Day 2. Garagocha Col
Summary: A rewarding adventure through a stark, lunar landscape, mostly on easy terrain, and with well-protected technical cruxes (protection added in 2025). Low 5th class rock climbing, a rappel, and a hidden cliff band on descent earn its reputation as the technical crux of the Alpine Circuit. I recommend referring to the gpx track repeatedly on this day to stay on route. Donkey-supported groups have the option of deluxe camping near Rondoy (5 minutes toward Gargocha is nicer than roadside) and then daytripping Days 1 & 2 to Janca with a light pack in a single day.
Elevation Gain: 500m Elevation Loss: 700m Distance: 5km
Ascent: A cliff band runs the entire length of the lake, blocking passage to the col. Before 2025, the route traveled above the cliff band via a sandy, exposed traverse with rockfall hazard. A 2025 new route—Quique’s Ridge—avoids this unnecessary danger. Walk along the eastern shore of Garagocha Lake to its south end. Hike uphill toward the toe of a rocky ridge, picking up a series of cairns near its base. Ascend the gully to the right of the ridge for 20m then step onto the ridge via a 3rd class scramble. Ascend grass and scramble up the crest or right of the crest to arrive at a slanting slot cut into a rock headwall. Enter the slanting slot, pull up 4m up a chain at Valeria’s Step, sneak under or clamber over a chockstone, then pull up a second chain (6m) at Gabriel’s Step to exit the slanting slot.
Walk uphill (E) on scree and easy slabs to reach the base of a steeper rock headwall at 4860m. Route finding here becomes critical. Turn left (N) and ascend a scree-covered ramp for 100m to reach the base of a distinct yellow volcanic dyke. The dyke is blocky, solid 5.0 rock climbing for 25m and has 4 bolts with fixed quickdraws for protection with a 2-bolt belay station on top (hardware added in 2025). An additional 15m of easy scree and short scramble (2 bolts with fixed quickdraws; added in 2025) leads to Garagocha Col (4910m; bolts for belay).
Descent: From the col, descend to the right (SE) for 30m down a scree-covered ledge to its end at a wall (chains and fixed quickdraw added in 2025) to reach a bolted rappel anchor. Rappel for 25m (or 15m with a 3rd class down-climb) to reach a ledge (a 5.0 solo down-climb is possible on a ramp just N of the rappel anchor). This ends the technical climbing. Walk left (N) for 30m down a scree-speckled ramp to reach the top of a large scree cone. Walk down the scree cone, past a bottleneck, to where the scree meets grassy slopes below. Turn left (NE) and aim for the base of a large cliff visible on your left. This avoids a major invisible cliff band that runs the length of the slope below. Once past the cliff band, descend easy grass slopes to Mitucocha. Camp at the south end of Mitucocha (fee of S/40; there is a large valley circuit camp called Janca near the north end of Mitucocha). Donkey-supported groups need to diverge from the Alpine Circuit route (gpx) and camp at Janca.
Elevation Gain: 500m Elevation Loss: 700m Distance: 5km
Ascent: A cliff band runs the entire length of the lake, blocking passage to the col. Before 2025, the route traveled above the cliff band via a sandy, exposed traverse with rockfall hazard. A 2025 new route—Quique’s Ridge—avoids this unnecessary danger. Walk along the eastern shore of Garagocha Lake to its south end. Hike uphill toward the toe of a rocky ridge, picking up a series of cairns near its base. Ascend the gully to the right of the ridge for 20m then step onto the ridge via a 3rd class scramble. Ascend grass and scramble up the crest or right of the crest to arrive at a slanting slot cut into a rock headwall. Enter the slanting slot, pull up 4m up a chain at Valeria’s Step, sneak under or clamber over a chockstone, then pull up a second chain (6m) at Gabriel’s Step to exit the slanting slot.
Walk uphill (E) on scree and easy slabs to reach the base of a steeper rock headwall at 4860m. Route finding here becomes critical. Turn left (N) and ascend a scree-covered ramp for 100m to reach the base of a distinct yellow volcanic dyke. The dyke is blocky, solid 5.0 rock climbing for 25m and has 4 bolts with fixed quickdraws for protection with a 2-bolt belay station on top (hardware added in 2025). An additional 15m of easy scree and short scramble (2 bolts with fixed quickdraws; added in 2025) leads to Garagocha Col (4910m; bolts for belay).
Descent: From the col, descend to the right (SE) for 30m down a scree-covered ledge to its end at a wall (chains and fixed quickdraw added in 2025) to reach a bolted rappel anchor. Rappel for 25m (or 15m with a 3rd class down-climb) to reach a ledge (a 5.0 solo down-climb is possible on a ramp just N of the rappel anchor). This ends the technical climbing. Walk left (N) for 30m down a scree-speckled ramp to reach the top of a large scree cone. Walk down the scree cone, past a bottleneck, to where the scree meets grassy slopes below. Turn left (NE) and aim for the base of a large cliff visible on your left. This avoids a major invisible cliff band that runs the length of the slope below. Once past the cliff band, descend easy grass slopes to Mitucocha. Camp at the south end of Mitucocha (fee of S/40; there is a large valley circuit camp called Janca near the north end of Mitucocha). Donkey-supported groups need to diverge from the Alpine Circuit route (gpx) and camp at Janca.
the spot where to leave the gully to the right of Quique's Ridge and step onto the Ridge itself (many cairns)
Quique on Quique's Ridge
|
Approaching the slanting slot on Quique's Ridge
|
Valeria's Step on Quique's Ridge (inside the Slanting Slot)
|
view from the top of the Slanting Slot with Gabriel's Step in the foreground
walking on the moon between Quique's Ridge and Garagocha Col
the beginning of the descent from Garagocha Col (during the 2025 installation of hardware)
initial descent from Garagocha Col
|
at rappel station looking up (30m from Garagocha Col)
|
The magnificent pink of the evening began to illuminate mountains and corniced ridges all around; the sun, like a red orange, shone on endless mountain chains to the west and violet jade-coloured night crept up from the Amazon lowlands. Never had I been so affected by the beautiful and illimitable Sierra as on this lonely evening walk along the corniced ridge of Ninashanca, the backbone of the continent.
~Heinrich Klier, 1954
