Locals have trekking adventure to Machu Picchu
By Suzanne Werre
Editor
Mark that one off the bucket list.
That’s what three local women can be thinking as they recently returned from a two-week adventure in Peru, where they trekked to the top of the 15th Century Incan ruins of Machu Picchu, a complex of homes and plazas that are cut out of stone – one of the New Seven Wonders of the World.
Renee Fransen of Coleharbor, Linda Pryor of Underwood and Laurie Sheldon of Washburn recently returned from their trip to Peru, where they walked the Incan trail that winds through the mountains of Machu Picchu to see the ruins that lie hidden deep in the Amazon jungle.
When the plan of climbing Machu Picchu was first hatched last year, noted Renee, there were going to be about eight women going on the trip. By the time all of the plans were made, there were 18.
They arrived in Lima, Peru, on March 28. The next day they took a small plane to an area called the Sacred Valley, which is at an altitude of about 12,500 feet, with the intent to become acclimated to the altitude before they started the arduous trek up the mountain.
It was a four-day hike up the mountain, with three nights in tents, before they reached the Sun Gate, where they could overlook the ruins from atop the mountains.
