Huayna Potosi

25th - 26th November Huayna Potosi

Although we start our mountain tour today, we don't have to get up so early. We will only be expected at the mountain sports store at 9:00. Juan, our guide, will meet us there. We already have a lot of the necessary equipment with us, we only need the over jacket and pants, helmet, sturdy mountain boots, ice pick, crampons, and harness. Then we're off. Along the way, we realize that we forgot our headlamps. Juan retrieves some for us from the warehouse. After about 1 hour of driving, we pass by the Cemeterio de Mineros, a cemetery near the mine. Then we stop at the lower base camp "Happy Day". After packing our backpacks, we eat and then head to the high camp at 5150 meters, our stop for the night.

The Huayna Potosi can be climbed all year round, with the best climbing time being in June/July. Now in November, the chances of seeing the mountain without fog are rather low.

But we still want to give it a try.

At 5:00 p.m., we have dinner and Juan instructs us for the ascent: we will wake up at 11:30 p.m. and start walking at 12:30 a.m. so that we can reach the summit at sunrise. According to the weather forecast, there will be about 2 cm of fresh snow, but otherwise it looks promising.

The few hours of sleep are completely useless: we both have difficulty breathing. My heart is racing and every time I try to drift off into dreams, my subconscious wakes me up with "I can't breathe!" I wake up gasping for air. Roman also has headaches despite taking medication. After 5 hours of tossing and turning, we get up feeling more tired than rested and get ready.

It is still snowing lightly and unfortunately, it will not stop.

The first section is over rocks until we reach the glacier and put on crampons. Further up the mountain, we see the lights of another hiking group - surprisingly, we will catch up to them.

The purchased coca lozenges take effect and help with concentration and breathing. Step by step, we trudge across the dark glacier. The snowstorm is sometimes stronger, sometimes weaker, but it is constantly there. When we overtake the group after 3 hours, we are about halfway there. Soon we realize that the others are not following us, but have turned around. But we continue - always hoping that the snow will stop.

We reach the first vertical section: for the first time Roman and I climb an ice wall with an ice pick. It is quite exhausting and at the same time, we are very aware of the risk we are exposing ourselves to. No safety measures in the ice, only connected to each other. If one falls... Impressive! Once we reach the next level, we are exhausted and tired. The snow is increasing more and more and our reserves are slowly running out.

We discuss with our guide and then there's a flash very close by followed by thunder... great - being on a mountain during a thunderstorm is really not enjoyable and very dangerous. Juan says that we won't make it to the summit anymore, but we can go another 100 meters higher. We think it's enough and it won't hurt our pride if we turn around now. So we hug each other and congratulate each other for reaching 5850 meters in unfavorable weather on Huayna Potosi. After taking a commemorative photo, we start the descent quickly. Unfortunately, the snowfall is so heavy that after a short time, we can no longer see our tracks from the ascent!

At least it is starting to dawn, which gives us a clear view of a variety of crevasses, but that doesn't really calm us down.

After the rappelling maneuver over the vertical climbing section from before, we continue downhill. Even our guide loses sight of the way and momentarily doesn't know where to go... He is also conflicted because he should be securing at the rear, but at the same time, Roman can't see the path anymore - it's just all white on white.

Somehow, after 6 hours and 30 minutes of hardcore hiking, we are back at the huts!

We are both soaked, completely exhausted, and first lie down to sleep for 2 hours.

Then we have a warming soup, pack up, and start descending to the base camp. This path has also received about 20 cm of fresh snow, but at least it is still somewhat visible.

From "Happy Camp", it is only 2 hours by car.

Back in La Paz, we say goodbye to Juan and shuffle back to the hotel. A hot shower feels good and wakes us up after the exertions. We have something to eat next door and then go to bed for some more sleep.

In the evening, we visit a wonderful wine bar. What starts as an aperitif ends with us staying there and enjoying Bolivian wine and homemade pickles. There are even three types of cheese on the platter, which immediately triggers homesickness in us. ;)

27th November. After sleeping in, we write in our journal for a long time and take care of keeping in touch with our loved ones back home. Then we explore La Paz again - this time from above: we take an extensive cable car ride over and through La Paz. This is by far one of the best things you can do here! The cable car network is very well developed and, as a Bolivian tells us, one of the best works of the Bolivian government. We understand. Cost-effective and fast, this way you can easily get from A to B and, in addition, get the best views of the metropolis, similar to a drone. We are thrilled!

In the evening at the Indian restaurant, we enjoy the Bollywood hits from the 90s with a feeling of homesickness when we recognize Gstaad and the like in the music videos. We thoroughly enjoy the culinary change of scenery, as Bolivia does not have as first-class cuisine as Peru.