Day 1
La Paz (3600 mamsl) – Base Camp (4780 mamsl)
Glaciar Viejo (4970mamsl) – Base Camp (4780 mamsl).
1 and 1/2 hour drive from La Paz to Paso Zongo to start a 2 – 3 hour trek up to high camp which is on a rock buttress at the base of the glacier and on a well-used path on rock “Casa Blanca”.
After lunch, walk for 45 min to the old glacier, to practice the correct handling of the equipment (use of crampons and ice axes) and acclimatization. Once the practice is over, we return to the refuge in the base camp. Once in the shelter, eat hydrate and rest.
Day 2
Base Camp (4780 mamsl) – High camp (5270 mamsl)
From the base camp, go up to the high camp. And walk by the dark part, one that is seen in its first part flat and later that presents a greater slope. We will enjoy the beautiful view of the Zongo Valley.
After 2h30m of walk, arrive at the refuge in the high field approx. at 2:30 p.m. there we will spend the night.
Campo Alto – Cumbre Huayna Potosí (6094 m.s.n.m.) – La Paz (3600 m.s.n.m.)
Day 3
High camp – Huayna Potosi (6094 mamsl) – La Paz (3600 mamsl)
Have an early start (02:00 a.m.) as it is a long day, it will also be cold. Start climbing with crampons on and the rest of your climbing gear. The climb is mostly following a trail on the glacier and has 2 steep sections, one at around 5600 mamsl, called the “Pala Chica” (here the trail goes through a small ice and snow wall). After this part, keep following the trail on the glacier up to 6000 mamsl “Pala Grande”. From there, see the summit. The last section to the summit is a great climbing on an exposed ridge.
From the summit Illimani Mountain is seen (6439 mamsl) then Illampu mountain (6368 mamsl). Finally head back down the same way to high camp. Once back at high camp, have a short rest and pack your gear. Then to base camp to meet our transport back to La Paz.
Campo Alto – Cumbre Huayna Potosí (6094 m.s.n.m.) – La Paz (3600 m.s.n.m.)
