Ode to Tiquimani

My ode to Tiquimani with apologies to Keats, of course:

Ever since I came to Bolivia, I have had a huge desire to climb Tiquimani because of the view from Zongo.  The obvious line of snow and ice rising narrowly to the summit just beckons.  But the lower half is obscured.  Finally, we spent a day checking out the whole face.

First, we drove past the northeast aspect of Huayna Potosi (about 20,000') which has had one known ascent despite its fairly solid granite (really):

The rock of Tiquimani, on the other hand, is some vague metamorphic stuff and I don't mean that in a nice way.

Scary face time:

There is a road that goes quite close to the base after a few miles of uphill but it is locked at the bottom:

Still looking great from this angle:

Starting to see the issue:  loose snow over loose rock at the bottom.

Magnificent:

This photo shows the so-called "normal route" which has had a very small number of ascents but looks doable if you can manage the rock ridge above:

Big face (1500m vertical):

More detail from the base where we observed frequent rockfall.  Maybe it is quieter in the winter months (June/July).

Another view of the "normal route" which appeared to us as the only non-suicidal way up the face.

Taking in the view.  Some faces inspire but this one just left me scared.

Walking back to the car:

The jagged ridge has been climbed but the rock is not very good:

So it looks like the initial pitches decide it.  If there is ice, the central couloir looks incredible but, with loose snow on bad rock, it isn't for me.  Also, it would be great if you can find someone to unlock the gate to remove the initial few miles of trudging from the equation.  The normal route is also an option but the upper ridge looks steep on crappy rock but maybe it's not too bad.  And then there is the descent.

Mighty Aphrodite

We also have a new horse.  The story is that she swam the river from Argentina to Bolivia.  Regardless of whether the story is true, she wasn't halter broke when we got her.  It was the first time I had to use a lasso for a reason.

The first step is getting used to humans and putting some weight on her neck: 

Sometimes she wasn't so cooperative:

And sometimes she was fine:

I spent every day for several weeks getting her to walk, trot, gallop and stop while going around in a circle on a rope.  Gradually, we introduced her to the saddle and started putting more weight on her:

Nice horsey:

During this time, we had visitors from Canada who were on there way to Brazil.  This quarter horse had made its was on foot from Calgary to La Paz.

Now that's a nice looking horse:

Princess Snowbird, our other horse, isn't so bad either:

The moment of truth, the first time in the saddle:

She was calm:

She likes the water:

We spent some time getting her used to riding in the saddle train:

Soon she was ready to take out on the trails:

AnnaMaria with Olaf and her dolls:

Glad this isn't my horse to clean:

AnnaMaria trying to work her pony but he's a bit stubborn:

A few other things.  Some rock on Pico Milluni:

Emily in a unicorn outfit:

A fine looking sheep from Achocalla:

Street art from Miraflores:

Luna:

Oh Bolivia:

Sherlock

We have a new dog:

Pico Milluni, Part Deux

We went back to Pico Milluni this week but opted for a slightly mellower outing.  We did manage six new pitches on a lower section of the ridge.