Andean Bouldering: the Secret Spots of Huaraz

Jon Clarke explores the slab boulders of the Peruvian Andes as well as loses the little skin in the process.

Article as well as images by Jon Clarke

Ive been since the value map. we came upon it, similar to any great value map, through means as well difficult to report here. Before the cutlasses come out, this bounty isnt to everyones taste: white slab boulders, studded with big, fat, unpleasant crystals.

It started with the outing from my current home locale of Trujillo, Peru, to the locale of Huaraz in the Cordillera Blanca. we had planned upon starting hiking, though the value mapa bouldering topochanged everything, with difference similar to beautiful bluish lake, small paradise, and, ominously, horrendously great friction.

Im the fool for secret spots, as well as this seemed to be just that. Before we knew it, bouldering had stolen the top mark between my reasons for visiting Huaraz.

Arrival as well as (dis)organization

Im not most of the planner when it comes to trips. we had the conduct start with the topo, though we still showed up in locale without any gear or internal knowledge.

Against all the odds, my skeleton fell together in less than the day, interjection to the CouchSurfing friend, Franck Beteta Vela of Andes Camp, who bound me up with shoes, chalk, tent, sleeping bag, as well as all the trappings compulsory to get out of town.

Accessing the internal stone rock stone climbing village was laughably simple. Twenty mins spent hanging around Andean Kingdom as well as Galaxia Expeditions. nearby Parque Periodista allowed me to chat, in smooth Spanglish, to the integrate of the stone rock stone climbing guides as well as set up the joint outing to the internal spot.

It tur ned out to be flattering easy to get the Peruvian stone rock stone climbing buddy; besides their willingness to heap giveaway advice upon me, the guides were also looking for an forgive to go stone rock stone climbing in their giveaway time.

Meltwater as well as sorcery boulders

The initial mark we visited was Keushu, the really same place the topo had pimped.
A bumpy combi ride to Yungay followed by the outing in the colectivo cab brought me to Llanganuco Lodge, run by the hospitable Charlie Good as well as his faithful chase Shackleton. we was already in receive of the topo, though Charlie offering me the Lodges duplicate anyway.

A reduced travel away, we was lake-side, in operation of the little 90 problems widespread over 21 boulders. As the topo warned, the infancy of the problems had wily sit-starts, though we managed to tick the few down upon the medium end of the scale.

I was still woozy from the altitude jump, as well as it was somewhat surreal operative the problems in the undiluted silence as well as calm of Keushu, overlooked by the glacial peaks of Huandoy as well as Huarascan. we didnt wish to leave, though we had the integrate of tip-offs for alternative spots.

Back in Huaraz, we assimilated forces with the integrate of new bouldering compaeros as well as headed down to Huanchac, the best-known internal bouldering spot. Located the 5-sole cab ride from town, Huanchac is the selection of six large boulders lying between tall trees, the integrate months value of problems for those sticking around.

Squeezed in-between the boulders, we encountered Roger, the internal traveller training for his towering guiding exam, charging up all in huge towering boots. A traveller named Gil, the towering m! ale from Colorado, bellowed in victory as he mantled the last moves of the wily overhang which hed been working, upon as well as off, for the week. A cow-herding seora showed up mid-session to claim site ownership as well as the propina; we kept her sweet with the integrate of soles.

A great place to lose skin

Despite the distractions, all was starting well until we slipped one as well most times off the same pierce and, with the dull tug, felt the skin rip off my fingertips. All the tape in the world couldnt arrange my digits out, so for the following day we was cramped to the role of spotter, as we bumped from Huaraz up towards the foothills of the Cordillera, headed for the Lazy Dog Inn.

Soon after, we wandered around the little really large boulders as Creedence Clearwater Revival played upon the nearby CD player. The problems were twenty to thirty feet in the little spots, so the climbers carefully picked their approach up the chalked holds as we as well as the alternative spotters waited apprehensively the little stretch below, hands at the ready.

The midges were out for the blood, so after the integrate of hours, we retired to the hospitality of the Lazy Dog for the really welcome cerveza.

I couldnt face an additional day examination from the sidelines, so we motionless to cut my outing reduced as well as retreat to the coast. Still waiting for me have been the 140-plus boulders in Hatun Machay as well as the large problems dark in the valleys which breeze up in to the Cordillera.

With the tent, sleeping bag, stove, as well as enough food for the integrate of days, anyone can hike up in to the foothills as well as get the event to put up new problems upon inexperienced rock. So as soon as my fingers have been healed, Ill be back up to Huaraz to cling to from the injure tissue.

About the Author: Jon Clarke likes to play with words, understand people, as well as vice-versa. Global wanderings have taken him all over the place, n! odding a s well as smiling in the variety of different incomprehensible situations. If we wish to know some-more about where hes been, what hes up to, as well as what he thinks of it all, we can keep track via his Interweb diary-thingy, A Jolly Nice Outing.

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