Alive and Well

Kristin and I are back in Huaraz after seven days of backpacking the Huayhuash Loop, which many say is one of the best treks in the world. Well, we certainly took enough pictures that give some credit to that claim. I cannot say I've hiked enough to be able to rank treks on a global scale. However, we camped above 4400 meters (14,400 feet) every night and hiked over numerous 5000 meter (16,500 feet) passes. We saw several locals, only two other backpacking groups (with guides) and zero independent hikers in our week on the trail. As I can edit and upload photos, I'll start sharing our tale.

As for me and Kristin, we are enjoying our last day in Huaraz. We have been staying with our gracious friend, Gary, and his family. Tonight we take an overnight bus to Lima. We will spend half a day there, buying food, checking out the Miraflores District, and trying not to get shot. Then we have a lovely 22-hour bus ride to Cusco. Luckily, I have plenty of photos to edit, emails to catch-up on, and books to read.

My mom and her friend are meeting us in Cusco, which is the nearest city to Machu Pichu. After a week of exploring Incan ruins, Kristin and I will continue south to Arequipe, where we'll trek through the Colca Canyon. Then it's off to Lake Titicaca, across the Bolivian border, a week in La Paz with Brady, south through the Andes to the great salt flats (Salar de Uyuni), into Chile via San Pedro de Atacama, and finally arriving at Santiago towards the end of June.

Our itinerary for the next five weeks is actually planned because we have a flight from Santiago to San Francisco on June 23. That's right, we are flying home! We are very excited to see local friends and family. However, we will not stay long as we want to head west, over the Pacific, to wherever the wind takes us. Email me if you'll be around. Hope to see you soon!

Until the Huayhuash travel posts are ready, here is a little eye candy to tide you over:

More Jumping Photos

More stunning sceneries with glacial lakes and dramatic peaks.

More bad weather.

And more macro shots.

Also, on the right side of this blog are the Stats Page, which is current as of today, and the TarpTent Love Page, which shows our camp spots over the last eight months and is updated as of the Santa Cruz Loop.

Cordillera Blanca - The Santa Cruz Loop

Peru has three very popular treks: the Inca Trail to Machu Pichu, Colca Canyon, and the Santa Cruz Loop. We just returned from the latter of those three and had an absolutely amazing time. I don't know that the Santa Cruz Loop is ever really crowded. However, we were able to escape the main trail by exploring the seldom-visited side valleys. (Thanks Mark G. for the advice!) Also, our timing was perfect: too early for the high-season crowds, but just late enough to have good weather. We camped by ourselves every night. Despite hiking more miles, we finished the hike easily in four days. In fact, we only hiked two hours on the first day and one hour on the fourth day, meaning we only hiked for 2.5 days. The normal guided trip is 5-6 days, even with the help of mules. The scenery was breathtaking, as I hope these pictures convey a small percentage of what we experienced.

Not a bad lunch stop. This was after three colectivo rides, but before we hiked along the road, then hitched with an American family, then hiked more, and then hitched in the back of a chicken truck.

The start of the trail weaved through a small pueblo, where we were often greated by farm animals or scruffy kids asking for candy (carmelos).

The line at the pit toilets.

The clouds danced through the peaks all day long.

Almost to the top of the 4750 meter pass (Punto Union).

Another fantastic timed-photo with the help of my Gorillapod (tripod)

The view from our tent at sunrise. Just one of the many 5800-6600 meter peaks within view.

It is OK to be silly when no one is around. We had this entire lake and valley to ourselves. And yes, I need a belt. I think I have lost a bit of weight in South America.

And just how high were we? Why don't we check my handy altimeter watch. Over 4400 meters! We camped just below this lake, which would be like sleeping on top of Mt. Whitney in terms of altitude. Thanks Lauren for delivering this watch to Janie, who then mailed it to us.

We got off trail for a while and started hopping around these meandering river branches. The water was crystal clear.

We set up the tarp for our lunch break to protect us from the really intense sun and UV rays that are present in the high altitudes of the Andes.

Sunset from our campsite on the last night, high on a ridge and away from the trail but within earshot of the thundering river rapids. 

My Poor Mom

I think I make my mom nervous. I remind her of this fact every Mother's Day. I think I was climbing Mt. Shasta the last four years on Mother's Day. I once called her from above the chutes at the Red Banks at about 12,000 feet. Luckily she couldn't see where I was.

This year Kristin and I are in a decidedly different locale, but still find ourselves lost in the wilderness on Dia de Madres. We are heading 120 kilometers south of Huaraz to the Cordillera Huaywash (pronounced: why wash). This range is only 30 kilometers long but is supposed to be one of the best treks in the world. Very rugged, remote and with many mountain passes over 15,000 feet. The entire loop is supposed to take 10-12 days to hike, even with mules carrying  your food and gear. We are bringing 8 days worth of food but hope to complete the loop in 7 days.

So, mom, I am sorry I won't be able to call you on yet another Mother's Day. I hope you understand. If it makes you feel any better, Kristin can't call her mom either. And maybe, in the bigger picture, I'm doing you right by living my dreams, just as you taught me. Happy Mother's Day. Love, Danny.

Mom: Can't wait to see you in Cuzco in two weeks!

A Mountain Dream

Four months ago we were struggling through flooded rivers and knee-deep mud, trying to cross through the Cochamo Valley into Argentina. While stranded for a few days in the womb of the granite walls, we met a kindred spirit named Gary. He insisted we visit him in Huaraz, Peru. He said the trekking was spectacular and endless.

Well, here we are. And Gary was right. In only a few days I can tell this place is amazing. We could spend months here and never tread the same trail. My friend, Mark G, did exactly that. He spent 3.5 months in Peru, using Huaraz as his home base for a good part of that. World-class hiking, he said. More than 600 glaciers and 35 peaks over 6000 meters tall. How could we go wrong?

Unfortunately, we have only 2-3 weeks here. So without wasting any time, tomorrow we start the famous Santa Cruz Loop, which we hope to hike in 4 days (normally 5-6). After that, we head a little south to do the 10-day Huayhuash Loop (pronounced "why wash"). I can't tell you how excited Kristin and I are!

Oh, and we somehow managed to bring the "Cochamo Curse" with us - it has rained every day that we have been here, despite being the dry season.

Wild flowers in full bloom, brightening up an otherwise dreary day.

Friends at the end of the trail.

Wide-open views.

Following an ancient irrigation channel carved through the rocks at 13,500 feet.

Gary and Kristin with big smiles . . . just before the storm.

The End of Ecuador

In coming to Ecuador, we had a pretty specific idea of what we wanted to do and how long we would spend there. That was a first for us. Usually we have only a vague idea and plans eventually change regardless. Amazingly, we also stuck to our initial schedule. Two weeks, only the mountains, Quito to Vilcabamba.

First, Where We Did Not Go:

• The beach. The surfing is supposed to be great, but we have seen plenty of great beaches but not enough mountains.
• The jungle. We have been bitten by enough jungle mosquitoes to last a lifetime.
• Mindo, a cloudforest near Quito. We just spent a week in Colombia's cloudforests, which were free and empty of travelers.
• Mito del Mundo (Middle of the World) - A giant tourist trap that is full of science experiments that prove you are on the equator. That sounds cool, except that the structure is not on the equator (as proven by more advanced GPS measurements) AND the science experiments are fake (they are more magic than science). 
• Otovalo and around - Renown for the local handcrafts, we skipped these towns because we never buy anything, a lot of the items are actually mass manufactured, and, according to a well traveled-friend, the markets in Guatemala are better. 
• Galapagos Islands - More important than the exhorbidant costs of a trip to the islands, Ecaudor has poorly managed development so much so that the area is considered an endangered habitat. From what I gather, the tourism industry is generally doing a decent job in respecting the environment. The rampant growth of buildings and infrastructure and pollution is due to the uninhibited migration of Ecuadorians looking for jobs on the island. The government has done little to nothing to protect the nature that makes the Galapagos such a unique biosphere, and therefore, such a world renown eco-tourism attraction.

Soooo, where did we go? South along the Andes via Quito, Iliniza Norte, Machachi, Cotopaxi area, Baños, Quilotoa, Cuenca and Vilcabamba. I expected the Andes in Ecuador to be bigger and more wild, but they were mostly rolling green hills and completely farmed. There is virtually no wilderness camping to be done in the entire country. Quilatoa was easily the highlight of our trip, due to the unspoiled culture, magnificent hike, friendly locals and lack of tourist infrastructure.

The volcanoes certainly stand out as most are above 5000 meters and glaciated. Some are easy walk-ups while others are very technically demanding. We hoped to climb Cotopaxi (5897 meters / 19347 feet), which is a lot higher than either of have ever been, as well as slightly more technical than anything we climbed before. Alas, it was not to happen as a crucial snow bridge had collapsed, rendering the largest crevasse impassable. Luckily we discovered this issue two days before we were to climb . . . as opposed to acquantances who found out the hard way - during their climb.

Honestly, I am glad I saw Ecuador but I do not have any desire to return. The food was typically horrible, with the exception of a few vegetarian restaurants which were cheap and healthy but not amazing. We had the worst run of hostels yet, even though we sometimes paid more, only to get shafted on something. The bus drivers were the least helpful. The police are corrupt. The tourist district in Quito is the most dangerous place in the city. Usually the touristy areas are safer as cities strive to protect the tourism industry.

Of course, most of the pictures are of the wonderful things that we saw. Thank you Becca B. for the great ideas on where to go, whose itinerary we followed almost exactly. Thank you Rich Meyer, for assisting us with our climbing efforts, such as good beta, guide recommendation, and acclimitization plan.


Iliniza Norte, at 5100+ meters, is the high point in our relationship. It also was more than breathtaking, a little scary at times, and we were the only people in the entire park.


Cotopaxi at sunrise, as seen from our tent. Beautiful views, worst hostel experience ever.


Lake Quilatoa at sunset.


In our hike around Lake Quilatoa, we passed only one other pair of hikers.


A great hike with good views above Baños on a rare day of few clouds.


Ecuador's national dish: guinea pig. Does this make you want to be vegetarian?



The view from our hostel in Cuenca. This is a scenic, tranquil college town with an absurd number of historic churches. It also has (at least) two excellent vegetarian restaurants.


The best hiking in Ecuador: Vilcabamba. Advertised as the Valley of Eternal Youth, we couldn't tell if it lived up to it's slogan, but it certainly was pretty and had lots of good food. While the area wasn't wilderness as it was all used for grazing animals, the land was still less altered than in any other mountainous area in Ecuador. You can see the tiny town of Vilcabamba to the right of the central peak.

Oh Ecuador

Ecuador is leading the slow race when it comes to internet access: slow down- and up-load speeds, spotty connections, frequent downtime, and the fewest wifi spots. We have gone to hostels specifically because they have wifi, only to find that the workers don't know their own passwords, haven't a clue as to what to do if the connection is lost, and don't seem to care if the wifi goes down. They don't offer an apology, let alone a discount, even though backpackers like us choose their hostel because it has wifi. So goes the modern backpacker.

I can't post many pictures because I have not been able to upload them to Picasa yet. It may be another week before that happens. So far, we have been to Quito, Machachi/Papaguyo to hike Iliniza Norte, Cotopaxi area, Quilatoa, Banos,  and Cuenca. We are in Vilcabamba now and will soon make a run for the border. We hope to be in Huaraz, Peru by the first of May.

We have also been surprised at the uniformity of the Andes in Ecuador. Besides a few awe-inspiring volcanoes, the terrain here is rugged hills, very green and almost completely farmed. We have traveled far and wide along this mountain range, and we have yet to come across a hillside that is not cultivated. Even the national parks have evidence of cattle grazing. The hills/mountains have looked the same for the last two weeks of traveling. I thought there would be more variance, and I thought that I would be able to find more wilderness. Wrong on both counts.

During our exciting hike around Lake Quilotoa.

Enjoying the fresh mountain air near Cotopaxi.