Lifelist: Inca Trail

by Erik Olsen on

I’m dragging out another feature for our lifelist feature, this one is actually a rehash of an older post that, well, you know how quickly stuff gets lost in time. Anyway, as you will recall, a lifelist is a detailed (or not so detailed depending on how anal retentive you are) enumeration of experiences that you hope to some day complete. Everyone has different tastes and varying visions of the things they want to accomplish in life, but we try to help that process along by suggesting things you might not otherwise have thought of.

So today’s lifelist recommendation is one that will appeal to both hikers and fans of ancient South American history. The Inca Trail is a legendary trek that will have you gasping for air at high altitudes and gaping at magnificent ruins the likes of which exist nowhere else on the planet (and some believe they were actually built by aliens…I’ll not get into that, though there is a whole industry of these folks).

The culmination of the Inca Trail trip is your arrival at the ruiins of Machu Picchu. I could spend many paragraphs describing the ruins, for they are truly spectacular. Chances are you’ve seen the photos, or seen a documentary or two, but there is NOTHING quite like wandering among them for yourself. Of course, you don’t have to trek the Inca Trail to reach the ruins, but you’d have to be old and immobile, very short on time or a complete pussy not to hike the trail to reach them. And the more days you take to do this, the better.

Finding an Outfitter
As you might imagine, there are scores of outfitters who do Inca Trail trips, most of them out of Cuzco (which is itself a marvelous city). One of the best is Peru Treks and Adventure who is known for contributing to the local community. Big-time outfitter Mountain Sobek also offers a trip there that includes a five day hike to the ruins. A list of other outfitters can be found here.

The Hike
As I say, you should spend several days hiking the trail to reach Machu Picchu. You should be in passable shape as sections of the trail are actually rather difficult. At certain stages along the way you reach altitudes of almost 14,000 feet. One of the most challenging parts of the hike is ambling (and most likely chuffing) over “Dead Woman’s Pass” at 13,900 feet.

Each night (assuming good weather), you will camp beneath some of the clearest skies you have ever seen…the milky way is so thick you might have the urge to dip your cup into it. Of course, all along the way, you pass other lesser-known ruins like Runkuraqay and Sayaqmarka. For a brief overview of some of the sites you will see along the way, check out this link.

Reaching the Ruins
Now as someone who has done the Inca Trail I have one key suggestion (other than being SURE to go on a multi-day hike): reach the ruins early. One of the singular experiences of your lifetime will be passing through the Gate of the Sun on your final morning. The ruins reveal themselves at the top of a rise and will not only take your breath away, but you are also likely to wet your pants (or so happened to one of my colleagues…although some previously consumed bad water might have also had something to do with it :-)).

Other Links and Stories
Tim Leffell, who’s Cheapest Destinations site is a must for budget minded travelers, wrote this superb peice on what you need to consider when planning for and hiking the Inca Trail. World 66 offers this excellent, and quite recent overview of what to expect along the trail. Another travelogue can be found here.

So that’s that. Add a hike to the Inca Trail to your lifelist if it is not there already. And if you’ve done the trail, leave some tips and comments for folks who might be thinking about it.

The Sun on Your Back

by Erik Olsen on

There you are scrambling over a mountaintop with the sun beating down on you and you are breathing hard and squinting in the hard light and, well, guess what? Your backpack is just getting charged up. What? Yup, as we posted about before, but are posting about again, there are several companies who have developed solar backpacks with embedded with photovoltaic cells that convert the sun’s energy into electricity. The first one is made by Clear Blue Hawaii which offers the Blue Sun Solarpac ($260, battery not included). Another brand is Voltaic Systems which offers the Voltaic Backpack ($229 battery included). Both of these packs operate with an internal lithium battery; the Blue Sun uses a $50 or $150 lithium-ion (the more expensive battery stores more electricity) that put out up to 12 volts, while the Voltaic’s included battery puts out 3.5 to 7.2 volts. A very nice idea. Good to save money on batteries and to do your part not to add to landfills.

GADLING’S TAKE FIVE: Week of August 27

by Adrienne Wilson on

It’s the beginning of a new month, but still the end of the week for us here and with that we bring you some of the week’s best:

5. Pilot Locks Self Out:
This is the kind of story one reads and rubs their eyes in disbelief. Sure it’s humorous, but somewhat scary too. A pilot locked out of the cockpit? How can that be? You’ll need to head over for more details.

4. Sex and Violence, Elk-style:
Iva Skoch wastes no time in making her presence known with this alarming headline. I won’t spill all the details here, but let’s just say its got a something to do with hiking and animal acts. Read further – I dare you.

3. Cape Verde:
I’m giving this plug on Cape Verde the number three spot because we don’t get around to Africa much and it seems like such an amazing place. (Understatement, yes – of course.) Cape Verde is beginning to attract interest according to this piece and you wouldn’t want to be the last to find out why would you? Go check it out!

2. Backpacking in California’s Sierras:
We love first-hand experiences here and Neil does a fantastic job on recounting his trip through California’s Sierras. Complete with photos and enough tips to help you plan your own visit out yonder.

1. Never Heard of:
Great post if you’re the traveling type that likes to wander into places no one has ever been or few people know little about. I know I’m one of them and this list from Budget Travel is worth clipping out and saving for later when an exciting destination where no-one will find you is much needed.

Gunks and the New Paltz Climbing Film Festival

by Erik Olsen on

I’m off to do some rock climbing today, this morning. It’s now 5:45 and I have to be on the road in a few minutes, but figured I’d mention where I’m going. New Paltz it about two hours north of New York City and the climbing mecca of the East Coast. It is the location of the Shawagunk Mountains, otherwise known as the Gunks. I’ve blogged about them before. Not that I’m a hard core rock climber. By no means. But I am heading up to sample their offerings and to see how the gunks hold up as a climbing destination. I also noticed that they hold a climbing film festival up there, something climbers and outdoor enthusiasts might be interested in.

East Coast Retreat

by Erik Olsen on

For those of us who live here, New York can sometimes seem like its own world, and gazing out cross the river to New Jersey is like staring into the open void of an unknown world…albeit a world with large buildings, factories and a rather odd smell.

Ahem. The point is that living in New York is wonderful, but it can often be very difficult to get off the island. You can sometimes feel like you’re trapped here, caught in a narrow miniverse of your office and apartment. But there is hope on the horizon…literally. Venturing into Tony Soprano’s New Jersey you can find all manner of captivating, lung-expanding activities that will make it seem like you’ve been transported out West, where you can camp among towering pines (or at least, well, trees) and spend a day hiking or paddling a smooth-flowing river.

One place we recommend is the Mohican Outdoor Center (MOC), located in the vast, wooded Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area. The Appalachian trail passes through here so you can follow the blazes and catch site of black bears. Or take the 12-mile round-trip trek to Sunfish Pond that takes you along the jagged spine of Kittatinny Mountain where you can fill up your memory card with great views of the valley. If you can nab a spot in the MOC’s lodge, you might find yourself singing campfire songs with fellow weekend escapees wielding acoustic guitars. All that within a few hours drive from the big city.