A mountain
house sits closely to the mountains of huayatapallana.
The clouds move fast here and we
were lucky to have a nice day...
The Glacier near the bottom
of Lake.
A ceremony called Pagapu or "offering" is performed at the
base of the Glacier. This ceremony is a ritual that signifies
the start of the new year. The New Year varies in each family
and falls near to the time that the Sun is furthest from the Earth,
around June 24th. The offering consists of different rituals performed
within the circle of rocks. Each object in the offering is a represents
a prayer for something. The flowers represent a welcome of new
growth. Fruit is placed for the crops and food. Pictures
are put in to pray for friends and family. There are various amounts
of other things put in.
After the ceremony, Huayatapallana welcomes the clouds and puts
on quite a show. The temperature dropped sharply, and for a moment,
began to snow.
Retrieving down off the glacier, definite ice equipment needed here.
Ice is a incredible surface that is as deadly as it is cold.
*Feature
written and photographed by Phillips, April 2001. The guide during
the terrorist occupancy is Lucho Hurtado, who can be found at La Casa
de Abuela. Information regarding altitude, weather, and geography
was supplied by guides and taken first hand with altimeter readings.
© 2000 Globetrotteradventures.com Inc
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