PERU' 2000   I started off in June 2000 with Silvo Karo, 40, Slovenian, a strong mountaineer, world famous for his climbs - 23 expeditions with new routes from the Himalayas to Patagonia - accompanied by the photo-journalist Boris Strmsek, also Slovenian, who followed us the entire route with his camera and video camera to document the climb. With Radio Hit of Ljubljiana, we were also live on the Internet.   The Esfinge (5325 m) is a mountain of the Cordillera Bianca with a vast east wall of excellent and compact granite.   The route which follows the highest wall, a pillar of about 800 metres, was opened without ropes. Apart from the two difficult lengths, we opened everything "on sight" and even the few bolts we used were planted while balancing on our feet.   We used 33 bolts, including rests and normal pitons for the rest of the way. For the first 500 metres we went back to base camp every evening - 1 hour from the wall - using fixed ropes. Then after a day's rest, we opened the last 300 metres and reached the top. We finished the route in a week and fortunately the weather was great (apart from a few snow falls during the night).   We decided on "Cruz del Sur" as the name of the route because every evening at base camp, while we were eating, we could see the cross outlined against the sky.   For me it was my first experience outside Europe and the first time at an altitude higher than 5000 metres. As soon as we arrived in Peru, I was all ready to run to base camp but Silvo warned me that I had to be careful because of the altitude: and so, after a few days in the village of Huaraz - where instead of acclimatizing, we turned day into night, in the local disco bars. During the day we climbed, or rather ran, to base camp at 4500 metres. I was feeling really good that day and like a bull I couldn't wait to get my horns stuck into the wall that was standing right above us.   That night I slept like a log while Silvo was starting to suffer from altitude sickness, so much so that in the morning he stayed in the tent while I, uneasy, climbed up to the camp; until I decided to make a few trips and brought some gear under the wall. Silvo kept telling me that it was better that I rested and he was right! ...in fact, that evening I started to feel ill and after a horrible night I got worse while Silvo started to get better.   The following morning, without an ounce of strength left in me, I decided to climb back down with Boris. When we arrived at Lake Paron - the last carriage road - the guardian offered me a cup of something he called "magic potion" which, instead of tasting like tea, tasted like a liquid bomb! But I have to say I immediately felt better.   After a day spent in the village between one restaurant and another, eating to recuperate the weight I had lost, we returned to base camp where Silvo was waiting for us. After my initial misadventure, everything went right and the altitude was no longer a problem.   This little expedition only lasted three very intense weeks but at least I can say that I have seen Peru! Nevertheless, those few days spent in that country and meeting the locals, taught me a lot. Most of all I learnt that - besides listening to myself and following my instincts - it's also important to heed the advice of people who have more experience than you and who have already made lots of mistakes! Like not acclimatizing. Thanks Silvo! Bubu				"Cruz del sur" ESFINGE 5325 metres (Cordillera Blanca, Perù) Drawing Photo gallery Movie (4,60 Mb)
						Photos by Boris Strmsek