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Adventure Trip to Peru – 21000-Feet Climbing Nevado Coropuna

November 2, 2011 - Posted in Planning Trip to Peru

I love the mountains, maybe because I grew up in Minnesota, where nothing at all. I praise God for being able to live in a beautiful canyon, surrounded by high mountains. The problem with this is that I always want to go. Whenever I go to Cotahuasi in Arequipa, you Coropuna Nevado Nevado and Suns mana tempt me. The road seems to have been designed to provide many views of the mountain can be difficult, as it folds around them and between them.
A year ago, I met Carlos, who was one of the translators who work with the team’s mission Pause. He has an adventure travel company in Lima, as well as mountaineering. He said he would get Cotahuasi and sometimes climbing with me. We finally have the chance to do last week. I met him and his friend, Hugo, where the road runs along Coropuna, last Wednesday evening at 11:30. They had arrived by bus from Arequipa, El Misti after climbing a few days before. Coincidentally there was another man who descended from the bus, which passes Coropuna. Dennis had come alone and intends to go alone, so I offered him a ride to base camp. He visited with us for a bit, “then said he would enjoy the almost full moon and begin to rise at 01:00″ We saw the top of the snow the next afternoon, and again to the rocky coast, but did not see it later. We hope that you have taken a different route than the one we are accustomed and secure back! We camped in the base camp at the end of the road , at 16,000 feet.
We thought of going to high camp on Thursday and then they peak and come back Friday. I was first on the field and had 3 1 / 2 hours (without backpack) so we’re not afraid to get a quick start. We were late, had breakfast, lunch and left at about 11:00. We are a slow but steady pace, stopping to rest and arrived safely at high camp (18,200 feet) at about 5:00 p.m.. I felt good and really knew the way, so I led the team, sometimes continue to ensure that we are on track. It is a good way up, but the tracks use a lot, sometimes openly, sometimes hard to follow. We camped and enjoyed a beautiful sunset in the direction of Mana Suns. But once the sun goes down, it became very cold, so we had dinner in a hurry and went to bed. Sure it would get cold at night, so many clothes that I had my inner 20 degrees F. sleeping bag that could barely turn around. Finally, I made some fleece jackets when I realized I’m not that cold. I’m not sure if it was the altitude, arousal or tea at bedtime, but I’m not a very good sleep. The plan was to get up at 3:30, but I do not think we have published, but we went around 5:30, walk to the bare rock on the ridge. At 8:00 we reached an area where snow seems easier than the rocks, so we put on our crampons and ropes together and begins to climb the snow.
This was my first time using crampons and ice axes and roped. It was quite good, except that the Penitentes (glaciated peaks of snow on a knife) were strong and hard and the rope kept getting hung up. We were delighted to be above them in the snow and slippery, which makes it much easier to climb. It was a technically easy climb, he could not do without the snow machine climbing, it was tiring because of the altitude. You may have read about the “25 steps, rest, repeat, repeat:” Well, that was the case. There were a few gaps that we made the turn, but nothing serious. At 12:30 we were in top 21 markers, 079 feet! Apparently, someone had taken the upper register, so we made our record of performance. I was using non-prescription sunglasses so I could not really see what the view was clear from there. I went to adjust my glasses, but when I got off the sunglasses was so bright that I put them away. The weather was clear and sunny, and he never was a great wind was about 25 degrees above. After about 30 minutes walking around and taking pictures, we returned. I expected a lot easier to be broken but I was very tired from the climb and sleep deprivation. Perhaps the lack of oxygen that was me, but I never really felt like I was living altitude sickness, others a slight headache in the evening. I was glad they were related to each other, I feel like a zombie.
Before returning to high camp at about 5:00, we realized too late to reduce the car so we have a night at 18,200 feet. We had not planned on that, so not much food with us, but we do not really know how much appetite at all. But we were out of water to melt the snow had potable water for tea and the next day. We ate a little and went to bed, when it was dark. Shortly after going to bed, I suddenly began to cough a bit. “What worries me a bit because I respect Hiram Bingham their first summit in 1911 uncontrolled coughing has been read and all had problem because of altitude sickness. However, a drop of lemon caused the problem and everything was fine after that, except not being able to sleep again. In the morning we were all feeling better and he brings it down base camp at about 2 1 / 2 hours, with a more direct route that we had to come. We were also able to “ski” to some sand hills. We had more to eat, and celebrate our ascension to the success of canned peaches, which is a tradition of my climbing partners. This replaces climbing El Misti (19,101 feet) that my peak.
When we went to Cotahuasi, we can hardly stop looking at where we only lasted until you get closer to Mana Suns, they agreed to plan our ascent of this for next year! It is down the mountain, “only” 19,990 feet, but rather a technical climb. It is also difficult to reach, can not drive to base camp, as we did with Coropuna. I think I better go to the discovery of the flight path.