Our Bolivian Send-off Adventure

Background: One of the things Bill was really excited to check out in Bolivia was the world´s highest ski area, Chacaltaya. On a perfect, cloudless day we climbed to the top of Chacaltaya at 17,000 ft. Unfortunately the glacier is mostly gone and the ski area is no longer. However, across the valley is the peak you see pictured at right, Huayna Potosi. Having two open nights we booked a 3 day/2 night guided climb.

Day 1: After getting all of our gear, we were driven to the base camp hut and given our mattress to sleep on for the night on the floor of the loft along with 17 other climbers. Decked out in our gear we hiked up to the leading edge of the peak´s main glacier and spent 3 hours climbing, traversing, and descending it using ice axes, crampons, harnesses and ropes.

Day 2: With full packs we climbed from the base camp at 15,000 ft. to the Rock Camp (advanced base camp climber´s hut) at 17,000 ft. The hike up was brutally steep on a loose scree field. While in an amazingly picturesque setting, the entire area reeked of urine and we shared an even smaller loft. 20 climbers slept in the loft from 5:30 PM after "dinner" until midnight when the climb for the top begins. We were elbow to elbow, feet to feet, with a six inch corridor down the middle of the two nasty foam pads. Just imagine 20 foreign climbers who hadn´t showered in 2 days and all their gear packed in this stuffy, freezing space. By the way, we were the only English speakers. You can imagine the sounds and smells. Speaking of which, let´s not even talk about the bathroom facilities.

Day 3: After not really sleeping, at midnight we put on all our gear and with headlamps shining the way, began the steep climb up the glacier roped together with our guide. After a brutal 5 hours we neared the final exposed pitch up the summit pyramid. Unfortunately, the typical perfect weather this time of year here, was not to be. It had snowed earlier in the night, leaving the trail soft and a nasty, cold wind was gusting. Feeling the strain of 2 sleepless nights, the elevation, and uncooperative weather we decided to not risk it and turned back after successfully exceeding 19,000 ft. We descended a bit, not believing how steep it had been, then watched the sunrise before returning to high camp for our things. Once packed up we descended the now snow covered scree field to base camp. An hour later we were in a car heading back to La Paz and the Hotel Rosario.

Overall: On one hand we had the unique opportunity to spend 3 days in one of the most amazing mountain environments on our planet. We saw eagles soaring, watched numerous Andean peaks illuminate from dusk til dawn, and had a world class climbing experience. On the flip side, the cramped, dank huts, permeating smell of urine, horrible food, sleepless nights, and intense suffering at 19,000 ft. in gale force winds made us very happy to have this adventure end.