Today is the big challenge at least in terms of ascending to the highest point on the Trail. We were awoken at 5 a.m. with the intention of being on the trail before six. Wrapped in multiple layers, jacket, toque, gloves, neck buff and wearing miners head lamps to get to the breakfast tent it was a cold start to what would be a long day.
The Inca Trail is dominated by steps. Multiple stones of varying size make up each step with no consistency between them in terms of height, depth or edge quality.
Picking your way up or down a stretch of stairs requires intense concentration to choose the best route. A zig zag approach in the space of a few feet may in fact be the easiest way if you can save an inch or two in step height. Over thousands of steps over four days this technique can save your knees additional stress. There are a few stretches of “flat” trail but even then it’s rough, inconstant stones that bend ankles and knees if you misstep.
We changed our schedule and after two two hour stretches stopped for lunch before striking out for Dead Woman’s Pass, so named because the rock formation loosely resembles a woman in the supine position. During a no-step section Mark traded packs with one of the porters for about 50 feet. The admiration factor for what they do day after day, mile after mile grew exponentially.
It was a triumphant accomplishment to arrive at the top (4,215 metres/13,829 feet with about 60% oxygen vs sea level).
After a brief stop for photos it was down the other side.
At that point the heavens opened and we quickly donned rain gear and ponchos covering our backpacks. The steepness of the descent and the rain slicked rocks made it slow and treacherous. Because of the constant and heavy rain no one took a camera out for pictures. After three hours of exhausting stepping down we arrived at the campsite. It was perched between two rushing streams which in another place and time may have provided a soothing sound at bedtime. In this instance I don’t think anyone heard a thing as there was simply no energy left given we had been on the trail for over eight hours in the most challenging conditions. (Our camp, Paq’aymayu, was at 3,900 metres/12,795 feet and it was 2C/35F). After another amazing meal we simply crawled into our sleeping bags and passed out.
The Bennetts On Tour 