The Classic Santa Cruz

Leaving early in the morning we drive along the Santa Valley passing several villages until we reach present-day Yungay. The road winds slowly up into the gulley between the Huascaran massif and the Huandoy three-pronged peak. As we reach the overhanging valley we arrive at the boundary of Huascaran National Park. Llanganuco, as the area is known, has two lakes, Chinancocha and Orconcocha with beautiful turquoise waters. We continue driving to Portachuelo de Llanganuco Pass located at 4707m. (15,442 ft.). Here we have one of the best views to appreciate beautiful mountains such as Huascaran (6,768m. / 22,204ft.), Huandoy (6,395m. / 20,980ft.), Pisco (5,752m. / 18,871ft.), Chacraraju (6,112m. / 20,052ft.), etc. Then we drive down to Vaquería where we start our trek at 3,640m. (11,942ft.).

Breaking our parking place, we trek up the Huaripampa Valley, passing through several small Andean agricultural settlements. Pacing out our day sensibly, we ascend to our camp located in Paria valley at 3,822m. (12,539ft.) and settle to enjoy mountain views of Paria (5,510m. / 18,077ft.) and Piramide (5,885m. / 19,307ft.) looming at the head of the valley.

As we approach the pass, the majestic Mt. Taulliraju towers above us, its glacier and glacial lake creating a striking contrast with the vibrant Santa Cruz Valley below. From the pass, we are treated to breathtaking views of peaks such as Quitaraju, Artesonraju, and Rinrijirca, alongside the turquoise waters of Ichiccocha and Jatuncocha.

After a well-deserved rest, we begin our descent—this time on the Pacific side, as the pass marks the continental divide between the Amazon and Pacific watersheds. We continue down to Taullipampa, where we set up camp for the night at 4,180m./13,713ft., surrounded by the awe-inspiring grandeur of the White Mountain Range.

Today we continue our trek down the Santa Cruz Valley, passing the Arhuaycocha side valley and enjoying spectacular views of snow-capped peaks, including the iconic Mt. Alpamayo. The landscape gradually changes, with scree slopes rising on either side of the now marshy meadows and boulders scattered from the eroded cliffs above.

We climb to a stunning viewpoint to admire the majestic Alpamayo in all its glory. By the end of the day, the canyon widens, and we reach Llamacorral, where we set up camp at 3,783m./ 12,411ft.

A steep morning descent brings us to Cashapampa (2,944 m), where we meet our vehicle for the transfer back to Huaraz. We bid farewell to our camp crew as the road winds gently down to the main valley, arriving in Huaraz in the afternoon.