An Unconventional Thanksgiving

When you’ve had a trip to one of the most beautiful places you’ve ever seen, completely disconnected from the world, and created lifetime bonds with classmates, how are you supposed to describe it to anyone who wasn’t there? I may not have grappled with a point of contention in my life or come to some grand conclusion on this adventure but let me share the little moments and people that will stay with me forever.

Machu Picchu

First, basic logistics! We spent 4 days backpacking the Inca Trail, beginning near Ollantaytambo and ending at Machu Picchu, lead by a company called Day Hikes Peru with 4 amazing guides: Raul, Marcela, Wilson, and Disnarda. We also had porters with us on the adventure, you can’t hike without them, who carried our food, tents, sleeping bags, toilets, and waste — without them we would have had a drastically different trip that was incredibly more difficult. The weather was kind to us and only poured at night so we had fairly warm and clear hiking days with the occasional cloudy mist at high altitude.

Sun Gate

Now onto the moments and memories… For me, the adventure is made by the people you share it with. Sure, hiking the Inca Trail and visiting Machu Picchu can be incredible no matter who you may visit with but being surrounded by a truly exceptional group of humans just exponentially increases your joy and gratitude. There is one story I can think of that might come close to what this experience entails.

Terraces of Winay Wayna

The third day of hiking the trail was our longest and hardest day with our first task being to climb Dead Woman’s Pass. After a sunrise breakfast the class set out on a steep climb that would last almost 2 hours. As pacing goes people ended up in small groups as we ascended. My crew of warrior ladies, as Disnarda called us, began to form what we called ‘The S Train’ as we snaked behind each other in a line and made switchbacks up the trail. Through the click of the poles and the sounds of breathing came the occasional “We got this, si se peude.” After stops to admire the view, catch our breath, and drink some water, the S train would resume and steadily we came closer to the summit. I felt an overwhelming sense of determination and calm with every step we took together.

Looking back down the valley of Dead Woman’s Pass

The S train in one final push reached the summit of Dead Woman’s Pass with celebration and hugs and the gratifying feeling of putting your pack down. We then all layered up and climbed above the trail to sit on top of a rock where we could actually see our classmates as they ascended the pass. As we would spot people down the trail we would figure out who it was and then cheer for our classmates as they got closer to the top. Our voices and “si se peude” echoed down the valley as they climbed closer and closer to us. As they summited we greeted them with congratulations and fruit snacks and slowly our whole class was shouting down the valley as the last of our group made it up Dead Woman’s Pass.

The summit of Dead Woman’s Pass, somewhere over 13,000ft

This may sound like a small story and was just one moment among the many but it represents the determination, compassion, and pure joy that we shared along this journey together. These people are my adventure, they are what will stay in my memory when I can no longer picture the views in my head. I will never be able to express truly what this experience was and how big of an impact these people have had on my life but I will never stop trying to tell these stories and share these feelings.

Photo taken and developed by: Liam O’Connor

We read a quote to start our day every morning so I’ll leave you with this adventurers…

You cannot stay on the summit forever,

You have to come down again…

So why bother in the first place?

Just this: what is above knows what is below

But what is below does not know what is above.

One climbs, one sees, One descends, one sees no longer.

But one has seen.

There is an art of conducting oneself in the lower

regions by the memory of what one saw higher up.

~Rene Dumal