Hatun Machay

Got a collectivo and then a taxi to Hatun Machay, which is a couple of hours south of Huaraz. They call it a ¨stone forest¨ and thats a pretty good description. Tons of stone columns coming straight out of the ground. There is a little refugio there which seems to be run by climbers and has no electricity. We camped just outside that but were allowed to use the water/toilets for a small fee.

The rock and the routes are amazing!! Bubbly volcanic rock with loads of handholds. Didn´t suffer from sweat at 4200m altitude and it gripped really nicely on climbing shoes. Reynolds cut his womanly hands open all the time though... lol. The people there are really helpful and showed us climbs that meet our grade etc. Reynolds is leading 6B´s and I have led up to 6A+ so everything looks good so far for our big multipitch climbs in Brazil :D It seems to me that these climbs are overgraded here but Reynolds thinks the opposite hehe.

Both of us have taken lead falls now which is probably our greatest achievement as we were both pretty scared of going for moves and falling before. Watched some nutters tackle 7C+´s seemingly with not too much trouble. Sucks that we don´t have some more people as it´s hard to take good photos with one person belaying and one climbing.

Stomache felt really bad in the evening of the second day. Prescribed myself these drugs which were in my medi kit, but really couldn´t remember what they were for or how many to take. I just knew they weren´t for altitude sickness so must be for dodgy water or something. Up all night, going to toilet in subzero outside. Dead all the next day. Couldn´t leave the tent let alone climb :( Had a fever and felt aweful.

Reynolds fed me tea and went up the hill to get some shots of the stone forest from above and his faithful dog which he seemed to have tamed followed the entire way. Got the bus back to Huaraz that evening.