Huayhuash Trek

Tappe, tempi (comprese le soste) e distanze
22/06/2015   Huaratz - Huayhuash - ore  - 141 km
22/06/2015   Pocpa - Cuartelwain - ore  3:57 - 12.5 km
23/06/2015   Cuartelwain - Mitucocha - ore  4:55 - 8.1 km
24/06/2015   Mitucocha - Carhuacocha - ore  4:46 - 9.3 km
24/06/2015   Laguna-Mitucocha -  - ore  2:13 - 6.4 km
25/06/2015   Carhuacocha - Huayhuash - ore  6:12 - 13.6 km
26/06/2015   Huayhuash - Viconga - ore  4:56 - 11.4 km
27/06/2015   Viconga - Guanacpatay - ore  4:07 - 8.6 km
27/06/2015   Guanacpatay - Laguna - ore  1:39 - 3.6 km
28/06/2015   Guanacpatay - Huayllapa - ore  7:55 - 16.2 km
29/06/2015   Huayllapa - Qashpapampa - ore  6:56 - 11.5 km
30/06/2015   Qashpapampa - Jahuacocha - ore  4:18 - 9.2 km
30/06/2015   Juraucocha - Laguna - ore  2:38 - 6.9 km
01/07/2015   Jahuacocha - Llamac - ore  4:30 - 15.0 km

The Trek
Here’s the itinerary and trail description for our 10-day circuit:

Day 1: From the trailhead in Popca, the trail travels east along a mining road that follows the Rio Llamac. We camped at Quartelhuain (4,170m

Day 2: The day began with an immediate 600m climb up Cacananapunta pass (4,680m) that begins just past the campsite. Cresting the pass, the trail heads west toward Jancahunyi, then turns south to Janca until it crosses the Rio Janca. Tha camp is near Laguna Mitucocha and offers great views of Nevados Jirishanca, Mituraju, Rondoy, and Ninashanca.

Day 3: From Laguna Mitucocha the trail begins to climb the second major pass of the day, Carhuac or Yanapunta (4,630m). After the pass, the trail continues south through Quebrada Yanayana to the Incahuain campsite alongside Laguna Carhuacocha (4,138m)

Day 4: The main trail continues south while an alternate trail winds westward around the lake and heads past the three lakes of Gangrajanca (4,245m), Suila (4,290m), and Quesillococha (4,332m). This alternate route is well worth the additional mileage and provides great views of the lakes and periodic avalanches falling from the glaciated peaks along the lakes’ western edge. Past the lakes, the trail rises to the pass of Suila Punta (4,830m). Looking back, you can see Nevados Suila Grande, Jurau B, and Jurau A rising from the lakes below. The rest of the day is an easy jaunt downhill through the pampa (swamp) toward camp at Huayhuash (4,350m).

Day 5: The trail heads uphill through the pampa above Huayhuash, past Laguna Mitacocha (4485m), and over Portachuelo de Huayhuash (4780m). After dropping from the pass, the trail continues along Laguna Viconga (4453m) and then through another, much smaller pass of several hundred meters. On the other side, with a dam immediately to the left, the trail winds down into the valley and heads southwest over the pampa to the campsite at the Agua Termal (4365m).

Day 6: Backtracking a short distance, the trail heads back a short way to begin heading northwest toward Punta Cuyoc (4,950m), which has some of the best views of the entire circuit of the major peaks to the north. Over the pass, the trail heads down to the camp in the valley (4,462m) below Nevado Cuyoc.

Day 7: We climbed at Mt. San Antonio Pass (5,020m) and then descended (very step path) to Calinga (4290m) in the bottom of Hauyallapa Valley.  Followed this valley and joined the main route of Quebrada.  We headed west and descend until we reached the town of  Huallapa (3,490m). Huallapa has a campsite and several small place for resupplies.

Day 8: Nearly all day the trail gradually, and at times not so gradually, ascended from Huallapa (3,490m) through Quebrada Huatiaq to the pass at Tapush Punta (4,820m). A short descent from the pass past Laguna Susucocha (4,740m) drops you into camp in Quebrada Gashpampa at around 4,550m.

Day 9: The trail heads east, goes down and then climb to another pass at Llaucha Punta (4,850m), then goes north and heads down to camp at the beautiful Laguna Jahuacocha (4,050m).  This is probably the most beautiful spot on the entire trail.

Day 10: The trail descend slowly gradually along a path on the side of Rio Achin Valley then plummets into the valley of the Rio Llamac to arrive in Llamac, just west of the starting point in Pocpa.

Entry Fees
The Circuit is not located in a national park. Instead of a park entry fee, each community that the trail passes through charges trekkers their own semi-official fee.
The fee is ostensibly for conservation or protection, but it basically operates as an entry fee and we think the campesinos use it for bear and alchool.
We were told to expect anywhere from 175-250 soles for the total cost of the fees and ended up paying a lot more. The fees in each community ranged usually is 50 soles for the camp, but you may find someone asking you a fee to use a path.
 Be sure to keep your billet (ticket) handy once you’ve paid because it will be checked often.
You’ll also need to bring many soles and small bills because change may not be available.

Provisions
Day 7  is the only resupply point on the Circuit in Huallapa (the only village).
You may find something to drink (coca-cola bear and water) in Viconga and  Jahuacocha