Easter Hike

Ok, the hike wasn't technically on Easter, it was yesterday but it was fun! I'm in Huaraz at the moment visiting my friend Domi and she invited me to go on a hike to the Quebrada Llaca. This valley is a right off the city of Huaraz and only takes about 75 minutes by car to get to the trailhead.

We left early to avoid the heat and other tourists and to get to the inn in time to eat lunch. The transportation that we hired left Huaraz around 5:30am. We got out at the trailhead (which would have charged us if the man had realized that one of the group members was a foreigner but I had my hat on and a hood and baggy clothing so I was overlooked.) Made a couple shortcuts as directed by a map made for us by Domi's friend who is also a trail guide in Huaraz, and arrived at the lake to breakfast around 8am. Then we made an arduous climb over precariously placed rocks to get a better look at the glacier but luckily they got tired and we turned around. :) Those glaciers always look closer than they are so over time I've stopped trying to get closer. Just sit back and revel in the beauty, it saves time too. :)

So this is small but maybe you can make it bigger on your computer.. :) Anyway, the big dark rectangle is Huaraz and up and to the left of Huaraz is the valley (Quebrada) of Llaca with a lake at the end of it and the snow covered mountain at the end called Ocshapalca and one to the right called Vallunaraju (Raju means snow covered mountain in Quechua).

A view looking out (towards Huaraz and the Cordillera Negra) from the Quebrada Llaca.

Mt. Ocshapalca as seen from somebody that went mountain climbing (found the picture online... didn't take it!)

After we got down from the lake, we took a different way down and passed by an inn called "The Lazy Dog Inn" (Qela Allgupa Waiyin). For lunch we had a wonderful meal of chicken parmesan and it was delicious. The inn is an ecological bed and breakfast located 8KM from the city of Huaraz.