the road less travelled...: Santa Cruz Hike

The Santa Cruz Hike is one of the more famous hikes in the Cordillera Blanca Mountains - 50km long and involves crossing a pass at Punta Union (elevation 4700m) Usually starting in Valaquia at 3900m and a gradual climb a 4 day/3 night hike finishing in Cachapampa. It can be done in 3 days from this direction and based on our schedule we had opted for the three day route. It became very clear from the beginning having booked with Johnny's Tours out of Huaraz who basically got a commission for us to go with Galaxia Tours that this was no National Geographic trip....and after heading out with some day trekkers and the rest of our group , eating breakfast and heading up to our starting point that the guide got a call to say we had to hike from the other direction as the route on this side of the pass was closed for trail clearing prior to the high season and there were no burros waiting for us there (to help carry our bags,water and food) So a U turn and a longer drive to Cachabampa to start our trek.... the guide Daniel informs us that Matthew and I will have to carry our own bags the last 20kms on the final day as the burros will stay with the group. This was news for us since we were sold the bill of goods that burros would carry our extra stuff and we had just brought dry bags for sleeping bags and clothes as on our previous Burro supported trips these were easier to pack...but hiking 20kms carrying dry bags in both hands down deep descents did not sound like much fun... so the guide says "Don't worry about that today ...just enjoy your hike for today" And so it began....
8 of us - from NZ, Australia,Argentina, Spain,Israel, England, and the United States...set off for an Andean adventure along with Daniel our guia and Julisa our cook.