A Fast & Soiled Information to the Cordillera Blanca Traverse

• Located within the Ancash area of Peru, the Cordillera Blanca is a sub-range of the Andes mountains. It’s roughly 13 miles broad (21 km) and 124 miles (200 km) lengthy because the condor flies.

• The Cordillera Blanca accommodates a dozen peaks which might be greater than 20,000 ft (6,096 m), with an extra twenty-four topping 18,000 ft (5,486 m).

• There are estimated to be 722 particular person glaciers throughout the Cordillera Blanca vary, which is the biggest focus of tropical-zone glaciers on the planet. Because the 1970’s they’ve retreated greater than 15%. A staggering discount, particularly contemplating their hydrological significance to a rising Peruvian inhabitants.

• In 1970, the Cordillera Blanca was rocked by an earthquake (7.9 on the Richter scale) that worn out 95% of Huaraz (the regional capital), fully destroyed the city of Yungay, and was answerable for the deaths of as much as 70,000 folks. It was the worst pure catastrophe in Peru’s historical past, and the ensuing avalanche is taken into account the deadliest in world historical past.

For the needs of resupply, I cut up the CBT into 4 phases (click on on the hyperlinks beneath for journal entries from 2014). Every of the stage trailheads is accessible by public transport, which means that people that aren’t keen on thru-hiking the CBT may doubtlessly do a number of of the phases as stand-alone hikes (Observe: Distances have been up to date as of 2022, and can differ relying on route selections):

The CBT takes place in Parque Nacional Huascarán. For any multi-day hike within the park, you’ll must get hold of a trekking allow from their workplace in Huaraz (-9.53203, -77.52984) earlier than setting out.

• Might to September is the dry season within the Peruvian Andes. Technically talking, that is late autumn/winter within the southern hemisphere, nonetheless, as a consequence of the truth that the Cordillera Blanca is located so near the equator, temperature fluctuations are comparatively minor all year long. I hiked from late August to early September and had nice climate all through many of the 16 days. Temperatures ranged between highs round 20°C and lows of -10°C (Observe: The latter was skilled when tenting slightly below 5,000m).

• What’s too early? What’s too late?:  Clearly, situations will differ from 12 months to 12 months, however given common annual snow ranges, I wouldn’t suggest beginning the route earlier than early June or later than the tip of September. A living proof is Austin Lillywhite’s Might 2017 hike, the place he was unable to go over Stage 3’s Cashan Go due to snow situations.

• My CBT Expertise: I took 16 days to finish the CBT. A few of these days had been spent route discovering, visiting archeological websites, and usually testing different factors of curiosity alongside the way in which. I took one full “zero-day” (relaxation day) in Huaraz and one other “nero” (nearly a zero) in Chavin. Pushing just a little bit more durable and with out the diversions, route-finding, and relaxation day, I believe I might have taken round 13 days to finish the hike.

• Common Period: It is a route that ought to solely be undertaken by skilled long-distance hikers who start the path properly and actually acclimatized. Should you tick these containers, together with turning up in good condition and carrying a lightish pack, I’d estimate the common time wanted for the CBT can be between 16 and 22 days (together with a relaxation day or two).

After the preliminary climb out of Hualcallan, nearly the entire CBT takes place above 4000 m (13,123 ft). I can’t emphasize strongly sufficient that it is a hike for which you might want to be well-acclimatized earlier than setting out.

• Northern Terminus: Hualcallan Village. I took a collectivo (minibus) from the city of Caraz to the village of Cashapampa, from which I walked 9 kilometers to Hualcallan. If you wish to go on to Hualcallan, personal transport/taxi might be organized from Caraz.

• Southern Terminus: Pastoruri Glacier is a well-liked vacation spot for day-trippers from Huaraz. Should you arrive earlier than late afternoon, there needs to be no points getting a spot on one of many buses that commonly ply the path to and from the regional capital. 

• Water: Ample all through many of the hike. Typically talking, I handled with Aquamira within the low-lying areas and/or wherever there was livestock or human settlement. Within the greater reaches, the place water was coming straight off the glaciers, I drank straight from the supply. I had no intestinal points on this or every other hike I’ve finished throughout my journeys to Peru.

• Resupply: From north to south, the principle resupply factors are Huallin, Chacas, Pitec (Huaraz), and Chavin de Huantar (see Transport above). The regional hub of Huaraz has a variety of “conventional backpacking” meals obtainable, corresponding to dried fruit and nuts, cereals, pasta, tuna, powdered milk, chocolate, and so forth. Selections are way more restricted within the villages alongside the way in which. On the cooking entrance, you’ll be capable to choose up a fuel canister or denatured alcohol in your range in Huaraz.

On the route itself, you possibly can wild camp just about wherever you want. That mentioned, I’d keep away from establishing too near villages or shepherd encampments (which can be patrolled by territorial guard canines).

There’s one full-service mountain hut alongside the route – Refugio Ishinca. Located within the shadows of  Toclarraju (6,032m) and Polcaraju (6,110m) peaks, Refugio Ishinca was an sudden bonus. Half anticipating a semi-dilapidated backcountry outpost, what I received as a substitute was cozy beds, good meals, useful employees, and even a solar-powered bathe!

In City: The regional capital of Huaraz has a large number of choices to go well with all budgets. Throughout my time on the town, I stayed on the Lodge Churup, which I can extremely suggest. Juan Quiros Romero and his household had been wonderful hosts, the breakfasts had been first-rate, the rooms snug, and so they saved my additional baggage after I was out within the boonies. Double thumbs up.

Concerning the opposite cities alongside the route, in Chacas, I arrived late and ended up staying at a dodgy place whose solely redeeming characteristic was that it was centrally positioned. As for Chavin de Huantar, I stayed on the characterful Hostal La Casona on the Plaza de Armas. I’m 99% sure that this was the identical place I stayed at in 1996, and for the sake of nostalgia, I couldn’t resist returning 18 years later. On the distant likelihood that they’re studying this submit, shout-out to my 1996 touring/mountain climbing companions, Sylvia, Fleischy, and Dave.

I put collectively the CBT route in 2014 with the assistance of the below-listed topo maps, Google Earth, and Jim Bartles’s traditional Cordillera Blanca textual content (see beneath). When mountain climbing the route, I used mentioned maps and a Suunto M-2 compass for navigation. I additionally took alongside a Garmin Foretrex, with which I took waypoints of notable spots alongside the route. 

The collective crux of the CBT are the passes. Relying on route selections, there are between twenty-one and twenty-three in whole, ranging between 4,347 m and 5,201 m. By any standards, it’s a rollercoaster of a visit, with a lung-busting, knee-wobbling whole elevation achieve and lack of round 50,000 m (164,000 ft).

When placing the route collectively, nearly all of the passes had been marked on the above-mentioned topo maps. Nonetheless, through the southern half of the journey, there have been a handful that weren’t, and a few of these represented essentially the most difficult facet of the planning section. The passes for which I had no info on the time included Urus/Akilpo (5,040m), Ishinca/Palcaraju (5,201m), Shallap (5,001m), Cashan (5,157m), Rurec (4,350 m), Pucaraju (4,583 m), Maraytaca (4,611 m), Landslide (4,951 m), and Huarapasca (4,930 m). Please word that the majority of those names merely mirror adjoining peaks, valleys, or within the case of “Landslide”, a comparatively current geological occasion, and is probably not the names utilized by locals for a similar excessive factors.

Right here’s the checklist of passes (from North to South), with their respective elevations in parentheses. Stage 1 passes are in black font, Stage 2 in blue, Stage 3 in purple, and Stage 4 in inexperienced:

1. 1. Osoruri Go (4,848 m/15,906 ft) 
   2. Vientunan Go (4,760 m/15,617 ft)  
   3. Gara Gara Go (4,840 m/15,879 ft)  
   4. Mesapata move (4,450 m/14,600 ft)  
   5. Yanacon Go (4,601 m/15,095 ft)  
   6. Tupatupa Go (4,347 m/14,262 ft)  
   7. Alto de Pucaraju (4,615 m/15,141 ft)  
   8. Punta Yanayuca (4,790 m/15,715 ft)  
   9. Punta Olimpica (4,909 m/16,106 ft) 
   10. Portachuelo de Honda (4,763 m/15,551 ft) (Various choice obtainable) 
   11. Urus Go (5,040 m/16,535 ft) 
   12.  Ishinca/Palcaraju Go (5,201 m/17,064 ft) (Various choice obtainable)
   13.  Choco/Huapi Go (5,073 m/16,644 ft)
   14.  Shallap Go (5,001 m/16,407 ft) (Various choice obtainable, although not beneficial)
   15.  Cashan Go (5,157 m/16,919 ft) 
   16.  Rurec Go (4,350 m/14,272 ft)
   17.  Pucaraju Go (4,583 m/15,037 ft)
   18.  Maraytaca Go (4,611 m/15,128 ft)
   19.  Punta Raria (4,801 m/15,751 ft)
   20.  Landslide Go (4,951 m/16,243 ft) (Various choice obtainable)
   21.  Huarapasca Go (4,930 m/16,175 ft)

In placing collectively this Q&D Information, I plugged all the information I had into Gaia GPS, created a route, and got here out with the next up to date figures for distance and whole elevation. For these doing the hike sooner or later, relying on route selections, closing totals will differ as much as 10 %.

Distance: 152 km (94.4 mi)

Whole Ascent: 10,517 m (34,504 ft)

Max. Elevation: 4,911 m (16,112 ft)

Min. Elevation: 3132 m (10,276 ft)

Notes: 

• The primary stage of the CBT was totally on established trails. The preliminary couple of days coincided with the Alpamayo Base Camp Trek, and later the route intersected briefly with the area’s hottest multi-day hike, the Santa Cruz Trek.

• Throughout stage 1, the route goes up and over 9 passes, all of that are marked on the topo mapsets listed above.

• Aside from the beginning and ending villages, you could possibly complement your provisions within the blink-and-you-miss-them hamlets of Huaripampa, Colcabamba, and Yanama.

• Aside from a one-mile (1.6 km) stretch between phases 3 and 4, the one time you’ll stroll on a paved street through the CBT is on the finish of Stage 1, from the Punta Olimpica tunnel to the villages of Huallin and Pompey. Each earlier than and after the tunnel, a lot of the street part might be prevented by following (generally) faint and sometimes steepish trails that bypass the numerous switchbacks on both aspect of the move. These paths had been utilized by locals within the days earlier than the street was constructed.

Distance: 108 km (67.1 mi)

Whole Ascent:  5,978 m (19,613 ft)

Max. Elevation:  5,201 m (17,064 ft)

Min. Elevation:  3,416 m (11,207 ft)

Notes:

• The primary move of Stage 2 – Portachuela de Honda (4,763 m) – is bookended by grime street walks in Juitush and Honda Valleys. At Portachuela de Honda, there are a few completely different excessive factors from which to decide on; each DM in 2018 and myself in 2014 took the blue route, which is shorter, steeper, and (maybe) much less well-defined than the purple route (at the very least from what I can collect on the topo maps).

• It’s price noting that the jap finish of Quebrada Honda has a mining presence, and you’ll probably see automobiles touring to and from the mines when you attain the grime street that runs alongside the valley flooring. Neither I nor DM encountered any points with these people; quite the opposite, they had been uniformly pleasant and nobody appeared bothered by our presence. This was the scenario in 2014 and 2018, I can’t say if the temper has modified within the ensuing years.

• If I needed to choose my favourite part of your entire CBT, it could be the roughly 50-55 km (31-34 mi) stretch between the western finish of Quebrado Akilpo and the northeastern reaches of Quebrada Quilcayhuanca. Starting with the “enchanted forest”, the route goes up and over three 5,000 m plus passes – Urus/Akilpo, Ishinca/Palcaraju, and Choco/Huapi. The primary two of those excessive factors had been among the many group for which I didn’t have any pre-trip data, and although I used to be pretty positive each would go, I used to be over the moon after they truly did. All that zooming out and in from completely different angles on Google Earth wasn’t for nothing………. I’ll have even finished a celebratory jig! (Observe: Each passes had small cairns at or close to the highest, so locals conversant in this a part of the Cordillera Blanca positively knew of their existence, even when I didn’t). For anybody studying this submit who’s keen on doing a bit of the CBT slightly than the entire trek, that is the stage I’d suggest. It’s difficult, however the rewards greater than compensate. For my cash, one of many most interesting stretches of high-altitude mountain climbing in your entire Andes vary.

• It’s normally attainable to catch a experience all the way down to Huaraz from the tiny village of Pitec on the finish of the stage. Pitec is the beginning/ending level for one of many space’s hottest day hikes – the path to Laguna Churup (4,480 m). If nothing’s obtainable while you arrive in Pitec, stroll for 4.5 km all the way down to the neighboring village of Llupa, the place common collectivos run up and down the mountain to Huaraz.

Distance: 65 km (40.4 mi)

Whole Ascent:  4,520 m (14,829 ft)

Max. Elevation:  5,157 m (16,919 ft)

Min. Elevation:  3,747 m (12,293 ft)

Notes:

• The third stage traverses 4 passes, particularly Shallap (5,001m), Cashan (5,157m), Rurec (4,350m), and Pucaraju (4,583m).

• Cashan is the final and probably essentially the most difficult of all of the passes. As talked about above, anybody making an attempt the CBT earlier than mid to late June in a median snow 12 months is prone to encounter fairly a little bit of snow/ice on the northern aspect and appreciably extra on the even-steeper southern aspect. Should you’re adamant about doing the hike early season, you should definitely take microspikes and an ice axe. Perhaps a rabbit’s foot as properly.

• Descending into Quebrada Rurec after Cashan move, the panorama transitions from rock and ice to pastoral. The next move, which I unimaginatively referred to as “Rurec”, is mainly only a lengthy grassy slope (see photograph beneath). The identical goes for “Pucaraju” close to the tip of the stage (-9.68107, -77.34529).

• In the course of the closing few kilometers of the third stage, you’ll attain Laguna Querococha, the biggest lake on the route. Each DM and I skirted the lake’s northern shore earlier than making a beeline to the street to Chavin. A greater choice can be to observe the lake’s western aspect after which swing round its southern finish to affix the street at a lookout (-9.72753, -77.33123). This is able to reduce a couple of kilometers of street strolling off the start of the fourth and closing stage.

Distance:  72 km (44.7 mi)

Whole Ascent: 4,402 m (14,442 ft)

Max. Elevation:  5,040 m (16,535 ft)

Min. Elevation:  3,865 m (12,680 ft)

Notes:

• Ranging from the Lago Querococha viewpoint, hike for a mile (1.6 km) down the street to the place it passes over the lake’s outlet stream. Go away the street right here, and start descending WSW alongside the watercourse’s true left aspect.