Hike Cotopaxi to 5000 Meters

May 31st 2008

Just as I was comfortable with the adjustment to traveling with somebody and doing group activities, I now have to re-adjust back into the solo traveler mode.

My first event was hiking up the famous Cotopaxi mountain 2.5 hours away from Quito. I went with a guide and 6 others so I am slowly breaking myself into trooper mode.

Cotopaxi is quite a nice mountain that peaks out at about 5850 Meters. We drove a 4x4 up to about 4500 Meters as I sipped on Coca Tea (meant to help with altitude sickness).

The idea was to hike up 300 meters to the refuge (4800M), eat lunch, then hike up to the 5000 mark while exploring glaciers. During the first 300 Meters I felt quite good although my heart was beating REALLY fast. I would stop for 20 seconds here and there while I took a photo, then proceed.

I made it up faster than all the others in my group (why is life such a competition for me!?) but I also was the only one who sipped on coca tea. The air was very thin and the freezing hail didn't help, but I experience worse pain on my lungs when I am put through sprinting drills during the freezing nights of the soccer season (that burns the gasping lungs let me tell you).

I had a beer by myself at the refuge to celebrate my lifetime high of a 4800M accent (~ 15,000 feet). The lunch provided was very hearty as we sat and acclimatized for 1 hour.

Soon enough, we were off to the 5000M mark but were stopped for photos 3/4 the way up. Miraculously, the sun was poking through th clouds, the hail had stopped, and we were able to see the summit of Cotopaxi (5850M) with blue skies. As weather changes very fast, we literally had 5 minutes of photo taking before the clouds and thick mist took over again.

We were just in the right place at the right time. All the other people I talked to were not able to see up the mountainside to where the summit-seekers end their overnight hike.

I was surprised at my hiking performance but was prejudice based on what other traveler's reported they experienced during their accents.

I took my rough and tumble attitude with me on the organized mountain bike ride down to the lake at about 3000M. The bumpy gravel switch back roads were steep enough to get a good speed going. I scared myself at times but the adrenaline kept the pace up. I would stop occasionally to take pictures (by slamming hard on the breaks and ramming the side banks with the front tire). One girl with a tortoise-wins-the-race pace wiped out ahead of me while I snapped a panoramic. After I made sure she was okay, I obnoxiously resumed my suicide speed with my fists clenched so hard on both breaks I felt like I had arthritis at the end of the ride (it was so cold out!).

Although I could have always done more, I am happy to have experienced the best of Ecuador (Galapagos, Jungle, Andean Peaks) in my short visit.

I am off to Lima, Peru where I will make my way to the Inca ruins (Machu Picchu) and the Sacred Valley (Cusco). I'll throw the best of Bolivia in there also (close proximity).

I have just past the halfway mark of my adventure and I have a thin wallet. However, if I treat the Galapagos trip as a separate financial undertaking I have been pretty bang on budget (I think but I am not going to check).

I plan to finish this trip off with more excitement so keep checking my blog. I will worry about paying back my credit when I am back to reality (in 49 days).