Backpackers are now labeled drug traffickers in Bolivia. Welcome all!

This is how Bolivians view you when you come as a tourist to the country. 

El Diario article. If you know the people in the photo you might want to inform them that they are now considered drug traffickers in Bolivia. 

The article discusses the use of "backpackers" for transporting drugs across the borders. And the photo of the article then nicely shows a foreign backpacker couple. Of course the backpackers that actually do the work of carrying drugs across the borders are Bolivian. There aren't anywhere near enough visiting tourist backpackers to handle the massive amount of drug export that Bolivia manages.

Thinking of visiting Bolivia as a backpacker? Think again...

Climbing Pico Italiano (5750m) on Huayna Potosi - second try

This peak seems like a hard on to climb. First time we tried to climb it there were just too much rock falling in the heat of the sun so we had to abandon and climb a pass nearby for fun. This was the second try and we decided to try via the Huayna Potosi glacier to avoid the rocks. Looked so easy, but...

Huayna Potosi 6088m

Pico Italiano is the leftmost peak

Pico Italiano to the left. Glacier looks easy.

Looking back down

Nature's own parcour track

My climbing partner"enjoying" the rocks.

Won't these rocks ever end?

Very little snowfall last winter as the glacier is wide open

Finally back on the glacier

Beautiful views all the way to the tropics - under the clouds

The glacier says no... and we have to turn back.

So we have to try a third time. Next will be from behind the Pico Italiano. If that doesn't work we'll have to wait for next year.

Climbing Cerro Arkhata

Cerro Arkhata (5650m) is a mountain next to Cerro Mururata, near La Paz, Bolivia. We decided to climb it in a 2-day version staying one  night on the mountain to acclimate a little before the climb to the summit.  

We parked the car on the bottom of this valey on the side of the road.

The beginning is easy climbing through grassy slopes.

After a while the first view of the north peak (Pico Norte) of the Cerro Mururata becomes visible. 

View down towards the Yungas valley.

Finding a good camping spot is a little bit tricky, but there are some softer grassy spots among the rocks.

A french Opinel knife I found on the mountain. Looks like it has spent many many years here.

Camp

Cerro Mururata at sunset

First view of Cerro Arkhata early in the morning. The actual peak is not yet visible.

Time to crampon up for the final ascent on the glacier.

Finally on the top. Cerro Illimani - Bolivia's second highest - in the background. 

Cerro Mururata with 3 of it's peaks in the background.  

Cerro Mururata in the clouds later.

The route to the base camp.

Route to the summit.

Close-up of the route to the summit

After spending an hour on the top we descended back to the camp and gathered our gear. Then another 2 hours back to the car. Another 2 hours by car to La Paz.