Lake Churup

We once again got up early (7:00 am!) and made plans to Trek up another Andean mountain.  

I don't know what it is about waking up early and climbing mountains, but we seem to be doing a lot of it.

Today's trek was to Lake Churup, which is situated 4450 meters (14,600 feet) up Churup Mountain.

We started our day by hiring a taxi to take us to the entrance to the National Park.

We made our way through the very small village of Llupa, almost to the entrance of the National Park, but got stopped about 200 meters from our destination by a washed out section of road.  So we got out and started our hike.

At the entrance (called Pitec), there is a sign and a map welcoming you, along with a couple park rangers who collect the 5 sols for the park fee.

From here to the lake we hiked up a small narrow steep trail. Parts of this trail are extremely steep and we had to stop often for rest breaks, since we were ascending from about 11,000 ft to over 14,600 ft.

About 40 minutes before Lake Churup we got to a long steep waterfall on the side of a steep cliff. We took the left side, which has at various points, three fixed cables to help on the very steep vertical sections.  After the last of the vertical sections , we quickly reached the lake, which sits 4450 meters at the base of Churup Mountain. Lake Churup is a beautiful small glacier colored lake surrounded by cliffs, and sits just below the snow line.  It took us 2 hours to climb.

Right as we got to the top, the weather, which had been clear and warm, turned and it started raining.  Not wanting to be caught in a storm at this altitude we began our descent, which was a little more daunting on the way down, as the rain had made the rocks slick.

We made it down without incident in about an hour to Pitec and then continued along the trail back to Llupa.  At points along the trail, we encountered lambs, pigs, lots of chickens, and many dogs. The local Quechua ladies often move livestock between villages using this trail.

It was another hour before we reached Llupa, and then we only had to wait another 15 minutes or so for a collectivo van to come along and take us back to Hauraz.  

We were exhausted and sore from the hard climb, but what a great day.

I had a bottle of sunscreen in my pack, that I hadn't opened since we were on the coast.  That was 14,000 feet ago.  When I poped the cap, the pressurized sunscreen emptied out all over the place.

Troy and Tutu, with our cab driver, just after we were forced to get out and walk.

Donkey.

At the trailhead, signing the release forms.  First time we've had to do that.

The start of the trail up.

A local herding some cows.

Tutu making her way up the trail (about 12,000 feet here)

The sign for the upper lakes.

The tail up the ridge line.  You can make out Troy in the middle

Looking back down the mountain at the trail (on the right)

Taking a breather at 12,500 feet.  You can see where we have to go if you look at the top of the waterfall.

Clouds in the distance

The upper part.  You can see Troy and some of the fixed Ropes there to help us up this technical section.

Made it!  4450 meters (about 14,600 feet)

Troy at the top.  He's already starting to feel the effects of altitude sickness here.

Tutu at the top.

Waterfall.

On the trail coming down, we met a local caring milk back to his house.

Some fields across from the triail.

Some local children