Santa Cruz Valley Trek

The Santa Cruz Valley! This is one of the most popular treks in all of Peru, and for good reason. While we had enjoyed our trek through the Lares Valley, it was quite barren. We were hoping for something with more trees, flowers, and even more specatular views. We weren´t dissapointed!

We began trekking through the ¨Devil´s Canyon¨. The walls on each sides were very steep and high. We were in the shade even at mid-day.

There were waterfalls everwhere and a beautiful river that we hiked along all day. We walked past a number of lakes and several hours into the trek we could just make out the first snow covered peaks.

Resting at our first lunch spot.





We began our trek at around 3,100 meters (10,200 ft). Our first campsite was here at Llamacorral (12,340 ft). There was no corral and no llamas. There was, however, an abundance of donkeys and even more evidence of their being well fed. Unlike our Lares Trek, the price for this one included donkeys carrying our gear. So Hollie and I were able to hike with just food, water, camera, and clothes. This proved to be very nice since on the 2nd day I became sick with a fever. I was able to keep going and even enjoy the experience, but I was very weak for the 2nd and 3rd days.
Here our group gathers around the sign at our first campsite. We were two Swiss, two Israelis, two Spainards, another American and the two of us. Overall it was a pretty fun group. The Spainards (right), Timmy and Begonia, were fantastic but unfortunately spoke just slightly more English than we did Spanish. Timmy brought along an extensive medical kit and gave me something to reduce my fever. If you look closely you can see Timmy´s propensity to use words other that ¨cheese¨during the taking of a photograph. His favorite was Alll...paaa...mayyyy...oooo.
In the evenings we gathered around for dinner in a tight cozy tent. Dinner always began with ´soupa.´ This picutre was taken just before Jenn (the other American - wearing green) spilled her entire bowl of soup much to the delight of our eager canine friend.


Here Hollie takes advantage of a short break to study for her NCLEX.
I relax and try to recover my energy before our next push.

Alpamayo (not pictured because of the clouds that day) was voted the world´s most beautiful mountain in 1966 during a photo expose in Munich. Undetered by the 42 years that have passed since, Peruvians still boast this claim to fame as often as possible. Here we are at the glacial lake just below Alpamayo. The tourquoise water and terminal ends of the glaciers were still quite beautiful, but we would have to wait 4 more days to get a glimpse at the esteemed mountian when we summited Pisco, one valley away.








In the next several pictures we are approaching Punta Union, the highest pass on our trek. The pass was 4,750 meters (15,585 ft). By the time we reached the pass at lunchtime on our 3rd day, I was just beginning to feel better.






Here we are hiking down the valley on the other side of Punta Union. It has been a beautiful trek so far and Hollie and I are looking forward to climbing Pisco.
The trek did go fantastically well until the very end. The last day we rose early to hike to the bus station by 10am when the bus was to arrive. We arrived at 9:30 - time to spare. Unfortunately way too much time to spare. ¨Miguel, when is the bus arriving?¨ ¨The bus will arrive in 30 minutes, I think...yes, 30 minutes.¨ We soon found out that 30 minutes does not actually mean the time it appears to specify. All it means is ¨not now.¨ So after 8 or 10 ¨30 minutes¨ our bus finally arrived at 12:40. Here Hollie is picutured killing time with her new cute friend, Wilbur.
Jen, Hollie, and I at the bus station at the end of our trek.
Finally our bus arrived. Actually called a ¨collectivo,¨I was worried that this one wasn´t for us. It was already carrying four passengers and our group had ten. However, Miguel proceeded to enthusiastically inform me that not only would our group be riding in this collectivo, but so would another group of six. Immediately, Hollie darted inside to secure two seats that were next to one another, faced forward, and did not include a small wooden stool. The 20 of us then endured an hour and a half over twisty mountain roads until Hollie and I were let off in the next valley below Pisco - which we were hoping to soon summit! The remaining 18 continued on to Huaraz for another three hours.