As you'll recall from my post about
Machu Picchu, I lucked out and got to be one of the 400 people permitted to climb Wayna Picchu on the day we visited. It is probably the steepest hike I've ever done (without crampons and and an ice-axe, at least), and it certainly was one of the most dramatic settings for any hike I've done -- a double-whammy view of ancient civilization and a spectacular canyon. But still, a hike is basically a hike, no matter where you are. You keep putting one foot in front of the other until you get to the top of the mountain, and then you turn around and walk back down. You get hot and sweaty and out of breath, and when you get done you think you probably could have done it faster or stayed at the top longer or should have brought more water.
What's really interesting are the pictures. So without further ado, here are the highlights of the hike:
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Wayna Picchu is the peak on the other side of the ruins |
The Ascent
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Entering the trailhead at 11:40am;
hiker No 381 |
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View from the trailhead |
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Down into the first saddle
and up onto WP proper |
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View of Machu Picchu from part-way up |
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Steps going up |
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Nearing the summit; the walls seen from below |
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Looking across to another outcropping |
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Almost at the top, with Machu Picchu in the background
(my sunglasses are off because I was sweating so
much they kept running off my face) |
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The downward view from where I am standing
in the previous picture (and no, there were
no handrails between me and the void) |
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Final tunnel to the summit
(had to crawl on my stomach to get through) |
The Summit
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Machu Picchu from the summit
of Wayna Picchu |
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Same shot, but zoomed in |
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Me on the very tippy-top
(a little bit terrifying, but also really cool) |
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There were only a couple of buildings on the top;
the rest was just terraces |
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The view in the other direction
from Machu Picchu |
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More of the view away from MP |
The Descent
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Steps going down from the top
(yes, they really were that steep) |
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Returning triumphant, 1:00pm |
Note: The guide said it would take two hours to climb the peak -- an hour up and an hour back. I knew Amanda would be waiting at the bottom, so I decided to pick up the pace. I got to the top in 30 minutes, took pictures and hung out for 30 minutes, and then made the return trip in about 20 minutes.
Another note: According to other websites, the hike entails an approximately 1,000 vertical rise and is classified as a Yosemite Decimal System (YDS)
Class 3 climb.
1 comment:
Wow! Reminds me of the climb Frodo and Sam made up the mountain outside Mordor. Glad you didn't get altitude sickness. Fabulous pics!
Lady
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