The Cotopaxi Climb

After two doses of coca tea and various breaks to get our bodies accustomed to the altitude, we finally made it up to the snow line on Cotopaxi.  From there, we got out of the car and started our climb.  

Here comes the snow!

Our guide told us to carry as little as possible (though our water bottles were a must), so we grabbed our cameras, and I tucked Mr. Hunter into my jacket pocket.  He emerged for a couple of poses, even thought the cold and the wind and the sleet and the snow made taking pictures a bit of a challenge.  Those of us who'd had the tea avoided altitude sickness, but the climb was still strenuous, and we all got quite a soaking.

Standing together at 15,456 feet

GPS proof

Out of the car and ready to start the climb.

Early on in the climb

A snippet of the weather at 15,500 feet:

Brrr!

15,546 feet up Cotopaxi Volcano

(which rises 19,347 ft)

Cotopaxi National Park

Ecuador

June 2011

Hall of Fame: The Hunter is Hunted

What's going on here?  

Is somebody getting ready to pounce?

Steve suggested I pose Mr. Hunter on the Lake Limpiopungo sign, but of course it was SO windy. It took a minute to get Mr. H to balance there, and even then he was in danger of toppling at any moment, so Steve crouched nearby, ready to catch Mr. Hunter if he fell.  And he didn't realize that the first shot I took of the scene was a wide shot.  

When I was downloading my photos back at the hotel that night, I saw this picture and cracked up.  It looked so much like Steve was getting ready to attack Mr. Hunter.  

Mr. Hunter looks happy,
even if he is about to blow over.

A slightly steadier perch.

Lake Limipiopungo

Cotopaxi National Park

Ecuador

June 2011

Our Destination: A Little Climb on Cotopaxi

After we drank our second servings of coca tea, we ducked into the small museum nearby and then braved the cold again to look up at what was visible of Cotopaxi.  We were headed for a brief but intense hike up there at the snow line.

Map of Cotopaxi

The museum had some information on the history of the Cotopaxi volcano, as well as some of the creatures of the region that had been preserved.  Mr. Hunter posed with this Andean Condor.

A model of Cotopaxi.

Cotopaxi National Park

Ecuador

June 2011

Mate de Coca

Mr. Hunter continues to prepare for the high altitude.

This second serving of coca tea was tea made from actual coca leaves.

This cup of tea was served in a much colder location.  

The inelegant but apt phrase "butt cold" comes to mind.

About coca tea...

My mom was especially intrigued to see that mate de coca might help alleviate arthritis pain.  The coca tea was not very tasty, but it certainly seemed to help ward off altitude sickness.

Cotopaxi National Park

Ecuador

June 2011

Find Mr. Hunter

Can you spot Mr. Hunter near the Parque Nacional Cotopaxi sign?

We were at #1 on the map (Control Caspi) when we took these photos.  

Our next stop: #4... Laguna Limpiopungo

Cotopaxi National Park

Ecuador

June 2011

At the Cotopaxi Indigenous Market

Our next stop in preparation for our little Cotopaxi climb was just outside the entrance of Cotopaxi National Park, where there was an indigenous market.  We walked around to get ourselves further acclimated to the altitude, and we also did a bit of shopping.

I bought a scarf made by this lady, whose name was Laura.

She seemed to be intrigued but also puzzled by Mr. Hunter.

Trying on warm hats --
which will be useful when we get onto the mountain.

Cute hat, Mom!

Mr. Hunter hangs out with some other carved faces.

Cotopaxi National Park

Ecuador

June 2011

¡Bienvenidos a Ecuador!

Last month, Mr. Hunter made his first-ever visit

 to a South American country: Ecuador.  Very exciting!

On our first day in Quito, we had a private guide take us out to the Mindo cloud forest.  Along the way, about half an hour outside of Quito, we stopped at an overlook to gaze at the lovely Pululahua Crater.  Pululahua is a long-dormant volcano. Inside the crater, you can see farms and fields, and the surrounding area is a Geobotanical Reserve. It seemed like the perfect spot for Mr. Hunter's debut pose in Ecuador.

Here's a video panorama of the crater:

                     

Can you spot Mr. Hunter among the white stones 

that spelled out a welcome?

Reserva Geobotanica Pululahua

Pichincha Province

Ecuador

June 2011