El Misti

The guardian volcano of Arequipa, El Misti (5822 m), was my latest adventure along my journeys and boy oh boy was it an adventure. At an elevation such as it is, it is a tough enough climb on its own, but the night before I went to climb it I came down with a good case of the flu (and all its symptoms). I had already paid so I was going to give it a go. About 500 meters into the hike the Gatorade and piece of bread I had that morning where no longer inside me. I can only imagine what the guide and other 2 guys climbing with me must have thought. Only 500 m in and already getting ride of his breakfast. I have to say I felt like turning back many a times, but all I could think of was that I have to make it to base camp to have a nap and everything will be all right (along with quoting Isa 40:31 many times). Base camp's elevation was close to 5000 meters so being that I am not acclimatized to that altitude I laid in the tent from 2 pm to 2 am and got at most 2 hours of sleep and could not get anything down. Somehow though at 2 am when we were off for the summit I was feeling somewhat better and me, one of the other guys and the guide trudged through snow, rock, ice and thin air to make it to the top to view the famous El Misti Cross (It was very much to my surprise that I made it). Here are a couple pictures from the Colca Canyon (Cruz del Condor) from a couple blogs back.