Nine Hours of Bliss in the Mist

Bad weather can't stop Backpacker.com from crossing Peru's high Andean passes

Backpacker.com Editor Anthony Cerretani is on the trail with Serac Adventure Films and MountainVision for Serac’s Adventure Film School. The team will trek the Super Inca trail for roughly ten days with the goal of making a film on the adventure. Here, read updates and posts from expedition leader Jeff Evans, then, in 2009, look for more from the trip.

We woke this morning to a slight rain falling down on the tents. A look up into the valley that we were due to ascend told us that we should probably expect more of the same throughout the day's trek. This may sound like a big, fat bummer; however, I think everyone on the trek today would agree that the clouds swirling around us, occasionally parting to give us glimpses of the unbelievably majestic panoramas, clearly offset any discomfort that we may have experienced from the intermittent drizzle.

It was a solid day: Nine hours of movement, crossing over a 14,900-ft. pass, eventually arriving at our campsite at 14,300 feet. Just after crossing the high pass, our resident shaman Sebastion was the first to spot a rare Andean Condor soaring in the thermals directly overhead. We all sat in awe of this bird of power and good luck. As we prepare for our dinner, we are comfy and toasty inside our meal tent listening to a small stream babble by.

Tomorrow we head down the valley to the land of trees and lots of oxygen.

—Jeff Evans

Stay tuned for more updates from BACKPACKER in Peru.

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