An Enduro Mountain bike trip to the Southern Hemisphere
By Ali Goulet — A few short years ago, 2010 to be exact, I was invited to join some pro riders on a filming mission in Peru. We rallied the local trails of the Sacred Valley, generally recognized as the heart of the Inca Empire, located in the region of Cusco. We did some humanitarian work and took on the famed Inca Avalanche race. I fell in love with the culture and local trails. When given the chance, I will spew endless praise for the riding and culture of the area.
I had become fast friends with my adventure partners and KB, the Inca Avalanche race director. When my adventure in Peru ended I was sure i’d never return. Being a family-man the option to travel for selfish reasons is not often exercised.
When I produce the inaugural Wasatch Enduro, KB was in attendance, he appreciated my event tactics and asked me to partner with him on the Avalanche. I didn’t take much convincing, jumping at the chance to be involved. Each spring since 2012, I’ve returned to the Sacred Valley, generally spending a week riding and producing the event.
Fast-forward three years to 8 Utahns journeying to Peru, with the intent to kick off the inaugural Inca Avalanche Trail Festival and endurolize the Sacred Valley.
The plan was to rendezvous at the Cusco airport, build bikes and start a weeklong adventure of a lifetime. Months of planning will give you a false sense that this could be easy but easy doesn’t equal adventure and Peru almost guarantees adventure.
Upon arrival in Cusco things started to go sideways. Mitch and Ben showed up sans bikes, misplaced in transit. Sean was detained in Lima for having CO2 cartridges, no indication of when he would land in Cusco and Aaron’s pedal installed at a 5° angle during our bike building.
The uninitiated would suggest going to the local bike shop for a new crank arm and some rental bikes but that doesn’t really exist in Cusco…Welcome to Peru, let the adventure begin.
Luckily Sean turned up just as we were departing the airport. We came up with a JB Weld pedal solution for Aaron, grabbed some food and headed off to our first ride…Even though we had traveled through the night, all were perking up at the notion of these Peruvian trails I’d raved about. The trails did not disappoint, winding through wooded areas, past farmlands and even some built jumps, leading us to the outskirts of Cusco. Here the ride turned urban, stairs and narrow alleyways delivered us to the Plaza De Armas in the center of Cusco.
After thorough examination of the plaza, we grabbed some cervezas and began the 2hr. drive to our homebase. We were bound for Ollantaytambo, an ancient Inca city in the heart of the Sacred Valley. At 9,000ft. above sea level, flanked by amazing ruins and towering Andes Mountains, the city itself is a marvel of Inca architecture and ingenuity.
At this point the group had been traveling for over 24 hours. We were all anxious for a real meal, thankfully the Sacred Valley provides. Everything in the area is locally raised, free range and pesticide free, primarily because the concept of pesticides and hormones hasn’t taken hold of this area. Puka Rumi is one of my favorite restaurants and provided probably one the best meal we’ve ever had.
During dinner we found out that local transportation workers are planning to strike in the middle of the week, thus shutting down roadways and local transportation…After a brief discussion, we formed a plan that allows us the same adventure just remixed to work around the labor strike.
It is decided that our first mission will be to deliver a Goal Zero solar power unit to the school of P’antikalle just over the mountain pass of Abra Malaga.
Following a hearty breakfast and some of the best coffee the Andes has to offer, we meet at the Plaza De Armas in the center of Ollantaytambo. Each day begins this way, load bikes on top of Combi vans and pile in for a ride to the top of the nearest mountain pass. Yes, you could pedal up the mountains but the trails weren’t built for bikes and you’d do more pushing than riding. We often joke that if you want to ride to the peaks you’d better bring a tent.
After a 45 minutes ascent, we arrive at the pass. At 15,000 feet moisture is almost given, the air is thin and a bit chilly. We prepare the bikes and ourselves for a ripping descent to the school of P’antikalle.
The trail is off the hook! We descend Inca stairways, flowing grassy zones, past horses and dwellings, enthusiasm and stoke are running high! Nothing I’ve ridden compares to Peruvian trail, there are almost always multiple lines to choose from, and you can literally ride anywhere, Peru is a mountain bike paradise!
After 30 minutes of descending we arrive at P’antikalle. Senora Elizabeth and the kids welcome us, despite having no idea we were coming, a secret I kept from my group. Being in a narrow valley far from the pass and only accessible by foot, bike or horse, there is no phone to call.
Nonetheless we are invited to have lunch with them. Boiled eggs and potatoes are prepared and coca tea is distributed. The kids joyride our bikes around the courtyard as rain begins to fall, pero los chicos are having too much fun to stop.
Our gift of solar power was much appreciated, two years prior our friends Kelly McGarry and Eric Porter delivered a system which had since failed, so timing was perfect.
We lunched with the kids, explained operating procedures for the Goal Zero solar and then headed out. We’d descended 1,000ft. to P’antikalle and now had to earn our way back to the pass and our vehicles. Time to shoulder bikes and start hoofing it. Straight up the side of the mountain at this altitude is no easy feat but also there is no other option. After a 45 minute hike we reach the Combis, load up and head back to the pass, 5000ft descending still awaits us. We are headed to the start of the Inca Avalanche race route which leads us back to Ollanta.
The Peruvian trail theme continues, Rocky tech areas, flowing grassy trails and the opportunity to visit Inca ruins along the route. The trail is fast and rocky, despite our DH casing tires, we suffer two flats, finishing out our ride in the dark.
Tonight begins the Trail Fest in earnest, with a welcome dinner for all the participants. We meet our fellow festers, exchanging stories of the day and discussing the prospect of future trail slaying. Our new friends, Barry from Ireland, Nicole an American ex-pat living in Cusco and group who call themselves the Rude Boys, hailing from Colorado. Nicole proved to be invaluable, helping us to reunite Ben and Mitch with their missing bikes. The following day we have our sights set on shredding 10,000ft of vert.
Choose your own adventure – Peru style
Morning begins as the previous, meeting in the plaza, load bikes, start our ascent, this time to the pass of Abra Patacancha.
The group is tired, long travel and intense riding is showing on the faces of our crew, nothing a little music can’t cure. At the pass we pour out of the combis as do the jams. The mood quickly changes from sullen to hyped as we ready to drop off the backside of the mountain toward a community called Yanamayo. The trail is amazing and we revel in every minute of the “choose your own adventure” trail shredding. The combis wait at the roadside below to shuttle us back to the pass. This time to drop the front side, toward the community of Patacancha and eventually Ollanta.
Abra Patacancha singletrack is formed by foot and livestock, line options are endless, the air fills with hoots and hollers of joy as we experience this trail for the first time. Llamas look on in disbelief at our pack of Enduroites. Still well above tree line, we are easily seen, shortly we come upon a young woman and her siblings who have set up a trailside mercantile. All goods hand dyed and woven from alpaca. Our group picks up a few gifts for loved ones before pushing on. We’ve been invited to take comida at the community of Huilloc but still have a few thousand feet of descending ahead of us.
In Huilloc we’d been prepared a traditional Andean lunch starting with a regional tortilla and local salsa, followed by a plate of oats and veggies and a warm soup. A combination of the long miles and purity of ingredients once again made this one of the best meals we’ve ever had.
Refueled and refreshed, there was of course more trail to be ridden. Just minutes above our lunch spot was the Pumamarca trail head and the opportunity for another 1000 ft of descending that not only featured multiple Inca sites but also dropped right into Ollantaytambo.
No Hike, No Ride – Inti Punku
Today was to be the biggest and most rewarding of our entire trip. On the docket, a 4000ft ascent to the site of Inti Punku, the Sun Gate. No need for the combis as we’d be pedaling out of town and up to the mountain peak. The word pedaling is used loosely as 90% of the journey would be hike-a-bike, due to direct nature of the route. I’d personally been looking forward to this adventure for quite some time. The site itself is amazing, 1000 year old guard post with geographical significance during the solstice and featuring 360 views of the surrounding Andes and the Veronica glacier. Along the route is an Inca quarry, an open tomb and a massive Inca pool used to irrigate the fields.
We descended from Ollantaytambo, toward the Urubamba river crossing the train tracks where protesters were attempting to block a train using massive boulders and fiery stumps. The protesters gave us no resistance, only applauding our technique on the rocky trail that lead to the tracks. From here we pedaled along the river, climbing slightly over the next 30 minutes before starting the push to Inti Punku.
As we we reached the halfway point, temperatures changed from mid 90s, dropping into the 50s with a light and welcome drizzle, this rain actually lifted our spirits, way better than laboring in the 90s.
We took a short rest break at the area of the open tomb. As the story goes this is the resting place of an Inca that was well liked and well traveled, thus choosing to have an open tomb so he could receive visitors in the afterlife. At one time there were actual human remains but has since been raided. No pictures please.
We push on, one foot in front of the other, savoring the rare chances to actually pedal our bikes when the trail relents. Off in the distance we can begin to see the outline of the Sun Gate.
I was concerned that we would expend all this effort to achieve the summit, only to be socked in by clouds. Pachamama (mother nature) wasn’t going to allow that to happen. As we rounded the final corner, the clouds dissipated and we received a full view of Inti Punku with the Veronica glacier in the background, it was amazing and short-lived. We took the opportunity to get some great group photos before tackling the 4000ft drop back to town. And what a descent! Filled with flowing singletrack, some of the rockiest trail and steepest pitches thus far. As a group we were elated with our accomplishment, a pretty massive ascent to an amazing Inca site, with amazing sites along the way… another super satisfying day in the Andes.
Machu Picchu – You call that a rest day?
Our rest day, if you could call it that, called for a visit to Machu Picchu, Just a short hour and a half train ride from Ollantaytambo, how could we not visit one of 8 wonders of the World. Our day began quite early as the transportation strike had backed up the trains and we had to sort that out. We all caught separate trains, eventually meeting in the tourist town of Aguas Caliente. A short but scary bus ride delivered us to the site of Machu itself. Breathtaking hardly describes it, the site is massive! When you contemplate all the stone, irrigation and architecture, it really blows your mind. I’ve been to Machu Picchu three times and will absolutely go every chance I get. After spending the day at Machu, we grabbed dinner and caught the last train back Ollanta, arriving late at night, the perfect preparation before an intense weekend of racing…Inca Avalanche starts manana.
Racing the Inca Avalanche
Saturday, Inca Avalanche race day, one of the most extreme events you can participate in. A mass start enduro/DH, starting from 15,000ft. above sea level. Racers descend 5000ft. through multiple climates before arriving at the finish. As per usual, we met at the plaza to load the vans and head to the peak of Abra Malaga. The mood in the van was contemplative, everyone falling into their own modes of preparation for such an intense race. As we neared the peak it was apparent that it had snowed overnight. This would be the first time for snow in the history of the event. The start line is 1000 ft above the paved road, riders have the option to push their bikes or pay one of the locals the equivalent of two dollars to push their bike up, money well spent in my opinion. Today was a qualifier, an opportunity to review the course and set yourself up with a good start position for Sunday’s final event. A local shaman was on-hand to bless the race for the safe passage of the riders, a nice touch that bridged the gap between our modern mountain bike insanity and old world Peruvian traditions.
We were 200 riders in the start corral, anxiously awaiting the judges start whistle. Whistle blows and we’re off! The first section of the course is pure insanity, So slippery that 90% of all riders crashed at least once if not multiple times. Once below the snowline things settled in and racing got on as usual. Unfortunately in the chaos of the start, one of our group went down. Alf’s helmet visor exploded into his face slicing his nose and lip wide-open, he would eventually travel to Cusco in order to get the proper treatment. We wouldn’t reunite with him until two days later at the airport
With qualifying behind us, we were on to the task of preparing our bikes for the Sunday’s final event and speculating on what we could do better or what lines were working best.
Sunday greeted us with rays of sunshine, much appreciated. At 15,000ft the conditions were still quite slippery but much more manageable than the previous day
As with the day before, we were placed into the grid, 200 strong, full of enthusiasm, riders were ready to unleash! The whistle blows and we rush down the open tundra, trying to avoid the pitfalls and mud bogs that lay in front of us. Once through the opening sections, focus was on the singletrack and picking off riders ahead, while staying out of danger, all while feeling like you’re breathing through a straw…There really is nothing like starting such a massive descent with 200 riders, if you have the means, I highly recommend it.
Once the finish line is crossed, all anxiety is released and the party begins. Local kids from the community practically rip your bike from your hands begging to clean it in the canal for a few Soles, the equivalent of two or three dollars. A valuable service no doubt but a watchful eye is recommended or your stanchions might just might lose their coating to the walls of the canal, no bueno.
The finish line is a full on party with food vendors, beer and copious amounts of chicha a local homebrew of fermented corn. However, If your stomach is not localized I recommend staying away from the chicha or suffer the consequences. The finish line party transfers to the Plaza De Armas, the whole town turns out and the plaza is packed with thousands of people to see the awards and jump jam.
Our crew not only survived the event but came away with some really good results! Joni and Christine stepped onto the Pro podium in first and third, David Beeson won the master 40+ category and many of us finished in the top 10 in our respective categories, no surprise for Utahns, we’re pretty fast.
Back to Reality
There is always a touch of sadness when these journeys come to an end. After spending eight days only caring about ripping trail with your friends, it feels like real life. But reality calls and so we make one final journey to the plaza, this time with bikes packed in boxes, headed for the airport and the long journey back to the promised land.
For more information on the Inca Avalanche Trail Festival visit IncaAvalanche.com or follow on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter @IncaAvalache
