Hatun Machay is going... going... gone!

If you don´t know yet, there´s some conflict going on between the local community and the guy who ran the refuge at Hatun Machay. Business conflict aside, the fact is that until July 14th of this year, 20 of the 24 sectors in the area had the bolts on the routes completely removed, or the first and second bolts removed, or worse still, the last bolts of the route removed. All sectors close to the refuge were stripped clean of their bolts, and the ones further away until a few days ago still had routes on them. However, given that the place has over 300 routes on 24 sector, and this has been done during the nights for the past few weeks, one can expect Hatun Machay to be completely stripped clean of all its routes in a matter of weeks if not days.

Just a warning to those who were planning to come down to rock climb in the region.

Feel free to discuss.

should have used stainless glue-ins...

Who is stripping and why? Too bad it had to come to this...

I am disappointed to hear that. Hatun Machay was a lovely climbing area and most routes cannot be traditionally protected.

So sad to learn about this... I extended my school trip to Peru with hopes of climbing in Hatun Machay. If anyone else is in the Huaraz area and is looking for a climbing partner from August 1st to August 10th, let me know!

Dear friends, my name is Miguel Aguilar. Until June 2016 I was the manager of the refugio of Hatun Machay after the guy who built it over Community's property, Andres Saibene, a controversial argentinian guy made an arrangement with me and my wife and offer me the place in rent. Once we accepted we found the most beautiful place in world and try to run it in harmony with the indigenous Community. But the aim of Andres was to take the land for him self even though the land was not of his property. The Community reject his purpose and in june 7, 2016 they gave him a warning of leave the place. He volunteerly leave the place in june 10 after the local authorities convince him to leave the place in peace and avoid violence. Few days later he got really angry and start blaming Community of distroy the place but he burned the refugio and distroy bolts. Eventually he goes and distroy everything he found, like bathrooms and injured people as he made with me, robbing my professional equipment and personal belongings.

Be aware oh his travel agency: Andean Kingdom. Do not support him. If you are going to Hatun Machay ask any tour agency around how to get there and pay straight to the Community. Not to him pr his wife, Stella Rossi. They both ate the same.

Miguel Aguilar.

Miguel,

I am SO sorry to hear about all of this. The hospitality that you and your wife showed us was amazing and we hope that you are able to recover from this terrible event. Take care my friends!

Matt

Just checking if anyone knows of the latest status of Hatun Machay?  Is the refugio still abandoned and routes still without bolts?