Peru - Lonely Planet Publications [342]
Daily ascents range from 500m to 1200m, but a couple of days in the middle and at the end of the trek involve major descents, which can be just as tough as going uphill. The average day involves about 12km on the trail, or anywhere from four to eight hours of hiking – although you may experience at least one 10- to 12-hour day. Most trekkers take extra rest days along the way, partly because the length and altitude make the entire circuit very demanding and partly to allow for the sensational sights to sink in. Others prefer a shorter version and can hike for as few as five days along the remote eastern side of the Huayhuash. Described here is the classic Huayhuash Circuit trek, but many side trips and alternate routes along the way can add a day or two to your trekking time.
The trek starts in Llamac, the last town for several days as the trail leaves ‘civilization,’ passing a small pre-Inca platform with excellent mountainscapes and 4m-high cholla cacti. The Pampa Llamac pass bursts out on a fabulous view of glaciated peaks: Rondoy (5870m), the double-fanged Jirishanca (6094m), Yerupajá Chico, Yerupajá (6634m) and others – not bad for the first day!
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FAST FACTS
Duration: 10 days
Distance: 115km
Difficulty: demanding
Start/finish: Chiquián
Nearest towns: Chiquián, Llamac and Cajatambo
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The second and third days take you across three passes over 4500m until you reach the tiny community of Janca (4200m), getting nice views of Laguna Mitacocha (4230m). On day four, southeast of the Carhuac pass (4650m), you’ll see more excellent mountain panoramas and eventually reach a cliff that overlooks Laguna Carhuacocha (4138m) and the glaciated mountains behind Siula Grande (6344m) and Yerupajá looming in the distance.
Midway through the trek parties hit a short section of paved Inca trail, about 1.5m wide and 50m long, the remnants of an Inca road heading south from the archaeological site of Huánuco Viejo near La Unión. Over the next couple of days work your way toward Laguna Carnicero (4430m), the Laguna Mitucocha, the top of Portachuelo de Huayhuash (4750m), and Laguna Viconga (4407m). After several glaciated mountain crowns come into view, including the double-peaked Cuyoc (5550m), you can either camp and continue the main circuit, or you can head southwest along the Río Pumarinri valley toward Cajatambo, leaving the circuit early. If you keep going, get ready for the challenging 5000m-plus Punta Cuyoc pass.
On day seven the trail crests a small ridge on Pumarinri (5465m), giving trekkers face-on views of Cuyoc. Look out for the hardy Stangea henricii, a grayish-green, flat, rosette-shaped plant of overlapping tongue-like leaves that only grows above 4700m. The highest point on the trek is soon reached, marked by a rather unglorious single pile of stones.
On the eighth day you can continue the direct circuit by hiking past the village of Huayllapa; exit the circuit through Huayllapa and the town of Uramaza to Cajatambo; or make a side trip up the Río Calinca valley to Lagunas Jurau, Santa Rosa and Sarapococha, where there are some of the best mountain panoramas of the entire trek. The traditional circuit will take you past the glacier-clad pyramid of Jullutahuarco (5449m) and a stupendous 100m-high waterfall. Push on to a small lake near Punta Tapuish (4800m) for good high-altitude camping.
The following day the trail drops gently to Laguna Susucocha (4750m) shortly before a junction (4400m) with Quebrada Angocancha. The trail skirts boggy meadows and climbs into rock and scree before reaching Punta Yaucha (4840m), offering wonderful views of the range’s major peaks, including Yerupajá, to the east and many of the minor glaciated high points to the southeast. Go fossil-hunting for imprints of ammonites and other creatures that once dwelled under the sea – and imagine the Andes relegated to the ocean’s bottom.
The last day is short, with an early arrival in Llamac, from where transport to Chiquián and on to Huaraz can be arranged in the middle of the day.
Trekkers should