june 2014 edition tht

THE HUARAZ TELEGRAPHMade in Huaraz June 2014 Free/Gratis!

Continuation of our expat interviews

Expat in Huaraz

page 8

The scientists walked around the glacier with a radar, this enabled them to measure not only the rate at

which the glacial ice was melting, but also how quickly the lake in front of the glacier was expanding. As an

experiment hay was put on top of a section of the ice. As you can see in the picture above, the surrounding

ice has dropped nearly two metres.

An analysis of the current state of the Pastoruri Glacier

page 7

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Experts believe that the large icy lake is one of the reasons the Pastoruri Glacier is melting so fast. Engineer Benjamín Morales Arnao suggests in his research digging channels to drain the lake. The front page picture is provided by the Unidad de Glaciologia y Recursos Hídricos (UGRH) in Huaraz, with special thanks to Quentin Croz from France. The

UGRH went on a one week field trip to Pastoruri on Monday 12th to Friday 16th last month.

Memories of the earthquake 44 years on

Read about the memories of Betel Sevillano Montañez who survived the quake

page 15 This year´s Festival del Andinismo will be held from the 27th until the 29th of June. The festival features different cultural and ecological events and adventure sports. Among the different events there will probably be mountain

biking, rock climbing, skiing, snowboarding, cross country, down hill, BMX display and a rock concert. The Huaraz Telegraph will, like we were last year, be there to report on the happenings, and hopefully we will get to interview the

organisors and some of the competitors.

2 The Huaraz TelegraphJUNE 2014

VISIT: WWW.THEHUARAZTELEGRAPH.COM

The EditorialWhy we are in the present situation and the role of The Huaraz Telegraph

The lack of understanding of what tourism is really about is just one of the many reasons that could explain why Huaraz is not one of the prime touristic destinations in Peru. Less than thirty years ago we were one of the famous top three destinations along with Cusco and Arequipa, but not anymore it would seem. This area has so much to offer like Chavin de Huantar, The Cordillera Blanca and Negra, and also Hatun Machay. Even the little Ro-man-style village of Pomallucay is a fantastic place to visit. However, for some reason we do not manage to get close to receiving the same tourist numbers like other cities in the south.

We could ask why, but any answer would be based on speculation. We simply don’t know because shockingly there isn’t any research data available on this topic, which is very iron-ic and at the same time very sad since Huaraz has three universities all offering cours-es in tourism. One has to wonder what students learn about during their five years’ train-ing, and why these so-called professionals are not able to change the situation we´re in.

We also have to ask ourselves what we, the locals and foreigners living in Hua-raz, have done that hasn’t worked. Or maybe the question should be what haven’t we done? How have Cusco, Arequipa and even Ice, Iquitos, Máncora and Tac-na grown in terms of tourist numbers, infrastructure and quality and Huaraz hasn’t?

I am very well aware that we could focus on the positive things, but if we want to improve the sit-uation we´re in we can no longer ignore the facts, and I believe we all have to be realistic, honest and proactive. The time has come to take action, and those actions need to be well thought out, organised and concern all people working within the tourism sector. We need to work as a team. We all have a responsibility to come together for the good of the city, not just for the good of ourselves.

So what is the role of The Huaraz Telegraph in all of this? Huaraz has many problems that need to be addressed, if everything was fine and dandy, there would be nothing to write about. Our purpose is to offer the reader (the tourists) an understanding of what is happening in our city, and by doing so we believe that most issues for instance: touts at the bus stations, dan-gerous areas like the Rataquenua Cross, dogs running after cyclists etc. can be avoided, or least be prepared for. Information is power and our articles can have a positive impact, but as with all publications across the world, not everyone is going to agree with what is printed.

So what of the current state of tourism in Huaraz?

The third National Congress of Professionals in Tourism demonstrated that tourism in Huaraz (or lack thereof) is at crisis point. Although some protagonists will probably not agree, investiga-tions and other statistics printed by The Huaraz Telegraph show that tourist numbers are fall-ing year after year. It is very telling when we look at the poor turnout for the congress by those who work in the industry. The head of tourism of the Municipality of Huaraz failed to attend, as did SERNANP (the National Park Huascaran), representatives of Casa de Guias, the Tourism Police, and professors and students of the Technological Institute Eleazar Guzman Barron.

Now if all these experts etc. did not see the importance in attending a congress that fo-cused on their businesses what hope do we as a city have in improving our situa-tion? We would also like to ask why the many local entrepreneurs, guides, agen-cies and hostel or hotel owners in Huaraz did not feel it necessary to attend.

There is some positive news though. The downhill championships in Willcahuain last month were very enjoyable to watch, and Huaraz now has its first outdoor climbing wall at the Tech-nological Institute Eleazar Guzman Barron. And last but not least, Huaraz will soon have its own climbing guidebook, containing all boulder and climbing spots in and around Huaraz.

And it doesn’t stop there because at the end of this month Huaraz will be hosting a spectacular three-day Festival del Andinismo with local, national and international athletes. The event will be held on the 27th, 28th and 29th of June and will be organised by Save the Rajus. Last year´s event really boosted tourism in the area so this year´s event is something everyone can look forward to.

Rex Broekman

Founder and editor of The Huaraz Telegraph

The Huaraz Telegraph freely available!The Huaraz Telegraph is available for free at most of the following hostels and hotels in Huaraz. We do not recommend any hostel in particular as we are completely neutral.

The Telegraph® is a registered Trademark at INDECOPI. All current and previous articles are owned and claimed by The Huaraz Telegraph and may not be reproduced by any means without written permission from The Telegraph®. General Copyright on all Contents, Composition & Design by The Huaraz Telegraph, Huaraz, Perú - © 2012 – 2014. Hecho el deposito legal: 2013-007727

Who are responsable for the making of this great newspaper?

3The Huaraz TelegraphJUNE 2014


Letters to the EditorRectification of article in May editionHere at The Huaraz Telegraph we like

to hear what our readers have to say, whether it be a comment about the paper, or something about Huaraz.

We recently received two letters one was a notarised letter requesting rectification of an article, and one was from Nathan Haley who wanted to raise the issues of the Huayhuash.

Sir,

I fear for the Cordillera Huayhuash, I fear it is going to drown in human waste. A couple of weeks ago I hiked an eight day circuit of that range, an incredible experience in one of the world’s truly special mountain environments. The route has everything any mountain hiker could ever wish for. So why when I talk and write about the experience does it come out negatively? The answer is simple: irresponsible, uneducated and uncaring guides, tour agencies and clients.

Hoards of inexperienced hikers seem to be roaming the Cordillera Huayhuash armed with neither common sense nor basic ideas of outdoor environmental respect. With too few and frighteningly unprofessional guides around to control and educate these tourists the result is disgusting and often times unbelievable behaviour. Would you go to the toilet in your water tank at home? No. Would you crap on your neighbour’s lawn? No. When you make a mess in your home does piling a mound of toilet paper on top of it make the problem disappear? No. So why do people behave like this in the Huayhuash?

Having worked as a hiking guide in Guatemala and faced many of the same problems guides face with clients in the Huayhuash I am surprised and appalled at what’s happening there. As a lead guide, an obvious responsibility is to protect the environment in which you

work. Without that environment there is no business and you have no job. It’s not hard to do and is astoundingly obvious. Just maintain some authority, lay down the law on things like toilet practices and share your passion for the environment with your clients. In many respects this is easier than usual for guides in the Huayhuash as campsites are blessed with generally excellent toilet facilities. Here there is no need to be squatting over holes, let alone dribbling your stink down the side of local people’s homes or into the same water your fellow campers hope to brew their coffee from. Inexperienced hikers often need to be toilet trained, but in the Huayhuash they’re being left feral. Unmotivated guides are turning a blind eye to highly inappropriate behaviour that is ultimately upsetting the local communities, natural environment and visiting tourists. When I trekked the circuit in April 2014, the behaviour of some clients being guided by Enjoy Huayhuash had to be seen to be believed.

Worse still for the Huayhuash is that word is getting out. I have spoken to tourists who have decided against hiking there because of the hygiene horror stories they’ve heard. I will not be surprised if clients start drying up for many of the tour agencies operating on the route. My great fear is that we’re entering a vicious cycle in which the more expensive and responsible agencies will die out leaving the cowboys to rule the roost. If this happens then the communities on the route could easily get disillusioned and things could get sticky. The reputation is really getting that bad. Something needs to be done to reign in the terrible and lax practices of some agencies operating the route. They and their clients are ruining it for the rest of us.

Yours,

Nathan Haley (UK)The notarised letter we received mentions four points to be rectified by The Huaraz Telegraph

Rectification under Law 26847Printed on the top right of this page is a copy of the notorised letter we received requesting the rectification of an article called ¨Huaraz´ “top entrepreneurs” unite at secret international meeting and make another attempt to improve tourism and quality of life¨, which was published in our May 2014 edition of The Huaraz Telegraph on page 3.

By publishing the notarised letter (published to the top right of this page) The Huaraz Telegraph complies with Law number 26847 (Ley 26847). The article caused public concern among the people mentioned in the article.

To be completely transparent to our readers, followers and other people concerned, we hereby give some additional explanation on the notarized letter we received on Monday the 12th of May 2014.

Law 26847 was enacted by the President of the Republic of Peru on the 23rd of July 1997 and published in the official daily newspaper El Peruano on July

28th, 1997. Through this enactment all previous regulations of Law 26775 were modified.

The notarised letter we received had a list of demands and as we (along with the authors of the notarised letter) have to act in accordance with Peruvian Law, we would like to explain the publication of the letter, which was in fact one of the requested rectifications.

Article 3 of Law 26847 states that: ¨The adjustment (rectification) shall be made within seven days of receiving the application (notarised letter), if it concerns a publishing of daily circulation.If not, in the next edition to be published after that period of time.¨

As we are a monthly newspaper we have published the requested rectification in this edition, which is the first available opportunity after our May edition. As requested by the signatories of the notarised letter, we have published the letter on our website and our Facebook page, as the article in question was

published on there as well.

Law 26847 states that a rectification could be rejected (article 5d): ¨When written in a language different from the broadcast or publication of the order in question¨.

The article was written in English; however, the letter we received was written in Spanish. We did not reject the letter, and have published the rectification in this the June edition, and on our website and Facebook page.

The notarised letter could also have been rejected according to Article 1 and article 2 of Law 26847.

Article 1 and article 2 of Law 26847 state the following: ¨[…] any natural or legal person aggrieved or affected by inaccurate statements (Article 1)[...] or the person concerned or, where appropriate his or her legal representative, has the right of rectification (Article 2)[...]¨

People can only feel affected by inaccurate statements when someone is actually named in the article. The notarised letter we received, however,

is signed by a person who was not mentioned in the article.

In the letter, apart from the four points to be rectified, there are a couple of other demands by the signatories. The most important one was the requested distribution of a letter (by The Huaraz Telegraph) containing the rectification of the article previously mentioned, to be added to every newspaper previously distributed in Huaraz. Peruvian Law 26847 does not mention anything about nor support this type of demand.

Rex Broekman

Editor of The Huaraz Telegraph



Local News

By Fatima Quiñones

The Third National Congress of Professionals in Tourism, held from the first to the third of May at the Cultural Centre in the city of Huaraz, was organised by the COLITUR Ancash (College of Graduates in Tourism), and because it was a national conference featuring speakers from different parts of Peru, including a visit from the Vice Minister of Tourism expectations were high.

Huaraz, a city that, according to its protagonists, is one of the main tourist destinations within Peru, was hosting an event that specifically targeted the industry; however, it provoked little interest from students, professionals or the public in general. Unfortunately the lack of interest and lack of motivation of the target audience meant few attended. Lack of punctuality didn’t help to make it professional either. The first activities were scheduled to start at nine in the morning, but an hour later the 70-strong audience of professionals and students who came from places like the Amazons, Arequipa, La Libertad and Cuzco was still looking around and waiting.

The presence of representatives from different local tourist service providers was expected but never became reality. However, in a well-developed programme, out of the 22 speakers presented only a few spoke during the two day during congress: Oscar Dominguez Gamarra (Executive Director of the Centre for Research in Tourism and Sustainable Development), Mr. Benajmin Morales Arnao (Executive Director of the Board of Andean Mountains), Carlos Valdioso Morales (President of the Peruvian Institute of vertebrate animals), Mr. José Luis Vallejos Huari (President of the Alumni Association of the National University of San Marcos), Dr Carlos Canales Anchorena (Dean of Ica´s COLITUR), Mr. Horacio Rodriguez Limachi, Mgt. Alvaro Recharte (Professor of the University of San Antonio Abad of Cusco) and Dr José Miguel Gamarra Skeels (Vice Minister of the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Tourism).

The third day included a field trip to either the Pastoruri glacier, the Callejon de Conchucos or to the Llanganuco Lakes, which was included in the entrance fee of S/.130.00 for professionals in

Tourist destinations are limited by the boundaries of districts, provinces or regional areas, which limit visits. Oscar Gamarra found that measuring and improving the impact on tourism is the way forward. He also stated that tourism in Peru should be guided by a management model of valid destinations, techniques, and standards in urban and rural passenger space with the aim of improving the management of tourist destinations in Peru.

Another reason internal tourism is falling is because long holidays are being eliminated from the national calendar, which in previous years motivated 12% of state workers and 15% of workers in private entities to travel around the country, thus supporting internal tourism and the economy in general. This money is now spent in other sectors other than tourism.

Mr. Alvaro Recharte spoke about a tool to combat poverty. The role of tourism in poverty alleviation is an important one. Peru currently occupies 81st place in tourism management worldwide, and because of insufficient and unequal distribution of income poverty is not being reduced. The Vice Minister stated that the congress was about finding new ways to waken and improve the tourism sector, and to realise that tourism “is not contributing to minimize poverty” as the statistics show. He also stated that tourism and social inclusion are a source of employment, to improve the quality of

life in towns by offering tourist services and infrastructure, telecommunications and other utilities. The preservation of cultural heritage will maintain local, regional and national culture through the use of archaeological sites. On example is the development of rural community tourism; a project that supports a diversification in tourism in Huaraz and surrounding areas.

In the final hours of the second day the auditorium almost became too small as those who were absent previously, immediately appeared so they could shake hands with the Vice Minister of Tourism, and to appear in publicity photos from the closing ceremony.

If Peru really wants to make positive steps, those in the tourism sector should operate by the book, and authorities should have leading role. There is also a need for local entrepreneurs to educate themselves as to the needs and requirements of the tourist. But with hardly any of the local tourist business owners attending the congress there is little wonder we are unable to attract tourists. Every day people working in the tourism sector should try to improve the quality of services they provide to foreign and domestic tourists. The owners of hotels, hostels, restaurants etc., should be given more information and training opportunities that will result in a sustainable development in tourism in the years to come.

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The event finally stared at approximately 10:30 with an opening ceremony of a small spiritual ritual thanking Mamapacha (Mother Earth), which is a local custom ensuring the congress would be a success. This custom was followed by the inauguration speech by Mrs. Elena Ríos Ortiz, President of the Chamber of Industry Tourism and Trade in Huaraz who mentioned that with tourism playing a leading role, and applying the ten principles of quality, Peru would become a first world country. Mrs. Maricela Cafferata Diaz, Regional Directress of Foreign Trade and Tourism of Huaraz, referred to the issues in trying to increase tourism, and suggested focusing on youth tourism, concluding by saying that Huaraz should soon become the third most popular destination of Peru. After the two ladies’ complete lack of realism, the opening ceremony continued with Alejandro Solis Neyra, Dean of the College of Graduates in Tourism in Ancash.

tourism, and S/.100.00 for students. Most interesting was the presentation given by Mr. Benajmin Morales Arnao, and on page six of The Huaraz Telegraph people can read what his topic was about.

Dr Carlos Canales talked about how private investment related to tourism in Peru. He believes that in 2035 Peru will have a matrix with tourism as primary economic activity followed by mining activities. This said, one of the dangers of growth in the tourism industry in Peru will be the increased likelihood of tax evasion. The Central Government talks about the already informal approach to tax by the proprietors if hotels, hostels, restaurants, etc. with many not having their workers on a payroll system, meaning the majority of labourers working in this industry are not recognized, and as such do not receive insurance or any benefits supplied by the state. Of the 70,000 businesses active in tourism with a valid RUC (tax) number only 25% have their workers on a payroll.

Third National Congress of Professionals in Tourism provoked little interest from its target audience and local authorities

The Huaraz Telegraph


Closing ceremony with Dr José Miguel Gamarra Skeels standing fourth from the left

Deans of tourism with Alejandro Solis standing fourth from the left representing Ancash



Advertorial/Publirreportaje

Dear Telegraph Readers.

In this edition of the Telegraph we want to share with you a couple cool things that are taking place both at Sierra Andina Brewing Company and at our tap room Trivio.

Trivio is the taproom / restaurant for the Sierra Andina Brewing Company. Trivio is a lively, friendly place where we serve all the beers made by Sierra Andina on tap. (many of the ales served in Trivio are special limited edition ales that are only served there!)

We named the restaurant TRIVIO – from the Latin word Trivium which means “the junction of three trails”. It was at these trail junctions that the people would take a moment on their way to the market or to work and catch up on what is going on and chat about the day-to-day stuff in their lives; hence the word ‘trivial’ has come to mean ‘day-to-day topics’.

As the name implies, our restaurant TRIVIO is also a junction of three trails

* The trail or story of our beer that we brew,

* The trail or story of the food that we prepare

* The story of our own organic coffee that we grow and toast.

I get asked by many travelers – “… so why Huaraz?” “Will you ever move back to the USA?” and so forth. Besides the obvious massive mountains looming up in our back yard, the endless trails to explore, Huaraz holds the lure of a close knit web of small town friendship that play a big role in every day fun. Dropping my son off at his Karate Class, I bump into our family doctor, our company banker and the owner of the news network who’s kids are also little

karate fighters. Later that day we go out to lunch and the table next to ours is our vet who treats our dogs and hamsters. I then pop into the public notary to get a document certified and catch a quick chat with the owner of the gym where I go to who is updating his license. I hop on my bike and at the red light someone yells my name – it’s the taxi driver who drives our kids to their school! Here in Huaraz everything is interlinked and personal – It’s great fun. Generally businesses are small and your money goes to the families that run them – not to some enormous corporation where it trickles quickly out of the community and off to distant share-holders. I think I will probably stay here.

Anyways, I am getting carried away… Where were we –oh , cool things that are happening. As you may have heard, Sierra Andina had to close our taproom at the brewery to make room for more tanks and more production. Tours are still fun to do but please call ahead to make sure that someone will be available to show you around Call (043) 221419 or

943919850. While it is not very cool that our brewery taproom had to close, it is cool that Sierra Andina is expanding!

We have a new brewer in training – his name is Dante. He is a local fellow and part of his training involves making very small batches of beer – his own recipes,

his own brewing. These ‘micro batches’ produce fun and exciting results which we serve at discount at Trivio and that’s pretty cool! – just ask for Dante’s beer!

More cool stuff is that as of May 1 2014, we signed the lease agreement for the first floor below Trivio. Our plan is to move the kitchen downstairs into a lovely space 3 times bigger than our current kitchen and provide our friends and customers with outdoor seating to enjoy their food and beverages. Also, on the first floor is a large enclosed area where we are working on opening a Community Center – a place where kids can come to do creative activities and projects and at specified hours, where folks can enjoy watching a movie along with their quality hand crafted ales. The idea is to have a creative and interactive place to do fun things that make life just a little more awesome. If all goes well we open this mid-June. How cool is that?

I hope you get the picture that cool things are happening all around. Thanks for coming and visiting our town. Have a safe and enjoyable adventure and just as our foremothers and forefather did before us, don’t forget to stop at Trivio, take a load off, sip locally crafted ales and connect with friends and villagers.

That sounds like a great idea – I am off to grab a big beefy Trivio burger and more than likely I will bump into the plumber and the candlestick maker and we well may just have to stop for a cool little small town chat. – you got to love it.

Ted Alexander

General Manager of Trivio &

Sierra Andina Brewing Company

“Trivio, adding flavor to a cool small town”

Sierra Andina Beers can be ordered all over Huaraz but if you´d like a tap beer, please visit Trivio which can be found at Parque del Periodista in Huaraz or find our ad (Number G) on the middle page of this newspaper

Dante well on the way to mastering the craft of brewing fine ales

Another packed out night at Trivio - friends and neighbors enjoying food, beer and company



Environment

During the Third National Congress of Professionals in Tourism in Huaraz (see page four for a review of the congress by Fatima Quiñones) by far the most interesting exposition was the one presented by Benjamín Morales Arnao about the receding icecaps of the Pastoruri glacier. The exposition included a short summary of a study that describes the alarming rate at which the icecap is thawing. As you can see from the pictures on the front page, the situation is desperate. We need to start looking at ways of slowing the rate of thaw before it is too late.

Here follows an overview of the study, which was conducted by the Board of Andean Mountains under the leadership of Mr. Benjamin Morales Arnao.

To save what remains of this iconic glacier, which was once was one of the powerhouses of tourism in the Ancash region and especially the Callejon de Huaylas and Catac district, Mr. Morales proposes to drain Pastoruri´s lagoon. The study concludes that the damage will be irreversible if immediate action is not taken.

Location

Pastoruri Glacier lies south of the Cordillera Blanca at the head of the glacier’s Pachacoto basin, a tributary of the River Santa. Pastoruri is easily reached from Huaraz by a paved road heading 45km south to Catac and

deviating to the Pachacoto Gulch going towards the east on a dirt road for about 35 km.

Pastoruri in the old days

The first study of the glacier basin Pachacoto was done by the Peruvian Corporation of Santa in 1967 by making up a map from a series of aerial photographs that were taken in 1962. This map indicated that the Pastoruri Glacier was more than 1000 metres downstream from where it is today. Since the late 70s the Pastoruri glacier has been one of the most visited touristic destinations in Huaylas and Peru, popular with climbers and skiers.

In the 80s annual programs were set up with national and international ski competitions being held on the glacier, which in turn brought a mass influx of tourists, a situation that benefited the local peasant community of Catac who implemented a horse rental service to transport tourists from the car park at the foot of the glacier, as well as providing visitors with food, hot drinks and warm clothes.

Glacial retreat

During the late 80s we start to see the first signs of the effects of global climate change and temperature fluctuation. Pastoruri was suffering from increased glacier melting and by the early 2000s a beautiful cave located on the front of the Pastoruri Glacier began to fade, beginning the formation of a lake right in front of Pastoruri.

The public, private organisations, visitors, travel agencies and researchers were concerned at how fast the glacier was deteriorating and in 2010 the Glaciology and Water Resources Unit of the ANA carried out studies and investigations into how to reverse the melting process. Since then they have monitored the glacier for movement, retreat and reduced surface area.

During this time they have also initiated a study that monitors the growth of the lake in front of Pastoruri.

Glacier Movement and Glacier Ablation

It may seem to the casual observer that glaciers are static; however, they are actually advancing and retreating

constantly because of a combination of snowfall and ablation (melting). Glacier movement can be determined in number of ways, but the by far the most popular is that of GPS (global positioning system).

Scientists document the terminus of the glacier (the end of the glacier) over a period of time to see whether it has shrunk or grown. In 2013, the average movement of the Pastoruri Glacier was about 3.80 metres, which was higher than in 2012 where the team calculated an average of 2.70 metres of movement. Glacial ablation is the term given to the process of melting, and is measured using makers. In October 2013, 15 markers placed on the glacier were measured and showed an ablation ranging from 2.52 metres to 0.29 m with an average of 1.64 metres per year.

Surface Reduction

The surface area of this glacier was reducing at an alarming rate, a rate that seems to be increasing. In the space of a year – from October 2012 to November 2013, Pastoruri was reduced from nearly 570,000m2 to fewer than 541,000 m2 – a reduction of almost 29,000 m2 (5%) – almost double compared with two years earlier.

When investigating the deterioration of the glacier we have to look at two different factors: the receding glacier fronts that are outside the area of influence of the lagoon, and the retreat of the glacier front that is in contact with the lagoon. The average annual melt-rate of the points of Pastoruri that are not influenced by the lagoon ranges from six to nine metres per year, numbers which are in keeping with the melting rates of other monitored glaciers with fronts at 5000 metres above sea-level such as the Chaupijanca glaciers in the Cordillera and Shicra Huallanca, which show a similar, if slightly less, annual declination. However, the annual average retreat of the glacier where the front is in contact with the lagoon is increasing rapidly. In 2013 alone the Pastoruri Glacier shrank by nearly 74 metres!

From the figures gained from years of monitoring and investigating our team of scientists have determined that the

The protection of the Pastoruri Glacier by Engineer Benjamín Morales Arnao

The Huaraz TelegraphPicture provided by the UGRH by Quentin Croz showing the ice is disapearing

The above image shows the growth of Laguna Pastoruri (the lake in front of the Pastoruri Glacier), over the last three years. 1) measured November 2010, 2) measured October 2011, 3) measured October 2012, 4) October 2013. Scientists believe that the lake is growing rapidly because it is in direct contact with glacier, and as the temperature of the water is higher than that of the ice, it is causing the glacier to melt at an alarming rate. Image provided by Mr. Morales Arnau.

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2

3

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Environment

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increase volume of the lake is primarily due to the action exerted by the warmer water on the base of the cliff of ice. Interestingly the glacier surrounding the lagoon has formed lots of cracks, which makes it difficult and even dangerous to access Pastoruri. When the glacier moves these cracks fracture causing huge chunks of ice to fall off, thus increasing the volume of the lagoon further, creating more melt water rapidly decreasing the glacier’s surface.

Given the significant differences in the figures between the retreating fronts the team concludes that if the lake did not make contact with the glacier, Pastoruri would be retreating at a rate of less than 10 metres per year.

Why the growth of Laguna Pastoruri is dangerous

In the past there have been disasters attributed to landslides by glacial ice and rocks causing the destruction of many villages in the Cordillera Blanca. In none of these cases was there any type of control or monitoring of the glacial lakes. It is for this reason that the team started monitoring the annual rate of growth and modification of the glacier back in 2010.

From the data collected we can safely say that the increasingly rapid growth of the lagoon and the melting and retreating of the glacier front is uncontrollable under current conditions. The lake in front of Pastoruri has reached the length of 476.23 ml in just 13 years. At this rate of growth of the lake, the glacier will be cut at the lower left flank and continue splitting with the formation of numerous cracks.

The danger of the growth of the lagoon Pastoruri lies mainly in the following aspects:

1. Accelerated reduction of the main glacier surface because of growth of the lagoon and consequent reduction of water reserves.

2. Increased surface area and volume of the lagoon from falling ice chunks.

3. Danger of overflowing of the lake by the falling of large portions of ice into the glacier lagoon, producing high swells that could affect the ravine and Pachacoto Pastoruri.

4. Increased risk to tourists, by the formation of larger amount of cracks on its surface.

5. Decreased numbers of tourists because of the reduction of the glacier, and the inability to continue the annual, national and international competitions of winter sports.

6. Decreased sales opportunities that serve members of the Catac community and tourist service companies by the reduced flow of tourists.

Conclusion and recommendations to protect Pastoruri

The results of the studies conducted on Pastoruri in recent years are of great concern. The effect of global climate

change is resulting in a crisis not only compromising the survival of the glacier, but also the economic livelihood of many members of the Community of Catac. And because this mountain is famous for attracting, not only those who perform in the winter sports competitions, but also the spectators, this dire situation will have a country-wide economic impact.

Historically the Cordillera Blanca has always been a place where there have been many disasters as a result of floods from glacial lakes; a situation that forced the Peruvian Government to develop a technology to prevent any such disasters through drainage and construction of security factors.

The analysis of the dangers that threaten this unique glacier, due to the natural conditions of the environment, shows that unless things are put in place now to prevent further deterioration, and unless extreme measures are considered this glacier will be lost for ever, and the chances of the lagoon flooding risking many lives, increases by the day. One such solution that should at least be tabled would be the drainage of the lagoon; this is definitely a technically achievable solution, and one that could potentially halt the retreat.

To stop the rapid deterioration of the glacier, the team proposes to drain the pond in front of Pastoruri to a level where the water is kept away from the glacier front; thus decreasing its retreat to less than 10 metres per year, which in the current circumstances is a vast improvement. Also, the cracks would close, allowing the glacier to recover, meaning that not only could the annual competitions of the winter sports be reinstated, but tourists will once again be able to visit this beautiful area without risking their lives.

The drainage of the lagoon would hopefully decrease Pastoruri´s glacial retreat rates allowing them to come into line with the retreat rates of the glacier front not in contact with the lagoon. Simultaneously it permits the continuity of services provided by the Catac community and tourism agencies. However, the drainage of Lake Pastoruri requires a technical decision to be taken by specialised public and private entities including the municipality and the Commonwealth of Catac, which will be based on an Environmental Impact Study, topography of the lake and glacier, a glaciological study, bathymetry of the lake (the study of underwater depth of lake), a determination of thickness of the glacier and alternative drainage work options.

By Mr. Benjamin Morales Arnao, Executive Director of the Board of the Andean Mountains.

December 2013

The Huaraz Telegraph would like to thank Mr. Morales and his son Benquelo for sharing this important piece of work with us and the readers.

All data sourced from Mr. Benjamin Morales Arnao.



Expat in Huaraz

The Peruvian dreamAccording to the National Institute of Statistics and Informatics (I.N.E.I) 12,187 foreigners entered Peru in 2012 and stayed for over a year. The Huaraz Tele-graph is wondering whether these visitors came to see the wonders of Peru, or were they looking for the Peruvian dream? If the American dream is the idea that success is possible for every individual, does the Peruvian dream exist? And if so, can you reach for those ideals on the Latin American continent being an expat? It is fairly easy to spot a tourist in Hua-raz, with their tiny day-sacks and camera around their necks, whereas expats blend in; they adapt to the local way of life. But what motivates a person to uproot their entire lives, and leave their family and friends to go and live on another conti-nent? Over the course of the season The Huaraz Telegraph will endeavour to inter-view expats living in Huaraz, to give the readers an insight into why they decided to do just that. But first let’s look at some interesting statistics.

Although the following stats are accu-rate there is no statistical information on how many foreigners live in the Áncash region.

In the period from 1994 to 2012, there were 89,320 registered foreigners resid-ing in Peru that did not leave the country. Between 1994 and 2004 the number of foreigners entering Peru did not exceed 3,500, and between 2004 and 2006 the number of foreigners living in Peru did not exceed 5000. From 2007 the num-ber increased to over 6,000 and in 2012 that number had risen to a staggering 12,187. It´s important to mention that, even though Peru has a law stating that visitors can only stay up to a maximum of 183 days a year, after one year Gringos are considered immigrants in the Repub-lic of Peru, be it legal or illegal.

There is no denying that the number of immigrants has increased over the years and between 2007 and 2012 there were

When analysing the gender of the new-comers it´s remarkable that the popula-tion of males is by far bigger than the opposite sex. Men represent 66.8% of the immigrants while only 29,636 (33.2%) are female. Since 1994, men have rep-resented more than 60% of the immigra-tion population, but in 2012 they reached 70.9%.

In the document found on the I.N.E.I website the distribution of foreign mi-grants is also represented by age group. A chart shows that the predominant age group is the 30 to 34 year-olds represent-ing 12.2 % of all immigrants. Immigrants from 35 to 39 years of age characterise 12.1 % during the period from 1994 to 2012. This is followed by the 40 to 44 years old with 11.2%, continued by the group of 25 – 29 years old (10.7%). On the other hand, the highest percentage of immigrants are aged from 15 to 49, representing 68.2 % of all immigrants.

Looking at the gender population pyra-mid, the concentration is in the middle, being narrower at the base and that there is an increase in the first and last group. Immigrants aged under 15 count for 6.8% and are distributed almost evenly be-tween men (3.7 %) and women (3.1%). People older than 59 years of age repre-sent 10.3% and are distributed between 6.3% men and 4.0% women. Of the total number of 83,628 immigrants over 14 years of age, 33.7% are declared to be single whereas 199 people are said to be widowed, and 98 are divorced.

Between 1994 and 2012, 89,320 foreign-ers were considered to be new residents of Peru without any migration movement noticed and just before the document starts to talk about the country of origin, it mentions that 69,277 people (represent-ing 77.6%) have come to Peru by air, entering the country at Jorge Chavez Na-tional Airport. A small 8.6% entered from the south in Tacna (Santa Rosa), 2.3% from Bolivia (Desaguadero), and a 1.4% came from the north, crossing the border

from Ecuador at Aguas Verdes. A total of 3,378 (3.7%) arrived at the harbour of Callao (probably shipwrecked and unable to return home).

The authors of the report declare that there exists a strong concentration of regional immigrants referring to 31.6% of foreigners coming from Latin American countries such as Argentina, Bolivia and Chile. Americans (from the USA) with 12.4% the biggest group of newcomers, followed by the Chinese with 9.3% and Bolivians with 7.8%.

As you just have read, you will need to stay in Peru for over a year to qualify for the status of immigrant. This is also the main condition for our interviewee plus the fact that he or she should live in Áncash, and in this first edition of 2014 we conducted the interview with the man working on the still unfinished cathedral of Huaraz.

1. Who are you?

Well, my name is Bruno Reviron and I am French; originally from Normandy. I have lived in Peru since 1985 and this is also when I first met my wife, who is from Caraz.

2. How old are you and what’s your profession?

I am 51 years old. In France I studied industrial design, but here in Peru my profession is a chef, and I work in our restaurant Pizzeria Bruno. I am involved in other businesses including renting out 4x4s, and I also do some guiding as well.

3. How long have you been living in Huaraz?

My wife and I have lived in France for six years, but we always wanted to move to Peru and we have been living in Huaraz for the past 19 years.

55,616 immigrants representing 62.3% of all registered immigrants in the analy-sis period of 1994 to 2012. To make a small comparison, in the last six years measured concern over 50.0% of the im-migrants from the period of analysis. The period between the years 2001 – 2006 represented 18,499 incoming foreign-ers representing 20.7% of all registered immigrants during the study period, while the years 1994 to 2000 represent 17.0% of total registered immigrants. The num-ber of foreign immigrants in Peru has a greater dynamism in the last years of the study. Until 2003 foreign immigrants did not exceed 20,000, this number doubles in 2007 becoming 40,446, and in 2012 the number of foreign immigrants in Peru rose to 89,320.

Dividing the entry of foreign immigrants into different periods (in years) and hav-ing the estadisticas de la emigración internaticional de peruanos e inmigración de extranjeros 1990-2012 in hand, one can see that the average annual immi-gration per period is becoming a grow-ing trend during the last three periods, except from 2001 to 2003. On average, only 2,357 people crossed the border into Peru between 2001 and 2003. Between 1994 and 2012 the annual average is 4,701 surpassing this in the last two peri-ods 2007-2009 and 2010-2012, reaching average immigration figures from 7,420 and 11,118 respectively, the latter being six times higher than the average income of foreign immigrants of the first period (1994-1997).

All statistics on Peruvian international emigration and foreign immigation by the I.N.E.I on: http://www.inei.gob.pe/media/MenuRecursivo/publicaciones_digitales/Est/Lib1102/libro.pdf

The number of immigrants in Peru is growing by the year (I.N.E.I. stats)



Expat in Huaraz4 What brought you to Huaraz?

As I said before I married a Caracina and she wanted to live closer to her family. I had hoped to live somewhere in Cusco, especially in Urubamba, which is definite-ly a more touristic area than Huaraz, but I am happy here.

5. How has your life changed over the years?

I have diversified into many different ac-tivities through the years. I am very busy with the restaurant, which we opened 19 years ago and is doing very well fortu-nately, and also renting out our vans. I can also reveal that we´re working on a new project, which will be a refuge out-side of Huaraz where we hope to receive tourists. We have also operated an online a travel agency since 2002.

6. What are your favourite hangout spots in Huaraz?

Honestly, I hardly ever have any free time, I am either working in the moun-tains guiding tourists or working in the restaurant. I get up at six in the morning so I have no time to enjoy the night life of Huaraz.

7. What is it you miss the most from back home, and how often do you go back?

What I miss the most, apart from my friends of course would be the food; I would never reject a good cheese and a decent French wine from home soil. I believe that for most foreigners living here one thing they miss from home would be the food. I have to admit that after 19 years I miss fewer things than in the beginning. We have only gone back to France twice, and the last time was 11 years ago. (In the meanwhile his wife is reminding Bruno of another snack he likes a lot). Of course, not to forget the embutidos! These are pieces of filled skin (normally pork), usually minced and sea-soned with herbs and different spices like paprika, pepper, garlic, rosemary, thyme, cloves, ginger, and nutmeg.

8. What is it you like most about Huaraz?

What I like the most is the nature sur-rounding the city, and the exceptional weather conditions. I believe we have a unique situation here as everything grows all year round. I feel privileged with the climate we have in Huaraz. In France I used to live in an area with a lot of rain, this meant that everything was complete-ly green, but there wasn’t a lot of sun. Here in Huaraz we have it all. I also like the people and the way of life in general. I believe Huaracinos are very friendly and open. 9. What’s your opinion of the tourist business in Huaraz?

(After a short silence and sighs) This is a question that will take some time to an-swer. We all know that about thirty years ago Huaraz was a prime destination for tourists. And now Huaraz is probably the last place, out of all the tourist destina-tions in the country, which people want to visit. Every year there are fewer tourists, and nothing is happening to change this. No action is being taken by the authori-ties, the Ministry of Tourism, Prom Perú or the private sector. We should not forget that the entrepreneurs themselves in Huaraz are partly responsible for the situation we´re in at the moment. Most of them do not understand that tourism in general and the needs of tourists have changed significantly over the years.

Tourists are no longer what they used to be 30 years ago, but here nothing has changed. The tourism packages offered are still the same, which means there is not a positive evolution in this sector. To me this explains why every year there are fewer and fewer tourists.

Also I do not agree with the figures pre-sented every year. I cannot believe that there were actually 40,000 foreign tour-ists in the Huaraz region. I believe it’s a lot less. This makes me question another topic involving the authorities. How do you think they get to those numbers? During Easter, they collected all the en-trance tickets from Llanganuco, combined with the entrance tickets of Pastoruri, and last but not least also the entrance tickets of Chavin de Huántar. Then they add them up and give us a manipulated fig-ure, which may not correspond to reality because tourists could easily have visited the three attractions meaning that there was actually only one tourist, and not three! From what I have seen, and taking in account my 19 years’ experience of living and working in this sector, I believe there were no more than 10,000 foreign tourists last year in Huaraz, not 40,000 as has been transmitted by others.

I believe to bring an end to the downward spiral we should start to promote Hua-raz more, and Prom Perú should have a leading role here. The south of Peru is being promoted across the whole world, but the north is relatively unknown. I be-lieve that a much more intensive promo-tional campaign is needed, not only for Huaraz, but for the whole northern part of Peru.

Tourism in Peru is now divided into mac-ro-regions, and we are classified together with Huanuco for example. We have nothing in common with Huanuco. We should be linked with the northern spots like Trujillo and Chiclayo. And there is another important topic. Because the air-port located in Anta has been privatised and the owners don’t want to extend the runway it cannot receive big commercial airplanes only small charters. It´s well-known that airlines such as Star Perú and LAN Airlines are interested in setting up

Bruno Reviron with his wife in front of their restaurant Bruno’s Pizzeriaagainst me while incorporating these changes, but I have a great example of a successful transition. The last French city my wife and I lived in was Rouen; here the mayor invented the first pedes-trian street in the world. To begin with the whole city was against the mayor because nobody wanted a pedestrian street. But just in a short while it became the most visited and commercial street in France! This is only one example; many other cities in France have copied the idea. Nowadays, most cities in France have at least one street specifically for pedestrians.

12. Are you living the Peruvian dream (explain)?

Yes, absolutely! For me Peru is a country of opportunities. It is still a country where a lot can be done, a lot can be developed and a lot can be created and achieved. Every time I guide a group of youngsters from abroad, I always tell them that if they are not yet established in their own coun-try, they should consider moving to Peru. Obviously, Peru is not the only country in the world they can consider, but if some-one is a hard worker Peru is an open country with many opportunities.

13. How do you see your future in Huaraz?

My future will be a little quiter as I am working towards my retirement. I have worked really hard the past 20 years and I think, or at least I hope, to grow old here. I can say that I have earned my roots here. And, this is a scoop for your newspaper; I am officially a Peruvian now as I have obtained my nationality on the 26th of April this year, which also means I am able (obligated) to vote.

Thank you for your time

Are you an expat living in Huaraz, Yungay, Caraz or any other part of Ancash? Contact us for an interview !


routes between Huaraz and other places, but this will never become a reality until a bigger runway is built.

Tourism is one of the most important sup-porting factors in Peru´s economy, why not in Huaraz? The future of Huaraz is definitely dependent on tourism because sooner or later the mines will become empty and the mining companies will leave. Agriculture isn’t bringing in much money either because there isn’t much fertile land available to be as productive as other places. So to conclude once more, tourism is and should be the future for Huaraz.

10. What sites or activities do you recommend (or not) to our readers?

We are lucky having such a natural beauty around us. Principally I would like to recommend the Cordillera Blanca, Cordillera Negra and the Cordillera Huayhuash. By the way, I would not only recommend these to foreigners but even more to Peruvians. I am a huge fan of the Huayhuash, it´s a fabulous place and my prime destination of choice.

11. If you were to become the Mayor of Huaraz one day, what would you do or change?

The first thing I would do is to change Luzuriaga into a pedestrian area. This would add life to the city. There are many examples in other cities of this working in favour of the local economy. If Huaraz wants to be a touristic city, this would be a great idea. Secondly, I believe the whole traffic situation should be anal-ysed. It is completely chaotic and many problems need to be resolved. For me these are the main items to start with. Another topic would be the lack of green and ornamental areas in the city, and the collection of garbage. There are too many things to do.

I would probably have many people


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11:00PM and it offers breakfast, lunch and dinner.Jr. Julian de Morales 043-221281

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Coctails and happy hour from 17:00-22:00Coffee, fresh juices, sandwiches and much more

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Tourist Centre of Huaraz


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Simón Bolivar 580 - 2nd floorTourist Centre of Huaraz



History

At The Huaraz Telegraph we are more than delighted to announce that archaeologist Steven Wegner has finally found time to share a beautiful story with our readers. It’s about Charles Reginald Enock and the first documented traverse of the Cordillera Blanca ice cap.

Mr. Wegner was born in the United States and studied archaeology at the University of Wisconsin in the city of Madison. Afterwards he moved to Berkeley to continue his studies at the University of California.

A citizen of Huaraz, he arrived back in 1977, and over the past 37 years has made important contributions to many archaeological explorations and research programs in the Ancash region.

The story he would like to share will be divided in two parts, the last part will be published in our July edition.

civilisation, history and political conditions, topography and natural resources, industries and general development.

1910 – Farthest West, life and travel in the United States.

1910 – Pioneering & Map Making for Boy Scouts.

1912 – Peru: its former and present civilisation, history and existing conditions, topography and natural resources, commerce and general development.

1912 – The secret of the Pacific; a discussion of the origin of the early civilisations of America, the Toltecs, Aztecs, Mayas, Incas, and their predecessors; and of the possibilities of Asiatic influence thereon.

1913 – The great Pacific coast, twelve thousand miles in the golden West, being an account of life and travel in the western states of North and South America, from California, British Columbia, and Alaska: to Mexico, Panama, Peru and Chile; and a study of their physical and political conditions.

1914 – Ecuador; its ancient and modern history, topography and natural resources, industries and social development.

1914 – The Panama Canal: its past, present, and future.

1920 – Spanish America: its romance, reality and future.

1921 – America and England: a study of the United States; its relations with Britain: its part in the Great War; and its future influence.

1922 – The republics of Central and South America, their resources, industries, sociology and future.

While in Huaraz, he explored the Quillcayhuanca Valley and made the first documented traverse of the Cordillera Blanca ice cap in October of 1903. Much more can be said, but I will leave the reader to ponder the several themes of exploration, climate change (extensive snow and ice coverage then; now just rock), giving due credit to the first person to achieve the crossing (a humble, nameless cholo), the practicality of making a “mule road” over snow and ice at 5000 m, and the equipment Enock used for mountain climbing (only a rope, blue-tinted glasses and little else; three local men had no footwear at all). Interestingly, this civil engineer made no mention of seeing evidence of an ancient road in the Cayesh Valley, though some people believe there is one. Let’s read Enock’s account in his own words.

Ascents of Snow-capped Summits and Peaks

“During my stay in Huaraz, I was asked

by the authorities of the place to explore a pass upon the Cordillera Blanca, or Eastern range of the Andes, which, as elsewhere described, bounds the valley of Huaylas on the east.

“The object of this exploration was to determine the practicability of making a mule road from Huaraz to the towns on the other side of the Cordillera, eastward, such as Huantar and Huari, as to open up a nearer route to the tropical Montaña, for this proposed road would shorten the distance to the latter place by several days’ journey from Huaraz, and its construction was of decided importance to those communities.

“No white man had ever crossed this portachuelo, as the snowy passes of the Peruvian Andes are termed, notwithstanding that various persons had set out from Huaraz or Huari at different times to undertake it; and indeed it had only been traversed by two or three Cholo Indians, who, under the stimulus of reward, had ventured across the icecap which covered it. The authorities were now desirous of taking advantage

of the fact of an English engineer being among them, as they informed me, in order to have the pass examined, and I accepted the commission; not so much in a professional sense, but in a spirit of exploration and a desire to do something which might benefit the community, whose hospitality I had enjoyed a good deal. However, the municipality afterwards insisted on presenting a fee.

“Accompanied by four young Peruvians of Huaraz, an Indian guide, and eight Cholos, who carried the baggage and instruments, I set out on 3rd October (1903), and we ascended the canyon of Quillcay-huanca, down which flows the small river Quillcay, and formed camp at the foot of the glacier which gives birth to that river. The elevation of this point is 13,300 feet, the western edge of the perpetual snow-line.

“Sleep was continually disturbed by the thundering of the avalanches, and towards morning a heavy rainfall began, succeeded later by snow. The temperature, however, was quite mild, and at nine o’clock the party having

Charles Reginald Enock and the First Documented Traverse of the Cordillera Blanca Ice Cap By Steven Wegner and Charles Reginald Enock (Part I)

Charles Reginald Enock (1869–1970) was an English civil engineer. He came to Peru in 1908 to investigate some mining interests and to do some traveling and exploring. Enock was born in Edgbaston, Birmingham, England, on Monday, November 23, 1868, and was baptized in Birmingham on Monday June 21, 1869. His father was Arthur Henry Enock (1839–1917) and his mother was Lavinia Georgina Enock (nee Hollis) (1841–1899). He was the third child in a large family of six boys and three girls. Charles was definitely an avid explorer. It was during a visit to Mexico that he met Concha Lavin (1885–1984), a young girl living in abject conditions. It is said that he took pity on her and rescued her. They got married on Friday, June 23, 1899 in Santil, Mexico, and later remarried on Sunday, July 14, 1901, in Newton Abbot, Devon, England. Within a few years, they had two daughters: Enid Guadalupe Enock (1902–1989) and Consuelo Lavinia Enock (1907–2004). Subsequently, all four lived very long lives. Charles wrote a number of books about his travels, many of which were published between 1908 and 1922 including:

1908 – The Andes and the Amazon: life and travel in Peru.

1909 – Mexico: its ancient and modern



Charles Reginald Enock and his signature (picture provided by Mr. Wegner)

Author Wegner is a living encyclopaedia



Tourist Informationascended the rocky wall on the right-hand side of the canyon, previously crossing the lateral moraines and débris deposited by the glacier, entered upon the snow-cap.

“Here all secured themselves to the rope which had been brought for the purpose, for numerous crevasses in the ice-cap were encountered, in many cases invisible from the light covering of freshly-fallen snow which concealed them. The ascent was gradual, rising gently towards the summit; but before this was gained the snow was falling thickly, and in a few minutes entirely obscured the view. In the face of this the party was brought to a standstill, for, in the obscurity, a false step might have precipitated one or all into a crevasse.

“After the lapse of an hour, the storm showing little signs of abating, and the Cholos complaining that their feet were freezing – for they wore neither boots nor sandals, but marched with bare feet – it was decided to make a move, cautiously. But the guide, and Indian who had only once made the passage, and in fairer weather, had now become confused, and, after vacillating for some minutes, desired to set out in a direction which was very nearly that by which the party had arrived, or the reverse of which it was necessary to follow, trying to influence the Cholos to follow this course.

“But I had previously taken an approximate bearing, and in view of this was obliged to take a firm stand and to threaten with dire penalties any further insistence: and ostentatiously display the Colt’s revolver which I carried; for the route the guide desired to take led to a sheer descent of some hundreds of metres. At this moment the sky cleared slightly, and a landmark – a high peak – was recognized, when the course was followed in the direction indicated by my compass. The track behind was spotted with blood, which came from the bare feet of the Indians – who, however, accustomed to hardships, scarcely complained, but staggered on under their burdens, sustaining their energies with the coca leaves which they carry with them, and continually masticate.

“In a short space the summit was reached, and a view obtained of the eastern slope of the Cordillera. Here I fired three shots: the signal agreed upon with the party who should have ascended from that side to meet us.

“All waited, and scanned the white landscape eagerly, but in vain; there was no answering shot or shout. I was not altogether unprepared for this, for a good many years’ experience in Spanish America shows that one of the qualities of the Spanish American is “failure to make connections,” and to depend upon the efforts of the natives is often to lean upon a broken reed. This, of course, apart from the many good and useful qualities which they possess.” [1908, The Andes and the Amazon: life and travel in Peru, pp. 171–173. London, T. Fisher Unwin.]

[To be continued next month.]

Places of interest around Huaraz

Here we present a guide to the villages around Huaraz in the Callejon de Huaylas and Conchucos. Most of them are easily accessible by microbus (colectivo). Ask your hostel owner or landlord where to catch the colectivos in Huaraz.

Callejon de Conchucos

The Callejon de Conchucos, which runs almost parallel to the Callejon de Huaylas to the east of the Cordillera Blanca, is less accessible and, therefore, less frequented by visitors, but it is equally beautiful. The Callejon de Conchucos is known mostly for the old Chavín de Huántar Ceremonial Complex. It offers a variety of off-the-beaten-path villages complemented by local festivals, typical music and customs. Take enough cash because most villages in the Callejon de Conchucos have no ATMs.

San Marcos (2960m)

San Marcos is located nine kilometres north of Chavín de Huántar, in the Mosna valley. Here you can expect basic tourist services as well as spectacular mountain-biking options. The Mosna Valley is also known as Magnolia Paradise because of the many flowers that enrich the area. At the nearby Antamina mine you could find fossilised remains of dinosaurs.

Huari (3150m)

The province capital is located 152km from Huaraz; about four hours by public transport. It is famous for its gastronomy and the María Jiray Waterfall. Seven kilometres from Huari is Lake Purhuay which also offers camping, trekking and mountain-biking facilities. Also worth visiting is the archaeological centre of Marca Jirca.

Chacas (3359m)

Less-known hikes to Huari or Yanama are accessible from this little village (Yanama is also the start of the Santa Cruz trek). Chacas offers tourists an excellent opportunity to experience the Andean lifestyle when visiting the main

plaza. Flanked by the colourful windows and doors of the white painted houses; many with complex wooden balconies. There is a direct bus route to Huaraz with Transporte Renzo.

San Luis (3131m)

Capital city of the province of Carlos Fermín Fitzcarrald, it will take no less than six hours to reach this township from Cátac. Famous for the archaeological site of Cashajirca located three kilometres north of San Luis, and the beautiful Sanctuary of Pomallucay, this church offers its home to the image of Lord Justice Pomallucay.

Other villages in the Callejon de Conchucos worth considering visiting are Pomabamba, Piscobamba and Llamellín.

Callejon de Huaylas

The Callejon de Huaylas stretches for 150km in the Anca sh Region of Peru with the Santa River running along the valley floor. The Huaylas Valley is more crowded and most conventional tours run over paved roads.

Recuay (3422m)

If you have ever wondered how Huaraz looked before the earthquake of 1970, then visit Recuay. The structure of the narrow streets and adobe houses (houses built from sod) give a good impression. Just before arriving in Requay at the Bedoya Bridge, on the right hand side, starts the 183km road towards Olleros and Huaripampa, which is also the beginning of the Llama Trek towards Chavín de Huántar.

Carhuaz (2645m)

Famous for its local ice-cream and home to a lively Sunday market were countryside inhabitants sell various handicrafts, fruits and typical products from the region such as Manjar Blanco (blancmange).

Marcará (2950m)

This village mainly serves as a drive-through between Huaraz and Yungay. It is famous for its baños termales (hot springs) of Chancos. Weekdays are a lot quieter; at the weekends locals from

the surrounding villages descend and the pools tend to become overcrowded. Expect the temperature of the pools to be around 70°C.

Jangas (2825m)

Here lies the parish of Don Bosco, an Italian Roman Catholic priest who in the 1800s established schools and carpentry and woodcarving workshops for orphans and street children. Jangas is a charming village not far from Tarica, and Anta airport.

Tarica (3600m)

This drive-through town is part of the conventional tour towards the Llanganuco Lakes and is best known for its many roadside shops selling handicrafts and potteries.

Yungay (2500m)

This is where tourists get the best views of the Huascarán, which is the highest mountain in Peru. Nowadays the old city of Yungay is a national cemetery because of the earthquake of 1970 that hit central Peru – killing 25,000 people in the city alone. The new town was rebuilt 1.5km north of the destroyed city. Yungay has the best access to the Llanganuco Lakes, Laguna 69 and Yanama where you could start the Santa Cruz trek.

Caraz (2250m)

Caraz is 32km from Paron Lake, the largest lake in the Cordillera Blanca, and is surrounded by 15 snowy peaks. Canyon del Pato – a rock formation formed by the movement of the Cordillera Blanca – is also in this region.

¿Porque mi empresa no figura en esta edición?Hemos tenido poco tiempo para presentarnos a la mayoría de negocios de Huaraz y sus alrededores.

Sin embargo, el agradecimiento a aquellos emprendedores que se dieron un tiempo para escucharnos y considerar nuestra propuesta.

Todo emprendedor sabe que el cliente es la razón de ser de su empresa. Con esa premisa, decimos que los auspicia-dores son la razón de ser de The Huaraz Telegraph. Las empresas que depositaron su confianza en nosotros saben

que nuestro mensuario ofrece un portal importante al mercado turístico. Si usted es dueño de una panadería, restau-rante, lavandería, peluquería, empresa de transporte, sauna u otro tipo de negocio debería considerar trabajar con

The Huaraz Telegraph. Sobre todo porque la compra de un espacio no es un gasto, sino es una inversión con la meta de vender más de su producto o servicio en el futuro.

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Este espacio está disponible para su empresa en nuestra próxima edición. Para mayor información, contáctenos en [email protected] - o llámenos para programar una cita con nuestro director de ventas de The Huaraz

Telegraph, # 975-771-602.

The Huaraz TelegraphDon Bosco from Jangas creates fantastic carving from stone and wood. They also

make furniture.



Advertorial/Publirreportaje

We would kindly like to invite you to participate in our Trece Búhos ABC... Have you already visited us? We´re to be found at Parque de Ginebra near the Plaza de Armas

H - HalloweenTrece Búhos is the organizer of many interesting parties, like ́ so you think you can sing´ derived from the Peruvian television program Yo Soy (I am). For the highlight of the year you will still have to wait a little bit longer until the 31st of October. This day is known as All Hallows Eve, the origin of the American word Halloween! In later years, the Irish used hollowed-out, candlelit turnips carved with a demon’s face to frighten away the spirits. In the 1840s when Irish immigrants found few turnips in the United States, they used the more plentiful pumpkins instead. At our place everyone comes in fancy dress and we celebrate with the biggest party of the year. The best-dressed male and female guests go home with some fabulous gifts provided by Lucho and his team. Last year we had mummies, devils, vampires, pirates (not from the Caribbean), bees and even a Hulk Hogan lookalike. Our Halloween parties are legendary, and

a good reason to come back to Huaraz in October!

G - GamesBesides our great terrace, we have an interior space where people can read a book, use their laptop or even play some games. The most popular game we offer is Jenga (by Parker Brothers). Created by Leslie Scott, Jenga is a game of physical and mental skill. Players take turns removing one block at a time from a tower constructed of 54 blocks. Each block removed is then balanced on top of the tower, creating a progressively taller but less stable structure. This in combination with many Lucho´s beers makes the task even more difficult. Our blocks are much bigger than the original game you know from back home and when a tower falls, you can hear it in the Parque Ginebra because the sound of a falling tower of Jenga blocks is very recognizable. Also

interesting, the word Jenga is derived from a Swahili word meaning “to build”.

K - KnowledgeDid you know that knowledge for some is equivalent to power? There exists no single definition of knowledge, though there are numerous theories to explain it. The philosopher Plato famously defined knowledge as “justified true belief”. If you want to check your knowledge or just want to philosophize a little bit, you have come to the right address! Our personnel is always in for a little chat if we are not too busy attending to other customers, and our owner Lucho has so many stories and theories about live and existence, it´s definitely worth a visit. Furthermore, our domicile is the perfect place to sit back and get a bit smarter as we have a collection of books, magazines and even dictionaries. Enjoy the afternoon sun on our terrace, while eating a delicious pancake with cream, chocolate and ice. There is plenty of time to read about the history of Huaraz, what treks or hikes to consider, or just appreciate some interesting poems. In 13 Búhos you can also find interesting photo collections and

some of the best art around.

I - InstrumentsOur place is the perfect to test your guitar or voice. We have some instruments available in the bar and visitors can also bring their

own. And this makes it even more interesting to come to 13 Búhos. You could be a singer

or band playing to the crowd on a busy Friday or Saturday night out. You don’t need to be the most experienced singer or musician in the world. We provide the

stage and you do the rest. The reactions of the public will decide how long you stay on, worst case scenario is that you are forced to withdraw by the audience, but there will be some sweet Lucho´s Beers waiting for you to

cheer you up.

J- JoyBy the time this paper has been published there will be less than a week until Brazil and Croatia kick off in the Arena de São Paulo for the World Cup 2014. For all football fans out there come and enjoy all matches at 13 Búhos. We open from 10am and as it might be a little too early for the first beer; we also offer juices and excellent coffee. As a true fan, you will know that Peru will not be playing in this tournament; in fact it has not taken part in the World Cup since 1982. But this shouldn’t stop you from wearing an official Peruvian football kit. Even if you don’t like football, it´s still enough reason to visit our establishment because there will be others from all over the

world enjoying the good atmosphere.

The three ales for sale at 13 Búhos The man it´s all about, a smiling Lucho

Come and try our big Jenga game

Great atmosphere and even better drinks are the ingredients for a good night out

Welcome to our ABC! In this second edition of The Huaraz Telegraph we continue to show a little insight into what our business is about. We will now explain the letters G until K of the alphabet and next month we shall continue

until you have seen all 26! Hope to see you soon at Trece Búhos!



History

By Betel Sevillano Montañez

It was a Sunday afternoon and families were watching and listening to the opening of the 1970 Soccer World Cup ceremony. The Peruvian soccer team was the best team we have ever had: Nene Cubillas, Perico León, Cholo Sotil and the great Chumpi. It was a dream team. The Peruvian population was proud and everywhere you went you could hear people singing “Perú campeón…..Perú campeón…..es el grito que repite la afición”.

On this same day my family decided to go to the family farm located half an hour from Huaraz, (on the way to the Churup Lake). Any other Sunday afternoon we would have gone to the cinema, but that particular Sunday my parents wanted to join my grandfather who was harvesting potatoes. He wanted the family to have lunch on his farm and help prepare special dishes consisting of pachamanca with new potatoes and Picante de Cuy (spicy guinea pig).

After lunch at approximately 3.23 pm the earth shook. As the shaking grew more violent my family and the farm workers all ran in different directions. My grandfather knelt on the ground and started praying, shouting, “This is the end of the world”. Many were crying and the animals and birds were also making a lot of noise, and pieces of roof were falling to the ground. My mother recalls that those seconds seemed endless. No one could imagine the magnitude of the destruction.

When the earthquake stopped the family came together, and my father decided that we should immediately return to the city. The road was blocked by debris and landslides; we had to clear a passage through. Along the way we saw that many houses had been destroyed. Our house

was located on the outskirts of the city and we thought it would be destroyed as well, but fortunately it had not been damage. Even though our house was not destroyed, my parents didn’t want to stay in it so my older siblings and my father took some blankets and food and we slept in the car. All night long we felt countless aftershocks.

Next day my mother and father had to go to work very early, she was a kindergarten teacher and he worked at a bank. I remember them coming back a couple of hours later forbidding us to leave the house. Years later my mother told us she saw dead bodies laying in the street and people crying. They had met some friends who suggested they not continue as the city was completely destroyed.

After an emergency appeal sent out by an amateur radio operator, the army sent aircraft and helicopters, but there was zero visibility and they could not land. So they threw blankets and food out over the city and on the outskirts because people had ran there to find shelter.

On Tuesday night some family and friends along with a journalist arrived from Huaraz. Thanks to them it was possible to establish a radio link with Huaraz and we received information about the conditions of other families. Messages were sent and lists of survivors, the injured, and the dead were read out in a special emergency program.

Three days later helicopters carrying medicine and food were able to land. At that time the Anta airport was under construction, so soldiers were sent to make the airport operational. Cargo planes from different countries brought international aid, such as medicine, tents, food, and water. The U.S. Navy

dispatched a helicopter carrier carrying medical aid, which anchored off the coast of Chimbote and evacuated the wounded to Lima.

This earthquake reached a magnitude of 7.8 on the Richter scale, and lasted 45 for seconds; the epicenter was 30 km from the coast in the Region of Ancash between the towns of Casma and Chimbote. This event took the lives of approximately 70,000 people, 140,000 were injured, and over a million people lost their houses. The material damage was incalculable in the area between the provinces of Huarmey, Casma, and Chimbote to Trujillo, the entire Callejón de Huaylas and Conchucos. Yungay and Huaraz were the most affected cities.

In Yungay a block of rock and ice broke free from the north side of Huascarán (the highest mountain in Peru, 6,768 m), causing an avalanche that released over three million tons of mud, rock and ice from an almost vertical drop of over 3000 meters, and generating a speed of 320 km per hour. It took this rock slide just three minute to raze the town of Ranrahirca and the city of Yungay. Only a small group of people who had run to the cemetery located on a nearby hill, and a group of children attending a matinee at Verolina circus survived. All the mud and stones that fell was contained in the Cordillera Negra generating a dam on the Santa River, affecting the Canyon del Pato hydroelectric station at Huallanca, located some kilometers farther north, which stopped working leaving the area without electricity.

After the earthquake and the mudslide, only four trees remained standing where the main square used to be. The statue of Christ on the hill of the cemetery was a silent witness to what happened that tragic afternoon.

The Very Noble and Generous Huaraz City – the name given by the Liberator Simon Bolivar, was almost completely destroyed with 97% of this typical Andean town with beautiful old houses, built of adobe and narrow streets gone, along with the tombs of more than 10,000 people. Thirty thousand people died here, 400 of who were attending an activity day at the Santa Elena catholic school

located by the side of the main square of the city. The resulting dust and dirt mixed with the mist from the Yungay avalanche to become a dense, cold, dark cloud that rose up and covered the sky of Huaylas Valley for several days making visibility impossible.

As night fell on this first day tragedy and pain cries for help, relief and assistance were heard everywhere, and the survivors did what they could to help the wounded. In the overwhelmed hospital the wounded were left in the corridors, medicine ran out, as did water, food, electricity and shelter.

Thanks to international aid people affected by the earthquake received food and shelter. The government created a national entity for emergency response – nowadays known as INDECI. Search and rescue continued for several days, with the recovered bodies being buried in mass graves. Many families migrated to other cities so their children could continue studying. This was the case of my family.

Six months later, when the Bolivar Avenue was cleared of debris a group of musicians was found crushed against a wall with their instruments.

The city had to be completely cleared before rebuilding could start; a process that lasted several years; the construction of new housing produced a completely different city. The 1970 earthquake is considered to be one of the major tragedies that our country has had, and one of the worst disasters in the world.

About the author of the article:

Betel Sevillano Montañez lives in Lima, but comes to Huaraz regularly to enjoy the many wonderful hiking and trekking circuits. He owns a small farm in the Huaylas Valley, and his parents have a farm near the city on the way to Churup, which he uses when visiting. Betel was born and lived in Huaraz until 1969; a year before the earthquake. Betel told The Huaraz Telegraph that he has many memories of the beautiful Andean city that Huaraz was before that tragic day that changed not only the the city completely, but the lives of thousands. He considers himself to be a globe trotter and a lucky man as he was able to go to school in the USA to gain a master´s degree.

Memories of a tragic afternoon

The cathedral and Plaza de Armas in Huaraz with some cars parked around it before the earthquake of 1970, picture courtesy of MD. Luis Torres Ramirez


A procession during Semana Santa (procesión de domingo de resurrección), probably taken a week before the earthquake of 1970, picture courtesy of MD. Luis Torres Ramirez




Interview

We knew about it a year ago, and we are happy that it won´t be much longer before Huaraz and the climbing world are enriched with The Huaraz Climbing Guide. As the title suggests it is a guide that will have all the information about climbing in and around Huaraz.

We conducted an interview with David Lazo, who is also the manager of Quechuandes. David and his wife hope that their initiative will motivate people in other parts of Peru to publish their own regional guidebook.

Before talking about the guidebook, we first wanted to know a bit more about the bouldering and rock climbing discipline around the country.

held in Peru), so there is no doubt that interest for the sport is growing. There are actually many people who do a lot for the sport, but the problem is that up until now the government has shown very little interest, being totally oblivious to the great potential of the sport.

Compared to other South American countries such as Argentina, Chile, Ecuador and Brazil, where numerous guidebooks are available on just about every climbing site, there is no doubt that Peru is far behind. However, it really shouldn’t be that ways since some of the best climbing spots are found in the country, but what we are lacking is information and funding.

Foreign climbing tourists just don’t come here, because they have no idea of what there is on offer, sadly the true potential of climbing in Peru has remained a very big secret. I truly hope that the sport of rock climbing and bouldering keeps on growing more each year and that one day, perhaps in a few years, we will see a substantial growth in this sport, that way there will be more diversity in the world of sports in Peru, because right now people seem only interested in football and volleyball, which are rather dull.

Could you explain why you decided to make a climbing guide?

Countless foreign climbers come to my travel agency in search of information, and that gave me the idea of writing a climbing guidebook. I believe that with the publication of this guidebook more climbers will come to Huaraz and enjoy the area fully. The Huaraz region is a true climbing paradise, yet there is almost no information available. I wanted accurate information to be made available to foreign climbers who come to visit Huaraz, so they can enjoy the place more and take advantage of all it has to offer.

I also hope that it will help develop the sport of climbing in Peru and that more routes will be bolted as a result. Up until now there was a complete lack of information on Huaraz and Peru for climbers. When a foreigner comes to Huaraz and asks information about climbing sites the majority of the people working in the tourist industry know hardly anything about it or just give incorrect information. This does nothing to help develop the sport.

Many tourists come to Huaraz with high hopes but end up leaving early because they aren’t able to find the few people in town who are able to give them useful and accurate information, in many cases tourists aren’t even aware that so many climbing sites exist around Huaraz, and often they find out too late when it’s time to go home. This is such a waste, there is so much potential. With more information available there is no doubt that foreign climbers will stay around more and that can only benefit the town and its people, as well as the sport.

It is not just about developing the sport of rock climbing but also about developing

the tourism industry as a whole. Given that this guidebook will soon be available to buy in some foreign countries, I believe we will see an increase in tourist numbers in the near future. I hope that Huaraz will finally be put on the world’s map as it deserves to be.

Was it easy to make? Could you describe setbacks and the process of creating the guide?

There were many times towards the end of the project that my wife Marie and I wondered why we ever came up with this crazy idea of making a guidebook! No it certainly wasn’t easy we couldn’t have been thinking straight when we started this project; we certainly had no clue that it would be so much work, not just making the guidebook, but finding sponsors to finance it. And the printing process wasn’t straightforward at all either. We ended up spending many sleepless nights and too many hours working on it!

In the beginning the idea was to just make a small black and white booklet with some pictures and routes, but when we started taking photos of some sites, it quickly became apparent that the photos looked better in colour, and most importantly the route lines were more visible, so we decided to do a full colour book.

We were surprised when our original 100-page project soon turned into 200, then 300 and finally a total of 376 pages! It took some three years of research and taking photos to make it a reality. So you can really say it was a lot of hard work! Especially since we run a travel agency and work seven days a week. Finding the time and appropriate weather to go and take photos of the sites wasn’t easy at all, we are still amazed that we made it to some sites; because of course not all are easily or cheaply accessible. But luckily we got help from a lot of people; many people were kind enough to share photos and information with us.

My wife had to write to so many people in so many different languages, some that she didn’t even know! When she was translating a technical route description from Italian (a language she doesn’t know) to English, that’s when she thought

it had all gone too far! But we persevered and it paid off! It is undeniable that we couldn’t have done this book without the help of many people. Foreign climbers were always super helpful and enthusiastic about the project. And some local climbers too, particularly our friend Cesar Pajuelo who never ceased to help us throughout the project, but it was not the case with all of them.

Amazingly some ignorant people think that we only did this for the money and publicity for our agency. Little do they realise what we went through, how much of our own money we have actually put in (which we may or may not get back depending on how the book sells), and they don’t know us as people. Because my wife is not a climber some people can’t understand why she got involved in the project. Obviously they know nothing about her, how much she likes taking photos, designing books, and to simply help her husband with a project that she believes to be really worthwhile and much needed.

Sadly in Huaraz there are many people who have a very negative mind, people who do nothing unless there is something to gain, luckily we are not all like that! But through this project we got to meet some fantastic people, in the end we received far more support than we expected, that made us smile and continue the work with more confidence. In the end I believe we have done a great job. Collecting all the information and photos was a real challenge, and there are probably various mistakes and omissions, but we look forward to people getting in touch with us with their suggestions, so that we can make the second edition an even better one!

Authors of the guide are David Lazo from Huaraz and Marie Timmermans from Belgium


CALL FOR DELIVERY AND GET YOUR CHICKEN OR PASTA DELIVERED AT THE HOSTEL OR HOTEL YOU´RE STAYING AT

The Huaraz Climbing Guide: ¨a must have for climbing and boulder fanatics¨

How popular is bouldering and rock climbing in Peru?

In Huaraz rock climbing first took off in 1975 and bouldering was developed thanks to a French man. In Peru there are countless amazing climbing sites, which are worthy of the world’s best climbers, but the problem is that there aren’t yet that many people who practice the sport. One reason for this is that few people know anything about it, another is that climbing gear is very expensive and not readily available, and finally because the government shows zero interest in climbing and never support events that could make a big difference in the development of the sport.

In the last few years interest in the sport of climbing has been growing significantly in Peru, mostly among young people who are introduced to the sport by their friends, or those who start climbing on indoor climbing walls, (this is especially true in Lima where there now exists various quality artificial walls). There are others who go out climbing on natural rock (this is more true of Huaraz where climbing sites are easily and cheaply accessible).

Last year, for the first time, climbing was part of the Bolivarian Games (which were

Front page copy of The Climbing Guide



Interviewgot very lucky!

Could you explain the importance of a guide like yours for Huaraz?

This guidebook is important not only to Huaraz, but also to Peru as a whole because we hope that our initiative will motivate people in other parts of Peru to publish their own regional guidebook. That way the sport of climbing will get a massive boost and undoubtedly more foreign climbers will come to Peru and stay longer. This can only benefit the country from an economical point a view.

It is also important for climbers to see how many sites really exist. Often climbers have only heard of Hatun Machay, which is undoubtedly a fabulous site, but it is by no means the only one.

Good information is also essential from a practical and safety point of view. Having precise information on sites and routes, including how to get there, difficulty levels and potential hazards, is vital in order to minimise risks. We also want to encourage people to be more responsible, so that they don’t do damage to the environment, do not sabotage our heritage (many people still pick up arrow heads from Hatun Machay to make pendants!), and behave respectfully towards the local people.

Most of all we want people to come to Huaraz and have a great time! More happy tourists simply means more future tourists, and more climbers means more routes, and hopefully one day more support from the local government and businesses.

Where can people buy it and how much will it be?

The book will be available to buy in various places in Huaraz, of course at our agency Quechuandes, but also in various shops (Montañas Magicas, Andes Camping, etc.). It will also be available at the climbing gym Pirqa in Lima, and probably in Arequipa and Cusco as well, and at the Tatoo stores in Peru and Ecuador, as well as in various outdoor-sport stores in Europe and the USA. The guide will probably cost around S/. 90.00, and will be available as soon as this edition of The Huaraz Telegraph come out.

We´re very proud to announce we´re the best restaurant on Tripadvisor in Huaraz!

How have you gathered all the information?

It was not easy at all to find information about routes that are hardly known, especially trad routes (traditional, it’s a type of climbing), which need a lot of description. You need to first do extensive research on the internet, then try to get in touch with the climbers who opened the route, ask them many detailed questions about it and hope that they don’t tire of you asking them so many questions!

Actually the foreign climbers were all extremely kind and open; they really motivated us to go on with the project. The Red Book at the Casa de Guias, a book where climbers register their ascents, was also very helpful to us, that is how we found many topos (drawings of the routes), and some contact email addresses for the climbers. The problem was that some climbers do not speak English or Spanish or French, so we sometimes had difficulties communicating, but eventually we managed!

Part of the work was getting to the sites and taking photos of the rock walls, which was probably the most enjoyable part of making the book as we got to know some beautiful new places, but it was also quite stressful as we needed good weather for the photos to come out good. Mostly we

New and unknown boulders are in the guide



Tourist Information

The Cordillera Blanca offers countless opportunities for trekkers and climbers, as well as for people not so keen on physical activities. The wonderful lakes and glaciers of the White Range are easily accessible from the town of Huaraz. Here is a quick guide to the best activities around Huaraz.

DAY TRIPS

Daily sightseeing tours

These tours are great for those of you who are not so active, or who need to acclimatise before heading out into the mountains.

LLANGANUCO – This tour visits the villages in the Huaylas Valley (Carhuaz, Yungay, Caraz), and the beautiful Llanganuco Lake. Be aware that you will only spend from 40 minutes to one hour at the lake and spend much time at places of little interest. Departs every day. Alternatively you can visit the lakes independently, taking a taxi from Yungay, that way you can take full advantage of the lakes.

CHAVIN DE HUANTAR – This tour takes you to Chavin, a village situated on the other side of the Cordillera Blanca in the Conchucos Valley. Here you can visit the Chavin de Huantar UNESCO World Heritage site, featuring some of the oldest and most significant pre-Inca ruins in Peru. You also make a stop at the lovely Lake Querococha along the way. Departs every day except Mondays when the ruins are closed for maintenance.

PASTORURI – This tour visits the southern section of the Cordillera Blanca, with the amazing Pastoruri glacier, which is still well worth a visit despite having lost 40% of its ice in recent years. You can’t help but be impressed by the huge ice cliffs and the Puya Raimondii – a rare 12m high bromeliad plant which you visit on the way to the glacier. Make sure you become acclimatised before going on this tour as the glacier is at 5000m. Departs every day.

Day hikes

These hikes are perfect for those needing to acclimatise before a trek, or for those with limited time.

LAKE CHURUP, 4485m – This is one of the closest and easily accessible hiking routes from Huaraz, leading to a very beautiful turquoise/emerald green coloured glacial lake. It can be quite challenging as there are some steep sections, and there is a rock wall before the lake which you need to scramble up to (there are wires to help you up). It can be tricky in the rainy season when the rock is wet and incredibly slippery, so be careful. It is recommended not to hike alone; for those of you with limited hiking experience it is advisable to go with a guide, as he will carry a rope that will help you go up and down the rock wall safely. For experienced hikers a guide is not necessary as the path is easy to find. The trailhead at Llupa can be easily reached

by public transport.

LAKE 69, 4550m – This is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful hikes in the Cordillera Blanca. Located in the northern section of the national park. From Huaraz it’s roughly a three hour drive to the trailhead (Cebollapampa), the journey is incredibly scenic with great views of Mount Huascaran and the Llanganuco Lakes. The hike is of moderate difficulty, but can be challenging for those with limited acclimatisation. You can reach the trailhead by public transport, but finding transport to get back can prove very difficult, so it is recommended to hire private transport from Huaraz. For those with hiking experience a guide is not necessary as the path is clear. The lake is stunning for its pristine blue colour, and its fantastic location at the foot of the mighty Mount Chacraraju. You are rewarded with awesome views of the Cordillera Blanca’s highest summits during the hike.

LAKE LLACA, 4470m – This is one of the closest lakes to Huaraz. It takes two hours by private transport to reach the trailhead at the Llaca refuge. From there it is a short hike to reach the lake. The lake is not as stunning as others in the region, but it is a good option for those wishing to acclimatise with limited effort and time. It is possible to do ice climbing here, but the ice walls tend to be full of sand.

TREKKING

Easy to moderate treks

SANTA CRUZ TREK (four days) – Undoubtedly the Cordillera Blanca’s most famous and popular trek. It is suitable for novice hikers, but good acclimatisation is essential before starting the trek. This trek deserves its fame; offering varied scenery and endless views of majestic snow-capped peaks, jewelled glacial lakes and gorgeous Andean valleys. For those with ample experience of trekking at high altitude, this trek is doable without a guide, but be sure to follow the national park rules especially to carry all your rubbish out of the park. Ask in town for directions before heading out, as although easy to follow, the path is not signposted. Departures for this trek in an all-inclusive organised group run daily in high season, but standards vary from one company to the next. The trek can be completed in three or four days, but if you do it in three days you will miss the side trip to the Alpamayo base camp and Lake Arhuaycocha, which is undoubtedly one of the trek’s highlights.

OLLEROS – CHAVIN TREK also known as LLAMA TREK (three days) – A less popular trek, it mainly crosses vast expanses of puna, following ancient pre-Inca and Inca paths that lead to the village of Chavin. There are no glacial lakes and few snow-capped mountain views during this trek, but you will come across isolated communities.

Moderate to challenging treks

QUILCAYHUANCA – COJUP TREK (three days) – A stunning trek which goes through some less-visited, but none the less stunning valleys of the Cordillera Blanca. It is a much tougher trek than the Santa Cruz for two reasons. First there are no donkeys to carry all the equipment, so you will have to carry a backpack weighing around 15kg (the weight depends on the number of porters accompanying the group). Second, because the pass is much higher. At 5050m the path leading up to it is very steep, rocky and generally not well trodden. The way down from the pass is even steeper and more challenging. This trek is perfect for fit, experienced hikers who wish to experience peace and tranquillity. Good acclimatisation is essential before starting the trek. Note that some agencies haven taken the habit of doing the trek in reverse, starting in Cojup, in order to avoid the national park control point in Pitec and send uncertified guides. Doing the trek this way is not recommendable as the ascent to the pass from the Cojup side is too challenging for most people.

AKILPO – ISHINCA TREK (three days) – This trek is similar in difficulty to the Quilcayhuanca trek, although donkeys can be used (they do not go over the pass but go back and around). The pass is very high at 5050m and the path leading up to it is steep and not well marked, the descent from the pass is very difficult and potentially dangerous if you go the wrong way. The trek starts at the pre-Inca ruins of Honcopampa, and then goes up the Akilpo Valley through beautiful forests of local quenual trees, before reaching the superb Lake Akilpo just before the pass. Then you go down to the Ishinca Valley. This trek is perfect for fit, experienced hikers looking for an alternative to the Santa Cruz trek. Good acclimatisation is essential before starting the trek.

ISHINCA – COJUP TREK (three days) – This trek is vastly different to all the others, because it includes a glacier traverse requiring the use of equipment such as crampons and ropes. Bringing you much closer to the giant icy peaks of the Cordillera Blanca, the views are simply spectacular. This trek is only suitable for very fit and experienced hikers, but does not require any mountaineering technical knowledge.

Thorough acclimatisation is essential as you will go well over 5000m. It is possible to include a summit climb to Mount Ishinca (5530m) during this trek.

Challenging treks

HUAYHUASH TREK (eight or ten days) – The Huayhuash full circuit trek is considered as one of the world’s most beautiful. It is a trek that requires good physical condition and acclimatisation, because it crosses many high passes (eight passes minimum ranging from 4650m to 5050m) and the campsites are all above 4100m. Trekkers are rewarded with endless breath-taking views of stunning glacial lakes, pristine valleys and icy peaks, which can be extremely close. There are many alternatives possible for the itinerary, but the most common group departures are for the eight day and ten day treks. Those with more time and wishing to explore less visited valleys of the range can do the trek in as many as 15 days, and take the more challenging high trail. Those with limited time can do the four day Mini Huayhuash trek, which visits one of the range’s most beautiful locations: the Lake Jahuacocha area.

CEDROS – ALPAMAYO TREK (seven or ten days) – This trek is less popular than the Huayhuash trek, and also very different, although not less beautiful. It is probably a bit more challenging too, even though the passes are not as high (eight passes on the full circuit ranging from 4400m to 4850m), but the trails leading up to the passes are much steeper. You are unlikely to meet many trekkers and will come across several isolated Quechua communities who still follow a traditional lifestyle.

The highlight of this trek is undoubtedly the view from Jancarurish of Mount Alpamayo, known as the World’s most Beautiful Mountain thanks to its near perfect pyramid of ice. You will not see as many glacial lakes and close-up views of glaciers on this trek as on the Huayhuash trek, but the landscape is much more varied and the isolation a real bonus. The trek can be done in seven days starting in Hualcayan or Huancarhuas and finishing in Pomabamba, allowing one worthwhile rest day in Jancarurish, but take into account that you need a full day to travel back to Huaraz from Pomabamba (night

All you should know about day trips, trekking, mountaineering and bouldering


WARNING FOR TOURISTS:

AVOID THE RATAQUENUA CROSS AND DON´T HIKE FROM THE RUINS OF WILCAHUAIN TOWARDS THE BAÑOS TERMALES IN MONTERREY




Tourist Informationbuses are not recommended due to frequent robberies on this route). For those with more time, you can add extra days by joining on to the Santa Cruz trek at the end, making it a ten or 11 day itinerary if finishing in Cashapampa, or a nine day itinerary if finishing in Vaqueria. The trek can be done in reverse, but it is tougher.

MOUNTAINEERING

Keep in mind that glacier conditions change from year to year, so what was an easy walk across a glacier one year may be a difficult passage through crevasses the following year. So make sure to check the latest conditions in town before setting out on any of these expeditions.

Non-technical climbs

These expeditions are suitable for people with no previous mountaineering experience; however, even though they are often referred to as trekking peaks these expeditions, although not technical, are harder than a trek, due to the fact that you wake up at midnight, walk in the dark and use heavy equipment such as mountain boots and crampons. If you are fit and have experience of trekking at high altitude and want to experience being on a glacier, then one of these peaks is for you.

MOUNT PISCO, 5752m (three days) – This expedition offers some of the best summit views of any peak of the Cordillera Blanca, and for that reason is very popular. Crossing the moraine takes two to three hours and is considered the most challenging part of the expedition. It is possible to include a hike to Lake 69 on the last day.

MOUNT VALLUNARAJU, 5686m (two days) – This expedition can be quite challenging, because no donkeys can be used, you have to carry a 15kg backpack up a steep path to moraine camp on day one. It is very popular due to its proximity to Huaraz making it a short expedition.

MOUNT ISHINCA, 5530m (three days) – This peak is mostly used as an acclimatisation peak for those wanting to climb the higher and more technical Mount Tocllaraju, which is situated in the same valley.

MOUNT TUCO, 5479m (two days) – A very seldom climbed peak, although it offers a relatively short and easy ascent, as well as the chance to see the rare Puya Raimondii plant.

Intermediate level climbs

These expeditions are suitable for people with some mountaineering experience. It is recommended to climb a 5000m+ peak before starting any of these expeditions in order not to suffer from altitude sickness.

MOUNT TOCLLARAJU, 6034m (four days) – This expedition is perfect for those who have climbed a non-technical summit previously and want to take the next step in the mountaineering world by trying something more technical. It includes the ascent of two 60m high ice walls requiring the use of ice axes. The

well as an excellent physical condition. Two ascent routes are possible, either from Lake Paron or from the Santa Cruz Valley.

ROCK CLIMBING & BOULDERING

Rock climbing and bouldering spots are plentiful around Huaraz. All types of climbing, at all levels, with many different types of rock, fantastic views, and no chance to get bored! Check with local climbers or travel agencies specialising in rock climbing for a detailed list of the necessary equipment and help with logistics.

CHANCOS – Located 32km northeast of Huaraz in the foothills of the Cordillera Blanca, Chancos is the perfect place for beginners and climbers with limited experience. After climbing, a good option is to visit the Chancos Hot Springs which are situated an easy ten-minute walk away.

LOS OLIVOS – This is the closest climbing spot to Huaraz, situated only three kilometres from the town centre. It features a large number of equipped sport- climbing routes in five different sectors, as well as several boulders, suitable for climbers with some experience. From here you get an amazing panoramic view of the town of Huaraz and the Cordillera Blanca.

ANTACOCHA – Situated 35km south of Huaraz in the Cordillera Negra it is one of the few places in the area offering long routes with a variety of difficulty levels, suitable for climbers with limited or a lot of experience alike. The 180m high wall towers high above Lake Antacocha. This place offers a magnificent vantage point of the Cordillera Blanca, especially at sunset.

HATUN MACHAY – Located 69km south of Huaraz at 4300m high in the Cordillera Negra, this stunning rock forest is a paradise for rock climbing and bouldering with some 250 equipped sport-climbing routes and countless boulders, suitable for all levels. It is also a great place for hiking, as it offers some amazing viewpoints with views of the Cordillera Blanca, Huayhuash and the Pacific Ocean, as well as many caves with ancient rock paintings and carvings dating back to 10,000BC.

THE SPHINX – Also known as The Colossus of the Andes or “La Esfinge” in Spanish, it is situated 90km northeast of Huaraz in the Paron Valley and is considered to be one of the most amazing granite rock walls in South America, offering a variety of traditional climbing routes with superb views of the snow-capped summits of the Cordillera Blanca surrounding it. Given its extreme altitude (5325m), it is essential to be well acclimatised before setting off on this climb and to have sufficient experience in traditional climbing. It takes an average of three to four days to complete the climb.

Information and photo ´tip of the month´ provided by Marie Timmermans from QUECHUANDES Travel & Adventure Agency

Dinosaurs in ConchucosThe Conchucos valley doesn’t cease to amaze. On the road leading to the mine of Antamina in the province of Huari, dinosaur footprints can be clearly seen, as if they had only just walked past. It was while making the access road to the mine in the late 90s that the first dinosaur footprints were discovered. Later on in 2005, due to water erosion a stone wall collapsed exposing footprints of a theropod (a ferocious carnivorous dinosaur, and ancestors of birds). According to paleontologist Carlos Vildoso what you see is the result of mud filling up the dinosaur footprints, and becoming fossilised, that’s why we see them in high relief.

Another rock wall on the same road shows traces of an herbivorous dinosaur: the ornithopod. Three toes and rounded footprints can be seen clearly. Vildoso observed that just behind it, the claws of a theropod can also be seen. Judging by the distance between the footprints and their alignment, it appears to be a chase, in which the helpless ornithopod is fleeing its vicious predator.

All that happened 120 million years ago during the Cretaceous period, when what is now a vertical wall on a mountain at 4800 m was flat ground near the sea. This is evident from the overwhelming number of shells and ammonite fossils in the rock. Vildoso explained that about 30 million years ago the Nazca plate and the South American plate collided causing the ground to rise and subsequently the Andes were formed. Thus what once was flat, tropical jungle ground at sea level turned into a cold, mountainous world.

Driving up to 5000m on the road leading to the Pastoruri Glacier, another wall covered in footprints can be found. Interestingly Vildoso believes that dinosaur remains could be found on Nevado Pastoruri itself, and now that the ice is retreating fast it will be a chance for palaeontologists to possibly find and study them.

So far footprints belonging to 12 different species of dinosaurs have been found, including those of large and small carnivores, and huge long-necked and smaller semi-biped horned herbivores. Most of them can be found along the Conococha-Yanacancha (Antamina) road at Km 55, Km 79, Km 80 and Km 82.5. Apart from dinosaur footprints, remains of marine reptiles were also found belonging two distinct groups: the big-headed and short-necked pliosaurus, and the small-headed and long-necked plesiosaurus. Remains of ichthyosaurus, a reptile that looks like a dolphin and sharks were also found in the area.

TIP OF THE MONTH


relatively short summit ascent makes it a perfect first 6000m+ peak.

MOUNT CHOPICALQUI, 6354m (four days) – This expedition has the same technical difficulty level as Mount Tocllaraju, but it is a more difficult climb due to the much longer summit route and higher altitude. It includes the ascent of two 60m high ice walls requiring the use of ice axes. It offers one of the Cordillera Blanca’s most beautiful ascent routes along its southwest ridge.

Technical climbs

These expeditions are suitable for people with plenty of technical mountaineering experience. It is recommended to climb a 5000m+ peak before starting any of these expeditions in order not to suffer from altitude sickness.

MOUNT ALPAMAYO, 5947m (seven days) – This is a serious and technically challenging expedition requiring the ascent of a 470m high ice wall. Excellent crampon and ice axe techniques are essential. Please note that the ascent from base camp to high camp is particularly challenging, given that you need to climb up a 60m high ice wall (at a 55 degree incline), carrying your backpack. Known as the World’s Most Beautiful Mountain, each year Alpamayo attracts many mountaineers from the world over.

MOUNT ARTESONRAJU, 6025m (five days) – This is a mentally, physically and technically demanding climb requiring the ascent of a 600m high ice wall, at an incline of 50 degrees. Excellent crampon and ice axe techniques are essential, as

At no less than 5180m these dinosaur remains were found at the highest altitude in the world


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