Category — Cruises

I don’t remember the rest of the song and we were over 10,000 feet short of the top of the world but it was a pretty good view anyway. Finally, a dream of about two years was completed. I made it to the top of El Misti, the volcano right outside of Arequipa, Peru, that had been calling my name since I first saw it about two years before. I tried to climb it as a day hike then but failed due to a very late start and not being used to the altitude, reaching only about 15, 500 feet. I still think it can be done as a day hike so that is a future goal.

I had been waiting eagerly for my friends Jason and Lisa, SCARAB (Southern California Adventure Racing Buddies) members from Los Angeles, to get to here. We had been communicating by email for months as they were on a round the world trip and we wanted to get together when they came through Peru. Our schedules kept changing but at the last minute they meshed and we were able to meet a couple of times in Arequipa. I arranged the use of a Suzuki 4×4 and Jason and I made plans to climb El Misti on Saturday and Sunday. Lisa decided to relax in Arequipa so we drafted her to be our chauffeur as it is not safe to leave a vehicle at the trailhead. We did some quick shopping, and after getting lost on the way to the trailhead, we arrived safely and were ready to start hiking at 12:30 pm. We were told that it was a five hour climb to the campsite but we were hoping it would be less because that would have meant arriving at camp about the time it got dark. I also realized that we were on a different trail than the one I had attempted two years before so it was a totally new trail to me (there are three routes up to the summit).

We were well matched, my year of living at 8,800 feet and hiking regularly at altitudes of over 12,000 feet made up for my age and Jason’s (relative) youth and three weeks of high altitude hiking in Peru made up for his living at sea level in L.A. We followed an easy trail up to the campsite at about 15,000 feet, arriving there in three hours and 10 minutes. We were glad that we hadn’t left earlier and had to just sit around in the cool wind. This also gave us hope that the supposedly five to seven hour hike to the summit should be less than that. We had also been told to expect temps as low as zero degrees so were thankful that it was warmer than normal. Helped by the cloud cover it didn’t get below 30 degrees, so we were plenty warm in our 20 degree bags and my cheap Wensel tent.

After we implementatocampo and Jason suggested that the exploration of the path to the summit as planned departure of 5.00 clock in the morning and was not sure whether we can find in the dark. We havefound easily in the right direction and is about 20 minutes for another area that people expected, he said at the start of the summit around 2:00 clock. In the time that we return to our camp, the wind had died and felt hot, especially after NOODLE hot chicken soup with tuna, cheese and bread and tea. I have my stove can Soda, which has worked well, and after the abolition of the windshield, I think I need more air at that altitude, too. Ourre campegDonnerstag close, a Frenchman suffering from altitude is not too good, not groped to find the summit. We are still in the clouds with a view to Arequipa, as the lights and in the quarter moon lit Misti about us. 7:00 clock, we were in bags Couchages our hope deobtener a good sleep before 4:00 on the clock alarm.

We could see the lights of other climbers, this seems a long way to go. Again, it is quite simple, not too much sand (in contrast to the path of my previous attempt) and rock big enough to make it interesting, but more difficult to see the runway. At that time I felt deep regret, I have my gloves that hastily packed for the trip, but Jason said that his hand is hot and her ichwrde - thanks Jason!

About the time that he had, we captured two other groups have started earlier, but very slow to grow. One of the officers asked whether a member of your team could restost with us until the end of Steve joined us, once again an excellent game, we have all been increasing at the same slow, with short breaks from time to time. Soon lost sight that it losbajo and never saw him again until they returned to their camp, unfortunately had to go back and whers not in a position to reach the summit They climbed over a shorter route in the back that you rerejoindre later, after exploring the crater. Finally, I am the sunlight, where some came to a chair between the top and the crater, which felt really good. We were Scalata in the dark, far Deel sun, it is very cool, but were treated to a great view of Misti weft a shadow over miles of landscape as the sun rose on the other side. At 8:55, after lavoropagato a few small patches of snow and two beaches for up to 19,100 feet, four hours and 10 minutes from the field. We are surprised by the great cross of iron, some 20 meters high that was there. E ‘was in sections, each about three meters lang.Ich could not take place, even seccinhasta it. We hope that the helicopters were thus not fully Shame of super-humans have all the pieces are less.

After many photos of almost surreal landscape of the crater of black sand, stones and light snow, and slightly more than 19,925 feet Chachani neighbors, we went to his chair and ate a snack.

There is no need to go, just go to dark gray slope of the sand and “Ski”, which a lot of fun! We stopped or left the unoSteveBereich with him and his team packing, and then continue down. We have our stock over two hours, nousil faster we would have stopped, except for the photos from the DESCENTE much fun! After a simple lunch (there must be another package of soup), which produce our food, with the exception of some “mixed quecampamento and broke in the head. There is no urgency because Lisa statanon is expected to clock to 4.00. It should tothe summit around noon, we were instead returned to the field dHe 11.00. After a few pictures of the last path we have chosen to travel the saletroute close to the road first meeting Lisa and Marcio. This has given us a lot of time talking about our next adventure, after completing his trip. Of course, Chachani asked our names, there are also two meters Cotahuasi 6000 SOMMETS mountains on the street where I live, CoroPuna at 21,075 feet and 19,985 feet to Soliman.