Peru's Cordilleras Blanca & Huayhuash Hiking & Biking

The Cordilleras Blanca and Huayhuash boast some of the most spectacular scenery in the Andes, and some of the most accessible high altitude trekking and cycling in the world. Perfect pyramidal peaks, gargantuan ice falls and turquoise alpine lakes are all easily reached from Huaraz, the region's capital and centre of tourist comforts.

This practical guide contains 50 detailed route maps and descriptions covering 20 hiking trails and 30 days of paved and dirt road cycle touring.

• Trekking - the classic treks: Huayhuash Circuit, Santa Cruz and Alpamayo Basecamp, as well as lesser known, wild walks in valleys which see few visitors. Ranging from easy day hikes to challenging routes of 10 days or more, all can be trekked independently or in guided groups.

• Cycling - includes the Huascarán Circuit, a loop of Peru's highest mountain, as well as four other multi-day rides and five day-cycles from Huaraz. Covers all the information cyclists need to pedal past glaciers on 6000m peaks or fly down 2500m descents from high passes.

• Mountain biking - includes two detailed downhill routes and information on organising guides to lead you through the labyrinth of exciting singletrack in the area.

FEATURES

• Based around the regional capital of Huaraz in northern Peru, the Cordilleras Blanca and Huayhuash are an Andean adventure paradise.
• Covers three of the area's main adventure attractions - trekking, cycle-touring and mountain biking.
• This practical guide contains 50 detailed route maps (hand drawn in the classic Trailblazer style) and descriptions covering 20 hiking trails, 30 days of paved and dirt road cycle touring, and information about mountain biking in the area.
• The authors blog at pikesonbikes.com and can be followed on Twitter (@pikesonbikes) and Facebook (Pikes on Bikes).

INTRODUCTION

Itineraries 9

When to go 16

PART 1: PLANNING YOUR TRIP

Guided or independent?

Arrieros 19 – Agencies 19

Getting there

To Peru 20 – From Lima to the trails 20

Budgeting

Accommodation 21 – Food 21 – Transport 21

What to take

Clothing 22 – Equipment 23 – Maps 24

Recommended reading 24

Health precautions, inoculations and insurance

Fitness 25 – Health 25 – Inoculations 26 – High altitude travel 26

Insurance 26

PART 2: PERU & THE CORDILLERAS

BLANCA & HUAYHUASH

Facts about the region

History of the Cordilleras 27 – Modern Peru 29 – Flora 30

Parque Nacional Huascarán 31 – Fauna 32

Practical information for the visitor

Documents and visas 33 – Money 33 – Local transport 33 – Food 34

Safety 38 – Other information 38

PART 3: MINIMUM IMPACT HIKING,

HEALTH & SAFETY

Minimum impact hiking and biking

Environmental impact 39 – Economic impact 41

Cultural impact 41

Health and safety in the mountains

Safety while trekking 43 – Health in the mountains 43

PART 4: CITY AND TOWN GUIDES

Lima 45 – Huaraz 52 – Caraz 62 – Carhuaz 64 – Chavín 66

Chiquián 68 – Pomabamba 69 – Yungay 70 – Yanama 71

Chacas 71 – Huari 72 – San Marcos 72

PART 5: HIKING ROUTES & MAPS

Using this guide 73 Trekking route map key 74

Northern Cordillera BlancaAlpamayo Basecamp 74 – Santa Cruz 88 – Santa Cruz-Alpamayo Circuit (Linking section) 99

Ulta-Yanama 104 – Laguna 69 107 – Artesonraju Basecamp 109

Hikes near Huaraz Laguna Lejiacocha 111 – Akilpo-Ishinca 112 – Quebrada and Laguna Ishinca 116 – Laguna Wilcacocha 119

Quebradas above Huaraz Laguna Churup 121

Laguna Shallap 121 – Quilcayhuanca-Cojup 123

Conchucos Chacas-Huari 128 – Quebrada Rurichinchay 132

Quebrada Rurec (Conchucos) 133 – Quebrada Carhuascancha 137

Southern Cordillera Blanca Olleros-Chavín 143

Quebrada Rurec (Huaylas) 146 – Quebrada Raria 148

Cordillera Huayhuash Huayhuash Circuit 152

PART 6: CYCLE TOURING

Introduction

Practical information 175 (Transport 175, Spares 176, Renting 176)

Routes

Day rides near Huaraz 178 (Huaraz Ruins Loop 178, Negra Acclimatization Loop 179, Blanca Acclimatization Loop 183,

Santo Toribio Circuit 184, Laguna Llaca 185) – Huascarán

Circuit 186 – Huayhuash and Puya Raimondii Loop 192

Cordillera Blanca Circuit 197 – Laguna Parón 209

Winchus Loop 210

PART 7: MOUNTAIN BIKING

Introduction

Mountain biking agencies 214 – Bike setup 215

Routes

Pitec Descent 215 – Negra Downhill 218 – Bikepacking the Huayhuash 218 – Cross country routes near Huaraz 219 (Laguna Rajucolta 219, Quebrada Quilcayhuanca 219, Quebrada Ishinca 220, Other downhill rides 220)

APPENDICES

A: Spanish words and phrases 221

B: Glossary 225 C: GPS waypoints 228

INDEX237