Inca Trail Packing Guide

 

Inca Trail Packing Guide

 

H. Bradford

 

01/08/2020

Back in November, I hiked the Inca Trail.  If you read my previous blog post, https://brokenwallsandnarratives.wordpress.com/2020/01/03/hiking-the-inca-trail-while-out-of-shape/, then you learned that I wasn’t in the best shape.  While I struggled along, I took some mental notes of what I would pack and or not to pack if I ever did it again.  There isn’t a lot of room to pack many items. We were provided a small duffel bag which could be packed with about 5 KG of items, which included a sleeping bag, sleeping bag liner, toiletries, and clothes. It is up to each hiker to carry whatever else they need beyond the 5 KG (this weight may vary by company) in a day pack.  Hopefully, most hikers will not need too much more.  Medications, rain gear, layers, snacks, and water are among the things carried in a day pack. I probably packed a bit too much, but at least this can provide an overview of what I found useful.

 

Things I didn’t Pack, But Should Have:

Rehydration Salts/Electrolyte Powder:

Based on my experience, this was the number one item I should have packed.  There are a number of reasons why this would have been handy. One, I was not feeling well the third day and didn’t drink enough water.  When a fellow hiker, Elise, put some berry flavored electrolyte powder in my water bottle, I almost immediately felt better and more interested in drinking water.  This helped me to stay hydrated and feeling better for the rest of the day, as it was like drinking a refreshing, yet watery Gatorade. Dehydration can exacerbate the symptoms of altitude, so I suspect this is why I felt so terrible. Secondly, the water provided by porters is filtered and boiled, but doesn’t taste great.  I saw porters washing dishes in a stream, which I have to assume is also one of the sources of water for the trek. There is some running water early in the trek, but I would be surprised if large amounts of water was slugged up on the mountain with everything else. Whatever the source, I found that it sometimes tasted a little rusty (perhaps from rusty pipes) or just a little off.  The water is lukewarm while hiking, which may also be a deterrent to drinking enough of it. Adding flavored electrolyte powder masks the flavor of the water, making drinking water more likely. Thirdly, some people become sick to their stomach on the trail. This thankfully didn’t happen to me until after the trek, but having electrolyte powder can help keep hikers hydrated if they have diarrhea.  Anyway, I can’t stress enough how much having a rehydration pack helped me!

Water Bladder:

Water is an important theme here.  Water was the heaviest item that I carried.  Hikers usually start the day carrying one or two liters of water, which can be 4.4 lbs (if two liters).  It can be many hours before this water is restocked (until at least the lunch stop). I carried two water bottles (one disposable plastic one I carried the entire trip and one that was metal).  Since I carried them on my backpack, to take a drink of water I had to stop and remove the bottles. This deterred me from drinking, since I didn’t want to bother stopping. A water bladder with a hose would have been far easier, as I could have had water on the go.  The worst thing is that I actually brought a water bladder along on the trip, but felt it took up too much space in my small backpack so I opted for the other water bottles! I could have avoided dehydration had I ensured easier access for my water.

Cold Medicine:

In the interest of saving space and weight, I did not bring any cold medicine.  This was foolish, considering that I had only recently recovered from a six week chest cold.  When symptoms of the cold returned, I didn’t have any medicine with me! Thankfully, Elise gave me a cold tablet, which really opened my airways and stopped my coughing.

Vicks Vaporub:

Speaking of cold medicine, my unhappy lungs would have loved some Vicks vaporub.  Vicks is my go to cold relief medicine, since it opens my airways. It can also be used to provide mild relief to sore muscles.  Another way that I would have used Vicks was to block out the terrible toilet smells. Seriously. I gagged several times while trying to use some of the squalid toilets towards the end of the trek.  Vicks is strong smelling, so I could have applied it to the bandana over my nose to mask the ungodly odor. I have heard that police use Vicks to help them block the smell of dead bodies, so it should also provide some relief against squatty potties.

Better Sunscreen:

I didn’t want to pack two different kinds sunscreens (one for my face and one for my body), so I went with the facial sunscreen.  It was SPF 110, which was higher than the body one, and less greasy. My intent when was to save space in my bag while packing one that I didn’t mind putting on my face.  I probably should have packed both. My face did not get burned, but my forearms got roasted with severe sunburn. A waterproof, sweat proof formula might have saved my skin!

 

More Toilet Paper:

I went through a roll before the trek was over.  Granted, the locally available toilet paper is a little thin, flimsy, and economical on the roll.  I also used the toilet paper to blow my nose. Once the toilet paper was gone, I had to use wet wipes I had packed and napkins I stole from lunch.  This wasn’t an emergency, but would have been without the backup paper.

 

Sanitary Pads:

Altitude and physical exertion was unkind to my uterus.  It causes spotting to the degree that it seemed like a full blown period at times.  I happened to have a couple pads with me, but I was concerned that if things got heavier, it would not be adequate.  There are many things that can cause a period to come early, late, or spotting to occur. With that said, it is wise to pack a few pads, tampons, a diva cup, etc.  I use Nuvaring, which SHOULD prevent a period from happening until it is removed and has always reliably worked in this manner for me. The hormones were no match for the hike.

 

“She-Wee”/Travel Urinal:

There are long stretches of the hike without toilets.  Hikers should expect to see toilets at camp (so in the morning and at night) and usually at lunch.  It really isn’t advised to poop on the trail, as a person is expected to carry their used toilet paper with them.  On the other hand, if a person drinks enough water, having to urinate is a likely outcome. There are areas of the trail that really don’t have anywhere private to pee (as there is a ledge on one side and mountain/rock on the other).  For those who lack penises, having a she-wee might be a useful way to quickly and privately urinate. I have one, but didn’t pack it. I didn’t want to waste the space and didn’t know how I felt carrying around a urine soaked rubber funnel if I indeed had to use it.  A person can wash it with water from their water bottle if they do use it. I don’t think it is essential, but it could be useful. Also, I think “She-Wee” is a fun name, since it rhymes. But, I want to point out that it is not inclusive of trans/non-binary travelers who may not identify as “she.”  Go Girl, Lady J, and other similar products are also pretty gendered. I didn’t previously know what to call this product, but travel urinal is probably the most trans friendly.

 

Things I Packed, But Didn’t Need:

Many Snacks:

I worried that I would get hungry during the long hikes or that the meals would not be enough.  I packed more snacks than I needed, which took up unnecessary space and weight. The meals were always TOO big.  I was constantly over stuffed by the three course lunches and dinners. I slogged along with a belly full of soup each day, as each lunch and dinner included soup.  There was so much food that it felt oppressive. I ate a few of my snacks, including my mini PayDay bars and a protein bar.

Birding Book/Nature Guide:

I had high hopes for seeing birds along the trail.  Alas, I was too busy hiking to stop and identify the birds that I saw.  I really had to focus on keeping moving. While I did stop for some photos, I was too exhausted by the end of the day to identify the birds I had seen.  I had a bird guide in my day pack, but I didn’t use it at all. I also made my own guide to orchids, flowers, and cacti along the way, which I printed on a few sheets of paper.  Again, I didn’t have time to stop and identify orchids or cacti. I passed them by, aware of their variety and splendor, but unable to take the time to know them.

Extra Rain Gear:

Since I hiked at the end of November, which was the rainy season, I fully expected rain the entire hike.  I checked the weather forecast before the trek and of course it called for rain each day. Thankfully, I only rained one afternoon and the rest was mostly clear.  However, because I expected the worst, I over packed rain gear. I had both a rain jacket, disposable rain poncho, and heavier rain poncho, when the rain jacket alone would have sufficed.

Extra Leggings:

I wore two outfits during the four day trek.  However, I packed too many leggings. I could have survived with just two pairs or two pairs and one fleece legging.  Instead, I packed four pairs of leggings, two of them fleece. I only used one pair of the fleece leggings and that was during the cold nights.

Sunhat:

Although it was sunny, I felt like the hat only got in the way.  It would blow off my head or dangle sideways from its strap. In the end, I used a bandana to protect my head from the sun.

You can see the sunhat is already in the way….

Things I was Glad I Packed:

 

Altitude Medication (Acetazolamide):

I can’t imagine hiking the trail without altitude medication.  I was only prescribed three days worth, so I had to purchase more.  It was about $20 in Cusco and did not require a prescription. I am not sure how much the $20 bought me, but I needed it for about ten days and had some leftover tablets when I returned.

 

Wet Wipes:

An all around good idea for the day pack!  And a great way to clean up after a long day!

 

Hand Sanitizer:

Again, another good idea for the day pack!

 

Pepto Bismol:

Altitude, hygiene conditions, less familiar foods, etc. put a person’s digestive system to the test.  I didn’t became ill on the hike, but I did experience some heartburn and mild upset stomach.

PayDay Bars:

Although I didn’t eat many snacks, my mini PayDay Bars were a treat at the end of the day.  Because they weren’t chocolate, they didn’t melt on the hotter days.

Make-up:

This may seem frivolous, but it helped me feel less dirty and unkempt after four days without a shower.  I wear makeup each day, so I felt more like myself.

Day Four

Dry Shampoo:

Again, this helped me feel less dirty.

Bandana:

Bandanas are useful in many ways.  I used mine to protect my scalp from the sun, around my neck, and to wrap up a severe sunburn.

The bandana is covering a terrible burn.

Travel Blanket:

This took up a lot of extra space, but it doubled as a pillow and provided extra warmth during the colder nights.

Everything I Packed:

2 fleece leggings (only needed 1)

2 leggings

4 pairs of socks

4 pairs of underwear

2 t-shirts (may have benefited by another)

2 Shorts

1 sweatshirt

1 fleece top

Rain jacket

Hoodie

Bandana

Sunhat (not needed, as bandana was used for this purpose)

(Note: many people packed a winter jacket, but I felt fine without one and just layered my clothes)

Sunglasses

Wash rag

Hiking Boots

Moleskin for Blisters

 

Hiking poles

Sleeping Bag

Sleeping bag liner

Travel Blanket

Power Bank

Alarm Clock

Camera

Batteries

Chargers

Headlamp

Bird Guide (not needed)

Small notebook (I did take some notes along the way)

Pen

Altitude medication

Ibuprofen

Antibiotics (never used)

Pepto Bismol

Band-aids

Sunscreen 

Deodorant

Make up

Dry Shampoo

Soap

Hairbrush (a comb would have taken less space)

Toothbrush

Toothpaste

Snacks

Water Bottle

Hand Sanitizer

Wet Wipes

Toilet Paper

Sanitary Pads (not enough)

 

Hiking the Inca Trail While Out of Shape

Hiking the Inca Trail While Out of Shape

H. Bradford

1/3/2020

This year I wanted to go on a vacation that was a little more epic than my typical vacations.  After all, it would be my last vacation of the 2010s and my 30s. That is why last February I decided to hike the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu and visit the Galapagos Islands.  Both seemed like a way to end the decade on a high note. Since Machu Picchu is about 8,000 feet above sea level and the highest point on the hike is 13,828 feet, it literally was a way to end things high.  Since I planned the trip about nine months in advance, I didn’t take seriously the need to get into better shape until towards the last few months. Compounded by the fact that I worked overtime every pay period between January and August, then caught a nasty six week chest cold in October, I didn’t really have the time or health to get into better shape.  Needless to say, I began to worry that perhaps my imagination had written a check than my body could not cash. The person who booked the trip in February had doomed my out of shape November self to a challenging, high altitude slog. Like all challenging, somewhat foolish things, it was a learning experience I can now pass on to another out of shape wanderers like myself.

First of all, I really don’t like to think of myself as out of shape.  I enjoy hiking, snow shoeing, cross country skiing, going for walks, spending time outdoors, playing recreational soccer, taking fitness classes, and don’t mind jogging.  I like to be active but I’ve never been athletic. What is “out of shape” anyway? What should a person be able to physically do? What is “in shape?” Well, whatever “in shape” is, I’m not it.  I am active, but don’t specifically push myself towards fitness benchmarks. Because of that, well, I will never really be fit. I spent some time googling how fit a person has to be to complete the Inca Trail.  A website called The Adventure People stated that if you play a sport, can hike for several hours, or garden, you should be able to complete the trail.  I enjoy gardening, sure, but I think that if gardening is the only physical activity someone does, they will probably struggle on the trail. Maybe there is some extreme gardening out there. I suppose if  a person is a migrant laborer picking strawberries in the California sun for twelve hours a day, then the trail is no trouble. But, the ability to plant a few petunias is probably not an adequate measure of one’s physical capacity to finish the trail. I struggled, and I at least attempted to train on the treadmill at the highest incline in the weeks prior to the trip, did a few small local hikes, and was able to jog six miles two days before the trip.  By far, I was the most out of shape in my group.

Preparation:

As I mentioned, I didn’t prepare as well as I should have.  At the end of September, I went on a seven mile hike, which was supposed to be my kick off for “getting into shape.” But, the elusive “getting into shape” never happened.  I became sick with a terrible chest cold in early October that lasted into November. On days I felt less sick, I jogged or walked on the treadmill. While walking on the treadmill, I increased the incline to its maximum. However, this really doesn’t compare to the actual trail, since it lacks the exhausting altitude, weather and hygiene challenges, and endless steps. Had I felt better, I probably would have benefited from doing step machines, step classes, strength training, and more intense cardio. Oh well. Even had I felt better, I probably would have just ended up doing what I was already doing, but with more frequency and intensity.

I also tried to prepare by doing some day hikes.  To this end, I roped my friends into joining me. One Saturday, Adam, Lucas, and I visited Carlton Peak.  I have mistakenly thought for several years that Carlton Peak is the second highest in Minnesota. I don’t know where I picked up this false information, but really, it is not even in the top 20. False information aside, the tallest peak in Minnesota is Eagle Peak, which is 2,300 feet. Most of the tallest peaks in Minnesota are along the North Shore of Lake Superior, but it turns out that Carlton Peak is just a nice North Shore hike with a pleasant view. Carlton Peak is 1,532 feet high. Even this daunted my friends, who wanted to start in the middle! I became a little angry with them, goading them on that it was over 11,000 feet lower than what I would be hiking in mere weeks. This is when they concluded that the hike was probably going to kill me.  This wasn’t exactly the vote of confidence I needed.

I became worried that maybe they were right. I was woefully unprepared. Adam and I went on a hike up St. Peter’s Dome in Wisconsin, which was slightly higher than Carlton Peak and Ely’s Peak in Duluth. Unfortunately, none of these are very challenging hikes. I felt that it was better than nothing, but ultimately I am not sure if they improved my Inca Trail experience by much.

Day One:

Time slipped by and suddenly I was at the trailhead.  I began Day One with some anxiety over my fitness level. However, as an out of shape person, Day One was reasonably easy. I took it very slow, as I didn’t want to exhaust myself when there was still more days to come.  I also saw a trickle of hikers who for one reason or another had turned around. The scenery was nice, but it was also the hottest, sunniest day.  I hiked in late November, which is the rainy season, but all the days were actually clear of rain for the most part. The pleasant weather helped on the psychological front. Nevertheless, I severely scorched my arms in the sun, giving myself blistering burns that will probably leave light scars. I applied sunscreen, but it may have washed off, was applied unevenly, or sweated off. So, an important lesson is to apply sunscreen generously and several times to the areas of the arms that are in the sun all day (the top of forearms/wrists nearest to my walking poles was where it burned). The first day also featured flush toilets, so the physical, hygiene, and psychological fronts were not bad. It should be noted that toilets are mainly at campsites, so they are few and far between. Since I had already been in Cusco and Ollantaytambo for two days, but was also taking medication for altitude (Diamox), I didn’t have any negative effects from altitude, except trouble staying asleep and the fact that physical activity was harder.  Day One was fairly easy for my out of shape self. The main challenge of the day was not sleeping well that night (many animal noises) and that it turned chilly fairly quickly in the evening.

Day Two:

Day Two was physically very hard.  It involved several grueling hours of hiking uphill for an elevation gain of 3,600 feet (I don’t know the exact elevation gain, but it is 3,000-4,000 feet) to Dead Woman’s Pass, the highest point on the trail at 13,800 feet. This was made more challenging by the fact that the trail consists of long stretches of uneven stone steps. I counted the steps along the way to distract myself from the physical challenge. I counted over 1,100 stone steps. I lost count a few times. I also realized that a “step” is a more of a social construct than reliable unit of measure, as a step could be carved stone or it could be a few random rocks half buried in the dirt. Some steps only required a light lifting of the foot. Others were knee high monstrosities. I took it extremely slow, but also very steadily, with few breaks. I slogged along with another member of my group, Elise, who was also happy to go slow.

For the last hour, I felt that I was breathing through a straw with a hole in it while someone was sitting on my chest. Each plodding footfall was a laborious creep up the mountain. I thought that the altitude felt a bit like having an anxiety attack, but one without any end or relief. In other words, I felt that I couldn’t breath and my chest felt tight and heavy. It was a horrible feeling. I really couldn’t gasp for air, because I was too tired to gasp and it just felt like sucking harder on a holey straw. But, we both made it to the top of Dead Woman’s Pass. This was psychologically rewarding, as it meant that no other point would be that uniquely challenging. I also realized it was the hardest thing I would ever physically do and had done. It felt like my maximum. I felt that I would never be able to push myself to do more.

Of course, going up meant that we had to go down. This seems like it would be easy, and for many people, it was. I am afraid of heights, so I tend to not do well going down. So, again I took it very slowly and carefully.  This was mentally exhausting since it seemed like a giant puzzle of unsteady rocks. My brain became fatigued studying stones to put my feet on. Elise, my hiking buddy, had knee surgery in the past, so she also took it particularly slowly, as to go easy on her knees. But we made it and it was certainly a great accomplishment!

Day Three:

Day Three was psychologically the most challenging day for me.  Day Two was physically hard, but it was psychologically easy, since there was a long way up, but this upward hike had an eventual end point, followed by a long hike down. There was a finite end and reward of making it to the highest point. Day Three are more complicated.  For one, it began with another upward hike. Two, I was very tired after another night of tossing and turning. So, I did not wake up in the morning ready to take on another hike up. I was done with up. I was fed up with up. But, I had to force myself up (awake) and force myself up (uphill). And, once I was up, there was down, and then some more up and down. There was never a satisfying end point.

To make matters worse, my cough became worse. Yes, the menacing and endless chest cold that afflicted me for six weeks returned during my hike. I had a lot of regrets about not getting it checked out and dismissing it as a virus. Even during flat, relatively easy areas, I coughed and struggled to breathe. I felt that my lungs were water balloons. I began to fear that there was something seriously wrong with me. I was overcome with dread that my lungs were filling with fluid and that I would have a medical emergency, for which there was no help. Coughing, tight chest, and shortness of breath are all signs of more serious altitude sickness, which can develop into High Altitude Pulmonary Edema or High Altitude Cerebral Edema. I lagged behind Elise, worrying that this was happening to me.

When we stopped for a break several hours into the hike, I meekly told her that I thought something was really wrong with me, then started to cry. She gave me one of her hydration salts in my water bottle. I told the guide how I felt, but he really didn’t care. He wanted us to keep moving, as we were going too slowly. This also made me feel that not only was there something seriously wrong, but the one person who might be able to identify these symptoms was indifferent. Thankfully, unloading how I felt on Elise made me feel better, as I got it this secret I had been carrying around off my chest. Her hydration salt also helped. I was probably dehydrated since I hadn’t stopped for breaks and the weather was cooler than the day before (so I wasn’t drinking as much). She also gave me some kind of cold or allergy medicine, which aided my breathing. The crisis passed and I was able to continue without further incident. This was the psychologically most difficult part of the hike by far.  For the rest of the journey, she shared her hydration salts and cold medicine with me (which I didn’t think to pack).

The ups and downs of the first part of the day gave way to a very long descent. The guide said this consisted of 3,000 stone steps. I am not sure how many there were, but it seemed endless. We spent hours slowly traversing stone steps of every angle, wobble, height, and width.  This part of the day was physically and psychologically challenging for Elise, since her knee began to swell. The thousands of steps tested her knee replacement until many hours into it, her knee failed and she could no longer move it. Both of us were too psychologically and physically tested by the challenges of the day to enjoy the various ruins we passed.  At least she was only about twenty minutes from the campsite when she could go no more and needed some assistance from the guide and a porter. As for me, I had more pep in my step, having survived the earlier crisis and having seen many kinds of orchids along the way.

Day Four:

Day Four should have invigorated me.  After all, that was the day we would arrive at Machu Picchu.  It was supposed to be a short and easy hike. We arose especially early, since we had to wait in line at the control station to hike the final segment. Once again, I didn’t sleep well. By Day Four, hygiene conditions had deteriorated. The toilets were squalid squat toilets that made me gag. Beside the toilet was an overflowing basket of used toilet paper from countless hikers. When squatting, the basket of many wipes was at nose level. After three days of hiking, no shower, and raunchy toilets, morale was low on the hygiene front.  I was physically exhausted. I had also used up whatever “pep” my brain could give my step. I was not a happy camper when I set out on the final part of the journey.

 

I walked slowly again and fell behind the group I was with. They were energized by the prospect of finally arriving. I was hesitant since I didn’t have any energy to expend and wasn’t entirely sure how long the hike would be or if it would have any difficult segments. I kept myself moving by doing an army march in my head.  Left, right, left, right, left. But the path became uneven and full of steps again, so the marching orders became jumbled, left, little right, big step up, right, another big step, left, right, left, screw it. At one point, I was met by a wall of almost vertical steps which seemed about the size of half my foot. I stared at this wall of about fifty tiny steps and mumbled, “Jesus F*ing Christ” before scaling them like a money on my hands and tip toes.  I clawed my way to the top, and actually laughed at the absurdity of this final challenge. Of course, after four days of hiking, there would be a wall to scale up. Of course. But, not long after, I surprisingly arrived at the Sun Gate.

From there on, it was a simple jaunt to Machu Picchu.  The complex was shrouded in clouds when I arrived, but as the sun ascended and warmed the morning, the mist gave way to a verdant complex.  The sun, of course, continued to grow higher and warmer, until it was uncomfortably hot. The awe inspiring scene became another endurance test as we toured the ruins under an unforgiving sun.  I wanted a shower, to sleep, and to just stop moving for a while. So, I didn’t absorb the tour as well as I could have. It was just an obstacle between me and a hot shower, a shower I would not get to experience until the late evening. But, I enjoyed spotting birds, insects, flowers, and mammals among the ruin, even if I couldn’t appreciate their history in that moment.  I could certainly appreciate the effort it took to get there. In that sense, the tour was a bit surreal, as it was the final culmination of all of that effort.

Conclusion:

I made it and for that, I am proud.  I felt accomplished, even if the hike was not fast or fit.  In the end, it really is only four days, two of which aren’t that hard.  Most reasonably fit people should be able to finish the trail barring no major medical issues.  90% of people DO finish the trail. But, the question is, what is reasonably fit? I can’t imagine someone a lot LESS fit than me managing it very well, considering how I struggled.  But, a lot of the struggle is psychological. Physically, it requires a lot of steps and cardio (going up) but these in themselves are not impossible if done slowly and with breaks.  On the other hand, no matter how hard it is, it is difficult to remember pain and discomfort. Even now, just over a month later, I can’t really remember what the struggle felt like.  I remember the orchids and ferns, the camaraderie, and the sense of accomplishment, but the heavy lungs and blistered toes fade deeper into my memory of pain.  Physical pain and discomfort is only experienced in the moment. It is immediate, then vanishes like the fog lifting off of Machu Picchu in the sun. Thus, no matter how out of shape one is or how hard the struggle, memory doesn’t favor pain…or at least my memory didn’t!  Maybe that can be a comfort to anyone who attempts it while not quite in shape.  The hard parts will never be remembered as hard as they were in the moment, but the feeling of accomplishment and awe are long lasting.