Off To The Mountians !

It is the night before a nine-day trek on the Huayhuash (sounds like white wash) trail near Huaraz. I am going with a young, tall Dutch couple. They are both over 6'5 feet and standing between them, I feel like a valley. The hike is suppose to be spectacular, through eight mountain passes at 4000-5000 meters between many 6000-plus meter peaks and glacier lakes. As a warm up, I hiked up to Lago 69, a beautiful lake of bright blue water fed by waterfalls and glaciers of the high mountains above. A nice ending to a trail.

  

I noticed how all the travelers in these trekking towns become obsessed with altitude and numbers. How high they have gone, how high the mountains are, how high this or that city is, etc. I am one of them. You constantly hear people spouting off numbers in meters or feet. It's hilarious but I think it is because none of us want to get altitude sickness and these numbers are somehow comforting.

Off to go pack and get some snacks and water.