Rotator Placeholder Image
 
  • Mt. Bierstadt Group Summit - Front Range, Colorado
  • A rest before the summit push on Dallas Peak - San Juan Range, Colorado
  • Broken Ankle + 6 Miles = Tired
  • The classic San Juan approach - San Juan Range, Colorado
  • Overlooking Noname Basin from Twin Thumbs Pass - San Juan Range, Colorado
  • Upper Noname Basin - San Juan Range, Colorado
  • Nearing Noname Cabin - San Juan Range, Colorado
  • Twin Thumbs Twins - San Juan Range, Colorado
  • Nearing the summit of Pt. 13,736 - Sawatch Range, Colorado
  • Blustery day on Iowa Peak - Sawatch Range, Colorado
  • Morning snow at 15k, Cerro Ramada - Cordillera Ramada
  • Artesonraju from the summit of Nevado Pisco - Cordillera Blanca, Peru
  • February crowds on Gray's Peak - Front Range, Colorado
  • Kicking steps on Cerro Lliani - Cordillera Vilcanota, Peru
  • Final traverse to the summit of Wheeler Mountain - Ten Mile Range, Colorado
  • The long walk to Pachanta - Cordillera Vilcanota, Peru
  • banner31
    Afternoon at 17k on Cerro Ramada - Cordillera Ramada, Argentina
  • banner22
    The final ridge on Iowa Peak - Sawatch Range, Colorado
  • Summer summit on Longs Peak - Front Range, Colorado
  • A rest day at the Pachanta Hot Springs - Cordillera Vilcanota, Peru
  • Mind over matter on Mt. Parnassas - Front Range, Colorado
  • Rest stop on Cerro Lliani - Cordillera Vilcanota, Peru
  • banner30
    Post nap surprise on Cerro Ramada - Cordiller Ramada, Argentina
  • Summit on Cerro Lliani - Cordillera Vilcanota, Peru
  • banner23
    Ridge walking on Grizzly Peak - Sawatch Range, Colorado
  • Enroute the summit via the West Ridge on Pacific Peak - Ten Mile Range, Colorado
  • Mule train bound for Chilca - Cordillera Vilcanota, Peru
  • Taking in the view from Fletcher Peak - Ten Mile Range, Colorado
  • Hiking on Silverheels - Mosquito Range, Colorado
  • Traversing! Gladstone Peak - San Juan Range, Colorado
  • banner24
    The best of times at Willow Lake - Sangre de Christo Range, Colorado
  • banner29
    High Altitude Cerebral Edema? - Cordillera Ramada, Argentina
  • Bound for Chilca - Vilcanota Range, Peru
  • Going alpine light, Holy Cross Ridge - Sawatch Range, Colorado
  • Cumbre! Campa I - Cordillera Vilcanota, Peru
  • Roadside lunch with the best of company - Cordillera Vilcanota, Peru
  • banner25
    Long ridge walk to the summit of California Peak - Sangre de Christo Range, Colorado
  • banner28
    Crossing el Rio Colorado . . . in the afternoon - Cordillera Ramada, Argentina
  • banner37
    Dealing with Fall snows high on Casco Peak - Sawatch Range, Colorado
  • Moonrise over Mercedario - Cordillera Ramada, Argentina
  • Still climbing at 20,900 on Cerro Ramada - Cordiller Ramada, Argentina
  • Talus on Halo Ridge, Mt. of the Holy Cross - Sawatch Range, Colorado
  • banner26
    Deteriorating conditions on Mt. Arkansas - Ten Mile Range, Colorado
  • banner27
    After the climb - Cordillera Ramada, Argentina
  • banner38
    Taking in the view from the summit of Crystal Peak - Tenmile Range, Colorado
  • Topping out on Mt. Arkansas' North Couloir - Mosquito Range, Colorado
  • Glissade on Mt. Arkansas - Mosquito Range, Colorado
  • Hard snow morning on Teakettle Mountain - San Juan Range, Colorado
  • Spring snow announces the start of the climb on Dallas Peak - San Juan Range, Colorado
  • Crossing the Eolus Catwalk - San Juan Range, Colorado

Peru 2011

A Day of Rest in Pacchanta

June 15, 2011

 

We all knew we needed the rest day and the opportunity to sleep in and recover some of the energy that we'd spend on a nonstop trip so far. We did not bound out of the sleeping bags when the sun came up but slept in until 7:30 or so before hitting the mess tent for breakfast.

Domingo made sure there was no hunger left in the group after breakfast, so the fare covered the gamut, from cereal to egg. We were in no hurry to do anything so we wandered about the village a bit, taking in the bulk of Ausangate whose face rose seemingly right behind the camp. The local kids came to take a look at us, we were surely of the usual trekking ilk that passed through and camped in the middle of the settlement. The local dogs sniffed around and made the anticipated feed me appeal before wandering off to some other haunt, which included taking a piss on one of our tents. The local chickens pecked around our tents as well and groups of trekkers came, went, and camped.

The highlight of the day came after lunch when the local hot pool entrepreneur finished cleaning out the concrete pool and ascertained that we were indeed hot pool customers. When the pool was full, we headed there for a soak, after paying the small fee requested by the caretaker. The water was hot but the caretaker queried us as to temperature and made the necessary adjustments. For those interests, refreshments were readily available, from the non alcoholic Inca Cola to a tall bottle of Cuscena beer for the more parched. As always in remote areas of South America, we were a subject of keen interest among the kids . . . big white dudes (at least Bob and G qualified as big) decked out with facial hair.

It was a great soak and did wonders for the aching muscles that were just beginning to rebel after the trek in and a first night on the ground. We soaked for an hour or so, taking care to avoid the mid afternoon sun in a shaded spot while the local kids played at the of the pool. We eventually had a enough heat and retreated to the tents for an afternoon nap, a bit of reading, and later, Domingo's afternoon snack served at around 4 p.m.

Dinner followed at 7 or so and after eating and the start of many a nightly cross examination of one another as to past history, the night finally chilled enough that we headed for the tents and called it a night. In the background, the last of the daylight faded on the bulk of Ausangate and one by one the lights of Pacchanta blinked out . . .

Trek onward to Pachaspata Camp