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Inca Trail - Dead Women's Pass by Joe Mazzarella - added January 31, 2007
 It now seemed like we were truly on a pilgrimage, with a steady
line of people from all over the world slowly making there way, gasping for air.
Even the porters of Inca descent were struggling a bit. Incidentally, they were
wearing sandals and packing a load on their backs the size of my washing machine
for their foreign clients. Although my pack felt giant to me, I gave these guys a
smile of much respect.
As the various tour groups rested and celebrated at the top, we
continued on down as the trail descended steeply into the Pacamayo Valley, leaving
our fellow pilgrims behind. 
After stretching, filtering water, and eating lunch near
the river, we continued up the other side of the valley towards the second mountain
pass, passing the ruins of Runkuracay. Runkuracay was believed to be a lookout post
and a traveler's stopover for the Incas. From this circular stone building the views
were incredible, with the first pass, the waterfalls of the Pacamayo, and the Inca
Trail from where we came spanning the valley to the right, and thickening jungle below
us to the left. Our path lied up and ahead, past two small lakes, and up to the second
pass lying at 4000 meters. From here on we were walking on an Inca stone "sidewalk"
over 500 years old. I was blown away by the time and detail that was put into this
amazing meter-wide highway.
By late afternoon we had our tent pitched outside the small, cloud
forest ruins of Conchamarca, and were exploring the cliff-side ruins of Sayacmarca,
about 400 feet above camp. To get to the ruins requires a steep, long climb up an
exposed stone stairwell, and it's worth it. Similar to Runkuracay, Sayacmarca
delivers stunning views in every direction, and that ever present mist that seemed
to hang throughout the spines and valleys of the Inca Trail gave the place a special,
eerie feeling. That special, eerie feeling was soon replaced by a cold, wet,
frustrated feeling as the mist gave way to rain and my camera unexplainably jammed.
It down poured on us all night as we slept with about half an inch of rainwater in
our tent. I was now wishing I had brought an extra camera and a pint of whiskey.
[The Bus Ride, Day 1] [Travel Journal Index] [Phuyuptamarca, Day 3]
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