Before heading to Lima we turned up an unmarked, very rough dirt road about 40 km south of Huaraz. The road looks to go absolutely nowhere; we pass a loan straw hut housing a shepherd looking after his flock of high altitude sheep. After about 30 minutes we reach the top of the ascent which opens into desolate, rolling meadows and valleys as far as we can see. There, in the middle of this harsh, 14,200 foot environment sits a rock climber refugio, and just behind it an unlikely labyrinth of volcanic rock juts from the earth. Welcome to sport climbing paradise in Peru: Hatun Machay (click for climber specific info). (more…)