i am in Boulder Colorado (july 2008) where i have been climbing rocks and mountaineering with the same climbing partner for 6 years. january 2008 we summited Citlaltepetl, which is the highest mountain in Mexico, the third highest mountain in North America, and the largest volcano on the Continent. the past few years have included the Indian Peaks range here in the rockies, with most summits at 13,000 ft. - summer 2007 was 17 successful summits in a row including 8 14ers (eight summits above 14,000 feet). this summer has extra snow in the mountains and makes for a short season, with Bolivia planned for august and september.
(later - now its aug. 19, 2008) i am currently in the Carolinas of the United States ready to depart for Bolivia. we are headed for the Condoriri region, Zongo Pass, Lake Titicaca. mountain climbing goals possibly include Piramide Blanca, Huayna Potosi (20,000 ft), and finally Nevado Illimani (21,201 ft). flying into La Paz, capital of Bolivia at 13,000 ft. which serves as hub. back to U.S. by Sept 16. big dreams, focus, reality.
let it be said, we are all motivated in life for different reasons in different directions. i recall viewing a documentary as a young girl of women walking across snow in the polar areas and saying to myself "i want to be them, i want to be there". i recall spending english class library research time in high school with my friend Beth looking at picture books of beautiful places around the world, mountains, oceans, forests. i talked my parents into letting me go to Europe with the Ohio State Fair Youth Choir the summer after high school and trying to raise money working a pizza job for $3.40 an hour. i am motivated by the beauty of the planet, by the beauty of people, by the fact that life is SHORT, and by the heroism my father has shown during the last year and a half of cancer treatments. love and live and do it now!!!
Aug 21 2008. Thurs about 1pm. La Paz, Bolivia. The time zone is same as Eastern US. We left Charlotte NC yesterday around noon. Arrived in Miami FL after several attempts to land the plane due to rain and wind and visibility issues from Hurricane Faye. We ate lots of food in the airport and read books, Into Thin Air and Miracle In The Andes (mountain adventure true stories), during our 9 hour layover. Then overnight flight to La Paz. Seeing the culture in the early morning out the window of the cab today was breathtaking. The Bolivian people are beautiful. Traditional hats and skirts, colorful scarves. Also modern dress, jeans, in the city. 34 degrees F. Warming up with sun later in day, chill to the air. Foggy morning, very sunny now. highest city in the world (13,000 ft), mountains all around. Simple brick homes lining the hills, many without windows, just an open square, no glass. I think i am drawn to wanting to see other cultures because it makes me connect with the basics over and over. Communication, eye contact, smiling, love, spirit, humanity as a whole. With my reading, i was reminded how fleeting and precious life is, from a story of survival. The higher purpose is not something waiting for us later or to be attained from worshipping statues or attending ceremonies, (although this is certainly not bad and can keep us connected to others), but it is all day every day every decision every shared word. The paradigm that we each live in is to be respected and appreciated for exactly what it is right now. Each of our own realities is unique. All things are created from and surrounded by energy. Everything comes around. Take care of yourself and tell people you love them.
aug 21 evening. At the market in Bolivia today, i found that the vendors are the friendliest i have ever encountered while traveling abroad, including China, Japan, Europe, Mexico. I appreciated their gentle, sparkling eyes, good spirit and helpful nature.
Aug 22 2008 friday. Maybe its because i have had some sleep now, but i am beginning to realize where i really am. today it has really hit me. i felt more of the reality of lifestyle for some of these people. the hundreds of vendors that line the streets, every few feet, candy, sunglasses, CDs, homemade foods, peeled oranges for sale, children sitting on the curb of the busy street next to mom who sells jewelry, etc. We handed out American Dum Dums-candy suckers that we brought from the US to all the children we saw today, some of them scared to take it, or maybe they thought we were selling them. Then there are the hundreds of shops selling sweaters, handmade colorful textiles, knit hats, toys, and on and on. There are young business men and women walking the streets wearing fancy clothes and carrying brief cases beside elderly vendors trying to just make enough for lunch today. Such dichotomy! I bought a necklace made by Arturo, a young man in his twenties, selling his beautiful hand crafted jewelry that was displayed on a blanket on the sidewalk, near about 20 other people doing the same, but i just noticed this one necklace in particular and looked at it several times, coming back to it. He wasnt watching his goods, he was across the street, and came running over when he saw me. he said he was traveling, he was from Mexico, was traveling all around, had been through Peru, where the Opal from my necklace came, was eventually headed for Europe, and said Bolivia was the most beautiful place he has been. I really appreciated the dialogue we exchanged. he made the clasp for the necklace right there in front of me by twisting wire with some pliers. Amongst all the STUFF for sale all around, i knew i wanted a necklace from Bolivia, (i always wear a necklace while doing acupuncture), and i knew i wanted to buy directly from the maker. Cool exchange of humanity. Today, shawn and i toured the very historical and sacred Centro Cultural Museo San Francisco, Cathedral and now museum of San Francisco, Saint Francis. It was built around 1547, a year before La Paz became a city, if i am correct. Monks have resided there ever since and still do. We learned that La Paz means Lady of Peace, so it is the City of The Lady of Peace, the Virgin Mary. We were guided in the museum and cathedral individually for an hour by a young man that worked there and spoke good English, he said he was studying English at the University. Including viewing the rooms where monks used to live, pray and eat, which are now the museum, he took us up to the bell tower and also down to the tombs under the alter. Being raised Catholic myself, I instantly had tears upon entering the actual church. Huge and beautifully decorated. This was a special tour, anyone who visits La Paz should see this. Then we happened upon the Coca Museum, a little old wooden shop area hidden back in among the markets. Upon entering, the elderly gentleman behind the small desk handed us a self guided tour book in English on the history of the coca leaf, as well as nutritional and manufacturing information and the history of legalities surrounding the plant. There were a few other people in the small museum, from Scotland and Germany I think, among others who didnt speak so we didnt know. We then looked around at the pictures displayed, read through the book some, and then made our way upstairs to the cafe where we shared a piece of Almond Cake with Coca and had a Beer with Coca, all legal of course! but keep in mind, getting into the museum was diez Bolivianos (ten Bolivianos), which equates to about $1.30, one dollar and thirty cents. (Exchange is $1=7 Bolivianos. A decent size lunch can be easily about $4). So the two museums today were totally spontaneous and amazing. Its incredible what you can really learn in a few hours. We plan to attend Mass tomorrow, Saturday, at 7pm, after the enormous bells in the bell tower, that are hung by Llama wool and ropes made with cow hide, are rung by hand by the Monks, thirty minutes prior to Mass. I encourage you all to read Shawns blog which gives a better description of the Church, among other great thoughts.
Aug 23 2008 Saturday. Sunny day in La Paz Bolivia. I finished reading my book today, Miracle In The Andes by Nando Parrado, an amazing story of survival, love and heroism. needed a break from the markets i think. Afterwards, by a great fluke, I was taken back in time, flashbacks to my previous life of being a wedding musician. We had intended to get some food downtown and then attend mass at 7pm at San Francisco Cathedral. but shawn thought that since there were alot of people hanging out in front of the church at 5:20pm, that there was going to be mass at 5:30, so we asked a few people, including the priest, what time mass was, but of course, nobody gets our broken Spanglish, and when he said "diez minutos", we figured, ok, theres mass in 10 minutes. so we went in and took a seat. people wearing heels and fur coats started to fill the church and shawn turned to me and said "are we dressed ok, this is all i got". and i nodded, knowing that god loves us no matter what we are wearing. a mariache band walked in and i figured we hit the jackpot with the fun mass today. the lady in front of us said something, and i caught a reference to "siete", spanish for 7, so i figured she was telling us mass was at 7, and just then, the mariache band broke into Mendelssohn´s Wedding March! i said, "shawn, this is a wedding", and my eyes got real big, and i gasped and motioned for shawn to leave the pew, but the lady in front of us grabbed my arm as a friendly gesture and notioned for us to stay. it was too late. the procession had begun. im wearing my brown climbing pants and a longjons shirt! as there was no white dress, it took me a minute to get that the older bride and groom walked down the isle together. i snuck off to the side at one point and took pics and video of the band and priest, and got proof that shawn was actually in church! he also got his picture outside with the fancy getaway car for the bride and groom. and that reference to 7 was that the groom was 70 years old. we took part in the sign of peace and also communion! neither of us could decide, and before we knew it, we were in line with others, walking up to receive the body of christ. the nun appreciated my sincerity, if not my mountain garb. there were a couple other white obviously tourists that had wandered in, and we had to bite our lips to keep from laughing out loud when we realized they saw us in the pews with the bride and grooms families! in the end, i feel very honored to have shared this couple´s public dedication of love. i cant wait til they see me poking way above the crowd in their video, as the guy panned across the congregation. im the tallest girl in bolivia! on another note, i have felt a bit sensitive with my stomach today, not too bad. i have tried to eat simply and avoid water-borne foods at all on this trip, and i will continue to eat conservatively. i have had no altitude sickness, im very ready for the mountains and look forward to getting out there!
Aug 24 2008 Sunday. Visited the Plaza Murillo, a big square center further up towards the hills in town, not too far from St. Francis Cathedral really. It was full of families, children, friendly faces, surrounding a large statue center with garden sitting space, and on the outskirts was a roundabout street with barely any traffic, and large ornate buildings. It is considered the center of La Paz, and is named after Pedro Domingo Murillo, a Bolivian patriot who died in 1810. Two parts of Bolivian government in La Paz are housed there, including the Presidential Palace. Also, today, was an enormous street fair along the main road which we´ve walked everyday. There was an orchestra under a bubble shelter playing Ravel`s "Bolero", and later a woodwind quintet. Im guessing there is a school of music nearby. I bought a great pair of green and silver earrings at a little jewelry stand from Jill, a girl in her 20s who spoke great English and said she was Bolivian but had lived in the U.S. a bunch. She gave me her phone number and email and offered to take me around sometime, so friendly! The earrings were diez bolivianos (10 Bs), just over a dollar. I also purchased what will be one of my prized possessions for years to come, an intricately decorated colorful hand woven textile, made in the city of Potosi, nearby, that they say is used for "la mesa", as a table cloth, but can also serve as a warm blanket, as its made from Alpaca Wool. Again, i notice the friendly nature of everyone around, and am especially impressed that it is simply standard to greet every person you pass by with "buenas dias" meaning "good day" - (or "buenas tardes" for afternoon or "buenas noches" for night). A short walk down one street, past the tall buildings, offered a SPECTACULAR view of snow capped Mount Illimani at 21,201 feet high (our ultimate climbing goal here week 3) in its entirety! The busses and cars just about got my achilles while i snapped pictures of it, trying to get the best shot on zoom and without telephone wires or street lights in the way. It was a beautiful sunny warm day with blue sky and perfect sight of the massive peak. Im currently sharing the computer room with Pablo, a man from Ecuador who just spent time climbing today in the Condoriri Region, where we plan to begin our mountain expeditions next week. He has climbed all over the world including the Himalayas, and it seems that hes probably a famous climber that we just didnt previously know about. His current 15 day travels included Lake Titicaca and Copacabana, the first area we will visit with our guide in 5 days. He said beware of the poultry and vegetables, hes seen some people get sick from food in that area. Apparantly, when the poultry is transported it is not refrigerated. Very helpful advice! And he mentioned that he is used to food generally in South America, compared to the normal bacterias in the water and food that i am used to. By the way, i have been taking drops of grapefruit seed extract regularly, and my little stomach thing is over now, i feel fine - a trick i learned from my roommate in China. I feel so blessed to have these opportunities of culture exposure in my life. Take care of yourself, and others near you.
Aug 25 2008 Monday. Toured Tiwanaku today. It is the civilization before the Incas in South America, from 1500 B.C. til 1200 A.D. At this historic site, they are reconstructing pyramids that were once there, using some original stone, and some modern. Tiwanaku is located at the southeast edge of Lake Titicaca, the highest navigable lake on earth, which lies between Bolivia and Peru, and is about 75 kilometers away from La Paz, the city where we are staying, about a 90 min. car ride away. The main monolith, large statue, that has been unearthed, is called "Pachamama" and means "mother earth". There are four monoliths that look like stone statue rectangular people and a couple other stone structures that are more like entryways, one called the SunGate. Pachamama is very intricately carved stone with representations of everything that was meaningful to them: the three main levels, sky, earth, under the earth or the sea. And the six animals most meaningful: condor - for sky ... puma (strength), llama (intelligence) - for earth ... snake, frog, fish - for sea or under the earth. The hands carved in it sit on the rib area and both are left hands, essentially, with 9 fingers pointing east, and one thumb pointing west. This indicates the importance of the sun, life source. The 3 parts of sky are sun, moon, stars. The sun is strength/man, the moon is woman/fertility/creativity. The sun and moon are married and their children are the stars. This is exactly the same as Chinese Medicine with the sun being Yang/male/outward, and the moon being Yin/female/inward. Theres many more images carved into Pachamama, lots of detail and meaning. Its comparable to one of those games where theres a picture of a million things all hidden into the drawing and you have to look carefully to see everything, and you may never really see everything. The Incas/Spanish/White Man came around 1100 A.D. and wiped out the Tiwanaku. This is just the basic overall big picture. Vicente, the tour guide, also discussed the importance of the seasons for the Tiwanaku people, naturally, as agriculture is necessary for non-nomadic people to survive. June 21 is the Winter Solstice (opposite of us) and also indicates the new year. They plant seeds in December, the summer solstice. While driving to and from Tiwanaku, there were many dogs just walking around town and also out in the countryside, by the side of the road. It totally tugs at my heart, knowing how well most of us keep our pets in the U.S., and of course thinking of my own pup Charlie Girl, who is allowed to stretch out on the couch while i gladly take the floor. Vicente said the cars that go by give them food, so they are sort of trained to sit by the side of the road really. Non got hurt, that i saw, thank god, despite the 100 mph our taxi driver was driving, weaving around traffic, as they all do! At one overlook spot we stopped at, to view and take pictures of the mountains we are so patiently waiting to step upon, a precious scraggly pup approached and we fed it a package of peanut butter crackers. On the rest of the drive, Shawn tossed pieces of fig newtons out the window to other dogs we passed. The view of the Cordillera Real Mountain Range was clear and breathtaking the whole drive. Interestingly, I noticed while around La Paz there are no McDonalds or KFC etc. While talking with Vicente, it was discovered that there really has not been much western fast food in Bolivia ever. He said there was one McDonalds in La Paz for a short time and it left about 5 years ago. A burger was 48 Bs, about $7. Only rich people ate there. He couldnt believe that it should have been 7 Bs, $1. He said there is one Burger King somewhere, but thats it. There are other places that are local fast food, one called "Pollo Frito" meaning "chicken fried" that serves "Mega Pipoks", a large container of fried chicken pieces parts, essentially chicken nuggets. They also serve hamburgers, each has a thin deli type slice of ham on it. Some are served with fried egg, like in Asia. I had Llama meat, a thin steak, served with rice and french fries ("papas fritos") clearly made with lard, for lunch, at the only restaurant at the Tourist place of Tiwanaku. It was one room with about 5 long tables, European shared dining style. It was served with those frozen mixed vegetables that my dad used to make me eat as a kid, but this time with a tomato slice on them, all of which i scooped away and did not touch, as tomatoes are one of the worst ways to get water bacteria, stomach and GI issues, not a fun way to travel. Another very interesting and serious planetary subject arose today - cancer treatments. In La Paz, there are vendors (uneducated) on the street cracking nuts and squeezing juice out of them. It is for sale in plastic bottles on the cart where the nuts are. I have been aware of Apricot seeds/Vitamin B-17/Leatril as a natural cure for cancer. See www.1cure4cancer.com. Vicente affirmed that this seed on the streets of La Paz are in fact apricot. It is basically illegal in the U.S. to medically acknowledge vitamin B-17 as a cure for cancer, due to the economics of the pharmaceutical companies and hospitals. I have purchased them from the above website though, which is legal, and they can be ingested as prevention for getting cancer. They work in a combined way of offering vitamin B-17, which is deficient in the western diet, and also they help your body become more alkaline. An alkaline cell, as opposed to acidic, cannot get cancer. Alkalinity is known as a prevention and cure for cancer. Cancer grows in acidic environments. I also refer you to Kevin Trudeau, researcher who uncovered natural cures and has a few books out. And I highly encourage you to do your own research. Please tell me if you find i am mislead on anything i have said. On the lighter side, our taxi driver told Vicente that Shawn looked like a specific professional wrestler they know, referencing his massive arm muscles. And finally, Shawn and Vicente could easily see eye to eye as guys, as Vicente was saying the word for dog is "perro", and that women call men "perros" (lousy rotten dog) if they are exhibiting certain behaviors, ya know, showing once again, in another way, that people around the globe, in loving ways and otherwise, are really all the same :)
Aug 26 2008 Tuesday. IMAGES from today: a very beautiful smile and the largest dark brown EYES I have ever seen in a four year old little girl, after handing her a free sucker. marching in the streets by Indigenous people, as evidenced by way of dress, holding signs with the word PRESIDENTE on them. a MOTHER sitting on the wide busy stone sidewalk holding a baby and a toddler, with her hat beside them asking every passerby for money. the brown MOUNTAINS in the background of the "Valle de la Luna", Valley of the Moon, tall spikes of dirt rocks and deep CREVASSES, with a narrow winding trail through them under my feet. JAGUARS resting in the sun of knotty tree branches. SMELLS of recent: BODY odor, feces, urine, car EXHAUST, SEWAGE, that odd sick SMOKEY smell that happens after taking a hot shower in the hotel, BURNT toast, combination of SWEAT and CITY dirt on my climbing pants that i wear everyday. i keep being reminded to have PATIENCE and stillness. and to LET things GO. how fortunate am i to have been born in a beautiful and good country to intelligent PARENTS who have given me everything and LOVE me more.
Miercoles, my favorite day word in Spanish to say, Wednesday, 27 Augusto 2008. MEE AIR CO LACE. Ive been wanting to explain the title of my journal: "passion - belief - will - momentum". PASSION... my passion for many things, living life fully every day as much as possible, passion for living things, passion for planetary beauty, passion for love, passion for health, lead me to climbing to begin with. the rocks called my name. i lucked out, and bumped into shawn, he sort of was looking for a climbing partner who was willing to be picked up before dawn, and climb for hours on end without food or water or a break. my passions kept me interested, despite the physical or mental exhaustion involved. BELIEF... i had to always believe that i could do it. on tip toe, calves burning to keep me in place on the rock, belaying him up the rope, i was potentially his life line, there was never a fall, but i was there in case, 100%, always, attentive, and meanwhile appreciating the sun on my face and shoulders, eye level with the trees, later, the clouds. i believed i was strong enough, and talked myself through every moment. WILL... my will to survive, to complete, to see and feel the truth, the realness, core, has engulfed my existence. MOMENTUM... why i am in Bolivia, there is momentum behind this team endeavor, it could not be stopped. -- Today, i slid down a 50 foot giant slide, about ten times, among a group of third graders dressed in uniform, who referred to me as "Señorita", at the small sort of amusement park in town that cost fifty cents to enter, and had the time of my life! (shawn and i are always together, so for daily report of activities, as well as artistic writing and beautiful decriptions, you can view shawns journal).
28 Augusto 2008 Thursday. The plan was to potentially do a trek, walk, in the mountains this week a couple days, to help acclimatize, but its cheaper to just hoof it around town, very hilly, up down up down, rough terrain large slippery stone sidewalks, running between cars, everything the mountains have to offer in the way of exercise, plus i can go shopping and learn about the Aymara indigenous people, and the witch market, with Llama fetus´s for sale. They are burned ceremoniously and the ashes offered as gift to Pachamama, Mother Earth, every year in August, every family must do this. Because mother earth gives us everything, food, life, so we must give back. I entered a shop today that smelled reminiscently like a Chinese Herbal Pharmacy. There was a very large bag on the floor full of green plant, set near crystal like rocks that look like a chinese herb too, as well as masks, statues, preserved dried llama fetus´s, chunks of wood called Palo Santo that they said was incense as an english word and they did smell really good when burned, all this used for either ceremonies or to protect the house or for good fortune or love or protect your family. My Beautiful Alpaca Hand Woven finger-tip-less gloves with cover tops that transform them into mittens were $7! And i totally need them for the mountains, perfect for eating, keep hands warm, have fingers available. The mountain climbing gear is now set out in the room , instead of in bags they were transported in, making this all more real. I tried on my boots, coat, sleeping bag. Last night included viewing a 9 minute U tube documentary of a climb on Pequeño Alpamayo, 5370 meters / 17,619 feet, the main objective for the first days in mountains, Condoriri Region, and the second most popular climb in the Bolivian Andes. Huaya Potosi, an indigenous Aymara term meaning "Thunderous Youth", at 6088 meters / 19,973 feet, the most popular climb in the Bolivian Andes, the goal of the middle part of our climbing, from the Zongo Pass area, after Condoriri Region, is known as the first and most cherished son of the king and queen mountains. The Queen is Illamani, 6462 meters / 21,201 feet, the goal for the third climb, final week. Good times, good times.
29 Aug 2008 Friday, Viernes. Thank GOD!! We are leaving tomorrow morning for the Condoriri Region. Our guide was supposed to be here already, and his ticket got fouled up, so he gets here LATE tonight, maybe like 3am, and there was this chance we would have to wait til Sunday to leave. BUT we ARE leaving in, hmmm, TEN HOURS!! I have prepared for MONTHS for this. My life has sort of been on HOLD. NOW it moves FORWARD a little more aggressively. The three climbers, Shawn, Janet, and I, met with the local climbing manager, Carlos, today. Carlos Escobar has summitted Mount Nevado Illimani 80 times, he is not on this trip, just helping manage. He told us the basic idea for whats happening the next 5 days and checked our equipment. Speaking of equipment, months ago, i bought these Overboots, from Shawns suggestion, and he mistook them for Super Gaiters, things that go over your boots and keep you warm and dry. Upon Bolivia arrival, he decided they were the wrong thing. DO NOT PANIC. Patience, stillness... remember.. so the story ends well. Today we went to a local climbing store, there are many places in town that will set you up with guides and equipment and stuff since its pretty popular to climb here, and i got my awesome Gaiters. We even found glue by chance at a little store we happened to walk by, for 6 Bolivianos, originally to fix shawns boots actually, so we could glue the Gaiters on, as you should. They are drying now. The people at that climbing store knew Carlos, cool, huh. And Carlos knew that guy, Pablo, that I met in the computer room that one day that is a great climber here. Ya know, small world. Speaking of which, Janet, the woman who is the third climber in our group, used to be a ski instructor at Copper Mountain, our favorite place to ski in Colorado. We came to Bolivia to meet a woman who went to undergrad in Boulder Colorado! She has just retired from a life of teaching highschool French, and travling the world as well. She lived in Chamonix, France, some, and currently near Lake Tahoe. Her husband, the two of them life long climbers, couldnt make the trip due to back surgeries endured after having survived an avalanche. They have climbed in Nepal, also summited Alpamayo in Peru (not the Pequeño Alpamayo of this trip), as well as many mountains around the world. After the equipment inspection, the tres amigos, us three climbers, went into town and got my boots fixed up, and then went back to Mama Cocas, an amazing little shop where Mama Coca herself sells all kinds of ceremonial masks. Shawn bought this one he found yesterday and decided he could not live without, as well as the book that explains the mask making and traditions. The mask was made by Antonio Viscarra, renowned mask artist, who is no longer with us, as of about 20 years ago. The mask is about 80 yrs old, very fragile, actually fits over your head, and was used in ceremonial dances. It represents the good (angels) chasing away the bad (devil - diablo). The hotel staff knew all about it, in particular, one young man (a nice looking young Bolivian man that wears European glasses) who said his brother has taken part in those ceremonies. This is serious stuff. So, tomorrow, we get driven about 2 hours to Lake Titicaca, (near where we were for the ruins of Tiwanaku - see map below), get a boat ride to an island and back, walk a little, and then another ride to a camp area. I think we just settle there, finally sleeping in tents! Then the next day we trek up to base camp, and there begins some mountain fun! There will be about 5 days of about 3 possible summits altogether probably. We will just see how it goes. I have now life long amazing memories of the past week in the city of La Paz, Bolivia. And now i cant wait to breathe clear mountain air. It is always bittersweet. The views and energy of the mountains are indescribably beautious. The occasional physical and mental hardship is the extreme opposite. Chinese Medicine has no distinction between mind and body. We cannot say mind/body connection, because there just is no separation to speak of. Now it is time for projection, strength, no expectations, open heart.
**** NEW CHAPTER ****
**** THE CONDORIRI REGION ****
Piramide Blanca ** Tarija ** Pequeño Alpamayo
5 Sept 2008 Friday. I am dizzy. Change of altitude, latitude, attitude, lack of sleep. The group spent 6 nights in the Condoriri Region. First night was at low camp, last Saturday. Sunday Aug 31 we hiked an easy 90 minutes to base camp, at 15,100 feet. With a stunning view straight up of the Condoriri Peak, named for the Condor (the bird), with a head (the main part of the mountain you could say), and north "wing" to the left and south "wing" to the right (mountains). Then further south (right) was the glacier, which held above it peak Tarija, and further east, peak Pequeño Alpamayo. Then next to that, south (right), is peak Piramide Blanca. Also peaks Wyoming, Illusion, Illusionita, Aguha Negra (Black Needle), Pequeño Negro, and Mirador. Camp was comfortable, tents for climbers, and guides, then a larger/tall tent for Martin and Dimitri to cook the food, and another tall twin tent for climbing guide Jaime and the three climbers, Janet, Shawn and I, to eat, with a table and little camping stools, table cloth, and a propane lamp for when it got dark. First class service, 3 meals a day. Monday was supposed to be an acclimatization day, with hiking up to the glacier and review of skills. But once we hit "the crud", icy chunky terrain, Shawn said, "I dont want to do this three times", (go thru the crud), which would have been necessary for the 2 planned expeditions plus a training day, so he was suggesting we go for the first peak right away. And once we got onto the snow and stopped briefly, I said, "if we dont do Piramide Blanca today, what will we do", and Jaime pointed off to the northwest part of the glacier and said something about training stuff, then he said "do you want to do it", and i said "why not!". Minutes later, Jaime was speaking spanish to Juan, the second guide, and the itinerary was changed. i think shawn takes credit for the decision, but i think my 2 cents hleped alot acutally, - although we all well know all decisions are up to the guide! The first snow crossing, the "crud" mentioned above, was ice, my first time with crampons on ice. i had to figure that out quickly. First few steps on first slope was little tricky. Then snow, easy, no ropes. Stopped for lunch, Juan set up a kitchen on the snow from his backpack, peeled a cucumber, sliced tomato, ham and cheese sandwiches, mustard, mayo. i had 3 bites. couldnt eat. headache. and i usually dont each while climbing at all. banana - good! needed that potassium. Lunch right above a Crevasse.
didnt get computer access much today. circumstances. just got back from late dinner and out with climbing friends. great time. overall, hope i have time to add my thoughts in morning before we leave for Huayna Potosi.
my love to all. hi to j c wilson!
Now its Saturday morning, 9am, 6 Sept 2008. we are leaving soon for next climb. i didnt get to log all my thoughts from last ones though. so i will have to finish some of that when we get back.
So the climb of Piramide Blanca: after the lunch above the crevasse, we roped up for a steep section. all 5 of us were connected, order was Jaime (guide), me, Janet, Shawn, Juan (guide). some really vertical sections. at one point, we hit a section that Jaime called Black Ice and the Pentitentes. Jaime admitted later it was his first attempt at this section, we did well! it was ice, rock, water, snow, steep! toe pointing, right hand ice axe, left hand with glove to help. then more snow, regular. then a section of rock, which we climbed with crampons on, metal sharp things on the bottom of boots, across rock. some people are not so happy to wear down the crampons this way. after the rock was a bit of snow then the final steep snow ascent to the summit! Jaime went first then belayed us up, me first, all still roped up in order. very cool! then up to the rock summit for pictures. quickly. windy. cold. it took four hours and 53 minutes (4:53) to reach summit from tents. We could see the summit of Pequeño Alpamayo, right across from us. (which we will do in 2 days from that moment). Descent was reverse order with Juan first. down steep summit snow, rocks, then not pentitentes again, but around. stopped for food again, on section that was basically a chunk srrounded by crevasses, and felt like it could fall thru - "someday", said Jaime, "but not today" (it would fall). very fun descent, steep section, toe pointing, using ice axe as shorter tool for that section. i kept kicking snow down onto Janet, and Jaime kicked snow down on me a few times. back down thru the icy crud, which was now more watery, because of the sun on it all day. We got down to camp around 5:30 pm. total time, 7 hours and 10 min (7:10). Sun was down behind mountains already. late start, usually climbs start earlier, but remember this was a last minute spontaneous decision. And we were so glad for it! i had a headache the entire climb. i took advil and slept a little afterward, and my headache was gone then, and not to return. The next day was a total rest day. Then Wednesday we set out at 4:20am for Pequeño Alpamayo. more to come...
I wish every person i know could do it - at least try it - just feel what its lke to awaken at 3am, get out of tent in cold night air after zero sleep and 6 hours of restlessness and frustration and thirst and cold in the tent. Then have oatmeal and hot chocolate in the mess tent with 3 other people then leave camp 4:20am. Hands cold - feet cold - body cold - assuming youll warm up on the trek. Carried boots in pack. Trekked 1 hour in tennis shoes North Face approach shoes - hands SO cold as put on boots, crampons, harness at bottom of glacier. Jaime, me, Shawn - one rope. Juan, Janet- other rope. Up the crud - ice slope and field. Then sun started to rise - could see orange skyline in the west behind us. Up - up - gradual snow - not steep. Having thoughts of family and life and what its all about and wanting - wishing i could write my thoughts exactly then. This is mountaineering - It has nothing to do with being on the mountain. Its what goes on internally the whole time. Having made the whole effort to get to Bolivia - a poor 3rd world unsanitary country - to climb mountains! Internal. - - Each breath - each step - i would get into a rhythm - a made up song in my head - a beat - over and over and over - ice axe foot foot - axe step step - squeak crunch crunch. At times completely alone with myself not knowing theres anyone tied to me in front or behind.
Until the rhythm and pace are forced to change, from steeper incline, or switching Direction - zig zag up the slope - or step over a Crevasse! many of them. Or on a snow bridge. or stop to take photos. - Then the steeper snow, approaching Tarija, the peak before THEE summit of Pequeño Alpamayo. Saw older couple with guide ascending. they didnt do Peq Alp. probably, turned around. Peak of Tarija. pictures. Then onward - down the rocks. I LOVED being on the rocks - The view already so amazing. Could see the steep knife edge ridge up to Peq Alp! Met a French young man and guide on rocks. They were going up the rocks, "descending". had already been to summit of peq alp i{m betting. We could see cornices and crevasses all around. The route requires narrow scary snow bridges - exact route. After rocks was first life time experience for me - up the steep STEEP snow - using ice axe to pull self up while relying on crampons to hold me up. Jaime first, then belay me, and shawn connected . Very TIRING. CALVES BURNED! Breathing! Heart! Pushed to my limits. Juan said to keep rope on left. But ridge went right to left, so rope ended up between my legs. I yelled - @*&%$ rope! - as i kept tossing rope to my left and stepping over it. When got up to Jaime, he said, "im going to ask you guys one thing - Relax." I felt better after that. Smile. Chuckle. I think 3, or 2, belays total to the summit! Woohoo! View! 50 minutes of pics and food - chocolate bar - cheese and bread - After summit, walked down snow - very warm most of time. Jaime belayed us down steep parts. shawn leading. then up the rock to Tarija. Oh yeah, upon descent, we saw John and Stan (long story, climbers Jaime knows from Ecuador YEARS ago, random meeting at camp, Stan lives in Boulder Colordo, John in Jackson Wyoming) - took video of John climbing - Stan was speaking Spanish to Jaime while climbing - 2 ice axes - cranking up the snow hill! We saw them coming down that summit snow slope when we were going up the rocks on the way "down" to Tarija. Jaime laid on belly on edge of snow and looked down and said "this is a cornice" - i followed suite, laying on my stomach to look down the steep drop off - i hope i never foget what that looked like.
We had been over 16,000 feet 5 times in 5 days: Mirador, Piramide Blanca, Pequeño Alpamayo, Tarija 2 times (coming and going).
I dont really want pics or souveniers. just me, my internal.
So on descent, we stopped at same place as on ascent for break, pee, food, water - level place below steep snow incline. Had to find little snow bridge over crevasse - scary to me. Then just lunge step forward straight down snow - main glacier - until ice crud field - i fell just before end - flat ground, not slope - crampon kept catching pant leg - tripping - no big deal - annoying. So when finished, off glacier, i went down to long jons and 2 tops, i was so hot from excersion. hour hike back to camp.
Someone said, thats the non human part, none of us are human, that did this climb.
The mountain gives me focus. It teaches me. Self reliance. Strength. Peace. Hardship. Pacing. Beauty.
NOTE: We call the Piramide Blanca climb "Black guys in the Penitentiary". When Jaime said "Black Ice and the Penitentes", thats what it sounded like, with his Spanish accent. It also serves double meaning, because it was a serious and scary climb at times. Funny.
*** NEW CHAPTER ***
*** HUAYNA POTOSI ***
8 Sept 2008 Monday. Back from Huayna Potosi mountain. We left La Paz hotel Saturday around 11am. Couple hours bus to Zongo Pass lower camp hut/refugio. Took pics of cemetary from 1965 Massacre not far from Potosi base, stones, crosses as foreground with Mt. Potosi in background. Interesting perspective. Lunch. Organize stuff into pack i carry and large internal frame pack porters (men hired) will carry. Hike from low hut at 15,419 feet elevation, to high camp hut at 17,060 feet, from 3:08pm til 4:42 pm. Hour and a half hike up 1,641 feet. Above clouds. About 10 other people already there, climbers, cooks, guides. People of Germany, England, La Paz, other. Very cold outside. 28 degrees. No wind. Everyone seems to speak Spanish and English, bilingual, at least. I carried clothes and water. Porter carried gear, sleep bag, mat, boots, helmet, harness, crampons. No altitude issues, breathing well, feeling good. No body soreness. Toes and fingers cold. Sun set around 6:30. Dinner. Sleep.
Other group awake 1am, leave 2:30am. We sleep til 3:15am, as planned. Dry cake with butter, and hot water for breakfast. Leave hut around 4:20am again. One minute walk on rocks to glacier. Put crampons onto boots. This time, one rope, Juan, me, Shawn. Other rope, Jaime and Janet. -- ... Coincidence! (?) Stan and John there too, their own rope. Had hiked from low camp late last evening and slept in hut next to us. i didnt know they came in til i awoke 3am. Mountain friends... -- Felt warm, lots of layers, 2 long jons bottms, snow bib pants, sock liners, wool socks, 2 sports top undergarmets, short sleeve climbing shirt, medium weight long jons top, fleece, water proof shell jacket, hat, head band ear cover, 2 layers of gloves. Started out me leading the 3 roped groups, pace setter, then stopped early to take off jacket, too warm, dont want to sweat. bad to get wet, means cold later. So 2 groups (jaime and janet, stan and john) passed by. Saw their headlamps above, up the slope. Dark. Stars. Moonlight. Headlamps to see, vision funneled, tiny world, my feet, Juans boots, shawns headlamp light in snow. easy snow trail, zig zag up slope. breathing. step step ice axe. or step axe step axe.
I was starting to get very cold. moving slowly. very slowly. breathing. head felt dizzy or sick. toes cold. right arm almost numb. fingers frozen. thumbs stopped working. had to stop to change from gloves to mittens, and add coat and face mask. hands frozen solid, juan and shawn had to zip for me. Saw 2 groups ahead split to left trail as sun began to rise. we went straight. they were headed for French Direct route. Us - Route de Normal. didnt know ahead of time there would be split. felt more alone. but quiet nice group of 3. Belayed by Juan up little steep pocket snow ice chimney over a crevasse. VERY cool. Up STEEP snow. Break, sit, water, breathe, 5 minutes. Sun warming me up now. SOO nice. Carry on, slow, slow, breathe, step, axe, step, axe. snow bridges, crevasse crossings, fun to look down into them! Probably my hardest, weakest climb ever. About 3 groups passed, going down. Final summit ridge, exposed, narrow, snow path, at times wide enough for one boot! Summit! 19,975 feet. MY FIRST SUMMIT OVER 6,000 meters! MY HIGHEST SUMMIT YET EVER! About 6:10, 6 hours and 10 min. from hut to summit. - 2,915 feet elevation gain. spent 10 minutes on summit. clouds. lots. from jungles being burned every September to assist with crops growing. VIEW!! could see Lake Titicaca, Condoriri, Illimani, everything! we were above the clouds. pictures. Descend. slow. still head feels funny, pain in chest. but much better going down. now, rely on steady feet, knees, hamstrings, quads. careful. nearing end, clouds really coming in. darker. getting windy. moved fast. reached hut 12:42pm. Total time, about 8:20. 8 hours and 20 min. hut to hut. Felt amazing! very accomplished. unreal. -- in hut, fast change clothes a little, re pack bags, pack sleeping bag. immediately descend to lower hut, another 1,641 feet, so head will feel better. bought coca cola. yum. ate cliff bar. were supposed to sleep that night (sunday) at low hut, but changed plans. bus came. back to city La Paz by 5:30pm. All i know is whats right in front of me. Thats all i know and all i have. Go to the mountains. Go to the water. Leave your phone and lap top. Experience wind burn. Sun burn. Dry painful lips. Extreme thirst. Dull aching head. Sore back. Fatigue. Bottom. Truth. Realness. Life that cannot be captured on film or paper. Yourself.
9 Sept 2008 Tuesday (Martes). Leave tomorrow morning for Illimani. Highest peak in Cordillera Real, western Bolivia. Wikipedia says its 6438 meters = 21,122 feet. But American Alpine Institute catalog says its 21, 201 feet. Either way, these are all lucky numbers! (combos of twos and ones). There are always discrepencies with peak measurements - glaciers are alive, ya know. It lies South of La Paz, the government capital city of Bolivia. Sucre is the actual capital. Our other climbs were north of La Paz. Its the 2nd highest peak in Bolivia (next to Nevado Sajama). 18th highest peak in South America. Snow line at 4570 meters = 15,000 feet. Glaciers on north face 4983 meters = 16,350 feet. It has Four main peaks, highest is South Summit, Nevado Illimani, popular climb. The Mountain overall is Made of Granodiorite rock, intruded during the Cenozoic era into the Sedimentary rock. First attempt of climb was 1877, non summit. First recorded summit ascent was 1898, South East Ridge, British and Swiss people. BUT they found a piece of Ayamara (Indigenous people) rope at over 6,000 meters = 20,000 feet, so must have been previous unrecorded ascent. Current standard route is West Ridge, first done in 1940, Germans. Literature states it usually takes 4 days, reaching the summit on the 3rd day. Currently, i am feeling more rested and glad for down time in the city, although my hands are always cold, typing on the computer in this cold computer room, and having to wash hands in cold water much of the time. My body in general, back and legs, are somewhat stiff, better with movement. My face looks a mess... my lips are now more normal, less chapped and dry and flaking, and less sore, but my chin and cheeks and area around my mouth are very wind/sun burned, have dry patches, and are red. I plan to wear my balaklava, head and face cover thing, when starting out on this climb, something i should have done on Huayna Potosi. Ive been constantly applying lotion, vaseline, menthol stuff like vics vapo rub, that i bought at little places on the street. Something to contemplate... you only have yourself and this moment, and what is surrounding you right now. Treat yourself well, be kind to others, everyone has their story, allow that, and be here, now, wherever you are, be here, now.
*** Illimani ***
13 Sept 2008 Saturday. i only know the date and day because i put my watch on, from sitting in the little net holder on the side of the tent, every morning. i cant wear my watch when i sleep, it messes up cuz i guess i press the buttons on accident. and when its cold, which it always is in the tent at night, the light on the watch works funny, so sometimes its hard to see what time it is when i am awake all night in the tent. i hold my pee for hours, i hate getting out of the sleeping bag and tent at night. and if i unzip the bag or tent it could awaken, up to, say, 16 people potentially, given there were supposedly 12 French people in tents at high camp right NEXT to our group the night before the Illimani climb. So, yesterday, 12th September 2008, I summitted Mount Illimani, my altitude record again. I broke my altitude record again and again on this Bolivia trip. Only to find my ultimate at 21, 201 feet with Illimani. Illimani is the Queen, as folklore states. She is also my lucky numbers, occuring on the 12th as well. Suerte! Luck! Slightly more than luck, it requires patience and will. I could see the summit FOREVER. It took sooo long to actually reach the summit after I had it in sight. BUT, I actually didnt have it in sight much, due to the weather. It was cloudy off and on for the last summit stretch. I kept asking my guide, Juan, if we should go on. I recall the last crevasse slash snow bridge we had to cross before the final part. There were those French people, just 3 of them, roped together, pardon my french, FUMBLING down the LITTLE slope, onto the snow bridge, they were apparantly scared to death of the looming crevasse there, but all they had to do was GO. Slow is not always better. Anyway, Juan and I had stepped aside and waited for them to get down that section and pass, and I asked Juan "cuanto minutos til summit", "how many minutes til we summit". Our communication using part English and Spanish each worked just fine. He said "trente o trente y cinco", "30 to 35" minutes til we summit. I thought to myself, "oh, god, ... ok, ... I can do this". Windy. Cold. Toes. Fingers. Face. Lips. Legs. So Tired. Breathing. Yes, BREATHING! One step. Ice Axe. Breathe. Why am i such a wimp. Ok. Be strong. One step. One step. One step. One step. Clouds back. Foggy. Cant see distance at all. Cant see summit. Only Juans feet and my feet. My curly hair, on the left of my face, caught outside my helmet, frosted. I thought, either my hair has turned grey from shock or it is frosted from the temperature currently out here. Thank god it was the latter! My hair is still brown, ok, i might have a few unnoticable grey hairs. Thats from 3 years of accelerated program Chinese Medical School plus teaching violin, viola and piano students full time simultaneously. Coming to a different country with the sole, or foremost, purpose of being climbing a, or several, mountain(s), sure is silly. What in THEE hell was i thinking?
The climb, from high camp to the summit and back to high camp was 8 and a half hours, Juan, my guide, and I. We left camp 3:30am. Summitted 9:30am. Back to high camp´at 12 noon. I took off my plastic boots, gaiters, crampons, snow pants bibs, helmet with head lamp, harness, and a couple top layers of jacket and long jons. I was sweating. I put on my regular climbing pants and lighter jacket and approach shoes (tennis shoes), the crew packed up the tents and stuff, and we left high camp, headed down for base camp. We got there 2 and a half hours later at 2:30 pm. That day, Sept 12, I had gone up from about 18,200 feet (high camp), to 21, 201 feet (summit), then down to 14,620 feet in a total of 11 hours. Not too shabby. I spent the night at base camp, and the next morning hiked down to the little town of Pinaya, at 12,780 feet, where Martin and Juan live with their families - Juan has 5 kids ranging from i think 10 to 18 - and his wife was one of the porters that helped carry gear from Pinaya to base camp to high camp and down - and then Jaime, the main guide, drove Juans car and all of the crew and gear back to La Paz, arriving around 11:45 am, close to noon. The total climb for Illimani takes 4 days, from leaving the city to back to the city. Day 1 drive a 3 and a half hour mountain dirt road with no guard rail and hike to base camp. Day 2 hike up to high camp. Day 3 summit and back down to base camp. Day 4 hike down to Pinaya and drive out.
Im glad i did it. Im glad i summitted 5 peaks in the last 2 weeks. Im glad i know whats its like. To just have yourself. And NO comforts. And no control. Except your own will power. Look to yourself. All the power is right there. Inside your belly button. Once you know, and harness it, you will never be the same.
14 Sept 2008 Sunday. im in Lima Peru airport. left La Paz Bolivia this morning. glad to be out of that country, as there is political unrest and issues with American citizens from the United States flying in and out right now. as far as i know, i made it out just in time. if the policital climate does not change, i could be the last American to summit Mount Illimani! after a 14 hour layover, i will fly to Miami florida tonight and be back on my familiar soil. thank you for sharing my journey. it has been beautiful. the mountaineering was only a spec of it. knowing the other side of life was another spec. all people love. all people laugh. all people love.
