Visiting the Huascaran National Park is also to see the rapid advance of global warming, especially on the snowy surface of the emblematic Pastoruri.
Every year, hundreds of tourists – local and foreign – come to the cold city of Huaraz to embark on challenging hikes with photography destinations: turquoise lagoons and brilliant snow peaks are the rewards after treks not suitable for the faint of heart. One of the most visited destinations is the Huascarán National Park, which in its 340 thousand hectares is home to the snow-capped peaks of the Cordillera Blanca, where the snow-capped Pastoruri stands out. Unfortunately, this destination continues to fade over time, losing the breadth of its ice compared to the darkness of the rocks due to climate change.
Given this, dozens of people leave daily from the city of Huaraz (3,100 meters above sea level) on a tour of approximately 8 hours so as not to miss the opportunity to see the imposing snow-capped mountain. The journey begins between 8 and 9 a.m. and it is recommended to have a light breakfast to avoid the discomfort caused by the altitude. On the way, it is preferable to take a short break in the town of Ticapampa (3,250 meters above sea level), to drink coca tea and reserve lunch in one of the traditional restaurants of the place for after the visit to the snow-capped mountain. From there, the route by bus or minivan will go uphill towards the south, reaching 4,830 meters above sea level. at the beginning of the walk towards the glacier and culminating at 5,240 meters above sea level, upon reaching the foothills of the snow-capped mountain.
The walk is around 3 km up and 3 km down, and takes between 1 hour and 1 hour and 15 minutes depending on the capacity of each person. The ideal is to go at your personal pace, without overexerting yourself to avoid lack of oxygen or headaches, even more so in climbing areas or with stairs.
Vanishing ice
Mauro Olaza, a local adventure guide who grew up in the nearby city of Huaraz, remembers when tourists flocked to Pastoruri by the thousands. Ski festivals were held on the vast, frozen slopes. Climbers raced each other to scale the ancient ice wall.
“It was the best place to see the snow, and everyone wants to play in the snow,” Olaza tells me on our drive to Huascarán National Park, home to Pastoruri and more than 600 other glaciers. “I have really good memories.”
Yet rising temperatures steadily ate away at Pastoruri, cutting its volume by about a third in just a few decades. The ice vanished so fast, Pastoruri technically no longer qualifies as a glacier. A true glacier adds bulk from snowfall each winter, but Pastoruri gets smaller every season.
And visitor numbers have declined in proportion to the ice. For guides, including Olaza, business became a struggle. Some vendors who sold food and trinkets by the trailhead abandoned their stalls to search for jobs in the city. In a 2010 survey of two nearby communities, every respondent said glacier retreat was harming the local tourism industry.
Officials grappled for a solution. They temporarily closed the site to visitors. They covered Pastoruri in a protective sawdust coating. That wasn’t enough. The only way to halt the melting was to stop the planet from becoming warmer.
“Seeing the proof [of climate change] on this route will not only help to raise awareness … but will also communicate how the world can have an effect on climate change,” the director of natural resources and environmental management for the regional government, Melvin Grimaldo Rodriguez Minchola, told me before my visit.
Yet the museum that opened to fanfare nine years ago is empty on the morning I arrive. Despite the “climate route” marketing push, most estimates suggest visitor numbers remain far below the levels of Pastoruri’s heyday. Now, my footsteps echo as I walk through the small exhibit hall.
I learn that Huascaran boasts the world’s largest concentration of tropical glaciers and that many species living among these white-capped mountains are found almost nowhere else on Earth. There are towering Puya raimondii plants — strange relatives of the pineapple that resemble giant bottlebrushes wearing spiky-leaf skirts. Graceful, alpaca-like creatures called vicuñas graze on the grassy lower slopes.
Climate change threatens it all. Average temperatures in the region have increased by more than a degree Celsius since the preindustrial era — mostly because of greenhouse gas emissions from the burning of fossil fuels. Vicuñas are losing their habitat, and the puya struggle to reproduce. Glaciers are retreating by as much as 75 feet per year, the exhibit says, creating dangerous lagoons that could collapse at any time and unleash flooding.
“It is urgent to educate our population about the new challenges climate change brings,” one sign says in Spanish. “It is urgent to take action.”
Yet, the emptiness of the room makes the message feel tragic. Pastoruri is sounding a vital warning — but who is listening?
Best Peru tours
Huaraz is the natural best destination in Peru. If you are planning to visit Peru, We recommend exploring this city through trekking and hiking, as they are the best options to visit Huaraz and discover its beautiful landscapes. Additionally, you can enrich your experience by including a visit to the Machu Picchu citadel. Reserve our guided trips to Machu Picchu by contacting our travel experts, and you will be one step closer to completing your adventure.
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