June 2001 

Trek Day 7 -- Over Carnicero Pass to Huayhuash Settlement:   Today marked our first week without a shower.  Probably a personal record for Dana; maybe even for me.  We packed up our camp under the same threatening skies we had seen for the past two days and began our long trip over Carnicero Pass to the tiny settlement of Huayhuash.  We saw our first group of trekkers -- eight Slovenians -- near the outlet of Carhuacocha, where both our groups were severely harassed by some very nasty dogs.  We then climbed very steeply up about 750', and then leveled off a bit to a more gradual climb up towards the pass.   We had lunch at the pass, and our team of burros -- fearing a snowstorm at 15,600' -- cruised right past us and down towards out eventual campsite.  The skies were mostly cloudy the entire day, so we did not take that many photos. 

Small Choza hut near the summit of Carnicero Pass

Dana rests on the tsampa sponge grass above Laguna Atocshaico (at far left)

Looking down from near the summit of Carnicero Pass.  Our tents are already set up and can barely be seen along the river in the bottom center of this photo.

Dana and Pedro arrive at camp and relax.

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