Weekend Trip: Cotopaxi Volcano

To celebrate finishing our first month of school, Justin and I booked a weekend trip to Cotopaxi National Park. This time, we were going to try staying at a different place - Hacienda Los Mortinos. (Mortinos are the wild blueberries that grow in the area, and that Justin always yells at me for trying to eat on our hikes). We loaded up the car Friday morning so that we could leave right after school let out. Luckily, it's a short drive to Cotopaxi, and even in the rainy Friday afternoon traffic, we arrived at our destination in under two hours.

Hacienda Los Mortinos

The last 20 kilometers ride up into Cotopaxi park is along a cobblestone road that winds around farmlands and ranch houses. You have to take this part of the drive quite slowly, to prevent against jarring something loose in the suspension, as well as anticipation of the random cow, dog, donkey or horse that may wander across your path.

When we finally made the last turn into the hacienda property, we found ourselves on a wide dirt driveway, framed on both sides by rows of paper trees. These trees, identifiable by their reddish brown peeling park and delicate dark green leaves only grow at high, misty altitude, and are also found in the paramo surrounding Papallacta. The driveway led us past a horse pasture where several white horses were grazing and watched us pass with mild interest.

The sun had set and with rain still drizzling, the climate was wet and cold and foggy. But I had come prepared with my knit wool leg warmers from Cusco, fleece leggings, and ½ a bottle of something perfect for warming one's bones next to a crackling fireplace.

We were greeted by Pablo, the owner of the hacienda, who served us steaming hot cinnamon drinks while he checked us in. Although the famous Cotopaxi volcano was located directly in front of the hacienda’s dining room windows, any views were completely obstructed by the sheets of fog that had settled around us.

She Peaked Out Eventually

Our room had an enormous picture window on each of the exterior walls, and we immediately noticed three small grey rabbits hopping around in the dusk. And the shower! Hands down the best shower I’ve had at any hotel or hacienda in Ecuador. Scalding hot water that filled the whole bathroom up with steam, and strong water pressure that blasted away all the week’s stress. After happily roasting my skin pink in the hot shower, I snuggled into all my soft fleece and wool and sweatshirt and settled myself in front of the log burning fireplace with my book for the weekend, The Poisonwood Bible. I decided that even if the rain didn’t let up all weekend, and were were never even able to see Cotopaxi, I would be quite content spending the next two days in front of this fireplace, reading my book, and sipping intermittently on my smoky drink.

It was right at this moment that Justin got the unfortunate news that some of our friends who were also on their way up were having car troubles and were broken down about 40 minutes back down the cobblestone road. Justin and I spoke with Pablo who was able to contact a mechanic in the nearby town of Machachi and had him dispatched within 30 minutes. Justin bundled back up into his jacket and boots and left to go pick up our friends while their car was towed back into town.

Finally, at about 9:30 he had returned with our four friends, and the six of us ate a sleepy warm meal together in the quiet dining room before bidding one another goodnight.

The next day, I woke up early at about 6:30 and peeked out the window to see a wonderful crisp view of Cotopaxi in the dawn. I smiled and then went back to sleep for a couple of hours. By the time we joined our friends for breakfast, the clouds had rolled back in and Cotopaxi was almost invisible. Nonetheless, we headed out for a hike into the national park. We were joined by the owners happy little puppy, whom Justin named “Ralph” but we later learned was actually named Joe. Joe followed us all the way into the park, about a 45 minute walk until he was apprehended by the park ranger (as dogs are not permitted in the park, and Joe refused to go home) and the ranger put Joe into a holding cell until we could return to retrieve him. Sorry about that, Joe.

Good Morning Cotopaxi

After about another hour of walking a thunderstorm rolled in and we were caught in the rain. Luckily this happened just as we came upon a backpackers hacienda and we ducked inside for cover, and as it turned out, a delicious lunch of grilled trout and chicken. At this point, our group split in two and half of us returned to the hacienda since it was clear the weather would not be cooperating today. The other half continued to hike into the park to check out a nearby lake. Then we retrieved Joe from the park ranger. Luckily he wasn’t too upset with us and he cheerfully escorted us back to the hacienda.

When we finally reached the property I stopped at the fence where the horses were grazing. Much to my delight, one the grey-white horses walked right up to the fence and allowed me to scratch his neck and stroke his main. For a good 15 minutes I stood there, petting the horse, marveling how he was equal parts serene and beautiful yet also slightly terrifying in his size and strength. It was a peaceful and joyous encounter, and as I left I promised him to return tomorrow with the extra apple I had in my lunchbox.

Justin and Joe Ralph

The rest of the afternoon and evening was spent reading by the fireplace, and playing card games with the rest of our friends who had arrived that morning. We shared a meal and wine together and played cards into the night until we were all too sleepy to stay up. The rain continued through the evening.

But just as I had given up all hope of ever getting a decent view of Cotopaxi, Sunday morning came. The rain had stopped, the clouds had evaporated, and there she was in all her glory. Cotopaxi, the marvelous volcano, right outside our breakfast window - huge and covered ⅔ of the way in gleaming white snow. We were giddy with excitement, all of us adults, and we dashed outside to take pictures and get closer to the marvelous giant. And were gifted for the rest of the morning and early afternoon with a clear view and crisp air.

Cotopaxi, the Neck of the Moon

When it was finally time to head back to Quito, we loaded up the car and I shoved the apple in my pocket for the horse. We drove back out the driveway, up to the horse pasture where I jumped out and bit the apple into pieces to share with all the horses that met me expectantly at the fence. Feeding a horse by hand - also slightly terrifying but deeply satisfying. I gave the grey horse one last stroke along his broad, silky nose, wiped by sticky apple hands on my jeans, and hopped back in the car. It was a well deserved, relaxing weekend, capped by a long awaited view of Cotopaxi. Definitely, we will come back for one more visit before leaving Ecuador, and next time, I would come prepared with a whole bag full of apples - one for each horse.