Pasochoa

We spent the night of the fifth with Claudia (Caye's cousin) and six other Americans from Pratt University eating delicious food made by Claudia's mother and getting to know each other. The students from Pratt have been training for 6 months to climb one of the highest volcanoes in the world, Cotopaxi, and we had been invited to do some practice hikes of smaller mountains and possibly do Cotopaxi as well. Initially Morgan and I were all for it.

We hiked the mountain Pasochoa with them on the sixth, which is about 4,200 meters(nearly 14,000ft) above sea level. We ended up hiking nearly to the summit, about 4,000 feet above the beginning of the trail. Morgan and I being out of shape, sick with sinus congestion, and at an extremely high elevation made for a strenuous hike. The climb was filled with lots of beautiful green colors and steep slippery trails. I wanted to either pass out or turn back for the majority of the upward battle, but after some lunch near the top of the mountain my energy was rejuvenated and I was ready for the muddy descent of Pasochoa. While Morgan, Caye, Jackson, and myself returned down the mountain the rest of the group kept going on to summit the mountain through rain and foggy skies.

The hike up Pasochoa quickly made us realize we are not cut out for the snow capped Cotopaxi climb right now, but we wish the others luck! The hike also brought me mixed feelings about summiting mountains. Summiting seems to be a rush to the top and then back down again. I am a meanderer. I enjoy going at my own pace and the most important thing to me is the potential for beautiful views. Maybe someday I will summit a giant mountain, but right now I am content with lower altitudes.