An adrenaline-inducing video documents the daring climb of a thrill-seeker ascending a set of 600-year-old steps famously dubbed the ‘stairs of death’ on a mountain in Peru.
In this heart-stopping footage, Brian Degenhardt, hailing from San Diego, USA, fearlessly navigates the stone steps that protrude from a near-vertical mountainside, offering a spine-chilling view of the precipice below.
The daunting ascent takes place on Huayna Picchu, also known as Wanya Picchu, a mountain that provides breathtaking vistas of the ancient Inca city of Machu Picchu.
Heart-stopping footage shows Brian Degenhardt, from San Diego, US, making his way up the stone steps which jut out of a near-vertical mountainside overlooking Machu PicchuThe gripping video captures Brian Degenhardt, a daredevil from San Diego, USA, fearlessly navigating his ascent up the stone steps protruding from a nearly vertical mountainside, offering a breathtaking view of Machu Picchu below.
The mountain is steep and the pathway leading to the summit is exposed. During the rainy reason is becomes even more treacherous due to slipperiness
Degenhardt can be heard breathing deeply as he gingerly makes his way up, even once letting out a small yelp of terror
The Incas built a trail up the side of the Huayna Picchu and even built temples and terraces on its top.
However, the mountain is steep and the pathway leading to the summit is exposed. During the rainy reason is becomes even more treacherous due to slipperiness.
Degenhardt can be heard breathing deeply as he gingerly makes his way up, even once letting out a small yelp of terror.
His relief when he reaches the top of the steps is audible – although he is now shockingly high up.
His relief when he reaches the top of the steps is audible – although he is now terrifyingly high up
Once he has reached safer ground he goes over the edge to look down onto the spectacle sight of Machu Picchu, zooming with his camera closer to the ruined 15th century UNESCO World Heritage Site below
He wrote on YouTube: ‘Me climbing some 600-year-old stairs over a cliff on my way up Wanya Picchu, the small mountain overlooking Machu Picchu, Peru.
‘It actually looks safer than it is because the bush below me is growing out of the side of the mountain.’
Once he has reached safer ground he goes over the edge to look down onto the spectacle sight of Machu Picchu, zooming with his camera closer to the ruined 15th century UNESCO World Heritage Site below.
Huayna Picchu is 8,835ft tall, which is roughly 850ft higher than Machu Picchu.
