Cotopaxi is in the bag

Cotopaxi fast facts:

• ·         One of the world’s highest active volcanoes
• ·         The second highest peak in Ecuador at 19,347 ft
• ·         Covered by a glacier
• ·         Higher than 4 of the famous “Seven Summits” of the world
• ·         Almost a mile higher than the highest mountain in the continental United States
• ·         Requires glacier climbing expertise
• ·         Unforgiving
• ·         Colder than a mother

Cotopaxi from near the base

After looking at this list I wonder exactly why I felt qualified to climb this puppy. I had done a considerable amount of backpacking both here and in the States. I had even climbed a few, much less technical, mountains during my first year of service. However, Cotopaxi would prove to be much more difficult than I initially expected. 

Two volunteers and I decided early this year that we would explore this amazing adventurous country and see what it had to offer. This has included mountain climbing, whitewater tubing, sketchy zip-lining, backpacking, and camping. We wanted to add some high peaks to our list. We decided on Cotopaxi, a volcano right outside my city. Most mornings that mammoth volcano stared down at me and the temptation to climb it became too great. My friend Devin and I decided to make an attempt on it. 

We settled on a guide service and a date. We would climb in mid-November which I had been told is the best time to make an attempt due to the calmer, clearer weather. Devin made the trip up to Latacunga and we did an acclimation hike at a giant crater volcano called Quilatoa. This was relatively easy and we passed the hike chatting about our big climb in the coming days. 

On Thursday morning we made our way to the guide service where we were joined by a Canadian man that would also try to summit the next day. He was given his own guide while Devin and I shared one. This Canadian man looked to be about 40 and was built like a lumberjack. I had little doubt in his physical readiness. We tried on all the equipment to make sure it fit. The crampon-friendly boots, gaiters, polar pants, waterproof pants, gloves and liners, goggles, balaclava, helmet, harness, ice axe, headlamp, and jackets all had to fit and work in unison. After we filled our backpacks with all our equipment we loaded into a small truck. Rain began to slowly fall and I wondered how this would affect our first day of climbing. 

Hike to the Refugio

We traveled about an hour and a half and finally reached the base of Cotopaxi. The rain had stopped and the clouds began to clear. We threw our packs on, mine weighing close to 30 pounds, and began our hike to the Refugio. Hiking in the large plastic boots meant for ice climbing was very difficult. They are made to be rigid and have little flex in order to grip the ice better. However, on loose dirt on a steep incline it is like trying to walk across quicksand. Three steps would get me the same distance as one normal step. All this at 15,000 feet made for a difficult first day. 

When we finally reached the refugio we dropped our packs and I felt like passing out. If I had that much difficulty just on the initial 1,000 feet, how could I ever make it to 19,000+? I spoke to the guide and he told me that it was all about acclimation. Now that we were at this height I could rest and let my heart and lungs adjust to the altitude. Plus, the next morning I would be wearing most of the gear that I lugged up in my backpack making my pack that much lighter. 

View from the Refugio

We rested and drank hot chocolate for an hour or so. Dinner was served at 5:00 pm. A large plate of spaghetti accompanied with bread and cheese was given to each of us. We ate the hearty meal then were instructed it was time for bed. The guide told us that if we were able to get an hour of sleep that would be plenty but more was recommended. He told us to not think about the next day or even the summit. We needed to relax and rest. Telling us to not think about the summit was like telling a starving person not to think about food. It was illogical. He also told us that we did not pay for the summit. We only paid to enjoy the mountain. He said that is any of us got sick that we must immediately inform him so he could make the correct decision. Altitude is no joke and people get med-evaced from the mountain more than I care to think about. 

Video of Refuge on Cotopaxi and Glacier 

Refugio approx 16,000 ft

We walked upstairs to our bunks. The bunk room looked like what you would expect from a middle school summer camp. The beds were all touching one another and there was scarce little room to walk. Thirty or so of us all crammed into the small room and tired to get some sleep. There was no heat in the building accept what we produced from our labored breath. I tried to sleep but it was to no avail. I would drift to sleep but would almost immediately wake up gasping for air. We were already at a high altitude and the air was very thin.

I tossed and turned until it was 11:00 pm. We slowly moved our stiff bodies out of the bunks and began to put on our equipment. We woke our Canadian friend and told him it was time to get up. He sat up without a word. I thought little of it. To be honest I was exhausted myself and wanted to devote as little attention or energy to anything other than preparing myself for the long day ahead. After 10 minutes of putting on my awkward and heavy gear, our friend asked if we would get his guide. He was not feeling well. Our friend turned out to have a pretty serious case of altitude sickness. His guide instructed him to lie down, drink water and rest. There would be no summit for him that day. 

We walked downstairs in full gear. Ice axes, helmets and heavy boots banged around the refuge and few words were spoken. Everyone was still tired but ready for action. Our guide took us outdoors in the frigid cold. Even under 4 layers of coats the air sent chills up and down my body. We hiked up to the glacier where put on our crampons and began the climb on the glacier. The volcano is covered in a very large glacier and thus, the remainder of the hike would be on ice. Devin, the guide and I were all on the same rope. If one of us were to slip or fall into a crevasse the other two were to dig in and arrest the fall. I could only hope that this wouldn’t happen. 

Guide helping Devin put on his crampons

The first hour or so we both felt very good. We made jokes and made comments on the natural beauty of Ecuador. We hiked under a full moon and did not use our headlamps for the first half of the hike. The mountains of Ecuador were bathed in moonlight. We passed several sets of climbers and were soon far in the lead. 

We had our first break at about 17,500 feet. There we drank water and tried to catch our breath. When left that perch and headed up yet again. The glacier was rather steep and I preferred to look at the newly made footprint in which I would step rather than think about the steep icy slope on which we were climbing. At one point Devin’s hat blew off and slid down the steep slope. Watching that hat fly down into the abyss was a sobering moment. Things became much more serious after that alarming scene. Because we were highest on the mountain we were cutting the trail for everyone behind us. This was exhausting work. At the next stop we collapsed into the snowy slope and sucked air. A young European girl with tow guides passed us at a rapid pace. The same thing would occur at the last stop before the summit. 

The last 1,000 feet were the hardest. I was exhausted beyond belief and I had to stop about every 3 steps and try to catch my breath. I would lean on my ice axe and strain to see the top of the volcano, the dark always masking it. Devin would shout encouraging words and we would lumber on only to stop 30 seconds later. Finally I was told that we were on the last push; 600 vertical feet to the top. I dug deep and fought against everything that told me to stop. I could smell the sulfur that spewed from the volcano. Half an hour later we came over a ridge and were met with some of the most astounding views I have ever seen. I was not sure if it was the altitude or my exhaustion but I became weak all over and wanted to collapse. Words cannot describe the emotion that hit Devin and I. For once, Devin and I were without words or even a voice. (If you don’t know Devin or me, that is really something…)

 Video of us on Cotopaxi Summit

Photos courtesy of Devin Yeoman

We spent about 20 minutes on the summit watching the sun slowly rise. We arrived at about 5:30 am, the perfect time to catch the sunrise over the blanket of clouds and snow covered peaks that jutted through them. I can honestly say that was the most beautiful sight these eyes had ever seen. 

Party Shirt and Monkey's Uncle

Our guide told us it was time to go down. The bitter cold and wind on the summit would soon take its toll if we didn’t get moving again. We roped back up and began the treacherous hike down. On the way up we only needed to look at our feet and occasionally up higher on the glacier. On the way down however, we had to stare at the dizzying heights that we were descending. I tried to get into mode of putting one foot in front of the other. I led the way down and had to stick to the exact path that we had originally made. The guide was in the back in order to save us should we slip. Deep crevasses lay all over the mountain and our guide had done a good job avoiding them on the way up. At that point I was beyond exhausted but had to keep my mental faculties sharp. 

 Video of views from Cotopaxi

Two hours later we were down at the refugio. Devin and I spoke little on the descent. We both just wanted something warm to drink and a bed to sleep in. We thanked our guide and hiked down the last 1,000 feet to the truck. I have never been so happy to sit down in a vehicle in my life. We had made it. 

Looking at the pictures I still have a hard time believing what we did. I thought I knew what was in store and felt prepared. Now that we have done it I feel a sense of accomplishment. I am thankful for the opportunity to do something of this magnitude. Whether or not I will do something like this again has yet to be decided. I will say I can see how people can get addicted it.

Proud Uncle

Our guide thought it would be cool to hang off the edge

Antisana

19,347 feet. Highest summit so far!

Eye on the Prize

Ok, this is somewhat disjointed but stick with me.

Well school is in full swing. Teachers and students are settling into normal schedules and the Gringo is still trying to figure it all out. A weaker person would have given up trying to understand everything and just go with the flow. Wait, did I say weaker? I meant wiser. However, I do enjoy getting surprised on a daily basis so life is good. 

This year my high school has been given the honor to march in a parade as the Captain and his entourage. The parade is called the Mama Negra and consists of 6 main characters, the Captain being one of them. The principle of my school will be the Captain and I was asked to march behind him. The Mama Negra is a very popular festival here in Ecuador and apparently known around the world. I am not sure how true that is but have been told it over and over again. I will say that all the photos I have seen of the festival include ample of amounts of foreigners. I am anxious to see their reaction as they see a white guy walking in a very traditional parade. 

My costume is rather elegant, complete with a sword and handmade shoes. I have to learn the choreography for the march and the men at my school are very serious about this. So serious in fact that we have cancelled classes 3 times already so that we can work on our moves with many more practices to follow. (I really don’t want to stab anyone around me so this might be a necessary evil.)

The festival “officially” begins November 9^th. I put officially in quotation marks because the party has already started. The Mama Negra of the pueblo started last week and I have been told that each neighborhood holds their own mini-Negras from now until November. It is not uncommon to hear fireworks at night here but now that the festival season is upon us I hear them constantly. No rooster to wake me at 6 am, just flying fireworks. 

I recently attended a fiesta at my high school that the whole city was invited to. I was told to wear a poncho and a hat. I only had a hat that was from the coast and did not have a poncho. My host friend told me I could wear his. He had a dark one and a bright one. Which did I pick? Of course the yellow and orange one! My coworkers wore dark ponchos at the beginning of the fiesta but then shed them to make dancing easier. I, on the other hand, wore mine all night. I stood out like a sore thumb as I danced in my bright attire but had a great time. 

I blend in right?

After a recent training in Quito a few friends and I decided to go camping in a nearby national park. The place we camped was called Boliche. This is a campsite and recreational area in Cotopaxi National Park. We took a bus and were dropped off in basically they middle of nowhere and began our hike into the park. A 45 minute hike through the woods brought us to the entrance. We paid a small fee for our tents and then we ushered into the park by an overzealous park ranger. Maybe overzealous isn’t the word. EXTREMELY happy to see tourists come to his park is maybe a better description. He explained many things about the park and how great it was. After we paid our way in he asked to take a photo with us. We obliged and then hoped to be on our way. He then took a photo with a friend’s large backpack and even took an action shot as he slung my friend’s backpack on his shoulder. All of this was highly entertaining if not a bit strange.

Our Campsite

I cannot say nice enough things about Boliche. This park was small enough to day hike and had beautiful views of the surrounding snowcapped volcanoes, especially Cotopaxi. The park staff was professional and courteous. The campsite was clean and accommodating. We had a great time there. I might have also just missed camping.  One thing I will say is I was glad I brought plenty of clothing. The weather became rather frigid after the sun went down. We had a campfire but being at such a high elevation in the Andes always lends itself to very low temperatures. 

...And Boliche Had Llamas!

I am currently preparing myself to climb Cotopaxi, the enormous mountain outside my city. It promises to be very difficult and the guides in town recommend training before attempting it. I do not feel that I am out of shape but I am working really hard at preparing myself physically for the upcoming challenge. Just today some friends and I climbed a nearby mountain. Putzalahua has great views of Latacunga and other surrounding cities. The weather cleared nicely as we neared the top and afforded a nice panoramic view of the place we call home. 

Cotopaxi

On the way back to Latacunga this afternoon I had yet another very awkward moment. I had to stand as we caught a bus on the Pan-American Highway. After 10 minutes of standing I noticed a small baby sitting on her mother’s lap. The chubby little kid smiled up at me and I did my best to keep her attention and smiled back at her. After a good 10 seconds of staring at the kid I realized that the mother was looking at me as well. Her face seemed to say, “Like the show?” As it turned out, the mother had been breastfeeding when the baby turned and looked up at me. What I affectionately call, “the milk show”, had just been interrupted and I seemed to be staring directly at the… uh… the woman, though in reality I was just looking at the kid. The woman smiled and I tried to act as though I saw nothing, though the opposite is true. Luckily it was only a short 5 minutes more until we reached the terminal where I hurried off the bus and avoided eye contact.

Word to the wise, keep your eyes forward and don’t look at the babies on the bus, they might be eating…

If you are going to hike on a glacier wear pants.

I will start this post with some of the work I have been doing and end it with a few adventures that I have had over the past few weeks.

At my high school I am working on co-planning, co-teaching, and improving the methodology. I am doing all of this while trying to improve the overall English level of my teachers. These tasks have many complexities that I did not expect when I arrived here. The job seemed rather straightforward and the Peace Corps had given me ample training… I thought. However, there are things that cannot be taught in a classroom. Practical experience has taught me that the cultural aspect of my job is as important if not more important than my “expertise” in education. The best teacher in the world could come here to help but they would have no impact if they did not have a basic understanding and respect of the Ecuadorian culture. Trying to explain basically any of the culture and rituals in this blog would be futile as the culture is very intricate and complex but I will give one small example. If I bring some snack to work or to any public place it is expected that I will share all that I have. This is taken to an extreme here. Recently on a public bus a stranger offered me some of his chips that he had just bought from a vendor. I suppose I am integrating because I did not think anything of it and grabbed a handful of his chips. All of this is to say that the cultural aspect is a vital part of my living and working here.

I have taken on many “secondary projects” here in Latacunga. I am able to work just about anywhere that I want so long as there is a need and it is not for profit. I mentioned that I had worked with visually impaired people in the States and was told I could help at the Ministry if I wanted to. I work once a week at the Ministry of Education teaching blind students. I have 9 students and they range from 9 years old to mid 30s. We are working on very basic English. They had no background in English whatsoever before I arrived. This presents a difficult problem. I am used to drawing and using visual aids when I teach English. With these students it is impossible. I am constantly trying to think of alternative methods of teaching English to these guys.

I have also started working at a university. A contact of mine teaches an English mastery program at Instituto Técnologico Superior Aereonautico or ITSA for short. Her class consists of 15 students 12 of which are professors at a private university that want to gain a certificate in English. It is a night class and is 4 hours long. I teach the last hour and a half. I try to keep it fun and hold conversation groups or have debates. I am very content working in the university. The students have a strong desire to learn. Teaching is so much more enjoyable when you have a group that wants to be there. I might also begin working at the other university in town, Universidad Técnica de Cotopaxi . I met several UTC students at a local café a few weeks back and they were very interested in having me come to visit their class. I told them to ask their professor and if he/she approved I would come check it out. I was enthusiastically given the green light and I am headed to observe the course this afternoon.

Now on to a few adventures.

Three weeks ago I went to Cotopaxi National Park with a few friends/volunteers. The national park sits about 30 minutes outside of Latacunga. The park is home to the world’s highest active volcano, Cotopaxi. We left about 7 in the morning and returned around 5 in the evening. We went with a local group of outdoor enthusiasts. I had been told that we would be hiking to a waterfall that was around the same elevation as Latacunga (9,000 ft). Turns out that we were headed up and up and up. I was ill prepared for cold weather. I was wearing shorts which are an Ecuadorian foul to start with. We parked at the base of Cotopaxi and began hiking up to the refugio that sits at about 15,000 feet. This is the place where people on a summit bid stay the evening before heading up to the summit at midnight. By the time the guide and I made it to the refugio it was sleeting and the driving winds did not help one bit. Someone asked if my legs hurt and I responded no. They did not need to know it was because I could not feel them. We rested at the refugio trying to catch our breath when the leader of the group declared we were going to the glacier.

It is very odd to think that there is a glacier on the Equator but like most things here, you never know what to expect. Despite my legs and hands being frozen I decided I needed to stand on the glacier. We continued the hike up. It was bitterly cold and the hike was very difficult. I plan on climbing this volcano later this year and this hike really showed me I need to get serious about training for my ascent. We hiked another 30 minutes and I finally saw the glacier. I stood on it, took photos, and asked the guide if I could go back down to the refugio. I was told no because we had to wait for everyone to make it up and we would all descend together. It was cold coming up but now that I was stationary I was freezing. After another 20 minutes everyone either made it up or had turned around so we descended. As we loaded the bus to go home a person was being brought down in a makeshift blanket stretcher that had apparently fallen ill due to the altitude. It was a very fun trip but made me realize the seriousness of the mountain.

Last weekend I went to the first communion of my host sister in Tumbaco. It was great to see all the family and friends that I had made during training. I spent the weekend in Tumbaco and ate more food that I care to remember. The catholic ceremony was very nice and the family was very happy. I was very glad that they invited me to come and share with the rest of the extended family. After the ceremony we went to the grandmother’s house and ate and ate and ate. I was so full but all the food looked fantastic and I could not stop myself. This comes partly because I now cook all my own food and I missed some Ecuadorian home-cookin’.  After I thought I could eat no more an entire Cuy, or guinea pig, was presented to me. Of course I gobbled it down too. Tasty as always.

While in training I had my own room at their house per the rules of Peace Corps and the three siblings slept in the other room. Now that I was gone things were back to normal and I bunked with the two boys. As it turns out my host brother talks in his sleep even more than I do. While I did not get much sleep it was fun trying to translate the slurred Spanish and imagine what he was dreaming about.

The school is winding down and we are all getting ready for vacation. The students leave on July 6^th and the teachers are out on the 26^th. Having things to look forward to is very important to keep a positive attitude here. I have something exciting happening next month. A great buddy of mine is coming to visit for ten days. I have not yet been to the beach but I am anxiously awaiting his arrival so we can bust out of the high sierra region and see some of the country. What kind of trouble can two Texans get into at the beach? Time will tell. See you soon Jordan!