My day started at 5:15 this morning. I actually slept alright last night despite the blaring music from below my hostel. I chose to stay here just for the simplicity of not having to pack up again, and the fact that it is $5 a night. I was a little worried about making my 5:45 bus though, since I was locked in the hostel. Luckily, the guy who was on duty woke up when I was shaking the front door about 15 minutes before the bus was supposed to leave. I found a cab easily enough and made it to the bus station with a few minutes to spare.
Unfortunately, it was raining when I woke up. A bad sign for a day when I wanted a clear sky to hike in.
Volcan Chimborazo, at a little over 6,300 meters, is the highest point in Ecuador. It also happens to be the closest point to the sun on the Earth. Because there is a slight bulge at the equator, it is further from the center of the earth than even Everest, even though the actual altitude above sea level is lower. I got to the gates of the Chimborazo reserve at around 7AM. There was no one manning the entrance gate that early...most likely because there are not many other sane people planning on slogging 8km up a barren wilderness in the rainy, cold mist to not be able to see much more than 100 feet ahead. I was the only one with that idea for this morning! Despite the chilly temps and light mist, I really enjoyed the hike up the mountain. There was not much to see because of the cloudcover and lack of vegetation, but I did get to see a few packs of vicuna that have been reintroduced into the park. These creatures are really similar to llamas, which made me think back to the days when we (Beaz, Ryan, Ames) used to drive past the "put a llama in your life" billboard.
 |
| vicuna! |
I wasn't sure how my body was going to react to the altitude, but it turns out that I am meant for high-altitude trekking! I had no ill effects, no dizziness, no headaches. It gives me a lot of confidence for the Cotopaxi hike next week. After almost 2 hours of hiking, I made it to to the first refuge station at about 4,800 meters. I killed the uphill part of the hike, covering the 8km in a pretty short time for the altitude and going uphill. By that time, tiny little snowflakes had begun to fall and I could see where there were patches of snow where rocks had blocked sunlight from previous days. When I got into the refuge, I found that it is actually manned at all times by an Ecuadorian employed by the tourism ministry, with the keepers roating every 8 days. He made me a cup of coca tea with the water that was already boiling on the stove. Coca tea, made from the leaves of coca plants (the same things that are mashed up and made into cocaine), is a widely used remedy in the Andes to help with altitude issues. It is also chewed by indigenous people as a hunger suppressant and mild stimulant. It is hard to describe the taste, but I have gotten to like it after drinking it some in Peru with Lindsay (this cup tasted better than coca leaf cookies I once bought!). I talked with the refuge caretaker for a while and gave him suggestions for getting a netbook, which he wants for his child that is currently studying at the local university.
 |
| Me at the 1st refuge toward the volcano |
After breaking out the final layer of fleece I hadn't put on yet, I ventured the last kilometer up to the 2nd refuge. It was a tough 25 minute hike, as it got a lot steeper and the footing was less solid. When I reached it and saw the base of Chimborazo, I was completely amazed! While I couldn't see the peak, or anywhere near it for that matter, from the size of the glacier line I could tell that it is immense. It was a stunning experience, standing in the snow, alone, in silence, before something that is so much bigger than you are. I had a mini-double-rainbow moment (Grave or anyone else who has seen the youtube will understand). It ranks as one of the cooler experiences of my life. I'm making a promise to myself to make it to the Himalayas soon, I have a feeling that they will evoke the same feelings.
 |
| 2nd refuge - snow! |
 |
| 5,000 meters! |
 |
| Me with Chimborazo in the background |
The hike down went quickly, and I wound up flagging a bus down on the side of the road easily. I heard the wait is sometimes up to 2 hours, but I caught one in about 5 minutes. I was back in town by 1:15, completely exhausted and in need of a nap. I ventured out for a late lunch a little later and caught the end of a parade put on by one of the local high schools. They have a bunch of different troops of students that do traditional and newer types of dancing. It took me back to the Clarion High Rollers (Misty, you'll remember the days), only roller skates would be a bad idea on the cobblestone streets. I was thoroughly impressed that many of the girls were wearing high heels. Some skill involved there! Since my hostel doesn't have wifi, I went to a restaurant that did and splurged on a milkshake that cost more than my lunch and more than half of the price of my hostel for the night. It was really delicious though. That being said, I have spent just over $100 bucks so far on the trip. I guess that Mom's ability to stretch a buck was passed down to me. A secondary factor comes from my lack of alcohol intake. Believe it or not folks, but I have not drank one beer, mixed drink, or glass of wine here. Salud!! (with my big 2 liter of water).
"Sometimes I wish I lived on a mountain, drank from a stream instead of a fountain. I'd stay there, top of the world." - Airstream song
No comments:
Post a Comment