Let me preface this entry with the statement: I always feel compelled to climb mountains when traveling. Ironically and without fail, everytime I decide to take a trek upward, it takes about 20 minutes into the climb for me to remember that I don´t particularly enjoy scaling the earth´s elevations. Doesn´t matter where I am, I just don´t take pleasure in thin air, steep inclines and unreliable footing. Team sports? Yes. Mountain climbing? No.
Today´s adventure´s name was Cotopaxi. It is an active volcano with glaciers. It is 5897m high (19,347ft).
Mark and I arranged a guide (Fredco*) and he drove us and a couple from Colorado up into the mountain. Once we got to the area (1.5 hours out of Quito), it took about another hour on unpaved paths to 4x4 our way up to "base." During this ascent, our 1981 Land Cruiser´s back left shock decided to... umm... detach. Guess who was sitting over the back left wheel? Here I am wondering why I was feeling every bump (and they were constant).
Fredco clipped some available barbed wire, slid under the truck and 10 minutes later, we were on our way. Apparently, he´s dealt with setbacks like this before.
We arrive at the base where everyone starts their trek. I think our truck is going to fall sidesways off the parking area (i.e. cliff). At this point we´re already pretty freakin´ high up in this beast (it´s the second-largest volcano in Ecuador) and I´m starting to get light-headed. Then, I look at the path we´re supposed to hike up. It´s about 75 degrees upwards. Fantastic.
Nevertheless, I´m still pretty pumped for the exercise. Fredco points to our destination -- a lodge-type place. Excellent. Let´s do it.
Twelve minutes. It took approximately 12 minutes for me to remember I prefer cable cars up the side of steep mountains**. Yeah, the scenery was beautiful and all that, but here´s what was going through my head. File under "What NOT to think about when climbing very high mountains":
- "How close is the nearest hospital?"
- "What happens if I can´t get to 17,000 feet?"
- "What happens if I get to 17,000 feet and freak out?"
- "What is my purpose on this planet?"
- "Do they have a spa in that lodge up there?"
All drama aside, I made it to our glacier and took some pictures and it felt good... as good as altitude woozieness can. It was truely an amazing sight. Breath-taking... literally.
I´ve come to the conclusion that there is a direct correlation between my mood and altitude: The higher I get, the bitchier I become. The way up I was Grumpy McWhinefest. On the trek down, I was happy as a clam.
Ask Mark -- he´ll attest to all of it.
*I think this was his name.
**We did this yesterday in Teleferiqo -- 14,000 feet in six minutes. It ruled.
Today´s adventure´s name was Cotopaxi. It is an active volcano with glaciers. It is 5897m high (19,347ft).Mark and I arranged a guide (Fredco*) and he drove us and a couple from Colorado up into the mountain. Once we got to the area (1.5 hours out of Quito), it took about another hour on unpaved paths to 4x4 our way up to "base." During this ascent, our 1981 Land Cruiser´s back left shock decided to... umm... detach. Guess who was sitting over the back left wheel? Here I am wondering why I was feeling every bump (and they were constant).
Fredco clipped some available barbed wire, slid under the truck and 10 minutes later, we were on our way. Apparently, he´s dealt with setbacks like this before.We arrive at the base where everyone starts their trek. I think our truck is going to fall sidesways off the parking area (i.e. cliff). At this point we´re already pretty freakin´ high up in this beast (it´s the second-largest volcano in Ecuador) and I´m starting to get light-headed. Then, I look at the path we´re supposed to hike up. It´s about 75 degrees upwards. Fantastic.
Nevertheless, I´m still pretty pumped for the exercise. Fredco points to our destination -- a lodge-type place. Excellent. Let´s do it.
Twelve minutes. It took approximately 12 minutes for me to remember I prefer cable cars up the side of steep mountains**. Yeah, the scenery was beautiful and all that, but here´s what was going through my head. File under "What NOT to think about when climbing very high mountains":- "How close is the nearest hospital?"
- "What happens if I can´t get to 17,000 feet?"
- "What happens if I get to 17,000 feet and freak out?"
- "What is my purpose on this planet?"
- "Do they have a spa in that lodge up there?"
All drama aside, I made it to our glacier and took some pictures and it felt good... as good as altitude woozieness can. It was truely an amazing sight. Breath-taking... literally.
I´ve come to the conclusion that there is a direct correlation between my mood and altitude: The higher I get, the bitchier I become. The way up I was Grumpy McWhinefest. On the trek down, I was happy as a clam.
Ask Mark -- he´ll attest to all of it.
*I think this was his name.
**We did this yesterday in Teleferiqo -- 14,000 feet in six minutes. It ruled.
even in the southern hemisphere, i love those fuckin' shades.
happy new year [ wait, is it already?.....aw, shucks. happy whateves. you rule.]
The lesson I'm taking away from this entry -- don't climb mountains that sound like they're feminine hygiene products.
Have a Happy NYE!
-- Stacey (who was too lazy to log-in to Blogger)
A good friend of mine is there now on a group climb that's a fund raising for breast cancer awareness! Check it out http://www.shawnblog.com/2006/12/21/beat-breast-cancer/
Your adventure made me super excited because I thought your guide's name was Frodo. I guess Fredco is cool too, although it sounds like an import/export business.
-bjax
I read your blog from italy, i like it. you can add your favorites places in video on http://www.videomap.it/en