#6: Devil in the Details!

It was a gorgeous, crisp morning.

An eight-mile hike, reaching nearly 9,000 feet above sea level.

We were starting the short Inca Trail to Machu Picchu!

All acclimatized, mesmerized and ready to go!

I was engulfed in the dewy scent of the mountain air.

“Listen guys!

Be careful, don’t get lost, there are bears and poisonous snakes!”

Thank you for the awakening!

But isn’t that a little out of proportion?

Well, how risky is hiking, really?

(No reliable published figures specific to the Inca Trail were found.)

A study of 1,201 participants on Rocky Mountain backpacking courses found that 2.2% sustained reportable musculoskeletal or soft-tissue injuries.¹

Another U.S. study covering 441,855 participant-days of wilderness expeditions reported no fatalities.²

Are we letting the fear of danger overshadow the joy of living?

Are we seeing sharks or bristlemouths?

(Please refer to Reflection #1: The Ocean Within.)

¹ Hamonko et al. — Injuries Related to Hiking with a Pack During National Outdoor Leadership School Courses (2011).

² McIntosh et al. — Medical Incidents and Evacuations on Wilderness Expeditions (2007).