What's 'trekkable' (15 to 20,000 ft.) in the southern hemisphere during the northern hemisphere's summer say... June through August.... if you want to trek in the south? anything? or am I wrong to assume the entire southern hemisphere is in the grips of their winter June through August? bolivia, ecuador ...

Someone else will have to give you specifics about the Andes, but Equatorial regions in general do not have winters that are colder than summers and vice versa. At the Equator, the Sun's height above the horizon is the same in July as it is in January; it's just overhead to the north instead of the south.

Different seasonal winds and weather patterns can bring different temperatures and precipitation in different times of the year, but the factor is not the sun angle, like it is in regions outside the tropics.

June through August is prime season for Peru. Check out the Cordillera Blanca. There are several excellent climbs (Urus, Ishinca, Pisco, Copa, Chopicalqui, etc.) that are 'walkable' or nearly so. There is also excellent trekking/hiking through the valleys or circumnavigating the nearby Huayhuash range.

Further south (i.e. Patagonia), that time period is the rainy season.

thanks

What's 'trekkable' (15 to 20,000 ft.) in the southern hemisphere during the northern hemisphere's summer say... June through August.... if you want to trek in the south? anything? or am I wrong to assume the entire southern hemisphere is in the grips of their winter June through August? bolivia, ecuador ...

All of Peru and all of Bolivia plus part of Ecuador have their dry season then and that is the ideal time to go to those places.

As someone who lives in Australia, I'm often faced with this dilemma.

I don't know why this thread has been moved. You have to remember that South America is not the only mountainous region in the Southern Hemisphere.

Indonesia and Papua New Guinea house some good mountains as well as Africa. In Africa there is the obvious Mt Kilimanjaro but Mt Kenya is also a good option (often said to be more interesting). I'm planning to climb Mt Wilhelm (highest mountain in Papua New Guinea at 14,500 feet) which also looks to be an excellent hike/climb. Also mountains in these countries have some of the most diverse landscapes in the world, where you can witness savannas, jungles to glaciers in just one climb.

I'm not sure why you are aiming at 15,000 to 20,000 feet but New Zealand boasts some of the most beautiful mountains in the world which are all under 15,000 feet.

O-well just some ideas...........

whiteknuckles wrote:What's 'trekkable' (15 to 20,000 ft.) in the southern hemisphere during the northern hemisphere's summer say... June through August.... if you want to trek in the south? anything? or am I wrong to assume the entire southern hemisphere is in the grips of their winter June through August? bolivia, ecuador ...

Check out the volcanos around Arequipa in Southern Peru. There are many peaks in the area that are 15 to 20,000 ft. and even higher that are 'trekkable' meaning they do not require any technical equipment. There are many other cool places in the area (Colca canyon, Cotahuasi canyon, Machu Pichu etc.) that are reasonably close by as well.

Not to mention Coropuna or Firura - Cotahuasi - I spent the time there last May with Vic Hanson an SPer and guide. Check him out. It was amazing.

I'm thinking of going to Bolivia in July (if I can convince someone I know to come with me). I'm contemplating spending a couple of days touring around La Paz and then doing the Takesi down towards the Amazon and then the Choro back up towards La Paz. Then I'm planning on using Alberth to attempt Huyana Potosi in 3 days.

The problem is both trails lose significant altitude as you move along them. Would it hurt acclimitization to go from La Paz, 3000-4000m, to the end of the Takesi 1800m and then back up to 3000-4000m? It would be like sleeping high, climbing low, on the way down and then climbing high sleeping high on the way back as opposed to climbing high sleeping low.

It all depends on the time you are at altitude beforehand. If you are acclimated to La Paz or higher then a few days going lower won't matter much. Red blood cells don't die off that fast. Remember that H. Potosi is 6000 meters and you need to be adjusted to attempt that high without a problem. Perhaps do the trek after the climb?

whiteknuckles wrote:The problem is both trails lose significant altitude as you move along them. Would it hurt acclimitization to go from La Paz, 3000-4000m, to the end of the Takesi 1800m and then back up to 3000-4000m? It would be like sleeping high, climbing low, on the way down and then climbing high sleeping high on the way back as opposed to climbing high sleeping low.