Ausangate Trek Day 2

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We woke up to day 2 on the Ausangate trek in Upis to a crystal clear sky, and a beautiful sunrise. The alpenglow of the Andes is pure magic. For breakfast, we had some bread and a delicious quinoa and apple cinnamon porridge. I also stuck to my daily routine of starting the day with two cups of instant coffee, that I would make so thick it looked like tar on my stirring spoon. Jose told us about our plan for the day, which would take us up and over our first of four passes on the trek. This one would be Pas Arapa Apachita, at 16,150 ft. The total distance for day two would be a little more than 10 miles, with 3,000 ft of climbing.

The first mile of hiking was a bit boggy, and it wasn’t long before Julia dunked one of her feet into the ice cold glacial water we were trying so hard to avoid. Luckily, her feet dried quickly in the dry air. Being that it was the dead heat of summer back home, I was really enjoying the high altitude climate with piercing wind and snow capped mountain peaks. We took a few pictures at the base of Ausangate before beginning our steep climb to the pass. This is also the moment I really started to appreciate Jose as a guide. His timing was impeccable. One second he would be there giving us the history and geography background of the landscape, then he’d be off ahead giving us plenty of time to ourselves. Being an independent person that wasn’t so fond of having a guide on any sort of trip, I was a bit worried how things would play out. After the Salkantay trek, my fears abated as our guide was great, it was just the fellow trekkers that slowed our flow. On this trek, everything was perfect.

Ausangate Trek
Frozen Earth
Ausangate Trek
Before The Climb

The climb to Pas Arapa Apachita was steep but smooth, and we made it up without much of an issue. Having the time to acclimatize in Cusco and on the Salkantay trek must have really helped, because neither of us were feeling the effect of the thin air above 16,000ft. This was also the closest we had been to the 20,945 ft summit of Ausangate in our 24 hours of adventure. I was really starting to look forward to the next three days, where we would be making a counter clockwise loop around the massif.

Ausangate Trek
Pas Arapa Apachita
Ausangate Trek
The Climb

We continued on from the pass and before me stood the most beautiful glacial lakes I had ever laid eyes on. They were a deep sapphire blue, surrounded by flickering blades of golden grass, set deep beneath the towering peaks above. It was a humbling experience to be embraced by so much untouched beauty, with only Pachamama to see us. The morning air was taut and calm, leaving the surface of each lake still and reflecting the world around it.

Ausangate Trek
Glacial Lake
Ausangate Trek
Surrounding Peaks

We were making great time due to the pace at which Julia and I were able to hike in the high altitude, so Jose suggested we try our hand at a bit of fishing. He grabbed a bit of line and hooks from our porter, and gave me a handful of fish to use as bait. I couldn’t see anything moving in the lake we had stopped at, but it was still a very fun and relaxing experience to cast a line out there deep in the Andes.

Ausangate Trek
The Fishing Lake
Ausangate Trek
The Golden World

After fishing, we began a descent to the valley floor where we would be stopping alongside a creek to break for lunch. The views on our walk down to the camp site were spectacular, as much as the views of the alpine lakes blew me away, this was even better. I think that’s a reoccurring theme on this trek. Every view you see feels like the most beautiful thing you’ve ever seen, and yet, it continues to be outdone with your very next step. If there is a heaven, it has to look like this.

Ausangate Trek
Rocks Become Waves
Ausangate Trek
Into The Valley With Alpacas

We set up shop alongside the creek and had some time to relax before our lunch was ready. We pulled out our sleeping pads and laid on our backs staring up at the passing clouds. The views here, with the horses grazing, was simply splendid.

Ausangate Trek
Lunch Time
Ausangate Trek
Our Spot

The second half of day 2 involved a shorter climb over another pass. We took it on with great energy and enthusiasm, as Jose told us of the beautiful glacial lakes we would see along the way. He also started telling us about the entire camelid family and what we would see in this range. The camelid family in South America is made up of four species; the llama, alpaca, vicuna, and guanaco. Most of the camelids in the area are alpacas. Llamas can be found at lower elevation in the Cusco province. The Guanaco can be found further south in Argentina. The most reclusive, the vicuna, can be found in the Andes on the Ausangate trek. A vicuna scarf can go for tens of thousands of dollars, as it’s the softest and warmest of all the wools. They are a reclusive species, that don’t take well to domestication. They can also be hard to spot, as they only live at very high altitude. I made it my goal on this trek to see one, as doing so is considered a very good omen.

On our way over the second pass of the day, we saw a few stunning turquoise lakes. Lakes get this color from rock flour. Rock flour is bedrock deposited from a moving and eroding glacier.

Ausangate Trek
The Green Machine Team
Ausangate Trek
Grazing At The Pass

After crossing over the pass, we made our final descent for the day to our campsite to another gorgeous golden valley. We set up camp and had a nice dinner before falling into a deep sleep from tired legs and satisfied souls and minds.

Ausangate Trek
CampSite

See The Full Ausangate Trek Guide

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8 thoughts on “Ausangate Trek Day 2”

  1. I NEED TO DO THIS! Oh wow, what stunning scenery! What time of year did you do this? Te weather looks good! We are off to Peru in 2 years time (when daughter will be 5). I think ill chose this hike while husband and daughter stay with family in Lima. Awesome blog!

    Reply
    • Thanks, Anna! The Ausangate trek is a real beauty. I only posted pictures when we first returned, so I’m taking the time now to redo these posts with full write ups. I’m hoping to bring more awareness to the trek, since it’s not the most well known. We walked in mid July of 2013. The weather was perfect, with only one afternoon shower. Thanks for reading!

      Reply
      • Ah july, a good time. We did our inca trail in august, no rain and sunny skies all the time. Seems to be the time to do it. I had heard of the ausangate before, but didnt realise it was so scenic. Ill be sure to research more on it now. Cheers.

        Reply
        • I hadn’t heard much about it either, and wasn’t able to find very much online. I just knew I loved high altitude hikes, and figured the Andes would be a great place to explore. I had no idea it would be so gorgeous!

          Reply
  2. Hey Drew, those pictures are breath-taking!

    What an awesome experience you and Julia must have had.

    Ehee… where you guys able to make any catch? you didn’t mention that.

    Reply
    • Thank you! This is one of those places where you can close your eyes and click the shutter. So many beautiful landscapes.
      We didn’t catch any fish, but it was fun trying!

      Reply
  3. I have never been to Peru and never actually wanted to go but your posts are quickly changing my mind! I have one last project to do for a college course I am taking and that is to sell and area in a way to make anyone want to visit and my area is the Ausangate Mountain. Your posts have been helping me A LOT and I just wanted to say thank you. Would you mind if I used a few picture sin my power-point presentation? It will not be online, just for use in the class.

    Reply

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