The Holbrook Explorer
On the Trail - Huayllabamba to Pacaymayo
On the Trail - Huayllabamba to Pacaymayo
Apr 3, 2011| by administrator
Day 2 of the Trail - Huayllabamba to Pacaymayo
Roosters start their day early and if I didn't know any better, I'd say the one in Huayllabamba was trained to wake hikers at 5:30 a.m. My tent was on the end of the clearing so I was the first victim. As this rooster came closer, I swear he was going to walk right into my tent!
Then he proceeded to go to every tent in our group crowing right on down the line! We all had a good laugh as we slowly got moving to face the beautiful morning.
Now the glacial stream was really roaring with all the rain that had come in the night but it was sunny and beautiful in this the last inhabited village of the Inka Trail.
Not surprisingly, the porters were already up and at work and soon our first cups of coca tea were arriving to our tents. The elevation is approx. 9,780 ft. at this campsite and the hot tea is very welcome upon waking.
This morning after tea we are served toast and jam, Quiñoa in oatmeal for starters and then potato fritatta, wow! Fortified for miles!
It was warm and rainy last night and a few of us are groggy having not gotten a complete nights sleep. We started out at 8:30 a.m. and hiked an incline of 1,200 ft. in an hour. Stopping along the way to take pictures, we then arrive at Ayapata at 10:30 a.m. for a quick rest. A riot of bright red bromeliads covers the trees here. There is a local toilet here for pit stops.
We continue on, climbing through the dense Polylepis forest and along the glacial stream on the stone steps. It's getting really steep as we switchback up the mountain and you find yourself thinking, "How in the world did they do this, especially inside this thick, dense forest?" The Inka Trail, or the Qhapaq Ñan as it is known is actually an immense road system spanning thousands of miles. Please see the Qhapaq Ñan link above the archives for more information on this ancient road system of the Andes. The Inka Trail to Machu Picchu is only a small portion of it.
There are mosses, lichens and all manner of incredible looking things growing all over the tree trunks. You keep walking, looking and taking a break every 8 or 10 steps or so, taking it all in. If you like plants, this trail is your mecca. It is amazing and ever changing! The Polylepis are gorgeous and foreign looking; it's all fantastic! The trees grow at or above the natural tree line in the Andes. They are becoming an endangered species because they are often cut for firewood or building materials.
By 11:30 a.m. we arrive to Llulluchapampa and break for lunch. We are here for an hour but need to be fast. Our major climb is coming up and we've got to stay on schedule. The elevation here is approx. 12,390 ft. We are now entering the puna, the treeless grassland of the high Andes.
We are now ready to start our accent towards the highest pass, Warmiwañuska or Reclining Woman's Pass at 13,850 ft. (4,221 m).
Eddie, our guide, gives us two hours to reach the pass. "Walk 8 or 10 steps and stop for a quick rest but don't stop too long;" I keep reminding myself of this fact as I huff and puff but keep going. I keep drinking and looking up towards the pass. We continue each at our own speed of walking, resting, walking, drinking. This section really requires concentration and perseverance, but the view delivers when you reach the top!
Approaching the pass we can see small dots that look like people in between the fast moving clouds and it looks so far away!
I am near last as I keep on trudging, almost there and I can hear the cheers and shouts of encouragement. Most of the group has been waiting for me but not too long. As a group we made this section of the hike in about one hour and 45 minutes, not too bad! We made it over the big one!!! We just covered about 3,900 ft of increase in elevation in approximately 4.5 hours.
One of the porters, Lucio, stays back and hikes with us. He climbs the elevation, full pack and all, with ease. We seem to be slowing him down, but he smiles constantly. You can tell he loves his job! That smile is contagious and we all appreciated him for it. Everyone is freezing up here on the pass as the wind is blowing wildly and the temperatures are in the 40's, but Lucio is unfazed. He is not even shivering in his short sleeve soccer jersey. Later, at our third nights' campsite, he tells us this his 200th time on the trail.
After a few pictures and a well-deserved short rest, we begin our descent while we watch the clouds move rapidly in and out of the peaks. The other side of the pass reveals a wide stone path that is wild looking but beautiful. Frogs sing in the light rain, but you cannot see them in the tall swaying grasses.
Eddie suggests we use a different walking strategy. He instructs us to step sideways down the tall steps to transfer the pressure more onto our hips instead of our knees. OK, “we’ll do it,” and thank goodness for the walking sticks. What a blessing!
As we descend we see a Huemul, a northern Andean deer (Hippocamelus Bisulcus) on the side of the trail. Also known as the Taruka, these barrel chested, short-legged deer are a treat to see in the Andes. It doesn't seem to be bothered by us watching before slowly trotting up the side of the hill.
As we hike around the last bend and over the peak, we are rewarded with the sight of a beautiful waterfall along the path. We have been hiking for about an hour and a half, and we can see the campground in the distance.
We arrive to Pacamayo a bit after 5 p.m. The elevation here is approx. 11,900 ft. Of course, everything is set up when we arrive and we are served tea and brownies, yum! I settle in and start to feel the climb of the day when I realize that I haven't been drinking enough water and I'm a little dehydrated. I can't stress this enough, especially about this day! You are expending a lot of energy and sweating profusely, but when the cool wind is blowing and the scenery is as fantastic as this, you are a little distracted. Don't forget to keep drinking thought! It's very important. I skipped the wonderful dinner of minestrone and chicken with salad and went to the tent. After a few notes, I was fast asleep.
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