Ecuador Seminar: Knoff & Team Move Into the Refugio
Greetings from the Cotopaxi Refugio just shy of 16,000'! The team awoke this morning extremely well rested at Hacienda Guachala. "Slept like the dead" and "I fell asleep with my book in my hand" were common conversation points during breakfast. After getting our fill of fresh fruit for the day we loaded Viktor's trusty Hyundai bus and began our journey towards Cotopaxi.
We took a pit stop at the San Luis Mall to stretch our legs, grab some snacks, and get our last taste of the thick air at 9,000'. Another hour and a half on the bus brought us to the gates of Cotopaxi National Park. As always Viktor navigated the steep, rutted roads with ease and we soon found ourselves in the parking lot during the middle of an afternoon snow squall. As we quickly loaded our bags we enjoyed watching and listening to the joy of locals playing in the drifted snow of the parking lot. Snow rarely accumulates so low.
A 45-minute walk up switchbacks brought us to the newly remodeled Refugio. After stowing our gear and pleasantly noting the fleece sheets and pillow cases that each bed was made with we went outside for a short walk to check the route and see if we could catch some views with the lifting clouds. We were not disappointed and were treated to beautiful views of Cayambe and Antisana bathed in evening light and the mountain shadow of Cotopaxi. Grinning from ear to ear the team returned to the Refugio for some R&R before dinner. Tomorrow will take us up to ~17,000' where we hope to get in some ice climbing and continue to sharpen our mountaineering skills. Thanks for tuning in!
RMI Guide Jordan Cargill
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