Chamonix to Courmayeur

We did over 60 kilometers and 15,000 vertical in our four days on the TMB. We had some long days (7-8 hours). We had some great lunch and dinner meals at Refugios. We hiked through picturesque towns and over a bridge built by the ancient Romans. Always hiking through spectacular Alpine scenery, and with pretty decent weather.

We put our band of hearty travelers on planes in Geneva and then return to Chamonix to rest up and do some climbing.

On to the TMB!

I have a short layover in Madrid, and the size, pace, and shear retail energy is a big change from the Lima airport.

Until August 5th I intend to hole up in a cheap Geneva hostel (an oxymoron) and eat, sleep, do yoga, and put waypoints on the Gaia app I will be using on the Tour du Mont Blanc.

Leaving the Huayhuash, the Cordillera Blanca, and Peru

Today we have a 9 hour bus ride to Lima, then and overnight bivy in the airport, and finally tomorrow a flight to Geneva. It has been an incredible month with Lucy, and then with our five Round Lake Campus Expedition participants.

In twenty days on the trails I covered roughly 150 kilometers, and about 30,000 vertical feet. As always I had my bouts with Atahualpa's revenge. I can not remember when I last spent twelve consecutive nights sleeping in a tent. I lusted after youth and a partner to climb some of the big peaks ... especially Jirishanca. However, despite a very sore left leg, it was an incredible experience.

Heading to the Huayhuash ...

Everything was fantastico. The southern end of the Cordillera Blanca was awesome; the Andean Geese were nice; our lunch spot next to the river was terrific, then we got a flat that could not be fixed ... the last lug was totally shot!

Back in the Cordillera Blanca ... hiking to Lake Churup

Pictures by Josephine:

Back in the Cordillera Blanca ... Chavin

This archeological site is 3000 years old. It is considered the mothership of all Peruvian culture. Research and excavation is ongoing. The key for this civilization was that Chavin was the nexus of North-South and Coastal-Amazon trade routes.

Back in the Cordillera Blanca

Hiking up Lake Wilcacocha and visiting the archaeology museum with a group of NCS alumni and friends.

A little known part of the Andean climbing scene ...

Is the Lima airport bivy scene. Because flights come in, and out, at odd hours, and choice of bus times are minimal, you can count on at least one airport bivy. Now, this will not be a cold, dark, grim Northwall bivy for there will be hundreds of others sleeping in every spare corner. Moreover, you can buy a Big Mac at 2am, a macchiato at 3am at Starbucks, a $500 vicuña coat at 4am, and check in at 5 am. Or, you can just sleep ... like Lulu.

Day 9 in the Cordillera Blanca

Heading to Lima. Lucy took a last sunset picture in the mountains, and then sunrise hill intervals on the Rataquenua, and then finally a picture outside of La Casa de Zarela.

We had a great trip.

Day 8 in the Cordillera Blanca

Tomorrow we head to Lima.

However, this morning Lucy headed out for a 90 minute run up to Lake Toclla, and then we did the 13.5k hike back to our taxi. I always forget to bring a spare pair of rock shoes for rest days ... the bouldering is terrific. As on my last trip, I believe I am on my way toward at least one toenail falling off.

It was a great ten days with Lulu!

Day 7 in the Cordillera Blanca

Another terrific day, hiking up to Lago Ishinca at just about 16000'. (Lucy ran some of the uphill and almost all the downhill.)

Great views, and we were only out from 10 am-1:30 pm, so lots of time to read and take a siesta. Pictures below are Urus, Ishinca, Ranrapalca, as well as Lucy with Tocllaraju and Palcaraju in the background.

Day 6 in the Cordillera Blanca

Hiking into the Refugio Ishinca at 4,300 meters. I may be off line for a couple of days.

A few more pictures from Laguna Llaca

Day 5 in the Cordillera Blanca

Feeling a lot better than yesterday, but I turned back well before Laguna Llaca. However, the views were outstanding, I managed to run more than half of the out and back; and truly, 13.5 miles and 1500' is not too shabby at altitude. I got up to 13,300' so my acclimatization seems on track. (More photos to come.)

Day 4 in the Cordillera Blanc

A much needed rest day. I suffered from a touch of Atahualpa's revenge, and so wanted to stay in close proximity to a bathroom. Two sessions of rooftop yoga. and lots of reading for me. (Vallunaraju, Ranrapalca, and Rima Rima below.)

Lucy headed to Chavin, one of the oldest and most important pre-Columbian sites in Peru. This site was constructed between 1000-200BCE. The site is still being excavated, as the original work came to naught when a huge landslide in 1945 buried the town and the archeological site.

Often Referred To As The Chamonix of South America

Too many 6000 meter peaks to get into one picture! From left to right what you can see here: Santa Cruz, Huandoy, Huascaran, Copicalqui, and Copa. Out of the picture, and to the south, are Tocllaraja, Palcaraju, Ranrapalca, and a host of others.

Semi-rad ... in climbing it can always be worse

https://semi-rad.com/2019/07/it-could-be-worse/

David Hochschartner (Hock)

Day 3 in the Cordillera Blanca

Day 3 of my warmup trip in the Cordillera Blanca was delightful. We did the classic warmup hike to Laguna Churup - 7k and 2,300' - that said it seemed harder than when I first did it 13 years ago!

The picture is of my daughter Lucy jogging off, after she ran back to check on her old man - she does that every 30 minutes or so. Our high point today was 14,800'. 

You can keep track of my adventures, at the link below where I post photos and some text. SEE YOU IN LIMA ON JULY 15 ... we are going to have a great time. 

http://thefossilclub.blogspot.com/?m=1

Day 2 in the Cordillera Blanca

An enjoyable 15k - out and back - run in Quebrada Quilcayhuanca, which is nicknamed the Valley of the Condors. (We did not see any condors, but this narrow valley was quite impressive with its steep rock walls.) We were running between an elevation of 12-13,300," however it was relatively flat with only a thousand feet of vertical gain.