Laguna Paron

One of the most beautiful non-hikes I’ve ever been on

Laguna Paron is a popular choice of hike based from Huaraz. I unknowingly picked the option that means you drive all the way to the lake. It was low season so the other hike where you walk for two hours before wasn’t running due to lack of demand. I’d read beforehand that it was a long drive from Huaraz so I wasn’t surprised by the three hour drive which was good. I was picked up by my tour agency around 7.30am so I didn’t have to get up too early either.

Laguna Paron is so vast and beautiful but I was perhaps initially disappointed that we’d pulled up right in front of the lake because I was expecting a bit of a hike. I didn’t quite feel like I’d earnt the view but I was there to enjoy it anyway!

There was a small track to the left of the lake, I took this first along with a few others instead of going up to the viewpoint at the same time as everyone else. The track kept going for a while and I didn’t reach the end as I wanted to ensure I had time to head up to the viewpoint. I walked for a good 45 minutes or so and the path kept leading to different vantage points and you could see more and more just how big the lake was – 3.7km long and 700m wide to be exact. The first 15 minutes or so were along a well made path but after that you continue along a narrow path that is mainly made up of boulders so you need to watch your step a little.

I headed back the way I came and started on the track to the right of the lake that leads to the viewpoint. This was quite a steep walk and I did feel the effects of the altitude at that point, it had only been a day since I’d arrived in Huaraz from sea level so I was still getting used to the altitude. I stopped a few times on the ascent to catch my breath but the exercise was keeping me nice and warm as it was pretty cold! It started drizzling so I also put on my waterproofs. Once I’d reached the top of the path I saw that the actual viewpoint is along the top of a section of the mountain that is made out of boulders. There isn’t really a clear path so I hopped my way across these, following the track that the people regressing were lining out for me. I passed the guide who told me not to take too much time at the top as the meeting time was approaching, but I knew I had plenty of time. I reached the sign marking the viewpoint and then slightly further saw a better view point so walked a little further to that. You could see the whole way to the other side of the lake and really appreciate it’s expanse and amazing blue hue.

I could see some clouds looming up the valley behind and expected a bit more rain. I was finishing up taking a few photos and enjoying the view when within a few seconds I turned around again only to be engulfed by the rain cloud, the view of the lake had completely disappeared and I could only see around 10m in front of me. This I thought, signals a good time to leave and I was glad I made it up there when I did to see the view! I precariously picked my way back through the boulders in the direction of the path down and started to look for the track down the side of the mountain. I passed one girl close to the top who thought it was still worth going to the viewpoint. I came across a big boulder which I recognised from the walk up so walked right up to it – dead end. I figured I’d missed the path just before so turned around hoping to find the path somewhere nearby. I looked over to the left side of the boulder, there the path was, I wasn’t sure how to find the official entrance so I slid down the side a metre or so to access the track. After about a minute of walking I soon realised it was not in fact the right one but rather a gully where the rain runs so it resembled a path – I still wasn’t on the right track!

I generally have a pretty good sense of direction and in this case felt that I definitely wasn’t going in the right one. I couldn’t see signs of any other paths so turned around, crawled my way back up the ledge I’d just lowered myself down and looked around for the track again. I was starting to feel a bit worried when a slight clearing came through the cloud and I spotted the bright colour of someones rain jacket halfway down the path. They disappeared as quickly as they came but I now had a sense of where I needed to go. I walked back up along the ledge towards the big boulder again and found the correct path down. Turns out I’d actually walked past it twice before but because of the thick cloud I’d never seen it! Relieved, I walked back down in the increasing rain and cold.

I reached the bottom and walked to the beach area at the front of the lake. I was taking in the views when hail started and my thoughts turned to the other girl that passed me at the top. I went to wait by the bus with the others, she had missed our meeting time by 15 minutes but finally we saw her making her way down the path just as the guide was ready to go back up and search for her. Seems she’d got lost like I did and had spent extra time searching for the path down. Nethertheless we all hopped in the van and started the long drive back to Huaraz slowly warming up and drying off.