Backpacking South America

While planning our trip back in 2008 and early 2009, we lost the ability to plan much beyond Argentina, Chile and early 2010. So for the last few months we’ve been doing our planning just prior to our next destination. So, when we were trying to decide what we should do after Lima, we were slightly surprised to find the Cordillera Blanca (for some readers, this may be blasphemous). We never knew that Peru had a range of such impressive peaks. So we got overnight tickets to Huaraz.

Upon arrival, we were blown away by the shear size and beauty of the mountains. They towered over top with brilliant white peaks. It was not short of breathtaking. The Cordillera Blanca have the largest concentration of glaciers in the tropics as well as the tallest peak (Huascaran).

We didn’t have too much time in the Cordillera Blanca, so we set out to hike the popular trail to Laguna 69. After nearly 2 hours in a car, we arrived at the trailhead with our guide. The trail starts at just shy of 4,000 meters above sea level (13,000 feet) and ends at 4,600 meters (15,000 feet). While not an especially steep trail, the altitude we did gain was in very thin air and made the small hills all the more difficult. I suffered from a somewhat throbbing headache and we were both short of breath the whole way.

Reaching the Laguna was quite the feat. We were ecstatic to reach the top and the views did not disappoint.

During the hike, we had expected to cross numerous other hikers and groups, but we were the only ones at the lake for lunch and we crossed one solo backpacker. It was a quiet, solitary day in the high peaks of Peru.