IT Day 2: I Want To Take You Higher

Reality has set in. We are going up these mountains. I am filled with dread as I try to comprehend the 4200m Warmiwanusca or "Dead Woman's Pass" we have to summit today. The morning is bone chillingly cold and after our first check in point Emilio sits us all done for a heart to heart about the days hike. Some consider turning back with the prospect of today's challenge. We give each other a pep talk, high five and decide to call our group "team Rocky." Up Up and Away Part I: Slow uphill climb Jeff, Tom & I pull away from the group and make it to the first resting point to wait for the group. We are sweating, but not overly so. Jeff and Tom buy 6 more beers each (to go with the bottle of wine Tom is carrying to savor at Machu Picchu). We are sweating but I am beginning to feel confident...maybe today is not so bad. Carole, Kirsten, Pia and Emilio arrive. We decide to go at our own paces and to meet at the campsite on the other side of the summit. We are all feeling good. Go Team Rocky! Stairmaster From Hell Part II: Jeff takes off like a mountain goat. I put on my ipod for motivation. The trail takes a hellacioiusly steep incline. Porters are flying past me with 25kg of weight (WTF??). More than a few people turn back, deciding they cannot do the hike. Shit. What have we gotten ourselves into??? Stone stairway after stone stairway after stone stairway....Jeff waits for me at checkpoint #2. We have been hiking straight up for 2 hours now, at a brisk pace. THIS IS VACATION?!? Part III: The sun is out, I am sweltering. I can see the summit up near the snow, but the couple of people already there look like ants. My legs burn. The air is thinning. We have hiked the equalivalent of Camelback three times straight up back to back to back, and still MORE to go. I take 10 steps, using my hiking poles to pull me up the giagantic stone steps, and pause to breathe. 10 steps, stop, 8 steps, stop, 3 steps, stop. OMG. Almost there, Jeff sprints to the top. Ok I can do this...maybe. OH Thank Heaven Part IV: I made it. I am at the top of the world. The views are incredible and my body is starting to give in, I nearly cry. Jeff and I decide to wait at the top for Tom and Carole before heading down to camp. We see them 50 meters down from us, Carole is sitting and surrounded by people. Jeff runs down to carry her pack up and check what is happening. She is having a panic attack from the altitude, barely breathing. Doctors rush down and help her. After about an hour, they make it to the summit. This climb is not for the faint of heart. We decide to head to camp. As soon as we arrive we crack some beers, warms ourselves in the sun and put our feet in the ice cold mountain river. Day 2 complete. ahhhhhhhhh