Santa Cruz part 2

After we made the top of the Punta union pass we still had another 4 hours down the other side to camp that night. We were all feeling fairly exhausted by the time we got there. Our camp that night was at Quenapompa (3750m) much lower and next to a river.

Day 4. I was expecting a short downhill walk out of the valley, but this was not to be! It turned out to be a short down hill followed by very uphill slog out of the valley. Most of the group were finishing the trek when we arrived at the village of Vacuerria at lunch time. Me, Antti and Julie were having an extra day and night added on the trek to make a side trip to Laguna 69. Dieter had astounded us the night before by announcing that he was considering staying with us for this extra day. Luckily by breakfast, due to it being a little cloudy and the fact that I had engineered a a conversation with a couple of the others detailing what a tough route it was going to be (its not), he had changed his mind.


Male Lupins

We finished the trek at about lunch time and from there picked up a bus to Cebollapampa 3900m, where we parted company with the others and set up camp for the night.



Waiting for the bus at the end of the trek


The next morning we had an early start up the valley floor to begin the climb up to Laguna 69  (4620m). It was good to set off early because alot of people do this walk as an acclimatization trip from Huaraz, and our early start meant that we would be up and most of the way back beofre the hoards arrived. The Laguna, when we arrived just under 3 hours later, was the most exquisite blue colour, surrounded by snowy peaks. Sadly it was a bit cloudy so we didnt get to see the true colour in all its sparkeling glory .

We raced back down to pack up the camp and head back to Huaraz and a steak and wine dinner! Once I got back to town, I had a couple of responses to my notices that I'd put up in the cafes to organize a group for the next trek, The Huayhuash.


Santa cruz trek "map"