My Kind of Hiking: Quilotoa

Hey all!  This past weekend we did a day trip to Quilotoa.  We were thinking of packing in Otavalo as well but it would have been a ridiculous weekend so we took Sunday to relax (read: I slept until 2 p.m.).

So yes, Quilotoa.  It's a dormant volcano that has a lake in its crater.  I was ready for some serious hiking.  The trip was great, similar landscape to the drive to La Finca plus the area is very indigenous so we saw all kinds of native Ecuadorians dressed

in traditional garb packed into trucks coming back from the market with their weekly purchases.  Hugo told me that the road has been massively improved over the last few years (used to be one lane dirt) so there were lots of fresh cuts into the mountainsides like this one.  Check out the layers of sediment!

We also had the privilege of seeing some road construction first-hand.  Giant boulders crashing down onto the road with a single lane taking turns about every 30 minutes.  I loved it!  Definitely not your typical U.S. construction.

I continue to be amazed by the farming that takes place in Ecuador.  Super steep hills, seemingly rock-hard soil...but they make it work.

We passed lots of sheep on this trip.  This woman is dressed in traditional indigenous clothing.  Also that's an alpaca on the left, we're starting to see more and more of those.

So I was all ready for this big hike to the crater, but surprise surprise, we parked right on the rim!  The hiking options are either around the ridge and/or down to the lake.  We opted for a mix.  We hiked counterclockwise about 1/8 of the way then took a winding path down.

The lake used to be higher, up to the top of the etchings in the rock.  Sometime in the 90s there was seismic activity that caused a crack and drained some of the lake.  I have this image of a massive whirlpool draining the lake (in a clockwise direction, of course, because we're in the southern hemisphere).

So it was windy.  Crazy windy.  My hat almost blew off several times, and we were consistently hiking along sheer cliffs.  The wind finally got the best of me and my hat probably flew down about 50 feet.  We could see it, and I was about to go grab it, but Hugo was ahead of me.  Here he is triumphantly displaying his prize.  Thanks, Hugo.

So a note about that hat since I have a little free space.  Standard issue from the Band of the Fighting Irish.  It was involved in Katrina Relief, Cedar Rapids Flood Relief, every road trip since 2007, has seen 3 countries, and is the only hat I've ever worn consistently.  It has now been flying.

Our hike took about 2.5 hours to reach the main beach where most tourists go.  There is a wide path directly down as well that horses can take.  We stopped here for lunch.  Rosa had told us that swimming was an option but that she didn't recommend it because the lake is very sulfuric and has volcanic rocks that are very sharp.

So of course I went swimming.

The water wasn't as cold as the waterfalls in Mindo, but the wind was a little bitter.  I like this picture because the people out in the boat had winter hats and gloves on.

 As soon as I started kicking off my shoes to jump in there was a lot of "mira el chico loco!" from the locals.  Several ventured over to see if I'd make it back out alive.  The water tasted a little salty and didn't smell great but it was really a wonderful little swim.

Elaine and Sarah opted for horses for the trek back to the top.  I'm not going to lie, I was a little jealous.  It was $8 and well worth it.  I loved the hike but it was tough.

The main path consisted of switchback after switchback and it was very steep.  You wouldn't know it by watching the horse drivers though.  They walk behind the horses at the same rate on the way up and run (yes, run) on the way down.  Hugo said they might make 7 trips a day during the busy season.

This is the last stretch of the hike, the most user-friendly because there's a viewing point right behind me.  It reminded me of something out of an Indiana Jones movie (the good ones, not the fourth one).

When we reached the top we found a trailer full of dogs and a team that's been racing across South America consisting of members from all over the globe.  It was kind of odd, they had everything from Dobermans to Huskies to Irish Red Setters.  I love meeting people on the road!

Here's the trike the dogs pull.  We didn't get to see it in action but I imagine it would be quite the sight.

Easily our most strenuous day yet, and I loved it!  The drive back included great views of Cotopaxi and a beautiful full moon, neither of which I could accurately capture from the van.  Stay tuned for Pichincha (round 2), roller coasters, soccer, and Baños!