A Trip of A Lifetime Snowboarding in Bolivia
In 2013 I found myself Snowboarding in Bolivia and on an adventure of a life time. I was fortunate to be involved with the Sweetgrass Production crew for the filming of a ski film called Solitaire. Never in my life did I think I would find myself ski touring in South America and there I was climbing in the second highest Mountain range in the world. The Bolivian Andes is a region mixed with Mountains and Volcanoes with stunning scenery and a wild culture.
Arriving in Bolivia
My last night in Seattle I found myself watching the sunset over the Puget Sound before flying into La Paz. Soon enough I was standing at 12,000 feet in a crowded town nestled underneath mountains that raise to 20,000 feet. It was a massive culture shock getting off the plane and arriving in what felt like a completely different world.
The landscape was aired and dry and surrounded by glacier capped mountains in the distance. For the next few days we stuck around town grabbing supplies and attempting to let our lungs adjust.
Heading for the Mountains
Once the gear was ready it was time to start snowboarding in Bolivia. We set our eyes Huayna Potosi which is a 50 km drive over dirt roads. Being a 6,000 meter peak it rose directly out of the desert landscape.
For the next hour and a half we drove up the road winding through the desert. The area is world famous for mining and along the way you can see small cemeteries. A lot of the country has converted to Catholicism and it was interesting seeing the small burial tombs erected.
Once at the base of Huayna Potosi we stayed the night at a small mountain hut. Attempting to let our lungs adjust to the thin air we did small walks around the first afternoon. The film crew did some filming and we enjoyed the unique scenery.
That night is when the altitude sickness hit me. It felt like I had a hangover getting sicker throughout the night and slept outside in hopes the fresh air would help. The next morning I was made aware that being outside was unsafe as there had been tourists kidnapped and held for ransom. The next day I just slept as I slowly recovered and regained my strength.
First Attempt Snowboarding in Bolivia
After two nights sleeping at the base hut it was time to head towards Huayna Potosi. We made the set up our tents near the Rock hut next to the glacier. Climbing along there was no water to be seen. It felt weird walking through a desert and looking up at a snow covered peak.
The terrain ramped up on the upper headwall but it was hard to tell how the snow conditions were down low. I was excited as everything seemed so foreign to me. I was really excited to go snowboarding in Bolivia.
The glacier was retreating at a massive rate looking at the scars left behind on the upper slopes.
Hiking was harsh with the lack of oxygen and the backpacks filled with gear. Every step was a challenge with breaks every few minutes. Slowly we made our way towards camp constantly looking at the foreign environment.
Our Base Camp on Huayna Potosi
Making our way to the Rock Hut area we found a flat spot just below and set up camp. We were surrounded by stunning mountains and a world class view.
The summit of Huayna Potosi loomed above us seeming so close but the summit was still quite a distance above us. We were all excited to be there and I was feeling a bit better.
That afternoon we soaked in the views before getting to sleep early. We intended on climbing the next day before sunrise and starting the filming processes where they would get shots of Kim Havell skiing and myself snowboarding in Bolivia.
We woke up in the dark and navigated onto the glacier via headlamp. Soon we were cramponing in a world of darkness and watching the light slowly arrive. Soon enough the light show started and we were basking in the alpenglow over the Andes Mountains.
Our First Day Climbing Huayna Potosi and Hopefully doing some Snowboarding in Bolivia
Following the climbing route the snow wasn’t nearly as smooth as we hoped. At the moment the snow was rock hard making for great climbing conditions but horrible skiing. Hoping the sun would soften the snow we kept pushing our was towards the summit of Huayna Potosi.
The upper headwall was looking steep but in the right conditions looked like it could be a great run. Step by step we slowly made our way up the glacier occasionally stopping for rest breaks and filming sequences.
In the distance the glaciers stood out in stark contrast of the lowlands below.
As the day pushed on the snow was still firm and we were concerned about how the skiing conditions would be. We made our way onto the upper slopes after a quick and relatively easy crux area before getting onto the upper ridge.
As we made it on to the upper ridge the day was getting short and we still need to film our descent. We decided against making it to the true summit and stopped just below it. It was time for getting some footage.
We would film for two days in the area and the conditioned were some of the worst you could think of. It was both firm and covered with small ice bulges. I attempted to make the riding good to no avail. It was amazing to get up on the mountain but it was a huge challenge attempting to make the conditions look fun.
Soon enough we were heading back to La Paz hoping our next trip would be more successful.
The Nightmare in La Paz
On my way back to La Paz I developed a tooth ache and it was decided I should visit the dentist. There was an infection at the base of my back tooth and it had to be removed. This specific tooth had once had a root canal and now was connected by a metal rod so when the dentist tried to pull it out it shattered into pieces. For the next week the area was ground out in pieces as I sat in the chair day after day without the help of pain killers.
It was the most painful experience of my life and my face swelled to the size of a tennis ball. Every day I returned to our hotel room I found it ironic that this picture hung above my bed covering the same check that was swollen.
While recovering from the dramatic event the rest of the crew went out to do some scenic shots. I stayed back in town for the next few days occasionally getting injections at an alley medical clinic and wondering why there were parades every other day.
Heading to Sajama National Park
Once the group was back together and I was ready to go we went out for our next trip hoping to get some footage. This time I was hoping to get some good footage snowboarding in Bolivia. After a few hours we had made it to a Sajama National Park near the border of Chile and Bolivia.
From the small village of Sajama we focused our attention on Pomerape the peak on the right hand side of the photo below.
After getting our transport together we took a short drive towards the base of the volcano. Getting our gear together we were ready to explore the final volcano of the trip. Hopefully the conditions would be better.
Hiking to the base of Pomerape the beauty of the area came into focus. Once again it was a stark contrast to the lower lands and looked like there was some nice areas to go to.
Once we made it to the base of the snow line we set up camp and rested for the days ahead. That night a storm hit the area and while winds blasted the tent we wondered if conditions would improve.
The next day was a wash as the weather didn’t let up. We only had a few days and it seemed the elements were working against us.
The Second Attempt Snowboarding in Bolivia
Finally the weather cleared and the upper slopes were covered in morning alpenglow. This was our chance to get out so we packed our gear and prepared for a full day of ski touring. Hopefully now I would find some good snowboarding in Bolivia.
The high altitude climbing was vicious as the route was easily but breathing wasn’t. A step at a time we made our way towards the summit.
Near the top I was feeling sick so I held back the last 100 meters while a few others in the crew made it to the top. While resting and catching my energy I kept looking at the vast landscape. The volcanoes rose directly out of the desert. Soon enough we were riding back down to camp in subpar conditions.
Our Final Day on Pomerape
On the final day base camping we decided to check out another area in hopes that the conditions were better. We were happy to see the area was smooth which made descent riding possible. The rest of the day I took mini laps in the area to get some film footage. Finally I had found some descent snowboarding in Bolivia.
For the next few hours we rode around the area making the most out of it. It was wild that there was even snow in the area but it was a great experience non the less.
On the last night base camping on Pomerape there was a beautiful sunset on Sajama in the distance. The trip hadn’t gone exactly smooth with the weather and high altitude climbing but we were able to get some good footage.
The last morning we packed our gear and heading back to where the cars were waiting. Making it back to town we spent a little time getting to learn the culture and explore the small town.
Heading Back to La Paz
It had been an exhausting 3 weeks in Bolivia and our time in the country was over with. Everyone had made plans to head in different directions and I still had a week to spare before heading to Argentina.
I looked over possibilities of places to go before settling on heading to Peru. Mike was meeting up with a friend there and we would part ways in Cusco before meeting up once again in Argentina. Soon we were heading Northwest to the border on the local buses.
After 5 hours of buses and boats we made it to a small border town called Copacabana , nestled on the shores of Lake Titicaca. Bolivia had been a learning experience but interesting non the less. We had searched for good snow but the area didn’t provide. It was time for a week in the Peruvian Andes to explore the old Incan empire.
Below is a short episode of the fiasco that went on during the trip. They were able to put together a stunning film and I’m very thank full to have been a part of the process. Thank you to the crew for a wild trip Snowboarding in Bolivia.
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