The Huascaran Experience — Part 2, 2-4/10 2025

2 October — Thursday

I spend a large portion of the morning trying to find a collectivo to Cashapampa. From where the collectivos departs are very unclear. I finally find one. It is a long, but spectacular ride, on narrow dirt mountain roads with no safety rails and over 100 meter vertical drops. The roads reminds me of “Death Road” (a road in Bolivia) that was featured in Top Gear many years ago. 

At Cashapampa the long upwards climb starts. The trails itself is very easy, it is firm soil, no mud, no boulder fields, no rivers to cross, no vegetation, i.e., no challenge. But I don’t mind, it is nice to make good progress, gives me more time to enjoy the views. 

In contrast to the other days, I’m now meeting a lot of other hikers. It is partly because this is a popular trail and partly because I’m waking in the opposite direction to most people. Most people start in Vaqueria as it results in less total ascent. Most people seem to also hike this as a tour as they are only carrying small day packs and there are plenty of donkeys loaded with equipment on the trail. 

I make it to Taullipampa, where I set up camp, cook, eat, and enjoy the majestic views. A perfect day. 

3 October — Friday 

It rains/snows throughout all of the night. I’m having serious issues with condensation. The problem is that there is often no wind, which leads to poor ventilation. To avoid condensation I have to have both the inner and outer tent slightly open. However I do not want to open the outer tent when it is raining.

I’m awaken early in the morning to a winter landscape. It seems as the sun is coming out so I decide to wait a couple of hours so that the tent and sleeping bag has some time to dry. When I get going the weather changes again to a combination of snow, hail and rain. 

With all the rain and snow, the track has now been converted to a stream. It takes some time to make the climb in the slippery snow conditions. On the way down I meet some people and ask about the weather forecast for the coming days. Supposedly it will continue to snow/rain. 

As I’m heading down I’m occupied by my thoughts and miss the exit to the Alpamayo Circuit. Ah screw it, let’s make haste to Huaraz instead and embark on the Huayhuash circuit. It is the main attraction anyways, it is the reason I decided to come to Huaraz. I’m also already slightly behind schedule. 

I was hopping to catch a collectivo to Yungay in the afternoon, but as I make it to the ranger station that serves as entry to the Santa Cruz trek the ranger says that the last collectivo departs at 1 p.m. and that I will have to wait until morning. He invites me to sleep on the floor in the ranger station and makes me a very good cup of coca tea (yes leaf from the cocaine containing coca plant). I guess I can live with waiting until morning. Hopefully I will have enough time tomorrow to go to Huaraz and prepare for the Huayhuash circuit. 

The Santa Cruz trek is a great hike, highly recommended. However, having to choose between Santa Cruz or my improvised 2-day hike to Refugio Ishinca (see previous post), I would chose the Refugio Ishinca hike.

4 October — Saturday 

After a good night’s sleep I’m up and away to Vaqueria to catch an early collectivo. Or so I thought. I had misread the map, what I thought to be all downhill turned out to be mostly uphill, whoopsi. I missed the 8 a.m bus to Yungay and had to wait for the 8.30 a.m. which was about 1 hour late. It does ,however, go all the way to Huaraz. 

It is the most scenic drive I have ever experienced. Also probably the most dangerous and bumpy. The highest point is 4700 meters above sea level. I’m really happy I decided to take this route back to Yungay. The ride itself was a spectacular adventure. The only way to make it better is if I was driving it myself, next time ;).

The bus did, however, not go all the way to Huaraz as advertised. It stopped in Yungay and I had to catch another collectivo to Huaraz.

Traveling from Vaqueria to Huaraz took a lot of time. When I arrive in Huaraz it is quite late so I hurry to prepare my stuff and food for Huayhuash tomorrow. The food consists of 30 hard boiled eggs, 600 grams of nuts, 1.1 kg cheese, some tuna cans, olive oil in bulk, dried fruits and dark chocolate, and of course some avocados. There is only one resupply option along the route and from what I have read, the assortment is not that great. I will definitely lose a lot of weight. After Huayhuash I’m done hiking for some time anyways. The beach (and waves) are calling! 

While googling in the evening, I found out that going to Huayhuash Circuit might not be as easy as just catching one or two collectivos. There is not that much information about getting to Huayhuash, almost everyone seems to be hiking the Huayhuash as part of an organized tour, such as with the Santa Cruz Trek. Oh well getting to the trail is tomorrow’s problem. But I will have to be ready for the trip alone to take the entire day. At least I’m in no rush.