Finally got some good hiking in.
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The plan for today was to go up the gondola called the TeleferiQo up the mountain overlooking the west side of Quito and to hike further up from there to the top of the 4700m volcano named Rucu Pichincha. This would put me almost 2km above where I have been within a few hours, with no chance to acclimate. Two students wanted to come, but could not at the last minute. Because the hike is said to be dangerous, with both natural and human dangers, I had no intention of doing it alone. So, I slept in. After breakfast, I decided to go to the TeleferiQo after all, though now a bit later than planned, in hopes of meeting another group of tourists doing the hike. In the worst case, I would pay $17 (including taxis) for a nice view.
When I got out of the gondola and saw, not only the vast view of the city below, but the jagged black spire up ahead, I had to start walking. I decided that I would turn around if there are no people around or my head starts to hurt due to the altitude. In no time I walked up along another lone hiker in a similar situation. He was an Italian who had been living in South America for two years. His English was weak and my Italian nonexistent, so we spoke Spanish, which was great practice.
Horse rentals available.
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Lunch spot under a volcanic roof.
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What starts out as a nice stroll quickly gets difficult as the effects of the altitude kick in. Only then I remember that I wanted to buy and try some coca leaves to see how they help. I feel shortness of breath, but no headache. The spur looks farther away as we walk toward it. When we finally approach it the terrain gets steep and sandy. We have lunch under an outcropping of black volcanic rock. His sandwich looks just like mine – getting sandwiches from a bakery must be common in Quito. The sand ends at a rocky ridge. A suspenseful few steps up and we can see over the top. To the west lie more ridges, another volcano, and, below us, clouds crawling invisibly slowly in our direction. The jagged summit is just another 80m above us.
A few more steps…
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View over the ridge.
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After a break we move on, but my Italian friend shortly decides he has reached his top for the day. Later, I don’t see him on the way down – I hope he went on down as I climbed up. He judged well as the last stretch is by far the hardest, with some difficult scrambling. Parts are arguably a 5.5 climb, sans equipment. In addition I run out of breath every few steps and my head is starting to lightly ache. I worry that the altitude effects may cause me to misstep and fall.
Summit!
Caracaras
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The summit brings a feeling of accomplishment I haven’t felt in a while. I instantly feel relieved and excited as I take in the 360 degree view that appears as I climb over the last rock. Three guys that were just up ahead appear to be feeling the same thing. As we take pictures around the summit we are joined by some hawks carunculated caracaras picking away at something on the ground. Climbing down the top pitch is harder than climbing up, but I am no longer out of breath.
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I descended with one of the German guys. He is a competitive trail runner and likes the area above the TeleferiQo for running.
On our way down a girl coming the other way stopped is to ask how much longer to the top. We told her at least an hour and a half and asked where she was from. She said Paris. Suddenly I was stumped – I had the opposite problem of the one I was dealing with the previous week. I wanted to say something to her in French, but only Spanish words would come. We parted with only a “salut.” Whereas the day was winding down we should have probably told her 3:30 is a little late to be heading up the volcano.
There was a Buddhist monk in the gondola on the way down. I did not see him hiking the mountain, but he apparently went up there to meditate.
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Costs
Cost today: $16.10
Well done!