Laguna 69 Trek (15,100 ft)

Wahoo! A highlight of my entire Peru trip for sure. This trek is famous and strenuous. Here are the stats- 12km round trip (7.5 miles) with 800 meter ascent (2600 ft). Time to complete the trek is 6 hours with a cost of ~65 soles/$30 usd (includes 6 hr transportation, 'guide', park entrance fee).

Laguna 69 is found at 4600 meters (>15,000ft). This lake is higher then any point in the continental United States and I was definitely very nervous about attempting this trek. My hands were feeling numb before we even started walking. Fortunately I was traveling with 2 good friends whom I trusted and that gave me the confidence to even start the hike, Nathan and Michael. I chewed on raw coca leafs and I swear this helped get me up the mountain. I was moving so slowly during the 2nd ascent- I set a new slow record for myself. But, everyone was moving slowly. It was rainy season so the views were limited and it was FREEZING. Still, well worth the effort and a memory to be cherished forever.Read more