| Nevado Ampato - 20,630 feet Dec. 5th & 6th | | | | up the draw to the glacier, so that is the way we |
| I had asked a guide friend of mine from Lima about | | | | went, even though we soon lost any sign of a trail. |
| the driving directions to Ampato, and he said that | | | | At 9:40 we were at the base of the glacier at |
| after turning off the main highway, it was hard to | | | | 19,400 feet, where we had to make a decision about |
| follow the route (they had done it at night, and only | | | | the best way to proceed. The slope to the left of |
| as passengers). He also said that the local guides here | | | | the glacier was steep and sandy, where it met the |
| keep it a secret so it would be hard to get the | | | | glacier was strewn with large rocks and boulders; and |
| information, but to check with Julver Castro, a friend | | | | the glacier was covered in penitentes. Neither of |
| of his whom I know, and he might help. I also have | | | | them was very appealing, but we chose to put on |
| some connections with Miguel Zarate and one of his | | | | crampons and go up the glacier. |
| guides gave me a map. The route still wasn't too | | | | It was a tiring climb, but at 11:40 we had reached the |
| clear, so on Wednesday morning I called Julver and | | | | plateau on top of the glacier at about 20,000 feet. |
| asked if he could give us more information. He readily | | | | Off to the right was a high broad dome of a false |
| agreed and invited us over to help us out. He | | | | summit that could be seen from the beginning. Ahead |
| showed us detailed photos of the climbing route and | | | | of us was the true summit plateau but there was no |
| drew a road map with all the landmarks, especially for | | | | direct access to it. The best way appeared to be to |
| the turns, and even offered to help with any needed | | | | climb the ridge to the left and then follow the ridge |
| gear. In addition to being a really great guy, he is | | | | to the summit plateau, where the step up to the top |
| IFMGA certified and one of the best mountain guides | | | | was the shortest. Off to our left was another peak, |
| in Arequipa, if you have need for one. | | | | which both Smiley and Nathan thought looked higher |
| After a big lunch, we started for Ampato, which we | | | | than what I said was the summit. After a short |
| were told was about a five-hour drive. It starts on | | | | discussion and continued disagreement, I checked my |
| the same road that goes to Colca Canyon, which is | | | | cell phone and found out that I have service. I called |
| for the most part a good highway. They were doing | | | | Julver, who confirmed that the plateau in front of us |
| road construction shortly before the turn off for | | | | was the summit, but for some reason Smiley and |
| Ampato, so we had a couple off-road detours. The | | | | Nathan wouldn't believe it. They insisted on going to |
| road passes through a vicuña preserve, and | | | | the peak on the left, while I started for what looked |
| we saw a number of them right near the road. We | | | | like a route to climb the ridge between there and the |
| also stopped at an interpretive center, where the | | | | summit. |
| road crosses a high swampy plain. It had lots of | | | | By this time I was really getting tired, and was |
| interesting information about the area, including the | | | | somewhat frustrated by our inability to agree on |
| plants, animals and the mountains, so it was an | | | | what was the true summit. I soon had a more |
| interesting and worthwhile stop. We soon came to | | | | serious problem when I ran into a glacier swamp and |
| our turn off, which we easily recognized due to | | | | plunged one foot into ice-cold water. My boots |
| Julver's good information. On the right side of the | | | | weren't waterproof and my foot was really cold. By |
| road there is a stop sign (PARE) above a sign for | | | | this time Smiley and Nathan had acknowledged their |
| Patapampa and Ampl, and on the left side a small | | | | mistake and were circling around on the ridge. The |
| concrete building. | | | | route I was on was steep and I was going very |
| The road from there to Ampato is like many of the | | | | slowly, and they had soon passed in front of me and |
| roads on the high plains here, just a path worn | | | | were going for the summit plateau. I hollered to them |
| through use, meandering around the boulders, hills and | | | | that I was going to turn back and head down, much |
| gullies. It helped that we could see the snow capped | | | | to my regret. By 1:17 they had passed the rough |
| summit of Ampato looming above us in the distance. | | | | rocks on the ridge and were cruising towards the |
| However when the road turned and headed down | | | | summit as I worked my way back around the |
| into a small canyon, and seemed to be going away | | | | swamp. After a short 3rd class climb, they were both |
| from the mountain, I began to get worried. I thought | | | | on the summit at 1:29 pm. |
| Julver said we crossed the canyon, but the road | | | | I reached the edge of the glacier about 2:00 and |
| didn't do that. The other problem was that we could | | | | started down the sandy slope but soon moved over |
| no longer see the mountain, and we continued to go | | | | to the rocks due to the steep traverse. By the time |
| down in elevation. There was no other option though, | | | | they had caught up to me about an hour later, my |
| so we continued on the now very rocky road; (for | | | | toes were totally numb. Thankfully the sun had finally |
| this part I would recommend a 4x4) and finally the | | | | come out and the weather had warmed up some, |
| canyon opened up to a plain and we started climbing | | | | but it didn't help my feet. Smiley made the ultimate |
| back up. I was very happy when we came to the | | | | sacrifice by warming my frozen feet on his stomach! |
| cemetery Julver had drawn on the map, and relieved | | | | Nathan had twisted his knee when he post holed in |
| to again be able to see the mountain ahead of us. | | | | the deep snow on the summit ridge so he kept on |
| Soon after that we passed the refuge called Sallalli, | | | | descending as he was going slower. Smiley's feet |
| which consisted of a few well constructed but run | | | | were also wet and I offered to return the favor but |
| down stone buildings. A few minutes after this, we | | | | he must have better circulation and his feet weren't |
| turned off of the "main" road at 16,400 feet and | | | | as cold, so we headed on down. I was hoping the |
| followed some jeep tracks straight towards the base | | | | sun had warmed up the van enough that it would |
| of the mountain. | | | | start and wanted to get down there before it |
| Ampato is usually advertised as a two or three day | | | | started to get cold again. We made good time going |
| climb, with the driving to and from Arequipa usually | | | | down and were at the van at 4:35, (for a 10 hour |
| done during the night. We arrived at the 16,540-foot | | | | total time). Would it start? After a quick prayer I |
| base camp at 5:30 pm and quickly decided to again | | | | gave it a try and it started. Thank you Lord! It had |
| sleep as low as possible and attempt the summit as | | | | been a hard day for all of us, so we decided to go |
| a day hike the following day. The jeep trail did | | | | on down to the Refuge and sleep there, as it was |
| continue up, so we planned to drive as far as | | | | lower. Then we would go to Chivay in the morning, |
| possible in the morning and then start hiking. Smiley | | | | to climb Nevado Mismi, which is the source of the |
| and I set up our tent in one of the nice sandy tent | | | | Amazon River. |
| sites, but Nathan chose to sleep in the comfort of | | | | We hadn't seen anyone there when we passed by |
| the van rather than the low tent he was using that | | | | the Refuge the day before, but an old man |
| didn't have room to sit up in. In the morning, in spite | | | | responded to our honks and calls, and came to meet |
| of having mixed kerosene in with the diesel fuel, the | | | | us. We were still sitting in the van, with a mangy |
| van wouldn't start. It seemed to be a combination of | | | | looking dog right outside the door. He assured us the |
| the cold (25º F.) and the altitude that caused | | | | dog was friendly so we got out. We asked about |
| the problem, either one alone and it would start, | | | | staying there, which he said we could; and when I |
| although it didn't like it. | | | | asked the price, he said it would be free. He offered |
| We started hiking up the trail at 6:35 am (as you can | | | | us an empty room to sleep in, Nathan chose that, I |
| see, none of us liked alpine starts!), and in 10 minutes | | | | slept in the van and Smiley set up the tent out in the |
| reached the end of the road about 150 feet above | | | | pasture. Other than the dogs (there were two) |
| our camp site. Happy that we hadn't inconvenienced | | | | wanting to share our food, it worked out well. I was |
| ourselves by not being able to drive higher, we found | | | | taken by surprise later, when he came and asked for |
| a faint trail and started up that. It was a cloudy | | | | payment! It turned out he just wanted some bread |
| morning but the steady climb soon warmed us up. | | | | so we gave him a one sole (30 cents) bag of bread |
| We saw rock walled campsites at both 17,300 and | | | | and he was happy. |
| 17,600 feet, but again we were the only ones on the | | | | If you want to read about another mountain we |
| mountain. In fact the only time we ever saw any | | | | climbed at the same time, please see the Ezine article |
| other climbers was on Misti. We knew that we | | | | on Nevado Mismi. |
| couldn't see the summit, and the shortest route was | | | | |