Huayna Potosi, part of the Cordillera Real, is the the most accessible/popular trekking peak from La Paz, Bolivia, due to its proximity to El Alto, and also the fact you can drive all the way to the base camp at 4700m, around Zongo Lake. This results in an altitude gain of just under 1400m, in order to reach the summit at 6088m.
Some people have erroneously called Huayna Potosi the "easiest" 6000m peak to ascend - I believe there are others. There are crevasses, steep inclines, and exposed ridges, and one should be familiar with the use of crampons and ice axe; it is not merely a walk.
Although I had been in La Paz and Titicaca for several days, including hiking to Pico Austria* (5300m) the day before, we chose to spend some effort acclimatizing, by starting the hike from Chacaltaya (5300m). By starting high on a ridge, we descended to a relatively "comfortable" altitude of 4700m at the first refugio.
Second day, it took 2 hours 40 minutes to climb up to the highest high camp - there are 4 high camps - at 5300m. We were the only ones in that camp, the big groups staying in 2 lower camps, but the location meant there was no water tanks, so we had to melt snow from outside the camp for water.
Waking at 0130 hrs for a snack and to change into climbing gear, we set off at 0230 hrs. I could see that all the other groups had started much earlier and were way in front, while we crunched through the packed snow trail.
My acclimatized body allowed me to overtake a few other trekkers, on the way to the summit. When the sun rose at 0630 hrs, we could see trekkers heading up, some beginning to descend, and some on the small summit, taking photos.
I was on the summit at 0730 hrs, five hours after setting off from high camp, and was back by 0945 hrs at high camp. After a short rest and changing, continued descending to arrive at base camp refugio at 1230 hrs, making it a 10-hour day.
Link to Pico Austria* Hike - • PICO AUSTRIA - The bes...
15 окт 2024
