This summer, Associate Professor Jim Faeder got out of the lab and onto the trail. He traveled to Peru and took a trekking tour to the summit of Machu Picchu set high in the Andes Mountains.
Machu Picchu is an Incan citadel built in the 15th century and later abandoned, and this lost city is recognized as one of the “New Seven Wonders of the World.” This nine-day trip helped Faeder connect with the history and culture of Peru and gave him a new perspective to bring back to Pitt.
His trek began in the city of Cusco, where he spent time exploring the ancient temples of the Incan Empire and acclimating to the high altitude with day hikes. The elevation in this area of Peru begins at 12,000 feet, which is a difficult feat for hikers not accustomed to the conditions.
Then, Faeder and his tour drove to the start of the trailhead that would bring them to the top of Machu Picchu. The trip would take them three days to complete on the mountainous Salkantay pass, which has a summit of 15,000 feet.
“The mountains are just really beautiful,” Faeder said. “There’s this excitement of climbing over the pass on these steep trails with a lot of rocks and horses on them.”
On his journey to the summit, Faeder and his tour stayed in mountain lodges around the way, experienced traditional Peruvian cuisine, and relaxed in hot tubs to ease their tired feet.
One of Faeder’s favorite experiences was the Pachamanca, a traditional Peruvian feast where marinated meats and vegetables are slow cooked on stones. He was even feeling adventurous enough to try the roast guinea pig, a popular festival food in Peru.
Along the way, he was invited to the house of a local resident whose family had lived in the mountains of Peru for generations. Faeder appreciated seeing the Peruvian way of life and exploring a traditional home.
“You can read about the history and the culture of a place, but until you actually see it, it doesn’t have the same impact,” he said. “I love going to different places in the world and experiencing how people live.”
Faeder initially had a difficult time adjusting to the high altitude of the trail, but he put one foot in front of the other and made it to the top. “You really have no choice once you commit to the trip,” he joked. “There was a horse in our party called ‘Justin Case,’ and that is the Peruvian version of medevac.”
Luckily, Faeder and the tour made it to the top and didn’t need to take a horse medevac back down the mountain.
At the summit, he could glimpse the magnificent historical site of the Temple of the Moon peeking through the clouds. The site was awe-inspiring enough that Faeder would like to plan his next trekking trip.
Where’s his next adventure? His husband has his eye on a trip to Antarctica, but Faeder would love to explore another region of South America. We will see where their hiking shoes take them next.