It seems the Huayhuash Circuit saved some of the best for last. Steve had done a lot of research and reading before our trip and had pinpointed the Three Lakes and San Antonio Pass as two of the highlights, but hadn’t seen much about the hike over Yaucha Punta to Jahuacocha and it wasn’t on his radar. Victor had told us this day would be our last one for amazing views of the range, but we were still unprepared for just how stunning it would be. We decided it might have been our favorite day, slightly nudging San Antonio Pass to second place. What made it so spectacular was a long ridge walk from the pass where we had extended views of Yerupaja and its attendant mountains. As we walked further north on the ridge we had increasingly good views of Jahuacocha and Jirishanca. All around it was just a fantastic day of hiking.

Our day started with a modest ascent from our campsite at Angocancha to Yaucha Punta (4847 m/15,902 ft). We had a nice break here and enjoyed the views, although they would pale in comparison to what would come next. From the pass there is a trail to the east that descends into Quebrada Huacrish and eventually to Jahuacocha (this is the route the donkeys and crew took). We instead choose the ridge to our left with minimal elevation loss as we walked the ridge to Cerro Huacrish (4750 m/15,585 ft). All along the way we stopped to marvel at the views, take pictures, and watch the condors. We had one last long break at Cerro Huacrish before descending to Jahuacocha. Looking down it appeared steep, but the descent was not as bad as I had anticipated (and advantage of a steep descent is that it is quick). We made switchbacks and I much preferred the grassy terrain versus loose rocks or the dirt we tramped through from San Antonio Pass. Jahuacocha is a busy campsite, but it’s easy to ignore given the amazing scenery. We thoroughly enjoyed our last campsite; having tea in the afternoon sun, watching a gorgeous sunset, and eating a delicious traditional Peruvian meal called pachamanca to celebrate our trek. Definitely a fitting ending on our last night in the Huayhuash.

Day 11:
397 m/1300 ft ascent
797 m/2615 ft descent
High Point: Yaucha Punta 4847 m/15,902 ft
Camp at Jahuacocha 4050 m/13,300 ft

Our last day was the exact reverse of our first (except with better weather), so we knew what we were in for. The long traverse from Jahuacocha to Pampa Llamac felt just as long as it did the first time and the descent down to Llamac was certainly easier than huffing and puffing our way up on the first day. The most notable thing about the hike was that our dog friend Huayhuash, who we had befriended some days earlier, but lost track of as he continued trekking with other groups, caught up to us on the trail. We were probably more excited than we should have been to see him, but it really made our day. He got some snacks and pets from us then continued trekking with the donkeys and horses and we saw him again in Llamac. He even rolled over so Norah could pet his belly. We said goodbye to Miguel and Margarita in Llamac (and to Huayhuash - he was going home with them) and loaded up the van for our ride back to Huaraz. We stayed one more night at Hotel Suiza Peruana, where we said our farewells to Joel and Victor, and were on our way back to Lima the next day. Definitely a trip of a lifetime!

Day 12:
250 m/800 ft ascent
1000 m/3300 ft descent
13 km/8.1 mi
High Point Pampa Llamac 4300 m/14,100 ft