The Ancascocha Trail in the Peruvian Andes is a spectacular trail that
remains off the beaten path even given its close proximity to the classic Inca
Trail to Machu Picchu.
I hiked it with a group of 18 teenagers from the U.S.—nine of the students
were blind or visually impaired and nine were sighted, with the sighted guiding
the blind. Around the middle of the trek we camped for a full day and night at
the remote mountain community of Chillipahua, where we partook in a game of
soccer with the village kids (our blind participants used a soccer ball with a
plastic bag over it in order to hear it roll). We were all out of breath, since
the village is at 12,000 feet. We also painted a schoolhouse alongside
community members, and the locals celebrated our stay with a traditional meal:
sheep and vegetables cooked under hot rocks buried in the ground.
When we all got to the Gateway of the Sun, above the World Heritage site of
Machu Picchu, I remember the sighted kids describing the incredible view
looking into this ancient city of rock, with much more of the ruins still
buried under jungle vegetation. —Erik Weihenmayer
Length: 19-mile hike from Parpishu to Camicancha (plus bus
and train ride to Machu Picchu)
The Details: The Inca Trail has fallen off most best-of
lists because it is just too crowded, but the ruins of Machu Picchu—which poet
Pablo Neruda praised as “madre de piedra, espuma de los cóndores” (“mother of
stone, spume of condors”)—and the surrounding passes and peaks of the Andes
should remain on any bucket list.
Enter Weihenmayer’s choice: the Ancascocha Trek (often called the Super Inca
Trail or even the Hidden Inca Trail), a far more strenuous, yet less traveled
and more rewarding path. The trek takes roughly five or six days wandering
through traditional villages like Chillipahua and its namesake Ancascocha at
12,795 feet. Along the way, it humps over big passes, including a high point of
roughly 16,000 feet on Inca Chiriaska, and takes in views of towering
20,551-foot Salcantay.
Many local guide companies have added the “Hidden” Inca Trail to
itineraries, so take advantage of their logistical planning but go before the
masses catch on. One note, the trail doesn’t actually end at Machu Picchu; you
need to hop a short bus and train ride to get there, but you won’t care much
after the experience of solitude in the high Andes.
When to Go: Spring (April-May) and fall (September-October)
are best, avoiding the winter storms and minimizing the hordes of tourists that
arrive at Machu Picchu in summer.
About Weihenmayer: In 2001, Erik Weihenmayer summited Mount
Everest—he is the first and only blind person to stand atop the tallest peak.
But that climb was just one of many accomplishments claimed by the
Colorado-based adventurer, who lost his sight due to a degenerative disease at
age 13. Weihenmayer, who is accompanied by a partner on his adventures, has
since climbed the remaining highest peaks on every continent, run marathons,
and competed in adventure races and reality TV shows. He is currently training
to kayak the Grand Canyon. Weihenmayer also helps other blind, deaf, and
hard-of-hearing people achieve outdoor dreams through Leading the Way, an arm
of the nonprofit No Barriers USA.
