HUAYHUASH ( )

The towns of Chiquián and Cajatambo are the trailheads for the Cordillera Huayhuash. Chiquián, closer to Huaraz as well as to the popular Laguna Jahuacocha region, is... by far the more popular starting point. For this reason .. the circuit of the range is described from Chiquián. But . the circuit can be made just as easily from Cajatambo being much closer to some of the most interesting areas, such as Lagunas Jurau, Sarapococha and Viconga.  

Distance: 164- 186 km

Altitude: 2750 to 5000 m

Rating: difficult, with more iban 600Om of climbing

lntroduction

The entire length of the Cordillera Huayhuash measures only 30 km , but within ibis compact area lies an .. amazing array of towering peaks. At almost every turn . you come face to face with glistening vertical walls of .. ice, snow and rock.

The best known mountains are Nevado Yerupajá (6634), second highest in Perú, with a high, broad, nearly .. vertical ice.wall; the spire of Nevado Jirishanca (6094); and Nevado Rondoy (5879). Magnificent as these peaks are, they are no more striking nor di. stinctive than many of the other nevados: Jurau (5674), Yerupajá Chico (6121), Siulá Grande (6344) and Chico (6265), . Carnicero (5960), Trapecio (5644), stark and desolate Puscanturpa (5442) and graceful Sara po (6127).

Of all the scenery, perhaps first among equals are . Laguna Jahuacocha and its twin Laguna Carhuacocha. These large blue-­green lakes lie at 4000m below Nevados Yerupajá and Jirishanca, with Jahuacocha on . the west side and Carhuacocha on the east. Trout ... fishing is excellent and legal in both lakes. (Trout ... fishing is illegal in the Cordillera Blanca during the dry season.)

With more than 6000m of climbing and 160 km of . walking, this circuit represents a serious and difficult endeavor. I recom­mend it only for people who are in excellent physical condition or who plan to take at least twelve days to complete it. Hikers with less time, . stamina or desire should consider making the shorter . hike to Laguna Jahuacocha (p. 125) or the hike to . Lagunas Jurau and Sarapococha from Cajatambo .

The circuit has two long, strenuous climbs, plus a . sadistic little climb back to Chiquián at the end. The .. first, up the vaIley of the Rio Llamac, climbs from 2750 . to 4700 meters in 30 km . Beginning in a hot, dry desert environment you climb through various vegetation zones without any views of the snow-capped mountains until Nevados Ninashanca (5807) and Rondoy appear at the upper end of the vaIley. Although very long, the climb is steep only in short sections and at the very top where it crosses the divide to the east side. The second climb is unrelentingly steep, climbing 1l00m above HuaylIapa in . 7 km before levelling off near the summit.

Fortunately there are villages near the starts of these .. two climbs (Llamac and HuayIlapa). If you are carrying a heavy pack you should consider hiring an arriero and . burro to carry it over the passes. (One long day from Llamac to Laguna Mitacocha; half a day from HuayIlapa . to Tapush.)

Aside from the long climbs, the trail ascends and descends in 300.50Om undulations. On the return the final climb to Chiquián can be avoided by arranging beforehand to have a car meet you at the end of the .... road near the Rio Quero.

The route is fairly obvious most of the way. although a weIl-­worn trail is not always present. The only . potentialIy confusing spot is on the descent from Punta Tapush to Laguna Jahuacocha.

You should make the easy and outstanding side trip to La­guna Jurau and frozen Laguna Sarapococha. Seen . from around these lakes, Nevado Sarapo is the most beautiful mountain in the whole range.

Because of the popularity of this circuit, garbage is present, especialIy at Rio Quero y Lagunas .. Carhuacocha y Jahuacocha. Take care for the adequate disposal of it.

Route Description 

The trail descending to the Rio Pativilca from Chiquian (3400) starts from the north side of the cemetery (at ... the northeast corner of the town). After dropping 200m . the trail turns to the right (ignore the trail branching to . the left) and descends to tbe road beside the river. The route follows the road and the river several km until the road end. The trail crosses this river, cuts backs sharply to the left, and then crosses the Río Quero ( 2750). A Dice, cozy campsite (warm at night) is foúnd in the meadow between the two bridges. NOTE: Continuing construction of the road here may change the route slightly. In any case you must reach the east bank of ... the Rio Pativilca.

To eliminate this portion of the trip a car or truck can be hired to take you from Chiquián to the road end and haul you back at the end of the trip.

After crossing the Rio Quero and continuing clown the . Rio Pativilca 500m, a fork in the trail appears; the lower trail is better. After another 500m the trail comes o the Rio Achín and turns left up the Achín valley. Yet another fork is reached after 300m, just before the wider trail begins to climb; once again, the lower, right hand trail is recommended. After a rocky, level stretch it makes a short climb to a wide trail. Climb this trail to the left to meet the main trail to Llamac, or take the shortcut . directly up the hill. Following the wide trail to the right . and across the river will take you to Pacllón.

The main trail climbs beside the Rio Llamac, crossing .. the river three times before reaching the village of LLAMAC (10 1/2, 21, 3250). (One village is passed before Llamac, but do not cross the bridge to this village; take t e short set of switchbacks to the right, opposite . the bridge.)

Llamac has several small stores. The best water . available comes from a spigot in the plaza - it comes . from a creek high above the town.

. After Llamac the trail continues up the valley (crossing the river again) to the smaller village of POCPA (3, 24, 3450), and then crosses the river three more times . before arriving at the entrance to the QUEBRADA RONDOY (11, 35, 4000). A short, enjoyable side trip . can be made to the lake situated at the upper end 01 .. this quebrada below Nevados Rondoy and Ninashanca.

About 3 km farther up the Rio Llamac the trail (not very clear) begins the climb over the divide to the east side ... of tire range. When you spot three round stone corrals across the river, start to climb to the right and you . should find the trail again. The switchbacks leading . toward the pass will be easily visible ahead.

Camping is possible where the trail leaves the river.

After crossing tbe pass, Cacanampunta (4700), the ... trail drops through a wide grassy valley and turns up another valley to the right. After passing below the ... stone fences near the settlement of Janca, it goes .. around (or through) a swampy meadow and reaches Laguna Mitacocha (4300). Good but exposed campsites can be found around the lake and in the valley below.

The route heads back down the valley below Mitacocha, this time on the south side, and turns up the first valley . to the south (right). From here the trail is not very . definite - the best route starts up the left side, then crosses to the rigbt as tbe grade lessens.

Of the two possible passes at the end of the valley, .. Punta Carhuac (4650) is the one on the left. Go to the right of the sandy mounds at the topo On tbe descent several paths lead to a small pond. From the pond a ... wide trail continues on to the east end of Laguna Carhuacocha (4100). Many good campsites are found around and below the lake.

No bridge spans tbe fairly wide stream below Laguna Carhua­cocha; the easiest places to wade across are a few hundred meters below the lake. After crossing the stream you can continue by climbing up either side of .. the first valley to the south, 1500m east of the lake. ... The various trails meet on th... right side about halfway . up the valley, then cross to the left. Just after crossing a low pass, the trail (definite now) winds between the two Lagunas Atocshaico (4500). More good campsites can . be found here, but nights get very cold.

The trail descends past the village of Huayhuash .. (4350), a popular camping spot. It continues south up . the left side of the valley to the Portachuelo de . Huayhuash (4750). On the trail to the Portachuelo you can spot what appears to be a pass off to tbe right . between Nevados Tra­pecio and Puscanturpa. This is .. not passable for backpackers; the west side is glacier-covered and rather steep.

The trail drops from the Portachuelo to Laguna Viconga (4500) along the west side of the vallev. (At one point . the trail forks but the two paths soon meet again.) There are campsites where the trail first reaches the lakeshore. Because of an aqueduct at the end of the lake, vou must climb over the ridge to the right rather than go around it. Take the third trail climbing the ridge (the first two are apparently one useless trail which heads up and then . back down) , then immediately descend and crasa the aqueduct vía a cement bridge.

Below Laguna Viconga the main trail becomes quite .. faint. Follow the path north up the middle of the valley for . 1 km until you reach the small dam and the pump for the aqueduct. From the dam a more definite trail runs along the left side of the valley, at first traversing, then switching back to the left beside the stream. At the top .. of this short steep stretch it crosses the creek, climbs past the creek's source, and switches back again up several hills along the left side of this valley. After . passing a small, swampy lake (extremely cold for camping) it climbs a sandy slope to PUNTA CUYOC (6, 89, 5000), which lies quite a bit above and to the left of the ridge's low point below Nevado León Dormido (Puscanturpa Sur).

A steep, slippery trail descends to the river of the Quebrada Guanacpatay. Trails take off down both sides . of the river, becoming difficult to follow near the lower .. end of the valley. If you are planning to go directly to Huayllapa, the left bank is better (not passable for . burros). If vou wish to take the side trip to Lagunas .. Jurau and Sarapococha, stay to the right of the river. As the valley turns to the right and begins to get steeper, a wide trail on the right side traverses the ridge (leaving . the riverbank) to a high viewpoint, then descends to .. meet the trail along the RIO HUAYLLAPA (12, 101, 4000). The high paths traversing above the river toward Laguna Jurau are difficult and do not make good . shortcuts.

After descending to the Rio Huayllapa the main trail crosses the stream below the falls of the Quebrada Guanacpatay, crosses the second bridge to the right . bank of the Rio Huayllapa (near the entrance to the long Quebrada Segya below Nevados Rasac and Tsacra), and passes through farmland to the large village of Huayllapa (3600). Here you can resupply at one of the several . small atores, rent burros, and possibly sleep in the town hall.

The trail north to the next pass starts about 500m .. above the village of Huayllapa (at a point just above an aqueduct crossing to the right) and before crossing the stream of the quebrada to the north.

Look for a break in the stone fence where this trail branches fight (north) and leaves the HuayIlapa trail. .. The trail, faint at first, soon becomes clearer and climbs steeply to Punta Tapush (4800). Water and a few places to camp are found on the upper part of the climb.

Past Tapush the trail descends past a small lake and crosses two large meadows. At the lower end of the second meadow are some large corrals. The most .. definite trail passes to the left of the corrals and goes to Pacllón. The trail to Laguna Jahuacocha (the route of this circuit) passes to the right of the corrals and starts up a valley to the east The sometimes sketchy path climbs over the obvious pass to the left of the hill at the upper end of the valley. From the pass it descends to the left (north) jnto the valley of the Rio Achín just below the southern shore of Laguna Yahuacocha (4050).

You will find good campsites around this lake as well as above it. The water below the lake is probably contaminated because of a communal toilet beside the river..

Trout fishing is excellent. A house on the north shore of the lake has a store where you can buy trout, potatoes, beer and soft drinks.

The trail starting back to Llamac and Chiquián goes .. down the north bank oí the river below Laguna . Jahuacocha. (At several places below the lake you can jump across the stream.) About a kilometer past the village of Jahuacocha (four houses) the Trail to Llamac (3900) starts up the ridge to the right. This trail does .. not climb steeply, but traverses through a rocky section. (Do not take any trail which climbs steeply when it .. leaves the Achín trail. You have gone too far jf you pass any big falls in the Rio Achín.)

The main trail to Llamac climbs west along the north .. side oí the Achín Valley to Pampa Llamac (4300), turns slightly to the right just beyond this pass, and plummets to Llamac (3250). Only one source of water is passed on each side of Pampa Llamac, and both may be dry during the latter part of the hiking season.

From Llamac return to Chquian (3400) by the same .. route used on the approach to the Huayhuash.