Peru 2005: Day 7 — Arriving at Machu Picchu

DAY 7: Inca Trail, arriving at Machu Picchu

Sun(don’t)rise

I forget exactly what time we chose to wake up this morning, but I do remember that it was really early (5:00am, or was it 5:30). This morning there was no milo, sucar or leche or hot water in plastic tubs (yet). We had chosen to wake up with the hopes of catching the sunrise over the Andes.

Yes, we chose to wake up early in hopes of seeing the sun rise. We could have slept in another hour, but we were clearly suffering HACE (look it up) and our judgement was impaired.

We put on our stuff (it was COLD) and started to clamor up the hill above the Phuyupatamarca camp. It was another 50-75 vertical feet up an uneven dirt path. The porters were also joining us, carrying the table of tea & milo up the hill (and even a few seats).

For proof that my judgement was cloudy, I allowed Steph to snap this gruesome picture. Sunrise was approaching, and in spite of the cold and early morning hour, there were about 12-15 of us up there. Unfortunately, the sun chose not to join us, but I did manage to get this nicely gradated (is that a word?) photo of the Andes and this photo of where the sun should have been. A little later, I grabbed this image looking down the ridge towards Machu Picchu.

I also took a movie panorama while I was up there. However, I must issue a warning before you click on the link. Turns out, by some genetic practical joke, I have incredibly shaky hands (genetics trace back to my great-great-grandfather in fact). With that warning, go ahead and watch this panorama MOVIE from above Phuyuputamarca camp with its very own surprise ending!

Goodbyes and Gift Giving

So, we hiked back down and got our camping gear in order. This particular morning there were 2 tarps laid out. The first tarp was for our normal duffel bags and the second tarp was where we were to put items we were gifting to the porters.

At first the second tarp was kind of meager, and I felt bad for the guys who shouldered the burden on the trail. The tarp started with a few nalgene bottles and lots of uneaten powerbars (simply because the eaten ones just don’t gift all that well). Then, a sweater popped up and a pair of pants and then some socks and then some more stuff (cigarettes, headlamps, gloves, hats…). Seeing that few porters had them, I had decided to gift my Petzl Zipka headlamp. I also tossed in a nalgene bottle, a pair of hiking pants and some cliff bars. Steph parted with her black fleece and some powerbars.

But the surprise and best gift of all came from Anna. Anna is from New York and never had been campiing, let alone backpacking, let alone trekking, let alone all of the above for 4 days in the rain. I wasn’t there to see this, so I’m relaying it 2nd hand…but she evidently walked up to the gift tarp and dropped her sleeping bag (imagine the sound…whuuuump….) and said “I am never camping again.” This was a nice brand new sleeping bag and the porters were interested indeed.

So at this point, we all went into the mess tent to have a tasty (best yet) breakfast of pancakes! There was a buzz in the air, especially as the story of Anna’s gift permeated through the group. This was our last day on the trail and everyone was eager to see Machu Picchu at the end of the tunnel (okay…..maybe that metaphor didn’t quite work). After breakfast, Ruben told us a little bit about the gift giving (and goodbye) ceremony that was to occur. We all shuffled outside and Ruben was busy arranging the gifts into xx distinct piles (one for every porter). The piles were essentially random.

Ruben explained to the group that we would all introduce ourselves to the porters at this point and then the porters would be called up one-by-one to shake everyobody’s hand. They would receive their tip (pre-arranged courtesy our tour group) and then there would be the gift giving. By the way, in the background of that last photo you can see Andrea and Leslie preparing the tips. The tips themselves (from what I gathered) were approximately 20% of the porters pay for the trip….a healthy percentage by any standards. Additionally, by Peruvian standards we figured out that porters are very well compensated for the work they do.

Regardless, when it was my turn (I had been practicing for this), I introduced myself with a “Noca Puca”. Not sure how you spell the first word, but I believe it is Quechuan for “my name is”. The second word I am more sure of, and it means “red”. The porters looked confused and Ruben had to explain quickly that “Mi llamo Rojo” or something like that.

I was also proud of The Steph…for in spite of her ultra-quiet voice (and lack of desire to speak in front of that many people) they seemed to be able to hear her. Go Steph!

introductions and tips aside, Ruben selected a random member of our group to hand out the first batch of gifts. Ruben would call a porter and the giver was to randomly select a pile and hand it to the porter as they stepped forward. The excitement built as we watched the sleeping bag on the tarp, until the fateful moment when Matt chose to hand it out. I took a lot more pic’s of the gift giving, but it was dark and most of them were blurry and all of them were celebretory.

On towards Huinay Huayna

We all started the trail and the ultra-steep steps down towards the Phuyupatamarka ruins. Looking her 4-day-without-a-shower-best, Steph chooses to face the photo head on and take this photo like a trooper.

In front of Phuyupatamarca was another vista point type landing. From here, you can see the ridge all the way down to Huayna Picchu with the Urubamba River Valley below. For those of you thinking of hiking the trail, take lots of pictures at this point, as the bamboo grows tall further along the trail and views down the ridge become scarce.

Somewhere on the way down towards Huinay Huayna (or Winay Wayna or W3inay W3ayna) the group stopped for a rest break and a snack. The sun was starting to peak through and it was starting to get a little warmer. People started to disrobe and unleash the sweat.

We continued down the trail (hugging the mountain side whenever the porters flew past us) and that is when I decided it was about time to show my sensitive side. As you approach Huinay Huayna, you can take a “shortcut” down the side of the mountain to get there a little “faster”. This has become the standard for people on the trail.

This shortcut deserves its own paragraph, as it was perhaps the toughest part of the entire day. First off, we had not seen the sun for days and it had chosen this time to blast through the clouds and bake the hill side we were descending. Second, the shortcut is steep and made of packed dirt and we had just spent days growing used to the idea of stairs on steep downhills. Third, the shortcut consisted of switchback after switchback for 30 minutes, and we had just spent days on a trail that would never stoop to such levels. Just prior to the pounding descent I managed to grab this shot looking up the Urubamba River Valley.

Lunch at Huinay Huayna

As we hit the top of the Huinay Huayna camp site, we saw terrace after terrace of camping spots. We also came across a cute puppy (not the best photo, sorry) which was clearly friendly and clearly did not have rabies (Lonely Planet lies). We also were comforted by high voltage lines (once buried in a plastic conduit, but now exposed) in the dirt at our feet.

When we got the hostel, there were lots of other people there and the porters already had two tables awaiting us. I was plenty warm by then and took the opportunity to strip down (convert my long pants into short-shorts and ditch the long sleeve top) immediately. While Steph did the same, I attempted to go get us some beverages for our lunchtime meal. I use the word “attempted” in this case, for the process by which to acquire drinks for oneself was totally back assward. You first had to go into the snack bar area (where all the drinks were waiting along side all the candy bars) and figure out what you wanted. Then, after trying to pay the guy behind the counter who absolutely refused to take your money, you had to find the person behind the iron bars outside in another room 20 feet away. After you paid this person by using pantomimes and bad spansih, you walked back to the snack bar area and attempted to claim your drinks with the sketchy looking receipt. In the end, I had secured both Steph and myself something bubbly (Inca Kola and a Coka-Light) and definitely NOT gatorade.

Lunch was provided by our kitchen porters (yes, we still did the hand wash ritual as well). I was glad for the safe lunch choice, for the kitchen at the hostel did not look the most sanitary of places for a short-order cook to reside.

As we finished up lunch we were told we could leave some items at the hostel while we made the short walk over to the Huinay Huayna ruins. As we were dropping our daypacks off, I grabbed this great photo of the snack bar window at the Huinay Huayna hostel. You’ll note that there are stickers from all over the place…except for Stanford (next alumns going that way, could you do all of us the favor of fixing this shortcoming….we’d hate to see the cal weenies beat us to it).

Huinay Huayna

And at last, it was off on the short walk to the ruins at Huinay Huayna. The lighting was perfect, the air was warm, the sun was out, and we took advantage of the scenic backdrop. If that last one was a little too cute for you, here’s the plain version of the beautiful ruins (Inca terraces and Urin Huinay Huayna in the center). The temple wall at anan Huinay Huayna has some excellent cut stonework. Unfortunately, during their reconstruction of the wall, the archaeologists simply could not match the original placement and the fit of the stones worsens as the wall goes higher. Looking up the Urubamba River Valley from Huinay Huayna, the lighting was amazing. We could see the trail coming up from km104 along the dappled hillside. Not bad for a day-hike….and probably a great way to get to Machu Picchu for most.

And because the lighting in this photo is so cool, it gets it’s own line.

Ruben gave the group a short lecture in the anan sectuion of Huinay Huanya. The group had a chance to kick back and watch as Ruben drew pictures in the sand. We were tired and of the (incorrect) belief that Machu Picchu was nary a stone’s throw away.

With the lecture done (sorry, Ruben, but I forgot what that one was about), we had just enough time to grab this photo of me on the steps down towards urin Huinay Huayna. The bath/fountains are directly behind me and parallel the stair case.

We left Huinay Huayna (Steph took a few more flower pictures) and collected our gear back at the Hostel. In a well-counted group, we marched together towards the final checkpoint. Once through the checkpoint we were off on the final section of the trail towards Machu Picchu.

The hike towards Intipata

Many people spend their last night on the trail at Huinay Huayna. They rush along the trial so that they can do something insane the next morning. These crazy folk choose to wake up extra early (3:00am in some cases) and hike in the dark towards Intipata. They do this so that they may see the sun rising over the famed Sun Gate. For numerous reasons, i was glad that we had not made a similar choice.

For starters, the sunrise (had there even been a sunrise through the clouds) from Phuyupatamarca would have been far more impressive. Additionaly, you can always get up the following morning and catch the early bus to Machu Picchu and hike the trail up towards Intipata. This last option gives you the best of both (sunrise at Phuyupatamarca and sunrise the next morning at Intipata) without the danger of the night hiking. For hiking the trail from Huinay Huayna to Intipata in the dark would be dangerous indeed. I wish I had been able to take more pictures to substantiate what I am about to say, for the words just don’t do the fear justice.

Now, both Steph and I have been on some sketchy trails. I’ve hiked the muddy cliffs along the Na Pali coast (Kauai) in my bare feet with 300 foot cliffs a slip away. I’ve trekked on some burly granite trails in the Sierras with crumbling dirt beneath every bootstep and the maw of a steep hillside below. I have even had the delightful opportunity to balance walk (with 50lbs of gear) across a log above a fast flowing river…TWICE in the same afternoon (we got lost).

But the Inca Trail represented its own challenge. The rocks at points were dreadfully uneven and the trail necked down to 2 feet (or less). The views were stunning (remember the rule to stop before you look) and quite a distraction. The drops were also impressive (300-500-1000ft) and definitely capable of killing. However, the real fear was a direct result of the fantastic Inca engineering that went into building the trail.

On most cliff-side trails the drop-offs aren’t really straight down. Usually there is some sort of slope with a few bushes here and there. These scraggly plants clinging to the sides of the cliff give one the illusion of safety (on the Na Pali cliffs one can imagine grabbing on to a bread fruit tree as one fell….or better yet, splashing ever so softly into the cliff-breaking surf below…). Not so on the Inca Trail. The incas were experts at keeping their paths level by building up sheer vertical retaining walls (in some cases 50+ feet). The drop offs from this trail were frightening in their sheer honesty.

Anywyay, during this warm afternoon hike with Miguel, Steph and Sarah were chatting it up when at one point Sarah stumbled (nearly going over the edge). In spite of giving us all heart attacks, she managed to catch herself and we all laughed it off (it was only 12 inches from not being funny).

During this time, we also heard a sound we had not heard in a very long time. The sound was that of a helicopter and it was circling around in the Urubamba River Valley. We hadn’t heard of helicopter tours, but it made sense to have them in such an awesome valley. Miguel was with us at the time and neither confirmed nor denied our delight at seeing the tourist helicopter.

To wrap up this story, I will tell take a detour and tell you what I found out the following night as I sat next to Ruben on the train ride back to Cusco. For starters, it was not a tourist helicopter–it was a medical evacuation helicopter. Someone had been bitten by a bushmaster on short trail between Intipata and Machu Picchu. At the time, the helicopter was circling trying to find a place to land. All of the guides had heard the distress call on their radios, but chose not to mention it to us so as not to alarm anybody (bushmasters are so rarely seen on the Inca Trail that you’ll find almost no mention of them….even in the Paranoid Planet guidebooks). Evidently, one person was lucky enough that day to see a bushmaster on the Inca Trail and they had to rush her down towards the Machu Picchu bus stop where the helicopter then took her down to Aguas Calientes. Precious time ticking away, they evidently have no antivenom in Aguas Calientes and were forced to re-board the victim and take the long flight (45 minutes) in to Cusco. As of this writing, I am unaware of the fate of the victim, but none of the guides were too eager to discuss the situation beyond a grim shaking of the head and shrugging of the shoulders.

As we approached Intipata, the afternoon wore on and we were becoming more tired than we had expected our “leisurely walk into Machu Picchu” would make us. At last we hit the “Purgatory Steps” (or something like that). This final ultra-steep section of approximately 50 steps takes you right up to Intipata. Ultra-steep in this case means >45degrees….and like 50 of them in a row (I lost count).

At long last, Machu Picchu

The hike from Huinay Huayna to Machu Picchu was mostly in the shade. It’s on the Eastern side of the ridge as well, so it gets less afternoon sun. For the most part, in spite of the day being warm, we were hiking comfortably and enjoying the expansive views of the Urubamba River Valley below (whenever the trees parted to afford us such views).

At the top of Purgatory Steps was another one of those trail signs, and this one said “Intipata”. It was a zoo up there, literally, with animals from all around the world (all shapes, sizes and smells) lined up and snapping pictures. We jockeyed for position and got several worthwhile shots of the overlook from Intipata. You can see Huayna Picchu over the top of my right shoulder. Both Intipata and Huayna Picchu sit 500 feet above Machu Picchu (which is at ~9000ft). Machu Picchu itself is 1000 feet above the valley floor (which lies at ~8000ft). We took 10-15 minutes of rest at Intipata and just enjoyed the sunlight and the views.

What is that I hear…..You can’t believe how steep these valleys are? Well then, check out the bus dirt road criss-crossing in the background. It takes the bus a long-ass time to get down from the bus station at Machu Picchu to the station in Aguas Calientes (45min). Go to the bathroom before you get on that bus!

Still don’t believe how burly these granite peaks are? Well, they aren’t so burly that things can’t cling for dear life and eke out a meager existence.

We didn’t take too many photos en route down from Intipata….you’ve seen the postcards, so you don’t need to see my photos at that point. Not to mention that some nasty dark clouds were rapidly approaching and we wanted to get to Machu Picchu with utmost haste (which was silly because there isn’t any rain shelter at Machu Picchu). We unknowingly passed the bushmaster section of the trail and then came past some sections being reconstructed by archeaologists (think lots of string criss crossing in mid-ar).

Then, at long last…we were at the upper terraces. To celebrate (no more stairs!!!) I decided to get one foot up and show my dominance over a set of classic Inca flying steps.

And here come the money shots! The sun was clearning, the lighting was A-M-A-Z-I-N-G (angled, dappled, wonderfully soft), and the view was tremendous. There were no people in the background, as it was after 4:00pm and everyone had gone down to get some chicha. This was the P-E-R-F-E-C-T time to photograph Machu Picchu. We stood on the upper guard shack terrace and snapped image after image after image.

In fact, we took so many great pictures, that even the reduced number (shown below) merits presentation in bulleted list format. Here goes:

Red at Machu Picchu.

• 5 star iPhoto shot

Steph at Machu Picchu

• 5 stars on its own merit

(+1 bonus star for being so cute!)

= 6 stars

Postcard-worthy Machu Picchu & Huayna Picchu

• 5 stars on its own merit

-1 star for predictable postcard nature

+1 star for gutsy vertical framing of landscape

= 5 stars

Western side of Machu Picchu & the river below

• 4 stars on its own merit (appears cropped…)

+1 star for catching a view you never get to see. Check out how steep that cliff is!

= 5 stars

Postcard-worthy Machu Picchu & Huayna Picchu (#2)

• 5 stars on its own merit

-1 star for boring postcard style, regardless of how cool the lighting is

= 4 stars

Scruffy Red at Machu Picchu

• 4 stars, classic vacation picture 101

-2 stars for excessive scruff (hey, i wasn’t gonna make porters carry my razor)

+1 star for the lighting

= 3 stars

Llama at Machu Picchu with Huayna Picchu in the background

• 5 stars on its own merit (framing, lighting, subject)

+1 star for cuteness

= 6 stars

Llama at Machu PIcchu with Huayna Picchu in the background part 2

• 5 stars to start (see previous)

+1 star for cuteness

+1 star for the hay hanging out of its mouth

= 7 stars (sorry Steph)

Elizabeth and Kathy at Machu Picchu

• 4 stars (light in background is too flat)

+ 1 star for buddy photo

= 5 stars

Well, that did it for the photos. Professor Rick also gave a wonderfully short talk up on the terrace and we took our 2005 YAE group photo up there as well. The talk was short, ’cause Professor Rick is a smart fella’ (dat’s why he’s da’ ‘fessor) and he knows that this is one of the best times to see Machu Picchu.

Did you get that? Those of you planning a trip should know that the late afternoon (4pm till closing) is truly a special time at Machu Picchu. There aren’t the teeming crowds, it’s quiet and peaceful and you can wander around and get a great feel for the ruins. The early morning hours are special as well. Skip the hours between 9am and 3pm, however (go down and get lunch).

To the Bus Station, and quickly!

After the lecture, we were given the choice to either stick around and wander the ruins or head down and get checked into the hotel. By this time it was 5pm. It would take 45minutes to 1 hour to get down to the hotel in Aguas Calientes. We had a dinner lecture at 7pm. Steph and I desperately wanted to take a shower (and perhaps change out of 4-day old underwear) and I really-really-really had to go to the bathroom….badly. (Steph would like to point out that she actually had packed a daily change of underwear and Red had actually packed a change as well…but the stink was undeniable).

This is one of those tough calls the YAEs put you through. It was the perfect time to stay at Machu Picchu, but we were trail weary and hungry and did not want to be late for the lecture. Oh, and did I mention that I had to go to the bathroom really badly.

From the upper guard house down to the bus stations (AND THE ONLY BATHROOMS AT MACHU PICCHU) takes 15 minutes of fast walking. Warning…start TMI…. My gut was expanding and becoming more and more pressurized. I desperately hurried steph along and glanced along the side of the trail for a place to jump into the bushes. With too many people about, I took rapid (and smooth, non-jarring) strides as my ticking time-bomb GI tract sent warning signals that I could not ignore. There was simply no way I was going to make it (and I didn’t even know where the bathrooms were…having never been to Machu Picchu). I unbuckled my waist strap to buy me an additional minute. I attempted to pass gas but didn’t want to release the fury of everything else pressing to come out. By the time we reached the bus station, I was nearly running, and my goal came into sight. I had seconds more before the pressure inside beat out my musculature’s ability to hold it all in. I started digging out the 50 centisimos (1/2 soles) and suddenly broke out in a cold sweat. With only seconds to spare before impending doom, both bathrooms appeared closed for cleaning. The lights were off and the entrance to the men’s restroom was blocked, as it was being hosed down. I had to do something fast, for the immediacy of the situation was….errrrr….imminent? And so I ducked into the dark women’s restroom and ran into a stall and yanked off my hiking pants (and foul trail-smelling underwear) and allowed the 4,000PSI pressure to escape from within. Now, that’s relief! end TMI

Incidentally, the bathrooms at Machu Picchu are far cleaner than the trail bathrooms. However, they too are lacking seats and the porcelin bowls are fairly wide (don’t fall in). Yet they have toilet paper, but you still can’t flush it.

Machu Picchu part deux (formerly known as Aguas Calientes)

When I exited the bathroom, it became evident that my necessity for pressure relief had caused us to miss a bus. No matter, another 10 minutes and we were on our way down. The way up and down the windy dirt road is interesting. “Go with it!” Steph and I winked at each other. The dirt road is one lane wide and the bus driver flys the vehicle down like a greased pig into a blanket. The bus inevitably has to pass its friends and we soon figured out that the downhill bus has right-of way. Given that the switchback visibility is nonexistant and that the drivers were not radioing each other, I decided to “Go with it” and calmly enjoy the view instead of sweating the details.

We reached Aguas Calientes at dusk. The bus station is near the bridge across the river. We immediately were assaulted by vendors of all sorts. Ahhh….civilization after 5 days on trail proved to be a shock on the system. I didn’t fear pickpockets, however, as my sphere-of-stink was a veritable force field.

We crossed the bridge and then walked along the train tracks down a (used to be cobblestone but now is) dirt road. The good old smell of wall-urine reared its head now and then. We finally reached the end of town, and with it our hotel for the night. We were staying at the Inkaterra Machu Picchu Pueblo Hotel. This is a nice hotel, the nicest of the trip, and we had less than 12 hours of time to spend in it….of which 3 of those hours would be at the dinner lecture. They had a lot of amenities we did not get to experience (hot tub, sauna, hummingbird walk, orchid walk, spotted bears, bushmasters in the trees, nature trails) but would consider worthy of a second trip (except the bushmasters, that is).

The Inkaterra is an eco-tourist establishment, so the furniture is a bit on the rustic side and cob webs were plentiful inside the hotel room. Dinner is included with your night’s stay and is served in a restaurant on the other side of the tracks. Yes…you have to cross the single railroad track to get to the restaurant. For you lawyer-crazed americans out there (that’s me), you’d be shocked to find out that crossing the tracks involved no safety guards, crosswalks, buttons, rails, lights or waivers. Personal responsibility is so refreshing that I believe Peru should export it to the USA. We can trade our lawyers for it….surely lawyers are worth something!

But I digress.

Dinner Lecture Theater

After a quick shower, Steph was prettified and willing to pose. I took 5 minutes to hit the gift shop and pick up some Inca salt–everything else was too overpriced (eco-tourism in a nutshell) to consider. We were one of the first ones there and I was sorry to have forgotten my jacket. The restaurant has massive thatched vaulted roofs and they have openings at the top to let all of the heat out (eco-toursim = no insulation). I picked a seat with my back to the glass and a scant 4 feet from the passing PeruRail trains and shivered through the lecture. The wine was good, the food was tasty, the company that night was wonderful…..the service was nonexistent and water refills simply did not occur.

Professor Rick gaven yet another inspiring lecture that night covering the history of Machu Picchu and its evolution over 70 years. Machu Picchu was no one single thing (in addition to being an alien crystal manufacturing facility it also was a warehouse for nubile slaves and the source of power for a massive paranormal containment field) and it served several purposes throughout its occupation. Professor Rick also told about Machu Picchu’s first tourist (Hiram Bingham) and the first porter (gave a tour for 1 silver dollar). Great lecture and then we had the pleasure of Prof Rick joining our table at dinner. Great stories followed the great lecture and the night became late.

Don’t remember much else before hitting the soft beds…. We stumbled back to our room, repacked for the umpteenth time and collapsed. Another pre-dawn wake-up awaited us.

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