All 6425 meters of it...
We did it. We climbed a 21,040 ft. mountain and it didn't even kill us. My nose is burnt red, and I am breathing at 17,500 feet as if it were sea level. Two days ago I took the most scenic shmitz of my life from up here.
When we went to Machu Picchu, we bailed our 'english tour' and opted instead to climb up to
Huayua Picchu. This is the big mountain in the background of all the famous pictures.
On our way down, at the sign-in gate we saw a guy with a Hobbees t-shirt. He said he was from just north of S.C. and had about 40 free meals saved up on account of his having his picture taken in said shirt at various exotic locations around the globe. I didn't have the heart to tell him that Hobees was no more.
Yesterday on the climb, I used my vapor barrier liner socks. The idea being that they prevent the loss of heat through escaping moisture, i.e. sweat, so one would only use them when it is well below freezing, otherwise one would end up with sweat filled bags and probably get trenchfoot. Anyway, the point is--well, it's a two-pointed point. The first point is that they worked for the most part. I still have my toes. The second point is that when I got back down to camp, and removed the socks, my feet actually steamed!
So now we're down by Laguana Pallacocha, sitting at the side of the road...waiting. Waiting for signals, finding only scenes. Waiting for some sort of motorized transport to come by and give us a ride to Cotahuasi.
