Inca Trail, Peru Day 2

Dead Woman´s Pass – Runcuraccay Pass – Chaquiccocha (Trekking distance: 9.94 miles/16 km (7-8 hours)

This is the day where I was humbled. We woke up early in the dark, had hot coffee, hot breakfast, fruits, oatmeal, and eggs. It is really cold in the morning and all layers were on. We wore our headlamps as we started the day.

Dead Woman’s Pass AKA The Gringo Killer

In the morning we ascended to Dead Woman’s Pass. It was definitely difficult, but it was also capturing the spirit of what I thought that this hike was going to be. This was going to be an Epic Hike, a Hike that would be remembered and recounted forever. A hike that was going to define me. As an aspiring ultra marathoner I find something romantic about the idea that this was a hike that I could look back and remember in my bleakest moments. I though if I could call upon this moment, and remember my triumphs, I could use this to power me through difficult moments in my life.

The Ascent

Maybe some women can compare this day to childbirth. Something you might think you are prepared for, and you’ve read all the stories, you’ve taken the classes, but now you have to perform. This is the marathon that you thought you wanted, but now you don’t want it, and there is no way to back out of it. That is what this day represented for me, though I’ve never given birth, but it was that kind of out of body experience.

I remember the ascent – pleasantly. No, I am not being sarcastic, the ascent was great. I was working hard. I was climbing up this hill slowly, with my backpack on. The sun was shining, but it wasn’t baking me. I was removing layers, slathering on sunscreen, and I was looking around at my peers, those who joined me on this momentous journey, and I was feeling this deep sense of comraderee. Have I ever mentioned that I get CRAZY runners high? Well, that was what was happening. So we were trekking up this hill. I was looking around and saying

So I was slowly and steadily making my way up the hill. I think I made it up before David, because climbing is my strong suit and descending ruins my life. We took so many pictures at the top of Dead Woman’s Pass. And then we started taking group pictures. So many group pictures that I eventually got frustrated and missed a few of them. After that: every joy and happy thought, and endorphin from the runners high, left my body.

The Decent

We descended into the clouds below us. And our guides talked to us about how the Inca worshiped the mountains. I looked around with a deep sense of understanding. If I lived within these mountains, I too would worship and fear them. I fear the descent.

The trail was “Maintained” and by that I mean, I guess you could tell where the trail was. And also, there were stairs, but there was not a level place to set my poor foot for the rest of the day, and my knees started screaming. Every step was a giant mental calculation of how to balance, and where to set my walking sticks, which foot first, sit, pivot to the right, use the left foot too, lets divide the work between each leg. My knees kept feeling worse, so I was doing long periods of the trail side stepping, and then turning from left to right with my side stepping. I remember thinking to myself that if it was raining, which is common on the Inka Trail, I would have just died.

Finally we started ascending again. But it wasn’t over.

Just one more hour:

This is a particular form of psychological torture for me that stems from nursing school. I hate it when people tell me any variation of “We are almost done.” “This class won’t go for the entire time” or “We are going to finish up early today”

During a half marathon I like to know where I am on the course. When I’m at mile five, I know that I have to go for another 8 miles. It’s not a secret and I can psychologically prepare for the time that is still needed to complete the task.

Every time we asked a guide or a porter how much longer we were going to hike they would say “About 1 more hour” Lies!

Runcuraccay Pass

This is the second ascent of the day. And I was so thankful to give my knees a break. Other members of our party disagreed. They were tired of climbing. It was more than an hour of climbing and I think there was a lake at the top somewhere. Then we started descending again. And it took more than just one hour.

Sayacmarca 

This is a very remote Inca site that required a bit of climbing to reach. We were atleast 9 hours into our day when we reached this site and I did not go because I didn’t, no, I couldn’t climb down anything more than required for me to survive. I think Chris was one of the few members of our group that followed our guide to the site. Everyone that was hiking was going at a different speed and I don’t even think I was caught up enough with the rest of the group to attempt it.

The Valley

We had to walk through a relatively flat valley, for just one more hour! before we finally reached our campsite. The energetic porters carried enormous packs that were taller than they were, and as they jogged past up effortlessly it just added to our misery. Some of them were wearing sandals!

Camping at Chaquiccocha

I hit the whiskey and meloxicam as soon as we got the the tent and I prayed to the mountain gods to give me the strength to get to dinner. Honestly though, once I got my backpack off and stopped walking down hill a little bit of life trickled back into me.

The food continued to impress, I don’t remember every meal, but we peaked into the cook’s tent. The porters had cutting boards on their lap, and a set of stacked pans over a heating element that held each different course of the meal. There was rice, meat, vegetables, sauces, potatoes, sweet fruits, and baked desserts.

That feeling that I described of overcoming a great obstacle, and feeling so proud that your spirit was able to endure it, was present in everyone at the dinner table. The guides would eat meals with us, and the porters had some rest and relaxation in a different tent. Everyone was elated and energized after dinner

Stargazing

After dinner we set out to go stargazing. I must say that my biggest complaint about the headlamp that I purchased was that the red light was not adjustable. The red light on a headlamp is ideal if you are walking around at night. The bright white spotlight and flood lamp is difficult to adjust your eyes when you turn it off. My headlamp had many settings, but only one setting for the red light.

Anyways, we followed Lizandro, our guide and he pointed a laser up at the stars. He told us about Negative Constellations, something I had never heard of before. We saw some of the holy animals of the Inca’s including the Serpent, the Puma, and the Condor.

We slept. Hard.

Our Third Day of the Inca Trail is next