Trip Reports

Bolivian Climber - 1 to 22 Jul '06

Written by Leader Mungo Ross, August 2006

The first "Bolivian Climber" team have just left La Paz to fly home after 3 weeks of perfect weather and conditions in Bolivia. The initial days of seeing La Paz, driving across the Altiplana to Lake Titicaca and visiting the Island of the Sun were a pleasant and relaxing prelude to the first spell in the mountains.

Several days at Condoriri, including everyone summiting Point Austria (5,300m), culminated in 5 of the 7 in the team summiting Pequeno Alpamayo (5,400m); the "team" being Cathy, Norman, Ken, Jeremy, Dorrien, Neal and David . Ken turned back not long after leaving camp in the morning, and Neal decided to stop at the col before the summit slopes. Pequeno Alpamayo is a particularly fine "little" mountain with a real Alpine feel, offering some very exposed climbing on what was superb neve.

This initial success set us up for the same 5 enjoying an ascent of Huayana Potosi (6,094m), again in superb conditions. The summit team experienced an alternitive finish with the local guides taking them up the very exposed final ridge, in order to avoid the crouds on the more usual summit slope.

After a welcome, if almost too comfortable rest day back at the Ritz in La Paz, it was on to Illimani (6,462m) - our main objective. After everyone settled in to high camp at 5,400m, only one of the group, Jeremy, actually summitted, the others either not setting out, or choosing to turn back for the various reasons of cold, not feeling well enough and altitude. This was an altitude personal best for all the team and they all learned a lot from the experience. They all felt that Illimani is a much bigger mountain than the others and offers a major challenge.

Support throughout the expedititon from our local guides and cook team was faultless and the group have gone home with memories of not just climbing in Bolivia, but of living in Bolivia.

Mungo Ross, expedition leader« Previous report | Next report »

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