Inca Trail Day 4 The Final Push

Day 4 The Race To The Sun Gate

5 km of gradual descent to 2400m, 280m down.

What a day Day 4 turned out to be.

We all got up at 3.45am, Jo could hardly move, we all could hardly move. But breakfast was cake this morning, so that made it easier to rise. The plan was to be first to the checkpoint, which opened at 5.30, to be first in line in the race to the sun gate.

We didn't actually make to the checkpoint first, we were second, that was ok, it wasn't raining and we only had 40 mins to wait for the checkpoint to open. There was a misty dampness in the air, so we had our wet weather gear on and I also had a jumper because it was cold.

The clock slowly ticked off the seconds. The checkpoint guards came down at 5.20.

Tick 5.28.

Tick 5.29.

Tick....... We were off. The gate was opened, our tickets checked and stamped, through the checkpoint and on to glory.

Well it might not have been quite that dramatic, I seem to be more excited about it than I remember being on the day, but it was good to be at the final hurdle.

A good pace was set, but after the last 3 days it wasn't too quick. The path was level so I was able to keep my place in the line. I soon got hot in my rain jacket and jumper. I wasn't about to stop and let anyone else get ahead of me. A few in front of me stopped to tie shoe laces or take off clothes and each time I passed one, it moved me closer to the front.

We were probably about two thirds the way to the sun gate, about 1 hour front the mornings checkpoint. We had had a couple of slight uphill sections and I was once again falling behind. Everyone was starting to string out along the trail. There was Quannah ( pronounced Conner ) form our group, closely followed by Roy, I was 10-15m behind Roy and Ouray ( Quannah's brother ) behind me, but out of sight from me.

I watched Quannah walk around a corner in the trail and then Roy just seemed to put his foot onto..... nothing and just toppled over the cliff......... yes TOPPLED OVER THE CLIFF.

It is one of the strangest and funniest things I have ever seen. You couldn't make this stuff up if you wanted to. Roy didn't make a sound, in fact he didn't say anything through the entire episode. I just heard the rustle of his poncho.

Roy's predicament.

Quannah later said that one minute Roy was talking away and then nothing, not a sound. He spun around and no Roy.

I watched it happen from 15m away, like it wasn't actually real. Then thought.. gosh.. mmmm not quite. Quannah said it was the fastest I had moved on the whole trek, I didn't put a stopwatch on it so can't claim otherwise. But we got to the spot where Roy went over and looked down to see him clinging to some grass and shrubs.

I had a rented walking stick, so that was useless, but Quannah had an illegal cane one, nice and long. Roy had to scramble back up the grass so that he could reach the walking stick held out at full stretch by Quannah. He grabbed hold of it and when there was enough stick I grabbed hold and we pulled Roy back up. We hauled him onto the path and plonked him down feet first, lucky for Roy he only weighed about 65kg.

It seemed like a long time but in reality probably took no more than 30 sec, because Ouray only saw us standing together on the path, he thought one of us had lost something over the edge..... we did..... his name is Roy.

As I said nothing was spoken by Roy and if either Quannah or myself said anything, i have forgotten. The tree of us just dusted down ourselves and resumed our march to the sun gate. We hadn't even lost a spot in the queue.

I don't think Roy realises how lucky he was, we hadn't gone more than another 150m along the trail, where if he had tried his stunt here, there would be no coming back, just straight down no grass.

Roys problems were over, but unfortunately mine were about to start.

Lifting Roy up hadn't done me any good, in fact it had severely aggravated my hernia. Those that don't know I developed one about 5 or 6 years ago. It isn't a bad one, and until now hadn't had any problems at all, and I was fine again 3 days later. But right then I wasn't. Straight away I didn't notice, or was still nice and warm, so it didn't worry me. I thought that it was not too bad. I just had some pain, so I continued to the sun gate. That was probably the best, because as you reach the gate, there are about 100 steps and they are almost vertical. It was of course slowing me down and I wasn't too happy to see others pass me along the way.

I made it to the sun gate, but as we rested up there I knew that I wasn't very well, as we cooled down I stiffened up. I couldn't stand erect, i was at about 10 to 15 degrees doubled over, to relieve the pain.

Our view at the sun gate.

I told Marko and Casiano what was going on and that all I need was to put my feet up. So Casiano sent Marko and I down to Macchu Picchu on our own. We got down to the guard house before anyone else, form our group, and set up shop just above the ruins. I had a great view of the place and Marko pointed lots of things out while we waited for the others. At one point Marko turned to me and said that Macchu Picchu would be gone soon. I didn't know what he meant until I saw the clouds roll in. I just hoped that the rest of the group had gotten there in time.

The mist just about to obscure Macchu Picchu.

They had, just, where i had about 15 mins looking at Macchu Picchu they had about 5, just enough time to get the group photo's out of they way.

I had walked 4 days to sit above the ruins for 20 mins, was it worth it? At least I have a good story to tell. And if i get the chance I will come back and walk around the ruins. That's right, no need for me to hire a porter, because I'm catching the train next time.

What I got to see in town waiting for the group.