Sunny and green begins the way at Olleros at 3450 m in the Santa valley, up the Río Negro.
Further above the Río Negro is renamed Quebrada Uquián, (quetch.: the grey-brown river valley). No fishes in its clear water, for the whole journey I carried my fishing gear with me in vain. Here a branching of the valley. My route to the pass leads through the left valley while the one of my temporary companion and his donkey goes to the right to his Ichu gras hut.
First night camp. The clouds announce already the coming of a cold hail thunderstorm. It is the end of september, raining season approaches.
A little boy aproaches and asks me seriously for toothpaste. I am quite surprised but he earnestly claims to have a tooth ache. I give him half of my little tube and he strolls quite happily back to his little ichu gras hut. The only time I yield to childrens begging. Please dear follower do not give in either, there are many other ways to help...
The way to the pass on the next morning I meet Zacharias and his llama herd. He leads them upward from Olleros every couple of days to graze at the pass. He is gonna return downward soon, because the smart llamas know their way already, and I all need to do is follow them.
The passport Yanashallash (yana = black, shalla = leaves). Directly at the pass at 4700 m a good launching point and pleasant headwind. An old pre-Inka pass, since it has been already in use for an estimated three thousand years.
...and indeed, you do fly Inca road here...
Look back after the first flight downwards, 500 m below.
During the search for a second launch: the village Lanchan. Lots of children ask for sweets. Since I don't like that, I try to talk to them with no response at all. I soon find out, that "da me un caramelo" are the only spanish words that they know. They are quite amazed when they are greeted in quetchua, and start whispering among each other...
Rather drunk but nevertheless very friendly dancers, decorated with masks and crowns, accompanied by bass drum and quena, a bright straight wooden flute. They do not rest until I dance with them for half an hour. In the background to the right, the Nevado Huantsán (6395 m).
View into the Mosna valley
Finally a second launching spot, although I first have to work busily for another hour with my saws until the area is cleaned of all thorny shrubs and roots. Down below at 3150 m the temple of Chavin (1000 - 200 v. Chr.). Launch nine o'clock with the first useable thermals, since it was hard to estimate how turbulent the valley would become later on. Already in the early afternoon the wind sweeps downwards from the cold eastern side of the Cordillera Blanca. The most amazing part of the temple cannot be seen from above: The labyrinth-like interiors underground, with a large old stele (stone totem column) in the center.
Landing on the large stony field in front of the temple.
He'll gladly answer all further questions: La cabeza clava, a landmark of Peru.
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