Inca Trail, Day 2: This Hike Is No Joke
Surprisingly Britt and I both felt well rested when Yaneth came to our tent with tea to wake us up. Maybe I can do this camping thing after all. I never leave the house without mascara, so the same theory applies here… I’m not leaving my tent without it either. But putting it on in the dark with a small compact mirror isn’t easy. Brittany and I are relying on each other to make sure we don’t leave looking like clowns!
We all sat down for breakfastat 6:20am and fueled up for the tough day ahead. Day Two is the hardest day of the hike as we’re climbing 3,639 feet and it’s steep uphill the majority of the way. Sounds like a blast!
We were all bundled up when we left camp to start trekking, but within less than five minutes the uphill inclines and the sun were already making us sweat and we stripped down to our tank tops. This hike is no joke… I’m not sure I was prepared for how physically demanding it was going to be and the altitude doesn’t do you any favors.
We were relieved when we had completed the first half of the steep incline to arrive at our “brunch” site. Brunch consisted of a cheese sandwich and popcorn, so don’t let that description of our snack fool you… There were no bloody mary’s or mimosas.
Up until now, we’ve had to pay $1 Sole to use the public bathrooms, so we were excited to hear that this public bathroom was free. We quickly learned why… Welcome to the world of holes in the ground and squatting. I’m sure some of you have already experienced these types of lovely bathrooms, but this is the first time for me and I was less than enthused. I contemplated holding it, but I’m not sure that’s possible for another 48 hours.
This was also the last site where we could purchase water and other beverages and goodies that were being sold by vendors. Britt and I indulged on a candy bar… We figured we had already earned the right to those calories. I spotted a guy purchasing two beers, packing them into his backpack. I instantly thought that was a fabulous idea and a great reward once we arrived at camp later today, but then remembered we would have to carry them the rest of the way… Worth the extra weight or not? I decided no, which should tell you how hard this hike is, especially carrying a heavy daypack on your back.
And then it was time to tackle the second half of this uphill battle that would take us to Dead Woman’s Pass 13,776 feet up, the highest altitude we would reach during this four day trek. This part was just as physically demanding but now our legs felt like lead after having taken a break to sit down and eat. We struggled, but immediately felt like wimps as porters passed us carrying 25 kg packs on their backs. We became friendly with a lot of them and tried to communicate in Spanish how much respect we had for what they were doing. And a lot of them hike this trail 4-5 times a month!! Britt commented that this should be an Olympic sport for them. She has a point… It’s definitely more physically demanding than some other Olympic sports, like Curling. (Sorry to all the curlers out there, but come on).
We were so happy when we were only a few stairs away from arriving at Dead Woman’s Pass. Apparently this name came from the shape of the mountain peaks that form what looks like a woman laying at peace. But I think they call it Dead Woman’s Pass because we’re pretty much dead by the time we get there. Although you quickly forget the struggle as you take in the 360 degree views. It’s absolutely stunning!
After spending a lot of time at the top relaxing and taking pictures, including a “family” photo, we started the downhill portion of today’s hike, which would take us to camp. Downhill was less physically exerting than the uphill inclines, but definitely requires more concentration and is harder on the muscles and joints. I would give anything to have a massage waiting for me at camp tonight. Actually I would give anything to have that beer I saw that guy buy at brunch.
Britt and I hiked with Jim, Beth, Paige and Tim… the family of four and enjoyed our conversation with them, which made this portion of the hike go quickly. We are camping at Pacaymayu tonight, which is at 11,480 feet… So we will be sleeping at high altitude up in the mountains. The six of us arrived at the site first around 4pm and were welcomed by all the porters who were just hanging out waiting for our group. We took advantage of the opportunity and asked them to take a selfie with us. We have a special place in our hearts for them. They work so hard to make sure we have an incredible time and we are all so thankful!
We sat down for a very late lunch when everyone arrived around 5pm. Dinner at 7:30pm was optional since we had just eaten, but the chef had to prepare the meal to get rid of the food the porters were carrying in their bags. A group of us played cards in the tent in between meals and when we stepped back outside we were blessed with a stunning view of the Southern Hemisphere’s sky. The Milky Way covered the black blanket above us and we just stood and stared up at the millions of stars. It’s mesmerizing.
A bunch of us sat down again for round two… After what we went through today, I don’t think anyone was counting calories. Of course dinner included more potatoes… Hopefully we’re working on adding some of the 3,000 varieties to our resumes.
You can definitely feel a difference in the temperature here in the mountains… It’s freezing! Sleeping outside in a tent tonight should be an experience. 5:20am wake up call tomorrow…