Hi !
Today was the first acclimation hike to reach Laguna Wilcacocha at 3700 meters. It is a 600m ascend over 5km (or 7.5km if like us you miss the shortcuts). The overall idea is to test yourself at hiking above 3000 meters. And I won’t lie, it was actually different from my traditional hiking experience: very quickly I felt out of breath, and couldn’t just walk it without a break. No headache and no extreme tireness though, so I think I avoided the high altitude sickness, but a few more challenging hikes should confirm that before we start trekking (Santa Cruz Trek).
All of that wouldn’t be fun if there wasn’t a reward up there: a view of Huaraz with the white peaks of the Cordillera Blanca in background. Also a pleasant surprise, as this place was sort of the picnic area for the locals to enjoy their sunday afternoon. There was in particular this Peruvian woman, contemplating the view like the rest of us.
I guess a more postal card picture would have been the reflection of the white peaks on the lake itself, but a very welcomed chilling wind made sure the lake was all but mirror still waters.
Enjoy (or not) and stay tuned !