were moving pretty fast and by 9:00 am we had climbed a good part of the face, but then became stuck in a traffic jam for a while. The German guides decided to stop fixing the face and two other climbers were descending. This was good for us as there were fewer people on the face and less ice falling.
At around 11:00 am we were the only people heading up, two other teams were on their way down after summiting. We had the mountain for ourselves and we began to move quickly. We summited at around noon making it 6 hours to climb to the summit!
We did not have the view, but at the end we spend a good thirty minutes on the summit, drinking, talking and enjoying the success!
Up in the moraine the weather was not so good. We woke up the 17th with snow around camp. We packed up again to move to Col Camp. We started early, knowing that we would have heavy loads (between 25 and 30 kilos each!) and that we would be moving up slowly. As the day passed, it started to snow again. This was the fourth day of snow high up on the mountain.
We arrived to high camp at around 4:30 pm in the middle of a heavy snow fall. We set up the tent, brewed some drinks and decided to stay and rest the next day. We had worked very hard moving up to high camp.
The 18th was cloudy during the morning, but later on it cleared up for a couple of hours. We got into our sleeping bags in the middle of some snow and we decided to wake up around midnight to see how the weather was doing and then decide whether to go for the summit. So, we did not go for the summit…it was snowing again and there was no visibility at all! Again, we stayed in the tent. This day, a big group of Germans arrived!
On the night of the 18th we decided to see how the weather was doing again and also wanted to wait to see what the other groups would do. We woke up at 10:30 pm to check the weather. Again, cloudy and snowing! Again, we stayed! Some groups went and we thought that the big German group went too.
At around 4:00 am, we realized that only the guides of the German group went to equip the face with fixed lines and some other teams as well, making it around 9 climbers on the face. So, since Gordon was wide awake and me too, we decide to go for the summit. We left the camp at 5:50 am and were were moving pretty fast and by 9:00 am we had climbed a good part of the face, but then became stuck in a traffic jam for a while. The German guides decided to stop fixing the face and two other climbers were descending. This was good for us as there were fewer people on the face and less ice falling.
At around 11:00 am we were the only people heading up, two other teams were on their way down after summiting. We had the mountain for ourselves and we began to move quickly. We summited at around noon making it 6 hours to climb to the summit!
We did not have the view, but at the end we spend a good thirty minutes on the summit, drinking, talking and enjoying the success!
We started our descent in the middle of the clouds, still with out a view.
We arrive to high camp at around 3:00 pm. It took 9 hours to climb up and down Alpamayo.
We rested at high camp, made some drinks and went to bed, thinking about what to do the next day. This night, the 19th, the Germans went for the summit, in the midst of heavy snow. It was the longest snow fall since we arrived at high camp. At around 4:30 am, the Germans turned around with out the summit.
On the morning of the 20th, at around nine, we decided to descend to base camp. Once again, our back packs were heavy, but this day we had a good view of the the mountain, the sky was clear blue, but with some wind.
We arrive in BC at around 3:30 pm and as usual, we had great food thanks to Alfredo! Some wine and then to bed, after deciding to stay in BC the 21st to rest and clean up our gear.
Dinner on the 21st was great, we had fried trout!
On the 22nd, we left BC early in the morning, as usual, riding horses! After a 5 hour and 45 minutes ride, we were back in Cashapampa, we had “cuy” with Tony’s family and then drove back to Huaraz.
We arrive to high camp at around 3:00 pm. It took 9 hours to climb up and down Alpamayo.
We rested at high camp, made some drinks and went to bed, thinking about what to do the next day. This night, the 19th, the Germans went for the summit, in the midst of heavy snow. It was the longest snow fall since we arrived at high camp. At around 4:30 am, the Germans turned around with out the summit.
On the morning of the 20th, at around nine, we decided to descend to base camp. Once again, our back packs were heavy, but this day we had a good view of the the mountain, the sky was clear blue, but with some wind.
We arrive in BC at around 3:30 pm and as usual, we had great food thanks to Alfredo! Some wine and then to bed, after deciding to stay in BC the 21st to rest and clean up our gear.
Dinner on the 21st was great, we had fried trout!
On the 22nd, we left BC early in the morning, as usual, riding horses! After a 5 hour and 45 minutes ride, we were back in Cashapampa, we had “cuy” with Tony’s family and then drove back to Huaraz.
This is all for now, more to come from Huascaran and after Huascaran!!!