Hallett's Horror

Before Marilyn and I left for our three-week tour to visit the lost INCA ruins and Royal Buildings called Machu Picchu, discovered in 1911, with steep terraces overlooking a u shaped river below, Jim explained to me that his hike up to the top of the mountain pictured below, the INCA Kings' Sacred Peak, Huayna Picchu, was the most terrifying hike of his life. He added that he had not hiked very far up the trail before absolute panic set in and he was forced to crawl down the rest of the way on his knees; it was so steep, narrow and slippery. This being said, I gave the mountain a lot of respect and, fortunately (for me) the wait in line to do the hike was far more time than our tour group had in our morning after visit (we did climb to the Sun Gate on the opposite side of Machu Picchu). The ruins were magical and mysterious to view.










Trail veers off to the right in the upper right portion of the pictures above and below, or two-thirds of the way to the top of the mountain.