The 'young mountain' is calling! - at over 6000m

12/03/2018

As mentioned before, Carsten has done his best convincing and thus sealed our attempt to climb Huayna Potosi ('young mountain').

In the morning, we meet Owen and our fourth teammate Jennifer at the travel agency. First and foremost, we have to get dressed. Plastic snowshoes with crampons, thick mountaineering jacket and pants, gloves, ice pick, helmet, and climbing harness. With this, we should be prepared for all eventualities. Our guide Ronaldo picks us up to start the two-hour bumpy road to the base camp. Unfortunately, due to the lack of seating in our Combi, he has to make himself comfortable in the trunk.

We bump past colorful lakes that sparkle in countless colors due to the washed-out minerals from the local mining. In the background, the Cordillera Real is always present, reminding us of our somehow utopian venture.

The base camp is located at 4750m, so 'only' about 1330m to conquer, and that in 3 days - a piece of cake! Think again. Even though it is one of the easiest 6000ers, many inexperienced mountaineers fail to reach the summit. Altitude sickness, insufficient stamina, or simply bad weather conditions take their toll on nearly half of the ascents. During lunch, Ronaldo gives us some tips on how to conquer the mountain and tells us that he himself completes the path from here to the summit in about 2.5 hours. For us tourists, a total of 7-9 hours is estimated over two days.

However, on this day, we will not climb any altitude, but practice handling our equipment. None of the four of us has ever worked with crampons or an ice pick before. We do our first safety exercises on the glacier, which is 30 minutes away, waddle on the ice surfaces like penguins, climb up vertical ice walls, and rappel down from them again. Just for this fun, it was worth the money!

We end the day with a communal yoga session, feeling relaxed and happy.

12/04/2018

The weather is perfect. Sunshine and only light gusts of wind. That's why we start our way to the high camp at 5270m right after breakfast.

We ascend for about 3 hours. The views are incredibly beautiful. However, often we have to keep our eyes on the ground to avoid stumbling over a stone or sliding away. In addition, the path gives a slight taste of tomorrow's torment. Especially the final ascent on ropes, in slippery snow, and over loose rocks demands perseverance.

After about an hour, Annika is struck by a sudden headache. Whether it's the altitude or the 3 hours in the sun, we don't know. It takes hours for it to get better. When we have to go to bed at 7 o'clock in order to get up shortly after midnight, the spell seems to have passed.

However, there is hardly any sleep. The cold creeps in through every crack, the gusts of wind almost blow off the plastic roof, and the excitement rises.

12/05/2018

Today it's getting serious! We get up at midnight, have a small snack, and put on our mountaineering gear. Four layers on the upper body (thermal underwear, shirt, training jacket, and snow jacket) and three on the legs, plus at least 2 pairs of thick socks and mandatory beanies. At least, we seem to be prepared for the upcoming -20°C.

Since our high camp is right next to the ice wall, we only have to walk a short distance over the rugged rocks with our plastic shoes. The groups whose camps are lower have to complete the fun at the ropes in the dark. However, our schadenfreude doesn't last long. In the dark night sky, the headlamps of the first groups can already be seen several hundred meters above us on the steep ice slope. All of this still awaits us. In single file, always two people secured to a guide, we start the ascent. Although Annika was still feeling good at the starting point, she slowly realizes the disillusionment. Her heart is struggling. Various breathing techniques don't help, and after about 1.5 hours and 300 meters of altitude, she decides to turn back.

Carsten is taken into the second group. Together with Jenny, Owen, and guide José, they continue. For several hours, we all function on autopilot. Only the sound of heavily breathing people and the crunching of crampons on the frozen snow. Due to the darkness, the ascent can only be guessed by the lights in front of us and the tilt of our feet. Every 40 minutes, we take a break, completely out of breath, drink coca tea, and eat chocolate. After usually 3-5 minutes, we continue. The cold creeps through marrow and bone too quickly.

Past gloomy crevasses and even over an ice bridge, we ascend steeper after the middle part of the ascent. It is 3:00 in the morning. We walk on paths that are no wider than the width of two shoes placed next to each other and so steep that the ice pick has to be driven into the slope to pull oneself up. Fortunately, we cannot see the abyss in the darkness.

On the last third, Ronaldo catches up with us again. He accompanied Annika back and now takes Carsten back into his group. From here on, it goes almost vertically, zigzagging. He is about 100m above us. We are at an altitude of 6000m. 'Mucho motivación! El cumbre es cerca,' he says. The summit is close.

Ronaldo sets a great pace. He repeatedly asks if everything is alright or if we want to take a break. We only complete the last act with a short break. His warm tea and encouraging words help.

The beginning sunrise now reveals the altitude. The path becomes more and more visible, sending shivers down our spines.

FINALLY! We have reached the top! After a congratulatory handshake, Ronaldo takes the camera. He creates great pictures with an orange-red sunrise and a still sleeping La Paz. It is 6:00 in the morning.

Subsequently, we wait briefly for our group 2, which took a little more time. Together, we enjoy the moment at an altitude of 6088m. Unbelievable. But after 10 minutes, our guides already urge us to start the descent. After all, we still have to cover the entire way back to base camp 1 today.

The descent is arduous and hard on the knees. At every turn, you think about how you managed to get up here. In the daylight, the paths look steep and sometimes dangerous. Ronaldo doesn't want to walk on a glacier bridge that we took with the other José before. 'Too dangerous,' he says. The views above the ice, covered like powdered sugar, are incredible.

After 90 minutes of descent, we arrive at the high camp. We take off our clothes. It's almost 10 degrees here, and the clothes drown us in sweat. It's now just before 8:00 in the morning.

Repacking our things, eating a soup, and then off for the descent. There's not much talking. Everyone is totally exhausted. We only really realize it later when we have a meal together with Owen and Eilish, with whom we spend the evening together at the pizza place and the hectic run to the bus station (the bus left earlier than expected). The journey to Potosi starts at 9:00 p.m. until the next morning. We don't notice much of it.

12/06 and 12/07/2018

Actually, we wanted to take a look at Potosi before going to the Uyuni Salt Flats. However, the exhaustion of the past few days becomes noticeable. We enjoy two days of doing nothing.

It's crazy that Owen continued right away.