Llullaillaco Day 2 - walk up to 5100m

I wake up surrounded by glory. Llullaillaco, at 6739 meters above sea level, stands in its majesty....and snow! Courtesy of the invierno altiplanico, the Bolivian winter. It is summer here, but snowfalls are a likely possibility. We have been well snowed upon on Ojos del Salado, to the point that the guide was doubting our climb. To my suggestion to change course and try Llullaillaco if Ojos was too bad, he answered: "Llullaillaco is worse, because it is closer to Bolivia."

Head and shoulders above the rest. A truly magnificent mountain.

Llullaillaco Day 1 - camping in the wild - 3600m

So here I am: on the road again. This time, with a very ambitious target: climb Llullaillaco solo, in 4 days, after 12 days of de-acclimatization. Not a small challenge, one that makes you wonder why you want to attempt it in the first place. 

But Volcan Llullaillaco is an old dream of mine, that began when waiting for treatment in a hospital. It is very simple, really: I was reading this magazine in the waiting area, and in it was an article about this far away volcano on which mummies had been discovered on the summit. Then  and there I decided that some day I would climb it. Kind of like for Ojos del Salado: an impulsive wish, that never lets go of me.

OK, now the photos:

The 4x4 I rented right at Antofagasta airport. You can't hope to reach base camp of Llullaillaco without a good 4x4. Notice the beacon on the roof. Cops reproached me to have one, as only service vehicles are allowed to have one. It fell off during the trip anyway.

The track to Llullaillaco traverses utterly barren deserts and gigantic open sky mines.

In deep shit. Five minutes after stucking the car, a passing vehicle stops and 4 mine workers help me out. The only other car I saw in the desert that day :)

The tent (thanks Fabrice!) behind the car for wind protection. Llullaillaco in clouds behind. Damn.

Ojos Day 12 - Summit Ojos del Salado - 6893m

The video of the summit:




The photos of the climb:

I like this moment: everyone happy to be there ;)

Freakin' cold

This is why we do it

Magic...

The crater of Ojos del Salado

One step for 4 breaths.... A snail's race. I could never catch up with the guys you see on the photo.

Snail's race 2.

The fixed ropes.

The fixed ropes 2.

Argentinian summit.

Proud Olivier, and rightfully so. 6893m above sea level. A personal record that is difficult to beat.

Fernando and Ides (who looks 10 years older).

Hail Mary...

Fernando personal lucky charm ;)

The descent. Veeeery long.

Ojos Day 11 - campamento Tejos - 5835m

After a good night's sleep, breakfast and at 12:00, departure for Tejos. We walk in shitty and slightly snowy weather. It takes us 3h10 to walk up the 600m of positive altitude difference, walking at a leisure pace and taking our time in pauses. Amazing to see how well we can breathe at this altitude, like a stroll in the Alps!

Fernando collecting water for the evening.

The inside of the Tejos containers-camp. Hard to believe we're at 5835m of altitude...

Ojos Day 10 - campamento Atacama - 5250m

We wake up in a glorious sun. The views of El Muerto are unsurpassable, hence I take a few more shots, with zooms of the saddle.

Even a 10-star hotel doesn't have this view!

The climb happened on the clearly visible slope from left down to right up. We passed left of the visible boulder wall, and engaged into the saddle.

The saddle, seen from another angle.

Atacama camp is the base camp for Ojos del Salado. It is made of a shack full of memorabilia of expeditions, a few spots for placing tents and pit toilets. The funny thing about the toilets is that, by a trick of wind effect, the paper flies up when it blows. The paper from the pit, I mean. So, when busy, you find yourself trying to avoid toilet paper flying from top to bottom to top and delicately brushing you when passing :)

Ojos Day 9 - Rest day campamento El Muerto - 5080m

Today is a well deserved rest day. We have the choice of spending it at the base of El Muerto, or go spend a day in Atacama camp at 5250m. We choose to rest where we are. Reading, drinking coffee, walking a bit around, siesta.... A day with a lot of wind, and clouds. But we are well acclimatized. I sleep like a baby, 8h or more per night. I am reading Mario Vargas Llosa, "comme un poisson dans l'eau", a fascinating account of the life and political campaign of Mario for the Peruvian presidency in 1990, which he lost against Alberto Fujimori.

Ojos Day 8 - El Muerto attempt - 6300m

Today is a big day ahead: 1400m of positive altitude gain, starting from 5080m. We get up at 3:30am, dress up for the cold and try to ingest toasts with Jamon and melted cheese. Beurk! luckily the tea washes the mouthfuls sticking to the back of the throat.

Psychedelic sunrise

The snow is ankle deep at places, and the slopes are sandy and offer poor support

Fernando's legendary latino elegance

Contemplating the task ahead

200 metres below the summit: 6300 meters. Olivier and Fernando reached about 6350 metres.

Here is the highest point attained shown on the map (point B):



Agrandir le plan

And now, the looong descent, during which Olivier has terrible headaches.

The way down passes through knee-deep snow patches.

Ojos del Salado, in its worrying grandeur.

El Muerto.

Nevado de Tres Cruces in the background, and Vigunas and Barrancas Blancas on the right.

Homomorphic lava boulders. This one looks like a Moai from Easter Island.

A well deserved rest... with odoriferous feet!