Expedition Diary
1979 & 1988 – Bolivia

Michael Smith

1979

8 August 1979

On the journey to Huayna Potosi from La Paz stop at Milluni and buy additional supplies from the small shacks of the small but active mining community before going up the Zongo Pass.

A packing error results in shortage of tent pegs so we improvise with sun-bleached llama’s rib bones.

9 August 1979

Weave slowly up the glacier over a small ice fall to camp on a plateau by the ridge.  Nick feeling lousy, sick and tired due to the effects of the altitude.

Bright, full moon lights up the view across the altiplano with punctuating flashes of lightning and growling thunder from far over the other side of the range.

10 August 1979

Brew up at 4am and set off alone by 5.30 and gain the steep-sided snow ridge.  Make two hours progress but decide that the undulating ridge is too long and risky alone.  Return and break camp before portering out both sets of gear. Nick in poor shape.

11 August 1979

Breakfast at Eli’s cafe and make a consolation visit to the botanical gardens and depressingly dilapidated zoo.  Reflect on the failure to climb Huayna Potosi and hope that it will not affect our other planned climbs in the Real.

1988

27 July 1988

On the journey to Huayna Potosi from La Paz pass Milluni tin mine, dilapidated and deserted, on the way up to the Zongo Pass.  The recession in the mining industry has extended the La Paz ‘suburbs’ on the altiplano as redundant mine workers eke out what they can in the city.

Camp on dried grass just short of the moraine.  The full moon’s light streams in through the flaps we opened to avoid condensation as the temperature falls to -6?C.

28 July 1988

Going very slowly up the moraine and scree to the glacier in 2½ hours.  Heavy sacks, powdery snow on steep ground and less than a week since leaving home all combine to make us feel the altitude.  Grateful to reach the hanging glacier where we are to camp.  Just in the tent when an avalanche sweeps into our cwm from the ridge I was on nine years ago.  The temperature falls below  -12?C.

29 July 1988

Two hours of melting snow and getting ready.  We are not into the routine yet as this is our first trip out and we are making heavy weather of it.  The route is dramatic, threading past seracs and over crevasses and we arrive at the summit cone to be defeated by the bergschrund at about 6000m.  Descend steadily with David suffering: I assume it is the altitude and fear for the future climbing prospects.

30 July 1988

The stove plays up interminably this morning.  Eventually patience runs out and we make do with what liquid we have and descend as quickly as we can to reach the pass by mid-morning.