Date of Entry: October 15th 2016
Date of Writing: December 23rd 2016
The day starts early. Very Early. Well before sunrise. As we are picked up sometime between 3 and 4 am from our beautiful apartment. I’m beyond nervous, today we are going to attempt a day hike to rainbow mountain. Well be reaching altitudes of 5200 meters (higher than I’ve ever been) and hiking uphill all day. Ben and Azi are in better shape then me (understatement of the century) and they want to do this. I am eager but also apprehensive of my ability and I’m not really planning to make it too far on the hike.
We wake up to their knock on the door and so have to scramble to get ready then head up to the main road where they’ll pick us up. We leave our bags in the entry hall of the apartment thanks to our kind hosts who have said we can pick them up after our day hike. The moon makes it less dark though, shining full and bright in the andean night sky above us. And some young lovers are saying their early morning goodbyes across the street from us. The scene could not be more romantic. I lean in towards Ben pushing Azi down a hill (Just kidding).
After a long several hours winding up through the mountains and getting to know a few of the people in our van like Tamara and Rachel who repeatedly tell us about this guy named Felix from Sweden who we all agree is the worst human being to ever live. Basic scientific fact. (Sorry Felix) we come to our base camp for the trek, a small town nestled in a valley but still at about 4300 meters above sea level. So our Elevation gain for the trek will only be about 900 meters. I’m feeling a bit more confident until I get out of the car and feel how thin the air is in my lungs. This is either going to a long hard hike or an abject failure. Still I’ll admit I feel slightly better looking at the incredible snowcapped peaks in the distance. Because thin as the air may be the Andes are incredibly beautiful. As we head down towards the base camp building fro breakfast and a debrief i snap a few photos of the beautiful landscape.
After a basic breakfast with optional coca tea which perhaps I should have drank we head out into the fields for a debriefing on the hike. There about 50 of us with out company and a half dozen guides heading up the mountain with us. They introduce themselves and give us all sorts of information on the hike in both english and Spanish but sadly I don’t hear all that much as a tiny puppy and an awesome cat have appeared to play with and that demands all attention from all three of us, especially when the puppy tries to attack a bigger dog who tolerates the silliness of it all quite well.. I also spot a man with a sweater I like which becomes a goal of the trip to buy.
The briefing done we start to head up towards the mountains heading up a short hill to a first pass. Going up just this little hill is difficult for me and I feel sure I won’t make it far. I let Azi and Ben go ahead of me and continue as best I can. Some people have rented horses for the parts they can sue them but as an animal lover how could i do that to a horse without first getting back in to shape. Oh well.
I make it up the first hill and somewhere find a small second wind, perhaps buoyed by the new views of the incredible mountains in front of me. The air is fresh and pure but incredibly thin and very difficult to hike in. But still it’s beautiful.
As the terrain flattens out a little I’m starting to feel a bit better and have in fact powered past Ben and Azi (take that physically fit people.) We walk and walk towards the mountains always up and as we pass a checkpoint the guides pay our entrance to the main trail. The price we paid in Cusco (around 100 Soles) included everything, even breakfast and lunch.
I’m breathing super hard by this point as the uphill has gotten more steep again and more and more I’m thinking of giving up. But the views getting better and better and I can’t make myself turn around. Instead I put my headphones on and use the music as motivation, lamenting my weight gain in the past 5 months. Though I think even in peak condition this would have been immensely hard. Altitude can hit anyone. But it doesn’t seem to hit Felix, probably because he’s the worst, and far far ahead of me. Jerk.
Eventually Ben and Azi slowly overtake me on the trail, Azi having rented a horse I’m sure because she wanted to help the local economy and not because the hike and altitude was proving too difficult for her. Totally, completely and utterly sure of that Right Azi?
As the horse back riding Azi passes by me I snap a few photos of her riding the mountains in the background, because I’m a classy guy. Azi sticks her tongue out at me, because she’s the opposite of classy.
Ben arrives alongside her and while Azi continues up the mountain we branch off the trail despite the guides encouraging us to hurry up. We’ve all been placed in groups with certain types of pinnies but the only way I’m making this hike is at my own pace and besides this place is way too beautiful to not snap some photos of each other, perched up a top a boulder doing all kings of crazy poses. I’m honestly immensely proud I’ve made it this far. I’m hoping it’s about 75 percent of the way, in reality it’s more like 40 or 50, and the hardest and highest parts are still to come. Felix is probably already up at the summit.Typical Felix. You know what I mean.
The air is cool and crisp but I’m straining my body enough that it’s pleasant in a t-shirt and shorts though most people are bundled up against the cutting wind. I’ll admit right now had I been doing this hike in 30 degree heat I would not have made it this far at all. But much like Patagonia, this place is providing perfect hiking temperatures so maybe, just maybe there’s hope I might at least catch a glimpse of the mountain that gives this hike it’s name.
I keep going. Somehow. Someway. In small chunks now. Stopping every hundred meters or so to catch my breath. Eating the few watermelon gummies I have to give me some boost of energy. Wishing I brought more snacks. Luckily I still have enough water. Because I need it.
The end always seems to be the hardest part as the gradient increases. It’s damn hard. As I go I pass Azi heading back down. She’s made it up for a view of rainbow mountain, but not quite to the summit, and somehow I’m still resolved to keep going. Ben’s up there. And I want to push him off the mountain.
I stumble up a slippery icy section of the trail to the first real viewpoint of rainbow mountain. I’m dead, barely able to breath at about 5150 meters up. But I’m smiling big even against the wind which is cutting right through my clothes. But the mountain is unique, unlike anything I have ever seen. I get a strange to snap a few photos of me and also get some candid shots of a local girl up here to sell tourists drinks and snacks. She’s very cute and very andean. Much Cuter than Felix.
I’m dead on my feet. Compression stockings on both legs, still immensely swollen. I can’t seem to find my breath no matter where I look for it. But i look up towards where Ben is. It looks slippery cold and miserable but it also looks like a potential 360 degree viewpoint. And I really need to push Ben off this mountains, so somehow I start my ascent, scared to shit my shaking legs will give at the wrong moment and I’ll go tumbling down the mountain.
Ben comes down part way to encourage me and help me up some of the tougher parts and soon enough were up at one of the single most amazing places I have ever been. The view is beyond any words I can say. It’s an absurd place, it’s crazy cold, crazy windy but I don’t care. It’s perfection no matter where you look and there’s only a small handful of people up there. Being the awesome person I am, I take pictures of Ben first,mostly because of what I’m planning next.
Now the clothes come off. Get ready for what we all came here for; Hardcore nudity! (or almost nudity). Keep in mind I’m at 5200 meters,exhausted, and damn cold, but it’s worth it, though I think it scares and enthrals all the people up there. Ben of course is horribly embarrassed, but agrees to take some photos of me, probably because of the implication. They turn out well, but still don’t capture just how special this place is. Felix probably wishes he’d been slower so he could see this, but he’ll never see this, because he’s the worst.
As you can see I do eventually put some clothes back on for some more respectable photos then get Renatinha out for a few photos to send home to Brazil. Then it’s ben’s turn again as he drops and gives me 22 for some silly facebook challenge. I film as a dog attempts to sleep with him…. shhhhhh don’t tell Azi. But even the dog has a better chance than Felix.
This done we are told by guides we have to head down, as we’re some of the last people up there and regretfully we bid goodbye to the amazing place and scramble down the snowy slope looking for some shelter from the cold wind. We find it but can’t say we’re happy to leave such a perfect place behind. Just utter craziness. Though the road down is still beautiful.
As we continue to descend chatting and catching up I finally come to understand exactly how poignant altitude sickness can be, as my head starts to throb and I can barely keep my eyes open. I try to keep moving and as ben leaves me to walk faster it’s hitting him to. Imagine a migraine while hiking a serious one. I’ve never had one but this has to be like how this feels.
I try to drink water, I try to rest, I try to breathe, but it’s undeniable,a cresting wave of pain ready to break over me and end what has been a truly amazing day. I try to still take some photos for all of you. Somehow this has to be Felix’s fault.
As I make it down to the bottom and base camp I can barely make myself keep moving. Barely breathe, barely think. I say hello to everyone then take a seat outside with the cat and try to cope with the pain. Eventually Rachel a friendly nurse slash mountain climber from the western united states comes to check on me. Just one of a few cool people I met today, of course excepting Felix from Sweden, who is just as I may have mentioned above, the utter worst. Ben’s going through the same thing. I eventually head into the tent for a late lunch but cant manage more than a little soup broth, Ben and I suffer together, bringing us closer together than Azi and Ben could ever be. Definitely.
After lunch and still suffering through a huge headache that’s only getting worse, ben and I stumble through the walk to the van and get in, just praying we feel better. Miraculously about an hour and 1000 meters lower or 1800 from the summit the headache simply disappears, only a small lingering trace of it left. It takes Ben a little longer but the same thing happens and we recover. Thank god. It was about 2.5 hours of terrible pain and yet both of us agree this is still one of the best days of our respective lives. Yeah, that’s how beautiful Rainbow Mountain is.
On the drive back to Cusco I take a picture of this old bridge for no apparent reason and then we’re dropped off at our apartment, collect our bags and head into town for a delicious meal of Indian food at Korma sutra before getting a taxi direct to the bus station (10 soles without bargaining) and board our comfy Exluciva night bus to Puerto Maldonado (22 USD for a 10 hour ride booked on www.busportal.pe the most useful site for buses in Peru)
***** Editor’s note: Felix is actually a perfectly nice man, I just had some fun with him all through the day so did the same in this blog. Sorry Felix.
