Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu-Day 1

Trip Start Sep 15, 2007

Trip End Dec 13, 2007

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Flag of Peru Cusco, Peru
Monday, October 15, 2007

The trek? In a word. Incredible. It was a hiker's dream. Through the 55 kms we experienced every imaginable trail condition and type and encountered or in some cases, 'endured', a surprising array of weather conditions and extremes. Around every corner was another postcard view. It felt like we were interupting a film shoot for a Travel Peru commercial. It was never easy. The altitude got some of us. Some would get sick. Some would have to ride the horse for a while. At times you'd be pushing up a difficult ascent thinking that surely it would level off only to round the corner, look up and see another seemingly endless hill. The vistas were glorious. I was constantly conflicted over what was surely the absurd notion that the Peruvian Andes were more awesome than our rockies.

There were 15 of us: Eric from Sherbrooke; Eric and Bill from Fredericton (geazers like me); Jordan from Toronto (really good guy even if a Leafs fan.); Lucy, Chris, Nick and Kate, Auzies from Sydney (love the auzies); Vincent from DC; Jesse, Mellisa, the two Cindy's and Anneka from the Bay Area

Load out

. We had three guides, Alex, the lead, Santiago (a practicing shaman!) and the apprentice, Edwin, all Quechuan. There were 4 horseman, 5 porters and a cook. Everything except what we carried in our daypacks was carried by the porters and 9 horses. After each lunch and overnight camp they would leave after us and arrive before us!
Alex called us 'family' and in a strange kind of way, over the five days and four nights we became one.

Day 1
Alarm goes off at 4:15. The bus picks me up at 5:00. When you step on the bus, all the porters and horseman aplaud! By 5:30 everyone is on board and we head for Mollepata where our trek begins, 2900 masl. Here it is hot and dry with temps in the high 20 range. We walk 16 kms, mostly flat or up to our first camp at Soray Pampa, 3600 masl. It is a camping area nestled on a grassy plateau at the foot of Nevado Tacarhuay, a large glacier covered mountain 5,428 masl that sits next to Nevado Salkantay, which I think means the 'wild one' and is the highest peak in the range at 6264. The two mountains flank the Salkantay Pass that we must trek through tomorrow.

The food blows our minds and there's lots of it. I'm not sure I believe that coca leaves really do anything to help with altitude issues. The boiled water tastes like shit, but I drink it. And oh how I cannot stand instant coffee, but I drink it.

Upon arrival at camp we are provided a 'happy hour', bisquits, popcorn, tea and hot chocolate before dinner. We are all in bed and asleep by 9:00!

I stole the fingers tracking days thing in my pics from Harrison/Hines. Lame but a good way for me to track which pics belong to which day.