AC Bolivia Meet 1-25th July 2009 – Further Details

Bolivia is a landlocked country in the centre of the Andes mountain chain. La Paz, at 3600m., is the highest capital city in the world with spectacular views of peaks like Illimani as flights descend to the airport. Lake Titicaca is nearby and there are Inca ruins to explore. Trekking routes offer opportunities to follow Inca trails that still criss-cross the country with classic itineraries like the Illampu circuit. The weather in the Bolivian Andes is generally better & more stable than most other mountain ranges.

The mountains reach heights of over 6000m and there are classic established routes as well as harder test pieces and the possibility of putting up new hard lines even on the well-known peaks of the Cordillera Real as a look at the most recent AAJ shows. In the more remote ranges of the Apolobamba or Quimsa Cruz, most of the independent mountain peaks have been climbed but there is still scope for new routing. It is usual to establish a base camp and then make the climb from there perhaps with intermediate camps when necessary but the climbing is essentially alpine in character with the added challenge of higher altitudes.

The main climbing objectives would be the popular peaks, Condoriri, Pequeno Alpamayo, Huayni Potosi and Illimani, with the possibility of a more extended stay in the Illampu area or the Apolobamba or Quimsa Cruz. Of course, meet participants will decide their own climbing priorities.

Flights to La Paz can be found for around £800 and local services can be booked in La Paz. An idea of costs is obtainable from Alain Meseli’s guidebook which lists out a menu of services and approximate costs. Local buses provide cheap transport to some areas but for others it’s necessary to hire a jeep.

We plan to base ourselves in a hostel in La Paz & make forays into the mountains camping or using the available huts. White gas and screw on gas canisters are usually available locally. Although the locals are friendly and welcoming, camp guards are usually employed to improve security at well-known campsites.

 IGM maps are available locally, although it is possible to get a few in advance from the usual internet map shops.

Guidebooks include:

Trekking & Climbing in the Andes – Victor Saunders et al

The Andes: a Guide for Climbers – John Biggar

Bolivia: a Climbing Guide – Yossi Brain

The Andes of Bolivia – Alain Mesili

Meet Co-ordinator: Dave Wynne-Jones 0117 3771992 Email is my preferred contact option – details in the handbook or on Alpinet.