Huaraz, one of the best highs

I cannot find it in a book or on a website. The destinations of my travels are found in organic conversations. 

Huaraz came from a conversation I had with Aimee and Scott in Julian, Calif. At some local brewery, we sat and chatted about how beautiful nature and beer were. Aimee had just given birth to a beautiful boy. As she nurtured him, Scott told me stories of a place called Huaraz in Peru.

Here in Julian,  it was the middle of October apple harvest, which meant it was warm during the day but an ounce of shade could cool your body a whole degree. Quiet early mornings and hikes in solitude were great preparation for Huaraz. 

Just like Julian, it is a hikers paradise. An hour flight from the sandy city  Lima into the snow covered Andes where rivers, trees and animals grazed the landscape. It was destination barely mentioned in travel books unlike the coastal and Amazonian counterparts.

Lately, the mountains have been such a calling, their beauty, history and function "They are the origin." In Peru, people see faces of their gods in the mountains. I can see it too, the consciousness of one. The feeling of being on top of a mountain is so mesmerizing- makes me feel so minute. It reminds me we are all one little part of an amazing natural world.

The plane to Huaraz was the smallest I have ever flown in and 3/4 packed with local Peruvians. I sat in the first seat with a tall English man who came for some peace and quiet. He is also a travel blogger and we exchanged URLs: andrewchum.blogspot.co.uk

Off the plane, you walk to the main road and catch a taxi to town. I winged it and found AndesCamp hostel fairly quickly for accommodation.  It was a quiet here- end of February (wet season) and most people are gone all day(s) off trekking the mountains that line the shackled city. There are a lot of earthquakes in this region, leaving the town with a shaky foundation and the metal sheet construction leaves a cold feel.

I cruised the city and tried my best to get acclimatized to the near 10,000 ft. elevation. I headed out early the next day to go on one of the most impressive scenic day hikes, Lake 69. Sitting at 15,000 ft., this glacial lake sits below Pisco and Chacraraju Mts., which are both a part of the Cordillera Blanca range.

Before you even get to the trail, the van stops to take in the beauty of Llanganuco Valley. It holds Lake Chinancocha, the blue water is so desirable but the temperature is not so undesirable. The beginning of the hike is somewhat of a game to not bother the cows and their calves while dodging the massive mounds of poop. The 'peak'-a-boo views of Huascaran mountain, highest in the Cordillera Blanca, keeps distracting me. 

Soon all the focus is on my breathing as I pass through streams, which turn into small rivers when coming down. The trail is a steep incline and the rocky terrain slows your preferred pace. The main incline sends you into another small valley that is moist and can sink your feet into black mud at any second. 

It was a pleasure running and sliding through the grassy field so I stopped for a sandwich and a rest before the last portion of the hike. The valley was covered in a fog with sporadic waterfalls coming down the sides of the surrounding mountain faces- gave off such an ethereal feel. 

I struggled a lot up the last part, taking breaks every ten feet but when someone passed me coming down they gave those encouraging words and let me know how close it was. Soon enough I was there in front of the glowing blue lake. So blue the color froze the tips of my fingertips and nose. If an iceberg could melt on earth and retain its temperature it would be Lake 69.

The group of us smiled, hugged, and shared food. I washed my crystals in the pure water and shared an intention ceremony with a French woman. The experience had made us a community- we all achieved something today!

Day two

With the longest and hardest day hike in my experience box, I went for something a little novel. Even higher in elevation at 17,000 ft., Pastoruri Glacier is another full day hike. The two hour drive takes us 50 miles south of Huaraz, passing small towns that sit along a beautiful river.

As I sat at the glaciers edge, the snow started to fall. Amazing to think you could be so close to an important feature of nature. This glacier feeds the streams that go to the rivers that create water to grow crops and nourish the millions of people in Peru.

The glacier is such a symbol of balance and endurance. It could endure so long as it made the conditions a little too unbearable for me to stay, for a glacier needs to be alone to keep its depth.

Day three

The last day was set aside to stick around Huaraz and see what else you could do here if you weren't so keen on hiking. Supposedly there were hot springs that you could hike to from some ancient ruins.

First off to Willkawain ruins, a three tiered stone temple that sat at the top of a village. Filled with rooms I wasn't sure what there unique purpose was but one gave me a embracing invitation to stay and meditate. 

The hike down to the hot springs started off amazing. Caught in the rain, I saw a family plowing their farm with a large ox. Then I walked through a village that seemed to clear out to town. Right before finding the hillside trail, I walked past some smoldering fires tended by their  residents. Who knows their exact age,really old, but they had good strength as I watched them work for a while.

For the next couple of hours I wondered the hills, lost of course, I embraced that real sense of adventure. No idea where I was going I just took in the views of clouds above and valley below. Soon I ran into a man who helped me get to the hot springs. He had to sho' off some mean dogs who could definitely tell I was not from these parts.

And in these parts, hot springs are not what you might think. Warm clear water endlessly bubbling from the heat, not. Think Willy Wonka's chocolate river pumped into a pool. Not as warm as I hoped but a unique treat. I swam near the whole that seemed to be letting in the only heat. It all felt good on the three days of hiking my feet took on.

The place I randomly stumbled upon in a conversation was more than a village because after I climbed the trails and hung with the people it was an experience. Huaraz was the ultimate high of my trip to Peru.