Page 8 - 2005 AMA Winter

T he Army Training Regiment in Lichfield runs basic training for Royal Engineer and Royal Signals recruits. In October 04. 8
members of Permanent Staff from the Regiment deployed on Exercise ANDEAN DRAGON, a Trekking expedition to the Cordillera Huayhuash region of Peru, made famous by Joe Simpson's classic book, and now film, “Touching the Void”. The main aim of the expedition was to complete the arduous Huayhuash Circuit trek, circumnav­ igating some of the highest mountains in South America, and crossing several 5,000m mountain passes - higher than Mont Blanc.
by Nick Francis
On our arrival in Lima we excitedly reported to the British Embassy, expecting to be met by the Ambassador with a plate full of Ferrero Rocher, but instead were ushered to an office on the 23rd floor of a tower block. We were then informed that 2 months previously a group of 6 British trekkers were kidnapped at gunpoint, and that a week ago an Israeli ex Soldier was shot and killed on the route that we were about to undertake, whilst trying to disarm a bandit. So it was back to the hostel to practice our casualty extraction drills and first aid for sucking chest wounds - not quite the start we had hoped for.
After working out our SOPs on bandit attack (cry like babies, hand over all our money and run away) we carried on with our preparations for the trek. This was to be no half baked D of E style expedition, we were walking a long way up big mountains, and for that you need backup, this came in the form of 8 donkeys, a local guide, a cook come butcher, and even a rescue horse!
From Lima we got the overnight bus to the mountain town of Huaraz, and after a couple of days acclimatisation, we set off on the scariest part of the entire expedition, a 3 hour off road white knuckle
ride through the mountain passes of Peru in a ludicrously overloaded and top heavy mini bus, to the start point of our trek.
The donkeys were loaded with bergans and a box of live chickens, and with our day sacks on our backs we set out in high spirits. On arrival at our first camp site we said our final goodbyes to the chickens and we were treated to our first tra­ ditional Peruvian meal by our local chef, chicken and chips.
The first few days of trekking were taken at a steady pace, taking in the scenery and getting to know our donkeys. Several members of the group suffered from altitude sickness, but after a couple of days and copious cups of coca tea, the symptoms eased. We were also reassured to bump into a group of armed mountain police hunting for bandits, but they seemed to be struggling just as much as us on the high passes, so we were unlikely to see any high speed police pursuits up here.
On the fourth day of trekking the group crossed the first 5,000m pass, and that is when the Expedition Leader, Guy Couper-Marsh, had his “Touching the Void” experi­ ence. Whilst leading the group down a steep gully on the side of Siula Grande the boulder
field started to move, and C-M was caught in the rock slide. After a few minutes the rest of the group managed to scramble down to where he was lying, he was in quite a lot of pain, but thankfully he was still conscious and did not seem to have sustained any serious injuries. He was assisted to the edge of the unstable rock field, and was then checked over and given first aid by the team Physiotherapist, Pete Le Feuvre. Two members of the team were then dispatched to fetch the rescue horse, whilst the rest of the team worked their way down to the valley floor. After a couple of nights rest and a day on the rescue horse C-M was fit to continue walking, and was soon blazing a trail over more 5,000m passes.
J On the final night of
the trek, Sabina, the
chef, treated us^ to another of his/special Peruvian dishes - roast lamb. A live sheep was bought from one of tpe local shepherds and was quickly dis­ patched with a machete, and
traditional oven was built by piling hot stones
top of the meat, and then wrapping the stones in the donkeys’ blankets. Two hours later, and with the sweet smell of boiling donkey sweat in the air, our dinner was ready, and I think it is fair to say that haggard old Andean mountain sheep does not quite taste the same as tender Welsh lamb.
After the main Trek the team completed a couple of days of rock climbing and mountain biking, but after a trip to the hospital and 16 stitches in Willy Wilson's arm it was time to see the rest of the country. The team travelled south through Peru to the Inca town of Cusco, and then by train to Lake Titicaca and the lost city of Matchu Picchu, before
heading back to Lima
ABMT MOUHIAINEm )
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