15,680 ft.....oh my!!!

Hernan woke us up around 5am to prepare for our long hike, I think he woke us up earlier because our group was slower on day one. Amber and I were actually already awake because sleeping in a tent is hard. We packed up our stuff and I hung out in the tent while people had breakfast. My stomach was still not ok and the smell of food was enough to set it off. After everyone ate we started our journey nice and early. We knew it would be a long day especially because of the elevation.

Day 2: Cuyoc – Pumahuanca Pass – Cuncani Campsite

Early wake up at 06:00 am with a cup of coca leaf tea, then a good breakfast with quinua panqueques. At 07:00 am we recommence our trek with scenic views of Chicon, San Juan and Veronica mountains.

 Surrounded by a native forest for a challenging 5 hours climb along a dirt road with some stone steps, in some parts there are zig zag switchbacks toward the Pumahuanca Pass located at 4,580 masl (A sacred Apacheta is a series of piled stones, made by pilgrims as a symbol of gratitude and respect to the Apus),

 Once we get to the pass we honor the top of this mountain with coca leaves as is the local customs. Enjoy the amazing views of part of Moray, Maras and Salineras.

 Then we are ready to descend for an hour along a stone road with a nice view on both sides, arriving to enjoy lunch near impressive lakes by which we rest.

 After our lunch we walk for 2 more hours mainly dowhill and enroute we will meet some local campesinos (people of the local village) in colorful costumes as is traditional with all villages around Lares. Impressive landscape views, mountains, flocks of llamas and alpacas. Cuncani is the major district in the area. Campsite at Cuncani community, located at 3,750 masl where we enjoy Dinner and Camp. Cuncani is also very famous for their textiles produced with ancestral weaving techniques; weavers will offer their work

Meals: B,L,D snacks

Accommodation: Camping

Maximum Altitude: 4580m /15682ft

Minimum Altitude: 3750m/12303ft

Distance Travelled: approx 13km (8.1)

Approximate Walking Time: 7-8 hours

Despite the fact that my stomach felt horrible this was a great day. The morning we were blessed with clear skies and every time we stopped to rest we could enjoy the beautiful views the valley had to offer. I tried to go slow because the guide said that would help me avoid problems with the altitude. My stomach helped slow me down as well. I finally made it to the top, almost 16,000ft. That is the highest peak I have climbed to date and it felt really great. I look at these pictures from on top and I am reminded that I really didn't feel great.

It was fun to accomplish something like this. It was made easier by the fact we only carried a day pack. Bless those porters!

 Unfortunately the weather was cloudy and rainy the entire time we were hiking down. We didn't get any good views of the valley we descended into. We could tell it was beautiful but we didn't get to see it. We did pass a number of Lagoons and some small farms, all of which looked really nice. Our lunch spot was nice because there were actual bathrooms. I was still having stomach issues so I really appreciated that. I still could not go anywhere near the food tent so I sat outside and enjoyed the break. There were some ladies selling Gatorade so I was able to consume some much needed calories.

After lunch we walked through a small farming community to get to our campground. Before our hike Hernan had told us that we could bring treats and give them to the village children as we passed. I am so glad I decided to do this. I got to see a lot of cute Peruvian smiles as I handed out little treats. My favorite was a little three year old girl. I held out a piece of chocolate and her dad put her on the ground and she came running to me. I wish I had a picture. She was such a doll. If I ever go back I would take a bag of suckers to hand out to all the children I saw.

We camped at a really nice hot springs. After a long day of hiking it felt great to soak in the natural hot springs before bed. This camp site was really nice. We slept on grass and it was at a lower elevation so it was easier to sleep.

Day 2 hiking was great. It was a cardio workout for a few hours in the morning and then mostly just downhill after that. It was a bummer that we didn't get any clear shots from the pass but overall it was a great day. I slept great this night, well great for camping!