6000m mountain and a little altitude sickness

Album - Huyuni Potosi

Yesterday at 6.30am we made the summit of Huyuni Potosi. There was a beautiful sunrise but Dave lay on the snow gripping his ice axe which was dug firmly in the snow and wondered how we would get back down.

Huyuni Potosi is 6088m or 19,974feet. We were on the lower summit at 6035m and nothing was going to get us along a narrow snow ridge with big drops either side to the north summit. Our guide was happily taking photos on the narrow ridge and it was only later we remembered we were roped to him.

We booked our tour with Adolfo Andino as Adolfo had been climbing for years and knew what he was talking about. The other climbs were being sold by young people who spoke english but probably knew better than to spend their time on this mountain. Adolfo supplied all the gear we needed and gave us a good price-we were on.

Tuesday morning we met our guide Irineo and with all our gear climbed into an ancient Toyota taxi and set off. Driving up the steep roads of La Paz 3600m to El Alto 4200m at the top of the city was scary enough. We then went along the roughest roads through El Alto and onto a big plateau a bit like the top of the Coppice. After a while the big mountains began to appear and the road started climbing. We passed maybe 200 graves near some old mines and were told these were from 1972 when the miners tried fighting the dictator of Bolivia. He sent the army and the miners were killed.

At 4700m we were at base camp, a stone refuge with no heating but a very friendly Bolivian lady who looked after the place. She wore about 10 skirts, a woolly hat and a big smile to keep warm. The afternoon was spent on the local glacier learning how to use ice axe and crampons. Irineo soon had us climb down a steep ice slope and jump across a narrow but deep crevasse onto a ledge at the bottom of an ice cliff. As he had us on a rope he kept saying ´no problema´. From the ledge we tried climbing the ice cliff taking turns with the one helmet. We didnt have the strength to pull ourselves up with the two ice axes and so spent most of the time swinging on the rope over the crevasse. Finally we gave up on the ice cliff and were horrified to find our only was back was to jump across the crevasse and climb up the less steep ice slope. Irineo went first and then threw us a rope. Dave went first and made it as he had no choice. Youngmi was next and was out of sight for 15mins as she tried different ways to get up. Unsure of what would happen next we went back to the hut. We kept waking up all night. Not sure if this was altitude, nerves or too much coca tea.

Next morning climbed a rocky path from 4700 to 5150m and the next hut. Nothing but snow up above the hut. At first there were only three other guys there Ian the scotsman and Ori and Tal from Israel. Then maybe another 15 people arrived who had all come straight from La Paz so the hut was real crowded. Dinner at 5pm was the first time Dave felt sick. In bed at 6pm then 6 hours of snoring coughing and farting-horrible. Glad to get up at 12am midnight and put on loads of clothes, plastic boots and crampons and set off, It is not too dark or cold but it is gently snowing. We are roped up with Irineo and very slowly climb the first snow slope. It is hard work but after a while we start to pass other groups. Climb a steep slope for about 50m and Dave feels like his body will explode. There is one other group at the top gasping for breath and we move ahead of them. Follow the icy rope moving whenever it pulls. Forever up until at some huge icicles we are told 5800m about 90 mins to the top. As it starts to come light see a huge steep snow slope ahead. We go across this at 45degs with a big drop and crevasses below. If one of us fell I think all three would have gone but maybe Irineo would have held us. As we are feeling sick with the altitude and nerves the slope reaches a small rock wall and we climb the snow beside this to the ridge. Great  view over the other side. Up the snow to the top says Irineo and we go a bit further. Youngmi sits happily on the little peak while Dave lies in the snow gripping his ice axe. Youngmi said after she felt very comfortable on her little peak at 6030m.
We watched the sunrise then saw all of the snowy mountains in the sunlight. A surprisingly long walk down, over two hours, revealled lots of giant icicles, crevasses and big snow slopes. 7 people out of 20 reached the top, the rest being stopped by altitude sickness. Back at the refuge we were knackered. No hunger and a bit sick. After 2 hours we descended to the lower refuge refused lunch and waited for the car back to La Paz. The smiling lady gave us mattresses and blankets so we could rest. Back in La Paz we both felt sick and Youngmi had pins and needles. The internet says these are signs of altitude sickness. Good thing we came down (We are wimps as our guide met another tourist at base camp and was doing the mountain again the next night).

After a short nap in La Paz decided we should try to eat something and went to Martinis our favourite pizza place. Youngmi looked at the pizza then rushed to the door throwing up before she got there. Dave assured the other diners it was altitude sickness not pizza poisoning but it seemed to reduce their appetite.

We made it. Our first 6000m mountain and the last for a while. We are lucky to be alive and lucky to have made it. We are particularly proud as we think we were the only climbers over 30. We still feel sick the day after and guess some other cñimbers are in a worse state.

An aside from Dave - our super tough guide watched me testing my blood sugar at the end of the climb and asked if I could test his. I think that is what he was saying in spanish. I put in a new needle and was about to prick his finger when he pulled away. ´No problema´ I said, grabbed his finger and pricked it. Needless to say he is not diabetic.