Crossing 5000 masl

We crossed 5000 masl for the first time during our trip to  â˜ž Bolivia in November 2004. In fact, we spent some time at elevations 3600-3800m for the first time visiting Lake Titicaca and Salar de Uyuni. We traveled by car from Villa Tunari at 260m to Cochabamba, then by air to La Paz, by taxi to bus terminal and by bus to Copacabana at 3840m where we stayed overnight. But not until we walked up to viewpoint on Cerro Calvario 3960m for sunset. All in a day. We both had mild headache, but who knows why? Elevation gain, intense travel, bus filled with diesel fumes or walking back to town without flashlights.

A few days later, we took mini bus from La Paz to Mount Chacaltaya Laboratory at 5230m and walked to Chaclataya Summit at 5421m.

We continued high altitude hiking in ☞ Ecuador in December 2008  on Quilotoa Rim 3700-3900m, but made it only to 5000m marker at the glacier’s edge just past Refugio José Félix Ribas (4850m) on Cotopaxi (5897m).  We crossed 5000m again on ☞ Ausangate loop 2016 – Jampa (Yanajaja) at ca 5550m remains our highest point. And again on ☞ Gokyo trek 2018 – Gokyo Ri 5350 m and Renjo La 5375m. We were 15 m shy of 5000 on ☞ Mt Kenya 2017 – Point Lenana 4985m. More recently, we spent many days hiking between 3000 and 4000m on ☞ John Muir Trail 2021 and ☞ Colorado Trail 2025, but crossed over 4000m only on Forester Pass (4009m) and Mt Whitney (4421m).

We ran out of time to tackle 6k.

14 highest points
masl
3806Rolling Mountain Pass San Juan MountainsUSA
3930Monte Juyende Quilotoa RimEcuador
3960Cerro Calvario Lake TiticacaBolivia
4009Forester Pass Sierra NevadaUSA 
4421Mount Whitney Sierra NevadaUSA
4985Point Lenana Mt KenyaKenya
4990Gokyo Lake V KhumbuNepal
5000Cotopaxi glacierEcuador
5100Jampa Pass Ausangate massifPeru
5100Palomani Pass Ausangate massifPeru
5350Gokyo Ri KhumbuNepal
5375Renjo La KhumbuNepal
5421Mount Chacaltaya Cordillera RealBolivia
5550Jampa (Yanajaja) Ausangate massifPeru

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