Hiking Cotopaxi!

Wild horses, wild flowers, and a hike to the 1st Refuge stop of Cotopaxi volcano highlighted our week.  Yesterday, our personal tour guide picked us up at 8:45 AM for the 3 hour drive to Cotopaxi, the 2nd highest active volcano in the world.

Off to Cotopaxi for the day!

We entered the park, registered, and then drove to our first stop - Laguna de Limpiopungo, a small lake with wild horses grazing nearby.  The weather was cold, wet, and windy!

Laguna de Limpiopungo - elevation 12,645 feet.

A wet and windy day at Luguna de Limpiopongo in Cotopaxi Parque Nacional.

Wild horses with their heavy coats grazing on the flat land by the lake. 
We estimated 50+ wild horses in the vicinity and we were impressed by this young colt.

Dotted with wildflowers, rocks, and vegetation,  the lower grasslands of Cotopaxi are beautiful.

After a short time at the lake, we proceeded driving up the volcano's north side.  The plan was to leave our vehicle at the final parking spot and then hike to the first refuge point.  However, the weather continued to worsen as we ascended the face of the volcano and the vehicle we were in was  unable to make the climb.

Wet and windy grasslands quickly ascended to snow, wind, and slippery roads.

At this point, we thought we were going to have to end the trip and return to Quito.  However, when we realized that the plateau above us where we saw cars was the final parking spot, we decided to hike up there and see if we could catch a glimpse of the refuge through the mountain peaks and cloud cover.  By this time we were cold and wet from the wind, rain, and sleet.

Once we arrived at the parking lot and caught a glimpse of the 1st refuge buildings, we felt compelled to proceed!  It was a steep and challenging climb as we navigated the snow; and the soft, sandy volcanic terrain, but we kept pushing ahead.  About every 10-15 yards, we would stop to catch our breath.  It took us about 1.5 hours to reach the refuge, and when we arrived, it was exhilarating to look down the mountain and see what we'd accomplished!

Balancing myself off the steep hiking trail.

Cotopaxi Volcano 1st Refuge.  We made it!

A celebratory kiss!

Just below the base of the 1st Refuge looking down the mountain.

Once we arrived at the refuge, our sense of accomplishment was energizing.  We had a cup of hot cocoa, took some photos, and began our trip back down the mountain side. The steep descent was heel step to heel step.  Digging our heels in the the soft volcanic sand prevented us from slipping and we were able to get back to the our vehicle in less than 30 minutes. 

Footprints in the soft and sandy volcanic soil.

 This excursion reminded us of how easy it is to give up or turn back when life's path becomes challenging.  We knew the weather at Cotopaxi would be cold and snowy, but we weren't expecting the strength of the wind or the icy rain.  It would have been really easy to justify turning back. In fact, we almost did, BUT we decided to push ahead to the parking plateau.  That decision made all the difference in the outcome of our experience.

At the parking plateau, the clouds parted and through the mountain peaks we were able to get a glimpse of our final destination.  That glimpse of what lay ahead, energized us to proceed with our original plan to hike to the 1st Refuge of Cotopaxi.  It certainly wasn't an easy hike, but it was worth every step of the way when we arrived at our desired destination and saw the view of what we had accomplished.

Cotopaxi......we'll climb again!  Life.......we'll keep pressing forward to the next plateau. Knowing and trusting that, when we are on the right path, glimpses of our final destination will always be in sight.

Love to all!
Elder & Sister Lewis