Entries By jess wedel

Saturday, August 23, 2024 - 6:52 pm PT

“Good morning my friend!” Elbin says every morning as he wakes us up with hot tea and coffee at our tents with a big huge smile. Today was no different. We woke up looking into a valley of moving clouds, packed all our stuff, had a quick breakfast and hit the trail. One last big day was ahead.

We stopped at archeological sites, went up and down two more passes and finally arrived at Winay Wayna - our final camp before Machu Picchu. We were on the trail for over eight hours walking the 600-year old stone path.  Tonight, we celebrated all the people that helped make this trek possible - our porters, cooks, and local guides! Complete with a freshly baked cake. We can’t say enough about how incredible they have made this experience.

Tomorrow we have just two hours to walk until we arrive at Machu Picchu and we are all looking forward to it.

Woo hoo!!

RMI Guide Jess and the team

Hi dear readers!

It was our first day joining up with the Inca trail and what a day it was! Up, up, up we went from 9,800 feet all the way to nearly 14,000 feet at Dead Woman’s Pass. Step by step we walked together. Everyone did awesome and the views were spectacular. The sun was beating down on us for most of the day but just before the pass we got some reprieve as clouds moved it and cooled down the temperatures. Then we descended into our next camp, Pacaymayo, which means “hidden river”. It’s a beautiful and remote camp with views looking into the valley and no one around for miles.

We were greeted by our incredible support team with smiles and cheers! Every day we arrive to camp with our tents already set up and water ready for drinking. We couldn’t do this without them!

RMI Guide Jess Wedel and the Machu Picchu team

Hola!

We woke up to sunshine and the sound of the river rolling below us. We normally have a dining tent that we eat in but we opted for a plain aire breakfast because the weather was just too good! It was our shortest day on the trail so we took our time this morning to enjoy an extra cup of coffee before we packed up and headed out.

Our route meandered downhill and we stopped frequently to learn about the flora and fauna around us - pink flowers used to treat colds, mint plants for stomach ailments, brilliant fuschias, special leaves used for dying wool bright green, and so many more.

We said goodbye to our cowboys and mules today - we’ve officially completed the Salkantay trek and are joining up with the Inca trail. We walked into our camp at Wayllabamba to the cheers of our chaskis who will be with us for the rest of our trek. We even had hot showers and a little bit of wifi!

A highlight of the day was the fresh-from-the-river trout ceviche and “jungle potatoes” we had at lunch.

We’re all sleeping well tonight!

RMI Guide Jess Wedel and the Machu Picchu team

PC: Jess Wedel

Wednesday, August 21, 2024 - 4:59 am PT

“Remember this beautiful moment, remember this beautiful time, it’s very special because it is once in a lifetime,” words from Carlos, our Peruvian guide at the top of Salkantay Pass at over 16,200 feet. After climbing for a couple hours this morning, we reached the pass. On one side, we were looking into a valley a thousand feet below us with a patchwork of colors and on the other we were looking toward Salkantay Peak and the glacial moraine we had just climbed. 

Carlos and one of our mule wranglers lead us in a special Quechua ceremony. Offering three coca leaves rubbed with llama fat to Pachamama (Mother Earth) for safe passage. Since ancient times they have always connected their energy with the energy of nature. With rivers. With rocks. With trees. With mountains.  Believing that Pachamama feels every single step, every breath and we are absorbing the mountains energy too as we climb. It’s not just to receive but to give back. Reciprocity. So we offered the three coca leaves which represents the Andean trilogy and llama fat to represent natural energy. And we all received a tiny piece of quartz in return. For the rest of the day every time we saw a bird or special animal or watched the water flow through the 600 year old Inca canal, we were being given a gift by Pachamama.

The views and the trekking are beyond what we could have imagined but the openness with which our guides are sharing their ancestors’ religion and beliefs is humbling us all.

RMI Guide Jess and the team

PC: Jess Wedel

Hi! Hello!

After early (too early, some may say) alarms, we loaded our bags on the van and left the comforts of Cusco behind. We drove on winding mountain roads as the sun came up behind us and after nearly four hours, we made it to Sorayampampa. We met our Peruvian guides - Carlos & Elbin, as well as our chef, cooks and the mule wranglers. The team that makes it possible for us to have this experience!

After getting everything packed up, we officially started on the Salkantay trail. Up the valley we went, with the 20,000+ foot Salkantay peak towering above us.It feels so good to finally be on the trail - we just finished a delicious dinner and even though it’s 7:30pm, we’re all tucked in our tents and sleeping bags. 

It’s the highest and coldest place we’ll sleep on this whole trip but everyone is doing great.

RMI Guide Jess Wedel and the Salkantay team

PC: Jess Wedel

Did you know that the Andes are the longest mountain range in the world? Stretching from southern Colombia all the way to the southernmost point of the continent in Tierra del Fuego.

Or that Peru has 84 out of the 113 different climates found in the world?

Or that the potato was originated in Peru? And there are over 4,000 species of potatoes here!

Did you know there was at least 6,000 years of development prior to the Inca reign and many of the terraces date back to 4,000bc?

Today was an awesome day learning about ancient civilizations to current day Peruvians.

We were led by an awesome guide, Cristian, that graciously shared about religion, agriculture, politics, history and answered our millions of questions while touring the Sacred Valley.

We took it at all in like sponges and there were so many moments of awe - how in the world could they have gotten boulders this large, this high? And so perfectly slotted together?

The Andes are the most rugged set of mountains you could ever find - but instead of seeing these mountains has obstacles the Peruvians and the Inca turned them into possibilities. By building cascades of terraces, from the bottom of the valley to the summit. Building canals for water and over 10,000 miles of trails connecting to each other.

These sights were amazing to see but the best part of the day was the wealth of knowledge and openness from Cristian to share the culture of his ancestors with us.

Jess and the Team

Hello again from Peru.

What an amazing two days we’ve had!

Yesterday the team had a big day hiking the Inca Trail from Llulluchapampa to Winay Wayna. It was a beautiful day with outstanding views of the surrounding mountains and valleys. Along the way we visited several Incan ruins, including Winay Wayna, which is considered a mini Machu Picchu. We wrapped up the our last night camping in the mountains with another wonderful meal and said our goodbyes to incredibly gracious crew of 20 porters and 4 cooks and handed out their much deserved tips.

Today the team rose early for our final hike into Machu Picchu. We left camp shortly after 4 a.m. and headed to the entrance where we had to wait a short while for the park to open up. We hiked for a little more than an hour before reaching the famous Sun Gate of Machu Picchu, where the winter solstice sun rises to shine on the center of Machu Picchu. Unfortunately it was very socked in and so we took a long break hoping it would clear up. Thankfully right as we had given up on the clouds clearing and started our way down the trail the clouds parted and we had stunning views. We spent the majority of the day taking in the scenery, taking endless pictures and touring the grounds of the majestic place. I’ll be the first to tell you that all the pictures and articles about this place don’t come close to how astonishing this place is in person.

The team has safely descended to the valley floor and have had hot shower and are relaxing in our comfortable hotel!

RMI Guides Casey Grom and Jess Wedel, and the Chaskis (Incan mountain runners).

Sunday, August 11, 2024 - 4:35 AM PT

 Hello!

Today we had an awesome day on the official Inca trail. We got an early start and headed up to Dead Woman’s Pass. We started low at 9,800ft and ascended to nearly 14,000ft. The views were beautiful and we took the time to take it all in. We got really lucky as the clouds socked in minutes after we left the pass on our descent to camp.

After over 4,000ft of gain and nearly 2,500ft of loss, we rolled into our camp with tired legs. Another delicious dinner and we are all off to an early bed. We have another big day tomorrow - traveling over two smaller passes and visiting many Inca sites along the way.

RMI Guides Jess, Casey and team

Buenos Dias Amigos!

All is well here in Peru. The team is doing great and have been enjoying the trek thus far. It was nice leisurely day with easy walking and cool temperatures as the clouds overhead kept the sun off. We had a few sprinkles as we made our way out of the Salkantay Valley and have now joined the Inca Trail proper.

We visited a massive old Incan ruin that was believed to be a check point along the way and have descended into lower altitude and the lush forest.

Hot showers, well almost, more warm than hot - but enjoyed nonetheless by almost everyone. And the incredible food continues to be produced from our gracious crew.

RMI Guides Casey, Jess and the Incan crew

Hola from Peru!

Today the team awoke to beautifully clear skies right beneath the massive and towering Salkantay mountain, which is 20’000’+ feet. It’s covered in snow and glaciers so much it felt like we were in the Himalayas. We then hit the trail and headed uphill to our high point of the trip at just over 16’000’ feet, which definitely was a new height for a few team members. Everyone did great and enjoyed the nice long descent to our new camp at 12’600’. It was a beautiful hike in one of the most spectacular valleys I’ve ever seen.

Our outfitter has been incredibly gracious with having camp set up each day before we arrive, along with feeding us 3 amazing meals a day.

RMI Guides Casey, Jess, and the Inca Trail crew!