affording views over very wide areas. The area is noted for its spectacular glacial lakes. Hot springs can also be found in the area, at Viconga Campsite precisely. Condors, llamas, alpacas and viscachas can be seen. Trekking is almost always undertaken in the dry winter months of May to September, and the cities Huaraz and Caraz over 100 & 167 km away are the usual choice for organizing and hiring camping a/o logistical support. Chiquián was the "Gateway to the Huayhuash" for a long time, but nowadays, daily buses (locally called colectivos) go deep into the mountains to the village Llamaq (3,300 m) and with private transport, as far as Cuartelwain camp, reached both by road built in the late 90s and 2000s, becoming now the new trail heads for starting/ending. More challenging yet is the Alpine Circuit, which encircles the peaks at closer proximity. The Alpine Circuit involves some rock climbing and glacier travel, and takes 8–10 days to complete. There are several lakes like Solteracoha (or Solterococha), Siula, Jahuacocha, Carhuacocha and Sarapococha. Safety Until the group's effective defeat in 1992, the Huayhuash range was used as a remote base by the Shining Path communist guerrilla. On July 28, 1988, a group of Canadian and Peruvian climbers were held hostage for 12 hours after a failed assassination attempt on a group of military police. None of the climbers or police were hurt, though one Senderista was killed. In the late 1980s a party of European trekkers were robbed and ordered to return to Huaraz with the message that future intruders would be killed. The remains of a guerrilla camp can be seen near the lake Viconga. Two foreign trekkers are known to have been murdered in Cajatambo in August 2002, though this is thought to have been motivated by robbery. In 2004, four hikers who resisted armed robbery were shot, one of which died of blood loss before they could be rescued. Since this last incident, the local communities began to charge a "protection" fee for passing in the private properties. Since then, the area is considered generally safe. Near the north shore of the lake Viconga, the remains of an old Shining Path base camp can be still visited, including a shooting range, barracks and a training field. Biodiversity The area preserves high elevation Andean grasslands and patches of forest. Some of the native tree species present in