THE LAKE NAMED NUMBER SIXTY-NINE (TEST CONTENT &UPDATES)

CM
CM
Jul 10, 2017 · 5 min read

Days 70, 71 & 72 of 100.

*I am currently testing a content format, updates are made nightly to this.

Today’s article is an immersive experience. If you have a great pair of headphones, then please do click HERE in a new tab, hit play and continue to scroll down. No passport needed.

Hiking to the top

THE LAKE NAMED NUMBER SIXTY-NINE

Aseven hour bus ride on Peru’s finest bus line is what separates the city of Huaraz from it’s lesser known & probably edgier cousin, Lima.

Known mainly by extreme hikers (the town is starting ground to one of the most beautiful hikes in the world — Cordillera Huayhuash) or locals, it seems Huaraz has yet to make it into any guidebook for the standard traveler on her way for a life affirming experience at Macchu Picchu.

Huaraz wasn’t much to look at.

A sleepy town with an empty town square. Streets missing sidewalks, and entire apartment buildings decorated with giant billboards advertising the latest washing machines. It was the type of town where you either walked, or had to ask your hostel owner for a ride. You would wait on a corner for them to pick you up, somewhere between the hours of “3:30 and 5pm, we will be there”.

The town it seemed, thrived on two things for survival. Tourist season — when experienced climbers came to conquer the Huayhash Circuit needed a place to acclimate, rest up or prepare, and the slow, sleepy inhabitants who’s livelihood was to support them. This equation made for a slow and often siesta like day, everyday. What this town lacked in excitement and perfunctory timing, made up for in it’s austere beauty of the Cordillera mountaintops as a backdrop. The world was at the city’s fingertips, and Huaraz was just the opening.


Just one week before, I had hiked for five days to Machu Picchu.

It was an, “Oh my god, seriously, so inspiring and life affirming, like a once in a lifetime — you MUST go before you die” type of experience.

But this place was esoteric.

No fanfare in the town. No tourists. No traveler’s badge of honor. No paint by color guide to lead the way.

This is the place you visit when nothing makes sense in your own world, so that you can rediscover all the things that you love about it. For the first time in my life, I felt like I could truly breathe.

Simply a blue sky and the vast beauty of a world that thrived without ever knowing of your existence. There was beauty in this, and when I thought — my ideas, and my life felt limitless.

*When you see <>, they will represent the audio that you will be hearing.<Music fades, slowly taken over by the sounds of nature >

<Imagine this were a cinemagraph or living photo>

<Sounds of water rushing enter here as well>

  • I had to think of how to write a compelling story that wasn’t too personalized as a blog, include enough information so that it would have enough respect as a publication would and still, inspire and immerse the reader in this place. This has taken many, many revisions — at least two hours of writing and deleting and “researching” that has been simply procrastinating. I’m still figuring this out — as I feel content should be the most important item.
  • I have to remind myself — that this content should be about stories that I would want to read about as well, and not just emulate the styles that are out there. I find myself veering that way naturally.
  • Slowly, I am also figuring out the “voice” of the piece. At times it is detailed and vibrant, other times I want the story to be super casual.
  • I’m thinking about what I would want each reader to get out of this article the most, and that would be to — have a new viewpoint of Peru so that it’s not only about Machu Picchu, and to be inspired to visit here or try a similar experience.

THE JOURNEY

At 4,600 meters (15,000 feet), every two steps feels like a 15 pound crossbar sitting on your chest. Two of the three hours (each way) spent hiking to Laguna 69 is a vertical load — straight shot to the best view of PachiMama’s benevolent creation.

The glacial lake wasn’t known as “Laguna 69” until 1975, when the Peruvian government launched a census to categorize the entire area as the “Huascaran National Park”.

Laguna 69 draws some of the most adventurous hikers in the world. In the span of one day on a three hour hike, you’d experience all four seasons. Starting with a light camping tee, you’d end up at the top of the mountain, exhausted and level with snow caps. It’s a literal transition from the mortal realm to Mt Olympus.

<POP UP FEATURES>

Think “POP UP MUSIC VIDEO”. These would be a tiny side box that you could click on to learn more about each place. I was inspired by the detailed scientific accounts taken from Lewis & Clarke that included illustrations of the place. This is for people to get more of an impression of a place, that is more than a personal account. Here are some examples of ones that I would have along the sidebar for this article.

Example:

Here are the native trees of Huaraz. They are called RojaFuego — meaning Red Fire. In the Summertime, their bark is used for rituals. * I made this up but it’s fun though right?

<POP UP FEATURE>The Lake 69, located at 4600m/15,092ft. lies just at the flank of The Pisco and Chacraraju Mountain. Named during a government census. This is one of the most beautiful aqua colored glacial lakes in the Northern of the Cordillera Blanca mountain range.

Laguna 69 (If this was a live picture that you could click on that would be cool)
CM

Written by

CM

Writer. Traveler. Brooklyn, born and raised. A new article every day for 365 Days about starting a travel magazine.

Welcome to a place where words matter. On Medium, smart voices and original ideas take center stage - with no ads in sight. Watch
Follow all the topics you care about, and we’ll deliver the best stories for you to your homepage and inbox. Explore
Get unlimited access to the best stories on Medium — and support writers while you’re at it. Just $5/month. Upgrade