Huayhuash Circuit

[Drew]

My partner and I just booked flights to Peru for late May (whoo!). I'm set on doing the Cordillera Huayhuash Circuit, preferably independently. Have any forum members done it? I've done a fair amount of reading (books and blogs) but of course I'd love to get as much info as I can.

We're also looking at the Ausangate Circuit with the rainbow mountain (hopefully this would be as well as Huayhuash).

Cheers

[roysta]

Hi there, I've done a shortened version of the Huayhuash plus other treks and climbs out of Huaraz.
You'll love the Huayhuash, fabulous territory.
If you want an absolute top line guide pm me and I'll give you details.



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[biggbird]

Hey Drew, will be interested to follow this, my partner and I are planning to make a trip to South America next year, and both of those walks are in the itinerary! We'll hopefully have a few months there, so hoping to get some time in Patagonia etc as well. Will be interested to hear of your experiences, we're planning on going independent as much as possible too. What gear are you planning to take?

[Drew]

Thanks for the replies.

Hi there, I've done a shortened version of the Huayhuash plus other treks and climbs out of Huaraz.
You'll love the Huayhuash, fabulous territory.
If you want an absolute top line guide pm me and I'll give you details.

Not planning to use a guide roysta but I might PM you with a few questions anyway.

Hey Drew, will be interested to follow this, my partner and I are planning to make a trip to South America next year, and both of those walks are in the itinerary! We'll hopefully have a few months there, so hoping to get some time in Patagonia etc as well. Will be interested to hear of your experiences, we're planning on going independent as much as possible too. What gear are you planning to take?

Lucky you, a few months sounds great. I've done a bit of walking in Patagonia and it's amazing. I'll probably post a trip report (assuming it happens!) so hopefully I'll hopefully have some good info for you.

Gear choices are what I'm struggling a bit with. The only thing giving me some doubts about doing it independently is the possibility that it will be too cold for our gear, and that warmer, rented gear would be heavy and make it too hard to do by ourselves. Most trip reports from a similar time of year suggest that we should expect warm days (like up to 20C) and overnight temps of 0C to -10C. Quite a range!

I have a -11 sleeping bag, but not a warm enough mat. I'll either buy a warmer mat or rent a foam mat to supplement mine. I'm a cold sleeper but I think that on really cold nights I'll be fine with a thermolite liner, all my clothes and a nalgene hot water bottle if needed!
My partner's bag is -8, but is getting old so has probably lost a few degrees. Her mat is warmer than mine but possible still not warm enough. She's a warmer sleeper than me but this bag might be pushing it. I've read that a -18 bag is recommended! Sounds like overkill, maybe from people who've never considered wearing clothes to bed.

I have a Mont Moondance 2 tent that is solid and certainly up to the task, but a bit heavy and very cramped for long cold nights in the tent (pretty short daylight hours). I recently bought a Tarptent Stratospire 2 (partly with this trip in mind), which is much lighter and more spacious, but not as solid in winds (I haven't used it much yet so don't really know). Also, I got it with a mesh inner, so it might be a bit cold...

We're planning to dehydrate most of our meals for the walk at home, which should save us a bit of weight over buying food in Peru.

[biggbird]

Yeah, it has been kinda difficult to work out what gear is needed, as most people you read gear lists from are either trip operators, or people who have done guided/portered trips, meaning they either a) don't choose their gear, or b) don't have to worry about the weight! Adding to the complexity is the fact that we will be gone for 6-10 months total, including some time in the US and India/Nepal, so we have to try to aim for gear that will suit all conditions. Shouldn't be too bad though, we're aiming to be up high for as much time as possible.

Just bought a Zpacks Triplex with the aim of taking it on this trip. Really interested to see how you go with wind/rain, as we'll be there at a similar time next year, and I'm a little apprehensive about such an UL tent is serious wind. I plan to put a few extra guys on just in case, and have slightly stronger poles than the recommended too. From what I have read, wind hasn't been a particular problem for most people.

Sleeping bag wise, it's the opposite for us: I'm the warm sleeper and my partner not so much. I'm planning to use this as an excuse to buy some (lots) new gear, so we're (I'm) currently looking at getting a couple of PHD bags. Handmade in the motherland, and about as expensive as you can get, but consistently reviewed as best for warmth/weight ratio. I'll probably get a Hispar 400k (-9C) and get a Hispar 500K (-15c) for my partner. Combined with her Downmat 7UL +/- clothes, that should hopefully keep her warm enough. I'll probably take my Neoair Xlite.

Anyway, will be looking forward to your report! Hope the weather is awesome

[Drew]

Yep, the Triplex sure is light! A friend of mine just bought one too ahead of a year long trip around Europe. I couldn't believe the weight when he told me. He's planning to use it in Iceland, which might also be a test for it.

Hopefully I'll get to use my Stratospire in some windy conditions at home before going. I may still consider the Mont though.

We just ordered some Klymit R4.4 mats, so that should boost our warmth a bit. Still undecided about sleeping bags but I'm leaning towards "we'll be right, just wear everything if needed". A friend did 6 days of Alpamayo last year using a +3C comfort rated bag and she was warm enough! Not quite as high as Huayhuash and they were there around Sept so maybe a bit less cold but still, it's reassuring!

The PHD bags look amazing. And expensive. Maybe you already have, but consider a quilt before you make the purchase - I wish I had before buying my winter bag a few years ago. I'm happy with it but would probably go for a quilt if I were doing it again now.

[biggbird]

Yep, they definitely look expensive. I've thought about a quilt before, but I just don't think i can bring myself to embrace the extra fiddle factor, with straps etc. I do toss and turn quite a bit in my sleep, meaning perhaps it would be a good thing for me, but I could also see myself just accidentally pulling it off/dislodging it. Much the same reason I'm not keen on a pyramid tent - I have no doubt I would knock over that centre pole in the middle of the night!

Sounds like the bags you have may be a goer. I imagine you'd be taking a down/synthetic puffy with you each, plus some thermals, so I doubt you'd get into a situation where you would ever be so cold as to be in real danger, as long as your tent stays up and you aren't too wet. You could always huddle up in the one bag to stay warm

[Drew]

Yep, down jacket, probably a fleece, thermals. And a thermolite liner (they exaggerate greatly how much warmth they add but still more than a silk liner). Should be fine.

Regarding the Triplex, I meant to say earlier that the winds in Patagonia are often ridiculous. However on the more popular walks at least (Torres del Paine, Fitzroy) the campsites are usually pretty sheltered.

We're now seriously considering doing the Ausangate, then either a shortened version of the Alpamayo or a shortened version of the Huayhuash (both 5-6 days instead of 9-10). Would be better to do them the other way around as the Ausangate is really high, but logistically it works best for us to go to Ausangate first.

Just dehydrated the first meals for the trip!

[roysta]

Make sure you acclimatise well.


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[biggbird]

Have you left yet Drew? Decide on an itinerary in the end? Hope it's an awesome trip, looking forward to your reports when you get back!

[Drew]

Have you left yet Drew? Decide on an itinerary in the end? Hope it's an awesome trip, looking forward to your reports when you get back!

Leaving on Tuesday morning!

We're going to Cusco first, then after a few days acclimatising (including a day hike to get a bit higher than Cusco) off to do Ausangate over 5 or 6 days. After that to Huaraz. We'll most likely do a 5-6 day version of Alpamayo but still open to the possibility of a shortened version of Huayhuash depending on what we learn once over there. Then to the coast for some surfing before heading to Colombia for 4 weeks.

You might be waiting a while for trip reports but I'll definitely do them.

[GeoffM]

Hey Drew, will be interested to follow this, my partner and I are planning to make a trip to South America next year, and both of those walks are in the itinerary! We'll hopefully have a few months there, so hoping to get some time in Patagonia etc as well. Will be interested to hear of your experiences, we're planning on going independent as much as possible too. What gear are you planning to take?

Gudday Drew. I see your post from early 2017 re going to South America in 2018. Did you and your partner go ahead with the trip?

I am just back from a second season trekking and climbing out of Huaraz but this season's trip began mid-April in Punta Arenas and we spent a couple of weeks trekking there (Torres del Paine, El Chalten/FitzRoy) before heading up to Huaraz to trek the Huayhuash then the 10 day Alpamayo circuit in the Cordillera Blanca followed by a week of climbing from Ishinca base camp. We trekked Quilcayhuanca/Quebrada Cojup and Santa Cruz/Quebrada Ulta last season before taking the easy enough "walk" to the 5,752 m summit of Nevado Pisco.

All up I spent 9 weeks there this year so there are a lot of photos to sort through. I'm not much good at writing up reports and posting photos on forums but I have posted stuff on Facebook for the family so it should be too hard should it?

We use fully-qualified trekking and mountain guides (and the luxury of arrieros and burros) but I spent plenty of time talking with unsupported walkers so I have a pretty good understanding of the terrain and weather and some understanding of gear so get in touch if you have any questions.

I am also pretty knowledgeable on coffee and food in Huaraz .

Oh....be aware that the cost of the Boleto Adventura - the 30 day pass you need to enter the Parque Nacional de Huascarán - increased for 65 soles last year to 150 soles for 2018 and the village levees for the Huayhuash (it isn't a national park so the fees are levied (and vary) by village) are now something like 240 soles

if my hazy memory is correct. For that you get flush toilets....sort of...at some sites.

[biggbird]

Gudday Drew. I see your post from early 2017 re going to South America in 2018. Did you and your partner go ahead with the trip?

Hi Geoff!

It was actually me who posted that question, and yes we did indeed go ahead with said trip, and very much enjoyed meeting you and Paul, even if you couldn't seem to manage to get away from us! Have really enjoyed all the photos

We just finished up a few days in the Cordillera Real over here in Bolivia and reckon it would be right up your alley. You'll see some photos on FB when I can find some decent internet... i.e. not in Bolivia Off to Huayna Potosi tomorrow morning, wish us luck!

[GeoffM]

Gudday Drew. I see your post from early 2017 re going to South America in 2018. Did you and your partner go ahead with the trip?

Hi Geoff!

It was actually me who posted that question, and yes we did indeed go ahead with said trip, and very much enjoyed meeting you and Paul, even if you couldn't seem to manage to get away from us! Have really enjoyed all the photos

We just finished up a few days in the Cordillera Real over here in Bolivia and reckon it would be right up your alley. You'll see some photos on FB when I can find some decent internet... i.e. not in Bolivia Off to Huayna Potosi tomorrow morning, wish us luck!

Ahhhhh! Our Tasmanian friends. Say gudday to Nitya for me.
Will be interested to see your Cordillera Real photos and will keep that in mind for 2019 but we are looking at some trekking between Recuay and Chavin and another 3 or 4 summits.
Are you climbing Huayna Potosi? 6,088 m so should be a test. Sadly David and I bombed out thanks to soft snow and strong winds on Tocllaraju but only 1 of 10 teams had succeeded so we didn't feel too bad for a pair of old farts and we did manage the other three.
Best of luck there and for the rest of your rather indirect journey home.

[Drew]

Gudday Drew. I see your post from early 2017 re going to South America in 2018. Did you and your partner go ahead with the trip?

Yes, we did, but didn't do the Huayhuash. My trip report from one of our hikes is on here and also published in Bushwalk Australia a few issues ago.

Happy walking! I wish I was over there!

[GeoffM]

Yes, we did, but didn't do the Huayhuash. My trip report from one of our hikes is on here and also published in Bushwalk Australia a few issues ago.

Happy walking! I wish I was over there!

Got home last Friday but planning next year already. Will have a look for your trip report and will try a writeup of sorts on some of mine.

[weetbix456]

Ahhh what a walk!!