Red tape: A permit is required for any activity in the Parque Nacional Huascaran. You do NOT need a guide, an arriero or a donkey. The only thing you need is 65 soles each.
DAY 1:
- Woke up by 6.45am in Huaraz, and found in less than 2 minutes one colectivo (among a plethora) to Yunguay (1.25 hours, 5 soles) at the large colectivo stand where Ave Fitzcarrald crosses Rio Quilcay.
- Once in Yunguay, colectivos to Vaqueria are far less easy to find. After spending about an hour at the "official" colectivo station, we found one that left two blocks away from the station. Lack of competition made us pay 35 soles for 2.
- Trip to Vaqueria is epic. It is a very bumpy, dusty road that gets pretty close to the stars (4764m asl to be exact). Views over the Cordillera and Huascaran alone would be worth the trip. When entering the National Park, our colectivo stopped at the Ranger station. The driver had to sign some form, we got our permits there in a few minutes. No hiding, no lies. It is LEGAL to come on your own and trek Santa Cruz.
- From Vaqueria to Paria, it an easy and enjoyable 4-hour walk amidst villages, fields and forest (380m+/250m-).
DAY 2: side trip 1: Quebrada Paria.
- We walked up the Quebrada Paria valley. During the first 1.5 hour, the track to climb up to the valley floor is well marked. Then, simply walk up the valley wherever you like, aiming Nevado Chacraraju (6112m). You obviously cannot get lost! By the end of the long, flat section, a small track (or series of small tracks) is visible and climbs rather steeply for less than one hour to the glacier at the foot of Chacraraju. We camped on the shore of the small laguna right below the glacier (4305m). We could not think of a more scenic camping spot !
Above is a very APPROXIMATE schematic of the side-track up Quebrada Paria valley to the glacier (map is from the excellent gaiagps.com website).
DAY 3:
- Back to Paria, we made it to Qushuar, following the main trail for the whole day across the Pass. Very nice scenery all along the way! (920m+).
DAY 4: side trip to Alpamayo Base Camp.
- Let´s put it that way: Lonely Planet guide (Trekking in the Central Andes, 2003) writers have never been there, or they mixed their notes, or altitude made them very confused. Getting to the Base Camp (4320m) from Qushuar (4010m) is an easy 1.5 to 2-hour walk up the valley. Once you are at the basecamp, you are facing two options. We chose both!
- Action really starts if you climb to the glacier below Alpamayo. This trail (that heads almost due west) is posted at the base camp and well marked. It takes you to 5000m (3 hours, 1.5 hour back). I put a black line on the map below at the very approximate location where the trail reaches the glacier. I would warmly recommend this trip. We felt surrounded by high Himalayan-style peaks, so close to the summits.
- The other walk, to the Laguna Arhuaycocha, is well signed too. From the Base Camp, it is a very easy, less-than-one-hour-long affair.
- Total of the day: 11 hours (incl. extensive breaks to marvel at the landscape), 1160m+/1120m-.
DAY 5:
A long walk down to Cashapampa from Qushuar. First part is very impressive as you walk across barren land, reminiscent of desertic landscapes.
- Be sure not to be too late in Cashapampa. It is a rather small village, and activity quickly dwindles in the afternoon. We found a minivan that got us back to Caraz around 5pm (10 soles each).