Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Mountain Biking
La Paz mountain-bike outfits take advanced riders here for the descent from the base of
spectacular mountain, past Zongo Dam, and then along a dramatic 40km, 3600m descent
into the lush and humid Yungas. This is a dead-end road that lacks a great destination at
its finish, but there's little vehicular traffic, so you tend to have the road to yourself and
can open up the throttle a little more.
Access
A 4WD from La Paz to the trailhead at Paso Zongo costs around B$500 one way for up to
five people. A taxi should be a bit less with haggling (aim for B$250 one way and make
sure your driver knows the way). Daily Trans Zongo buses leave at 6am from Plaza Balli-
vián in El Alto (B$13, two hours).
As Huayna Potosí is so popular, lots of climbers are headed out that way during the
climbing season. If you only want a lift, check with specialist climbing agencies.
Someone will probably have a 4WD going on the day you want, and you can share costs
for the trip.
The Route
From the
Huayna Potosí Refugio
, cross the dam and follow the aqueduct until you reach
the third path on your left signed 'Glacier Huayna Potosí.' Take this path to a glacial
stream then through and across the rocks to reach the ridge of a moraine. Near the end of
the moraine - where you'll pay B$10 to climb the mountain at a small rock hut - descend
slightly to your right and then ascend the steep scree gullies. At the top, bear left and fol-
low the cairns to reach the
Campo Rocas Glacier
(5200m). There's a hut to sleep in, and
dry places to camp. Most tours stop here for the night, before commencing the ascent at
around 2am.
The glacier is crevassed, especially after July, so rope up while crossing it. Ascend the
initial slopes then follow a long, gradually ascending traverse to the right, before turning
left and climbing steeply to a flat area between 5500m and 5700m known as
Campo Ar-
gentino
(a seldom-used alternate sleeping spot). It will take you about two to three hours
to reach this point. Camp on the right of the path, but note that the area further to the right
is heavily crevassed, especially later in the season.
The following morning you should leave from here between 4am and 6am. Follow the
path/trench out of Campo Argentino, and head uphill to your right until you join a ridge.
Turn left here and cross a flat stretch to reach the steep and exposed
Polish Ridge
(named
in honor of the Pole who fell off it and died while soloing in 1994). Here you cross a
series of rolling glacial hills and crevasses to arrive below the summit face. Either climb
