The second day of the hike leads up to Dead Woman's Pass, and back down to Paqaymayu campsite. The trip up to Dead Woman's pass is approximately 1,100 metres (3,600 feet) and the trip down to the campsite is about 700 metres (2,200 feet). It spans approximately 12 kilometers, and is grueling. This is where you first sense the altitude (4,200 metres, or 13,750 feet), huffing and puffing your way up to Dead Woman's Pass.
Dead Woman's Pass is not named after someone who died there. There are a couple of peaks that natives describe as resembling a woman lying on her back. Hence the name. And it's cold and windy up there. Here's a picture of me looking goofy in whatever I had to keep my head warm. At least I didn't have my pack on.
It's lovely up there, but with another two hours of hiking before camp and 30 degree temps (I'm from Florida!), you can only linger so long.
