update peru again

_posts/2024-05-09-santa-cruz.md

@@ -8,39 +8,60 @@ categories: outdoors
 published: true
 ---
 
-\*\*May 12, 2022
+**May 12, 2022**
+**Santa Cruz Trek, Cordillera Blanca Range, Peru**
+**30 miles / 50 km**
+**Highest Elevation: 4,750 m / 15,617 ft**
+**Best time to visit: May-August**
 
-Santa Cruz Trek, Cordillera Blanca Range, Peru
+This post exclusively talks about hiking the Santa Cruz circuit. To read about the history of Huaraz, go [here](https://akb75.github.io/2022/08/02/huaraz-info.html).
 
-27 miles / 43 km
-
-Best time to visit: May-August\*\*
-
-This post exclusively talks about hiking the Santa Cruz circuit. To read about the history of Huaraz, go [here](_posts/2024-05-09-huaraz-info.md).
+**Summary**
+The Santa Cruz trek lies in the Cordillera Blanca Range in Huaraz, Ancash, Peru. It is a multi-day short trail that takes approximately two to four days. The trail can be described as moderate-difficult due to the high elevation.
 
 Delta airlines almost ruined my entire trip. My flight was from Pittsburgh to Fort Lauderdale to Lima. My flight was delayed so I missed my connection to Lima, and Fort Lauderdale only has one flight that runs to Lima daily. Delta did book me a hotel room at 11 pm, and they booked me an Uber to the hotel, but when I got there, the hotel attendant informed me that I had already checked in so she was not able to check me into my room. Long story short, I had to pay out of pocket and then fight with Delta to give me a refund on the booking and finally went to bed at 1 am for my 8 am flight the next morning. I got to Lima really sleep deprived, and then I got to Huaraz really sleep deprived. As I am writing this from memory in May 2024, I honestly don’t think I ever really recovered because I am still tired. I also rarely now fly Delta and am loyal to United airlines true and true.
 
+**Transportation and Pre-Hike Logistics**
+
+<span style="font-size:smaller;">**Transportation**</span>
 To get to Huaraz from Lima, there are several overnight bus options you can take. You have to book the ticket online beforehand, and I went with [Cruz del Sur](https://www.cruzdelsur.com.pe/). There used to be an airport in Huaraz that had weekly (?) flights, but this service was not available when I went in May 2022.
 
+<span style="font-size:smaller;">**Hostel**</span>
 In Huaraz, I stayed at the Krusty Hostel and El Jacal Backpacker. Both were fine, and I think both allow luggage storage if needed. You can also arrange with various tour guides in the town center for day trips around the area. I didn't do this, so I have no personal comments, but my friends have gone to Laguna Paron and thought it was nice. However, we all prefer remote hikes, and we would rather have the flexibility to set our own schedules which the tours do not allow.
 
+<span style="font-size:smaller;">**Food**</span>
+
+Chilli Heaven - Mexican, Indian, Asian food
+California Cafe- Filling all day breakfast at a relatively low cost, good coffee
+Cafe Andino- tea + chocolate cake
+Manka Fusion Artesanal- Huge portions
+
+**The Hike**
+I used chlorine tabs which are a true pain, but I was glad to do so because there is a ton of farm wildlife which travels through the area, and I did not want to risk sickness.
+
 Below is a rough draft of the trip report I wrote for some friends to follow who ended up using the Santa Cruz trek as an acclimatization hike for the Cordillera Huayhuash circuit! My original plan - if I had the time - was to hike this, but it requires a good amount of acclimatization time and is longer than the Santa Cruz trek. I want to say it requires at least 10 days for the circuit, and then 3 days for acclimatization. With an extra day just in case, the trip would be about 2 weeks.
 
-<iframe src="https://www.google.com/maps/d/embed?mid=1aFBzZl06uV4HKrDjGyeTfu4K-b73ADo&ehbc=2E312F" width="640" height="480" style="border:0;" allowfullscreen="" loading="lazy"></iframe>
+<iframe src="https://www.google.com/maps/d/embed?mid=1aFBzZl06uV4HKrDjGyeTfu4K-b73ADo&ehbc=2E312F" width="600" height="440" style="border:0;" allowfullscreen="" loading="lazy"><
 
-Bus to Vaqueria
+You can access the gpx file for my website on this [Google drive](https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/15EfSs-t0rEfvqYgS36IsK2gOdrNu4UF_?usp=sharing). The gpx route doesn't include waypoints, but the track is very easy to follow. I carry a Garmin in-reach mini for all my hikes.
+
+**Colectivo to Vaqueria**
 The access to the trail head is quite a way out of town. I had read previous blogs on hikers being able to hike the day they started in Huaraz, but I was unable to do this, and I also do not recommend this option. I got to Vaqueria in the evening after a day of travel.
 
 You will have to take a colectivo from Huaraz to Yunguay, and then from Yunguay to Vaqueria. You can ask at your local hostel where the colectivos are departing from because from reading previous blogs, it seems that the locations change relatively often. The colectivo to Yunguay should cost about 5 soles, and from Yunguay to Vaqueria about 20 soles. It takes one hour to get from Huaraz to Yunguay, and 3 hours to get from Yunguay to Vaqueria if the colectivos have enough passengers. I left around 8 am, and got to Vaqueria around 4 pm. The drivers in Yunguay (big taxi station) wait for the colectivo to fill up with people before departing even if the departure time is set, so I had a 3 hour stop in Yunguay.
 
 In Vaqueria, there is a “hostel” that a couple runs which you see whenever you get off the colectivo. It is made up of several blue buildings. From here you can get a bed to sleep at night, breakfast, dinner, snacks, drinks, etc. It is pretty minimal so I would not depend on this for a resupply point. I had dinner with a couple from France which consisted of rice, eggs, potatoes since we got to Vaqueria late.
 
-Day 1: Vaqueria to halfway to Punta Union 8 miles
+**Day 1: Vaqueria to halfway to Punta Union**
+<span style="font-size:smaller;">**8 miles / 12.8 km**</span>
+
 I started in Vaqueria at 7 am. I walked past the first campsite (Paria) where people usually stay if they plan to complete the trek in 4 days. The “campsite” that I stayed at is not a designated site per se, but you are still able to camp there. If you walk past Paria and continue on to climb up for 2 miles, you will reach a point at the top of a hill that is flat. This makes for a decent campsite, and cuts off a 2 mile uphill battle from day 2.
 
-Day 2: halfway to Punta Union pass to Taullipampa 6 miles
+**Day 2: halfway to Punta Union pass to Taullipampa 6 miles**
+<span style="font-size:smaller;">**6 miles / 9.66 km**</span>
 Day 2 is the hardest day because it is mostly uphill, and you reach the pass. I started my day at 6:30 am.
 
-Day 3: Taullipampa to Cashapampa, Cashapampa to Huaraz do 13 miles
+**Day 3: Taullipampa to Cashapampa, Cashapampa to Huaraz do 13 miles**
+<span style="font-size:smaller;">**13 miles / 20.9 km**</span>
 
 All posts are written and edited by me and represent my unique experiences.