September 3rd 2015

I wake up early at Hostal Grecia in Caraz, load up with food and water supplies and head downstairs to wait for my taxi driver from the day before, Linder, to pick me up between 6 and 6:30.  He’s right on time and soon we’re headed back up towards the incredible Laguna Paron.  This time we’ve negotiated a price of 100 Soles (40 CAD) to drive me up and another 100 soles to pick me up Sunday morning 3 days later.  Let me just say this.  It’s going to be an exhausting, but utterly incredible three days.

I’m tired but not too exhausted to appreciate the views of the massive cliffs and distant snow capped peaks as we wind up through the mountain valleys, eventually reaching the small town that Linder calls home.  Here we stop and his son takes over driving duties, his dad headed off to a meeting.  Roberto does’t look a day over 14 but he’s friendly and a good cautious driver.

We reach the checkpoint to enter the National Park where normally you must pay the 5 soles entrance fee only to find it still closed.  Climbing out of the taxi I manage to open the blockade and we drive through, not knowing when the rangers might show up.  We reach the refugio around 8 am and I waste no time saying goodbye to Roberto and hello to Mario, my friendly host for the next three days.  After a brief conversation though It’s time to get walking, today I want to get to the less known laguna Artesoncocha, a little more than an hour on from the far end of Laguna Paron.

Before that though, I’m left with lots of time to appreciate the incredible beauty of the first lake, it’s glittering waters, reminiscent of the colour of glacier ice, though here it is untainted by dirt.  Clouds mass around the distant mountains and glacier at the far edge of the lake, but somewhat less so then they did yesterday.

The altitude is mildly oppressive so when I find a small side trail leading down to the impossibly coloured water I decide to take it, finding a huge boulder out on the water itself and climbing up, deciding to take a short reading break.  My legs are aching from the day before (The downside of damaged veins from a past blood clot)  and already my resolution to make it to the second lake today is waning.

A few people pass me by as I bask in the relative warmth of the sun, low enough to be sheltered from most of the biting wind, and watch as a few hikers pass me by on the trail above.  I’m content gazing at the lake, the incredible snowcapped mountains, surrounding me, and glacial waterfalls running down into the icy blue waters of Laguna Paron on both sides of me.  today is the busiest day of my stay here in the mountains, as I count 10 other walkers throughout the day, though I barely even see most of them.  In my four days the numbers for hikers are as follows not including myself. Day 1: 2  Day 2: 10 Day 3: 0 Day 4: 2.

Eventually I put my kindle away and make myself at least keep going a little bit further just to test out my legs, pausing when my breath escapes me and using the chance to take lots more photos of this incredibly beautiful and surprisingly empty wonderland.  The pervasive purple flowers only adding to the view.

My legs seem to recover and my body adjusts to the 4200 meters of altitude well enough and before I know it I’m back at the far end of the lake, beside a rushing river speeding down from the melting snow of the mountains, exactly where I ended my walk the day before.

I take another short reading break weighing up my options and eventually deciding that I have to keep going, since I’ve made it this far.  The only downside is Laguna Artesoncocha is quite a ways uphill from where I am, especially for someone so out of shape.  Still once I’ve made up my mind, there’s no turning back, so as I follow the river up further into the mountains I force myself to stay focused and set a pace I can maintain.  Translation:  a slow one. As my breathing grows more ragged I’m re-invigorated by the sudden appearance of still more incredible mountains to my left and up ahead which were until just now blocked by the lower and less impressive hills.

I’m forced into lots of breaks as the hike up is difficult (less so if you’re in shape)  but before too long I see a tiny shack up ahead and the starting point of the river, cascading over a small cement barrier not too far up ahead. The faint glimpse of lake water is an enticing turquoise.

That brief glimpse gives me all the energy I need for the last little bit of the trail, adding a spring to my step and as I climb up over the make shift damn all my efforts on the day are rewarded with the stunning scene sprawled out in front of me.

Suddenly feeling full of energy I decide to climb up above this stunning small lake, a rushing waterfall feeding it from the far end, for a better view point of this incredible place.

Once I get started, I cant seem to stop, climbing up higher and higher until I’m perched on a narrow ledge torn on where to look.  Laguna Artesoncocha and it’s waterfall and mountains in front mo me,  another glacier with more waterfalls to my right, and Lago Paron visible in the distance behind me  Thank goodness for panoramic photos.

I stay up there a while, basking in the incredible natural splendour.  By this hour in the mid afternoon I’m the only one left on the trails and its an incredible feeling to be out there, alone, save for the company of the intrepid cows.  After way too many more photos, including some closeups of the glaciar which feeds both lakes, I head down towards the little turquoise jewel of the mountains, to explore a little more up close and personal.

there’s not much of a trail along the right side of the lake, but I decide to go for it anyway, scrambling through thick underbrush and over countless rocks staying close to the incredibly bright water as I edge closer to the rush of the waterfall at the far end.  Sadly I’m running out of time if I want to make it back to the refugio before sun set (I definitely do)  so while I make it about 90 percent of the way, I don’t get a chance to get into the waterfall, which might have killed me anyways.  Laguna Artesoncoche is several hundred meters higher than Lago Paron and surrounded by so much ice the temperature is noticeably colder here.  So cold that I don’t even bother swimming here, though I do dip my feet and face because how could I not.

Checking my I-pod for the time I decide that I have to head back, and regretfully turn my back on this amazing lake, hurrying back downhill to the much bluer shores of Laguna Paron.  The walk down is much easier than the walk up and I’m also lucky enough to turn around and see the full glory of Pyramide mountain, completely untouched by the clouds behind it, sun glinting off the icy almost perfect pyramid.

I take a short break collapsing onto the ground and lying down breathing heavily at one edge of the lake, before forcing myself up onto aching and exhausted legs, and heading back along the path which skirts Laguna Paron.

Amazed by how much the sunlight can play with the colour of the water, I continue along racing the quickly sinking sun towards the refugio.  One of my only pauses comes when I find the wind has knocked over my inukshuk, so I take some time to build a better one, which I feel fairly sure is still standing today.  A better view and monument to my amazing mother looking out to the lake and the incredible mountains on the distant horizon.

I make it back to the refugio just after six, maybe 20 minutes of dim daylight left, and chat with Mario and his friend who is visiting, before two Peruvians come back from their short and late afternoon hike.  We end up standing outside all 5 of us, talking about Peru, and the world, and just how amazing this place is, as the night sky erupts into full bloom like a million fireworks bursting into life above us.  It’s right up there with the most impressive night skies I’ve ever seen.  And I’ve seen some incredible ones in Easter Island, Thai Islands, Colombian Deserts, and at home in Nova Scotia in the incredible tiny town of Terence Bay where my extended family has a charming little cabin.

The five of us chat for a while before I head to bed early. It;s very cold but there’s plenty of blankets and I settle in for a great sleep, amazing at the day I’ve just had.  In fact, it was so amazing that I end up doing the exact same hike the next day, this time without my camera, so I can fully immerse myself in the utter majesty of Huascaran National park.