PERU: Part Five – Ausangate Trek and Rainbow Mountain

By: MJ + PJ

A trek around Ausangate Mountain is not for the faint of heart nor for the inexperienced with hiking or camping. We had spent a good few weeks at altitude in Cusco which helped, but this is a high altitude experience – most is around 4000m (13,000 feet) elevation.

There are many useful blogs and travel guides about how to do this trek, with or without guides and pack animals. We had the necessary equipment and experience with backcountry camping, and didn’t have USD$2400 to $3300 to spend for a guide. This gave us the freedom to adjust what we did as we went, but also the risk of having limited guidance. We completed the western half of the trek from Upis to Lake Ausangate.

Our child is an experienced hiker, having walked plenty of miles of backcountry trails in Colorado starting at the age of three. With a heavier pack than usual, it was hard for him to start hiking each day, but after the first 20 minutes (the not fun initial minutes for everyone!) he got talking and walking. When presented with no other option but to keep walking, motivation can be surprisingly easy to develop.

Day One – October 18th 

After a slow start we caught an Uber to the Cusco Bus departure point to Tinki. We had read it was about a 2.5 hour ride, for s/10 each, up into the sky where Ausangate Mountain lay. Three and a half hours, a random health drink infomercial presentation, and some strained bladders later we arrived in the small town of Tinki. This town is the gateway to the Ausangate Trek.

Knowing we had heavy packs and needed to make up some time we took a taxi 12km with a local, Wilfredo, for s/30 to just past Upis, an even smaller settlement where vehicles could go no further. As we exited the taxi it started raining, but only briefly, and we suspected this was probably Pacha-Mama giving us a wet welcome. Wilfredo told us to give him a call when we reached the last town in a week’s time where his brother worked, and he could give us a lift back to Tinki.

Approaching an alpaca farmhouse MJ took a very slick fall, damaging his pride and putting a nice stain on his pants. The rain had made everything damp and slick, and his running shoes were not for these conditions. After some guidance by the Alpaca farmer, we decided to stop and camp in a stonewalled alpaca pen at 4:15pm. There was a campsite ahead, but we did not know how far. There was about 45 minutes of light remaining – enough time to cook and prepare for bed after a long first day. The sun broke for about 30 minutes, allowing a view of the mountain peaks, warming what had been a grey and cool afternoon. 

A Scandinavian couple passed by with a random stray dog that had been following them since Upis. Dinner occurred after a stove fixing event, then early to bed as darkness fell. It was 50*F/10*C in the evening.

Day Two – October 19th 

We woke to a crisp 40*F/6*C, and while packing up camp were approached by a local who charged us s/10 for using his alpaca pen. This seemed reasonable as rent. About a mile up the valley we crossed through the camping area, which we could have made the previous evening had we rushed it (we still would have had to pay).

We realized that the first mountain pass was ahead – a long and steepening ascent which was brutal under the weight of our packs. AJ led the charge until the last few hundred meters, at which point we were all taking 20 to 30 paces then gasping for air. Our three weeks wandering around Cusco at 3400m elevation was not enough to take the bite out of hiking at 4800+ meters with a pack. There at Arapa Pass we took a rest, taking photos and seeing several Vicuña strolling above the vegetation line. They moved up to the ridge when they saw us – one running up the rocky slope. We wondered about Vo2max as one of them mounted a rock and stared across the pass like an Andean Simba.

It was a muddy downhill through some amazing scenery for the next few hours. We stopped for a brief and insufficient lunch, before passing several small lakes on our approach to the target camping area. A shelter appeared on the horizon, indicating we were close, but we were exhausted. We laid on it for a few minutes then picked our way around the wrong side of the smaller lake, having missed a stone crossing not more than 100m from the shelter. This is where things got tough. We worked our way slowly along the rock slope over boulders following a poorly defined ‘path’. Not something a horse would walk along, but that didn’t strike us as a qualifier at the time.

The rain set in as we reached the edge of the main lake, within sight of the camping area but we just couldn’t get to it in time. We were all struggling and wanted desperately to just stop, but we had to move on. This is where the story of Pablo occurred. Read that part of this journey here.

Day Three – October 20th

Up early but slowly, we paid our dues and thanks to Pablo and trudged towards the campsite about a mile away. We had fallen short of our target campsite on both of two days so far. Yesterday had taken its toll on energy and morale, but we had to continue as to return to Upis on a wetter trail than yesterday would have been treacherous and even more brutal. There was a one to two inch slushy snow slowly melting as we slowly walked our way around the lake’s saddle to a campsite where we would bunker down and rest for the majority of the day.

Learning from the day before, we had a hot brunch and laid low in the tent. MJ and AJ walked the hill looking for tomorrow’s trail then played an Andes style game of rock corn hole. We were able to watch some avalanche cleaving down the mountain above the lake, the sound being like thunder. We met some Israeli hikers (who had a guide and horses) in the evening, and planned to use them as trail markers if needed on our way to the next campsite. They had obtained their “guide” (a loose definition) and horses in Tinki for a cost of about USD300 for five days.

Day Four – October 21st

It was a cold but refreshing 2*C dawn, with orange light capped the mountains around us. It had been a windy night but this had dried out our tent, clothes, and the trails. We got up and going with a wave of motivation and newfound energy. We did not want to be left behind by the other hikers given some uncertainty regarding the trail ahead. As he prepared clean water at dawn, MJ had briefly talked to the “guide” of the Israeli pair to seek more trail clarification.

Starting the hike at 7:30 and making good time up the valley to Ausangate Pass, we found the rest day had been 100% worth it. Gentle and mostly straight trails were followed after the initial steep climb from the lake area. These were unmarked (compared to day one and the white paint arrows) but obvious enough to guide our way for two hours. The guide caught up with us with the two horses first, then the Israeli pair met us near the pass crest. 

Muddy snow and some slippery times were had down to the Ausangate Lake campsite, taking about 40 minutes. We walked to the feature lake and spent some time there, including a swim in the cold water by MJ. There was a small cairns forest which made for a peaceful vibe at the edge of the lake. We walked back to the campsite and met another guide group on their way through in the opposite direction. That group was filming a promotional video for this trek loop… we were glad to be able to do this “before it sold out”! Some light rain set in as we set up camp. It was a cooler and quiet afternoon in the tent, watching the Ausangate Glacier cleave from time to time out the open door of the tent. A stray-ish dog peed on the tent at one point, and while cooking dinner a different dog made himself available for any scraps. 

Day Five – October 22nd

We started the day early, watching the dawn light break over the snow capped mountains above the Ausangate Glacier. Not long after a dog appeared, followed by an elderly woman. She asked for the camping fee, which was not unusual but she insisted it was s/20 since there was a toilet block. MJ argued that this was not legit as every other night had been s/10. Since we only had s/20 she took that without giving any change (despite having agreed on s/10 and being asked for change by MJ). She scurried off in haste and we watched her with a sense of suspicion and disappointment as she scaled the large mountain to the south to where her abode was.

She never returned, and neither did her dog.

We packed up and dried the tent before having a brief last look at the lake and glacier, taking the opportunity to refill our water supply. Then we set off for a long downhill walk towards the nearest town. We were in no hurry, anticipating that it would be at least a few hours walking.

At the end of the lake’s valley we were intercepted by a young woman with three dogs, a cell phone and a radio playing music. Given the events earlier, we knew what she was seeking. We explained what had happened. She asked if we had a receipt as she showed us a receipt book. Our visitor earlier did not give us a receipt, and we silently cursed ourselves. With further explanation and a description of the elderly lady, an expression of recognition and frustration grew on the young woman’s face – she knew who we were talking about, and it must have happened before. She let us continue  without having to pay more, but without a receipt either. 

We continued down the valleys for a total of about 14km, stopping for a quick camp-style roadside lunch as the rain started. Arriving in a town we cannot name, we struggled on the flat road, losing momentum. The road to Rainbow Mountain taunted us but we only had energy to take a photo. Several vans passed us, headed to Cusco after a day at Rainbow Mountain, and our hopes of a lift from anyone to Cusco grew dim. A small mini mart at the end of town gave us the chance to buy some bread and refreshments while we pondered our next move. We had mentioned trying to get to Pitumarca, still 30km away, to the young grocer. She left the shop and walked off up the road, kindly seeking a ride for us with her infant wrapped traditionally behind her.

Within a few minutes a large tour bus approached and flashed it’s lights. MJ pushed AJ to the front – not so he could see, but so the driver could discern our plight. It worked. For s/20 each (an amazing bargain based on how we felt on all accounts) we loaded our gear, left some money for the young grocer, and got on that bus. The bus was full of zombies – the effects of a pre-dawn start and 5 to 6 hours of hiking at altitude to Rainbow Mountain, and we wondered in return how we looked to them. They all got off for lunch about an hour later while we rested on the bus. The guide on the bus was enthusiastic and awesome, but his audience was mostly unresponsive due to fatigue.

We got into Cusco after darkness fell, and painfully trudged the last mile for a day early arrival at our hostal. The stiffness had set in on the bus ride, and would linger for the next two days.

Although we did not complete the full loop, we still had the experience that any trek should provide: amazing scenery, challenges faced and overcome, decision making and negotiations, and a sense of accomplishment and exhaustion. Our child was a trooper – he carried a moderately heavy pack for his size the entire distance and walked at least 40km over 5 days. The people we met were impressed that he was participating in such a trek… like he had a choice!

RAINBOW MOUNTAIN

Vowing to return after having been so close several days prior, we organized a day trip to Rainbow Mountain. This site has only been on the tourist radar for about three years. It was only recently discovered – revealed by climate change causing persistent snowmelt. The saddle formation that the rainbow rests on is at a crisp and lung busting 5000m elevation.

This is a serious hike for most, and some of the online reviews are understandably honest about this. We saw lots of horses being used as people were struggling. The buses we had seen returning on our last Ausangate hike day were taking the original path – a three hour climb and return via the south east approach. Unbeknownst to us at booking, our tour (vans only) was to take the very new west approach, which is about an hour hike each direction.

Our guides had warned us that there was no guarantee of being able to see the rainbow of the mountain. This is a high altitude location. Weather changes quickly in the mountains, and there had been some local rain and snow. The trails can be slick and muddy, and the conditions vary. For this reason, don’t expect to see the view shown in the advertisements or on social media: Editing and filters amplify natural colors.

Luckily we got a decent view, and the moisture in the minerals darkened the colors creating a firm contrast against the patches of white snow on the west face of the mountain. We saw the rainbow in a few phases – clouds kept drifting up the valley obscuring the rainbow effect from our higher and opposite vantage point. It was really cold, so we didn’t stay long. From the vantage point the surrounding view in all other parts of the 360* arc is certainly worthy the climb.

We worked our way back to the van as the stream of visitors increased (those not departing before dawn from Cusco). As we wound our way down the road we saw it had snowed at a lower altitude, this dusting the ancient terraces beautifully. With still several miles of gravel roads hugging the edges of canyons left, it started to rain. This caused a bit of havoc as some corners were now flowing rapidly with muddy water, causing our diver and guides to get out to take photos… hopefully to warn other vans still on the mountian and NOT because they had seen nothing like it before! We made it out, stopping at the village area for lunch. They welcomed us through a side door as the front entrances were flooded, as was four fifths of the restaurant floor. While we were served they were able to remove almost all of the water with a flurry of mops and brooms in action.

Whichever direction your tour goes, be prepared for a long day. We got picked up at about 3am, and got back at about 4:30pm. We stopped for breakfast and a late lunch at the same location, this being included in the tour. Although we were not quite the zombies on the return trip that we had seen earlier in the week, we were pretty close.