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Our organiser/transporter, , arrived with Bolivian punctuality (20 minutes late), we loaded the 4wd and ascended from Sorata to Lakatia, a cute but tiny pueblo subcribing to the local culture of asking for sweets and/or money from hikers. We had gained around 1300m of altitude and all agreed it was worth paying for the transport up there to save ourselves an arduous and not terribly rewarding climb.
The trail wound gradually up and around the mountain. Rough grey rock jagged out of the straw/brown coloured vegetation on a grey foggy day. The landscape was different again from my other high Andean experiences, and it was very interesting indeed to observe the slow evolution of the vegetation as I journeyed south. Epic rock ridgelines fell into the steep valley. We came to an ancient set of ruins and stopped for a bite and gulp of water.The directions from our guide/driver, maps, guidenotes all managed to confuse us a little, but following our man`s direction we turned uphill to find "a narrow pass between impassable rocks above and below" - the path wasn`t terribly clear but we figured we were at least in the right area and if not entirely correct would find the path soon enough. The ascent was steep and tough with heavy packs and we had to stop for re-assessment often. Our options were soon quite slim and eventually we had to climb steeply for a good 1/2 hour to what we though was the pass. Well, it was a pass, and it brought us to a deep-bowl valley encircled by a sharp ridgeline and lunchtime. Directly ahead of us were the tunnels and basic rock constructions of an active tin mine.
After eating we picked the easiest ascent, transversed and smashed it up the loose rocks to our pass, where two distinct micro-atmospheres met to create the vertical rise of the grey cloud from the photo at left. As I`d arrived first I benefitted from a moment of visual clarity in the swirling clouds to see a very steep drop of some 400m to the next valley. There was a clear path. I was sure this was part of our route and once the others arrived we discussed our options. In the fog we could see nothing, but searched in vain for a glimpse of Lake Chillata or at least a landmark with which to concur with our maps/guidenotes.A tight track wound precariously down to volcanic boulder scree from where we could descend to the path, and eventually after some discussion I decided to leave my pack and head down into the grey on a reconnaisance mission. I rockhopped/goated it down, found the path and also some recent ruins of miners` stone huts. Running around the valley I soon discovered there was no lake. The others soon followed me down, Arys shouldering my heavy pack and his on the steep and treacherous rocks. More exploration including a quick mission by myself to the closest pass revealed no lake - we eventually decided we`d short-cut the trail and were above the Laguna Chillata. This wasn`t such a bad thing but meant we wouldnt have our security for the next day up the mountain.
We set camp, cooked yummy pasta, ate luxuriously-heavy tinned peaches and drank all of a $2 and 700ml bottle of rum-flavoured cordial (i drank about a cup and felt mildly inebriated). Then out came Arys` secret weapon - a battery-powered Ipood speaker that kicked quite well and we grooved to my `Pathfinder` CD amongst other great music. Previous inhabitants of the ruins had procured wood so we were able to bliss out beside the merry blaze well into the evening which was a god-sent at 4450m.
That night Arys` took one for the team, saying he would stay, guard our camp and take San Pedro for his first time while we the others day-tripped to Glacial. But I didn`t really think this was too fair, so the next morning I rose at daybreak in foggy sub-zero to run back to Lake Chillata to retrieve our local security man at the arranged 700am time. The sky directly around us was clear and gave great views of the Illampu range, and upon reaching the pass I came across a blanket of clouds over the Bolivian Altiplano to the south and a beautiful full moon. The sun`s rays created subtle rainbow hues on the morning blue canvass. I eventually got to Chillata, met a French couple also on their way up and soon after encountered Rolan, who graciously agreed to a return with me to camp to guard our stuff. Cheers mate!! We arrived at camp to rousing cheers from my companions, very grateful for what I`d done.
After breakfast Arys and I drank San Pedro (I slightly less than he) and we set off for the 700m ascent. 30 minutes into our walk Arys had to sit down. He wasn`t feeling so well and couldn`t keep up the necessary pace to achieve the Lake and return - as such the Poles continued upwards while I stayed with him to make sure he was OK. As we sat the medicine really kicked in, but it was too much for my fine and feathered French friend and he returned the contents of his stomach to Pacha Mama. After that he was finished for the day. After ensuring he was mentally and physically capable of looking after himself, we farewelled and I took off quick smart upways to catch up with Poland. 20 metres later I too vomitted, but not very much - most of the cactus remained inside me still. I soon passed the French couple and their guide (we played leap frog quite a bit that day) to catch up with Kataryna and Martin.
The ascent was amazing, beautiful, a little dangerous and very draining for me. It was as though with every metre of altitude gained the San Pedro took a greater hold on me. Bluff after bluff we reached, and with each one we expected to find or at least see from afar the lake. For me, this Huachuma journey was about the learnings. I felt like I was a vessel for both plant and animal spirits which joined with synergy in my body. I could feel our wooden strength rooting into the rocks as I walked. The stark beauty of the icy streams, incredible lichens and varied geology was a completely new experience for me. Clouds swirled around Illampu and Ancuma but down below we`d been blessed with perfect weather. The sun climbed as we did and at 5000m + reflected off the snow incredibly brightly. We passed a huge glacier field coming down from Illampu and drank from its icy and healing water. I felt like this mountain and glacier was very healing and again felt the chronic tension in the left side of my head release in bliss. As we achieved more and more high points I began to wonder if maybe the lake was a hoax, created as a joke by locals to lure tourists into the dangerous heights. :) Paranoid much? But I had read that the lake is sacred and should not be visited during the new moon. My paranoia developed into a full fear of seeing something I was not allowed to and I felt that by doing so we might break some sort of spiritual law and make badness. But I kept my breathing strong as I knew it was the key to both getting to the lake and remaining sane. I set my jaw and pushed through - during the final few steps towards the first grand view of the lake and glacier I felt the fear melt and convert to inexplicable confidence and joy. It was like the glacier itself was greeting us. We`d arrived!!!!!
Unspeakable joy and beauty, something like I`d never felt and certainly, definitely sacred. I soon let go and cried with the joy of that place. A large grey/blue lake between the two awesome snow-pyramids of Illampu and Ancuma; the slowly melting chandelier glacier was comprised of inconceivable ice-formations that danced in my vision like bailarinas with extraordinary brilliance; a gigantic grey/silver rock scree amphitheatre surrounding it all. Pinks, blues and whites. Everywhere was a beautiful photo, it seemed. Absolutely fantastic. The spirits of the mountains had blessed us greatly to allow us here, and I felt that at this point I had been given permission to completely lose my human reservations and become wild again.
Encroaching clouds signalled the end of our magic weather and lunch - we soon packed and returned back from whence we came. As I was in the midst of my mescaline trip I advised Martin and Kat that I would need to stick to them like glue if was to return to camp without losing my way or my life - I would certainly not be the Pathfinder. Like this we descended - each metre down an easier breath and a clearer mind as I slowly returned to my body. The Poles were a god-sent - I certainly would`ve been literally lost without them as fatigue took me over & my mind struggled to stay in the moment, straying to many different thoughts and taking critical attention away from my feet and the path. But upon my request we took many breaks and restricted the short-cutting and hence were able to finally arrive back at camp in the late light.
Rolan had just left and Arys lay blissfully in the tent, still cruising on his way back from San Pedro. Soon we had filled each other in on our respective days, Arys having enjoyed the silence and sun away from camp before returning not long before us to farewell Rolan. Then I discovered a classic progressive house track from the halcyon days - Orbital`s `Halcyon On & On`. Awesome, can`t believe I hadn`t heard it before. Also enjoyed crazy tunes from Poland, Manu Chau, some `San Pedro` music and Daft Punk`s `Homework` `Around the world, around the worrrld` :). We soon retreated to our ruins to shelter from the cold and eat mushy pasta and dark chocolate before an essential fire, more great tunes and coca tea. I was physically and mentally exhausted and couldn`t really help much - activity was reduced to 10 second spurts before lapsing against another passing thought train. A fantasmagorical day.
Sleep wasn`t entirely wholesome that evening but at least I was able to go to `the Big Boy`s bathroom` in the morning - what a relief! After a freezing clear morning we hiked to Lake Chillata for breakfast, then continued down, down, d-down, down (via some concerns over our route and a few Arys-led short-cuts) to stumble back to Sorata.
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