It's a Dangerous Business Going Out of Your Door

Siri and Antisana, I will miss you both!

As I am nearing the end of my time living in Ecuador, there is a lot of talk among my friends about Bucket Lists.  What should I absolutely make sure that I do before leaving here?  I have certainly explored and traveled extensively within the country during the last three and a half years, but there are many spots that yet elude me.  I haven't been to the Galapagos.  Vilcabamba remains mysterious.  And though these places and others are alluring, what I feel deep down is the need to make sure that I revisit my favorite haunts during my precious remaining weeks.  Weeks that I simultaneously want to pass swiftly, and also to linger indefinitely.  The fact that my list is almost entirely revolving around old favorites speaks a lot to how much this place has become my home.  It is a broken home where my friends keep getting robbed and relationships have gone awry, but also a home that has deeply shaped and guided me in ways that I was both unprepared for and needed desperately.  This is why rather than craving new adventures here, I am opting for a farewell tour of my adopted country and old friends.  Human friends and figurative ones alike.

Hiking with Rita, Amanda, and Justin on the clearest day
I've ever seen in this part of the country.

And so, goodbye Hike to Papallacta!  Your mockery of rational weather and blissful conclusion at a spa have made you a dear, if fickle, friend.   A couple of weeks ago, I was able to do this hike again for what I believe was the fifth time.  There are markers for guidance (wooden posts sticking up from the mushy, marshy, grass-like substance that you walk on), but I would still strongly recommend going with someone who knows the way.  The posts are about 100 meters apart from each other, which is often precisely 99 meters further than one can see through the unnatural fog that plagues this region.  A few years ago, we almost lost some student teachers.  They were found huddling for warmth in the wet, dark paramo after a panicked search by other teachers and park rangers.  So please, be careful.  

Cayambe has apparently been there all along

"It's a dangerous business going out of your door.  You step
into the Road, and if you don't keep your feet, there is no
knowing where you might be swept off to."
- Bilbo Baggins (or Tolkien, I suppose)

Pouring, with 5 hours still to go.

Also, it is worth noting, drivers on the road to and from the trailhead do not actually acknowledge that this fog exists, and insist on driving their usual 100 km per hour while passing buses on blind curves in two-way traffic.  On this most recent trip while being shuttled back to our own car after dark, we pointed out to our driver that we were not in a hurry, and in fact, had all night.  This declaration only seemed to amuse him, as did our our obvious and wide-eyed fear.  He then missed the turn, you know, due to the fog and darkness that was very real, and began to back up on the highway.  You can avoid a similar, hellish flight through the pale blindness of your own headlights by simply staying overnight at the hot springs.

Tip: Never utter the phrase,
"Can't get any wetter," while
still hiking.   That sort of
thoughtless optimism will
only anger the gods.

I highly recommend this not only for safety, but for healing purposes after the trek.  This is a high-altitude hike and while there is only one strenuous uphill section (the first 45 minutes to an hour), it is always cold and the ground will be soggy and slick regardless of current weather conditions.  In other words, you will fall.  The standard rule is that the first fall (roughly the American Football rules for being "down") costs its recipient the first round of beers upon reaching Papallacta.  These falls, while often cartoonishly exaggerated and devastating to your ego, are usually benign in terms of physical injury.  It's the near-falls that really get you.  Say, for example, that your right foot slips on the mud and shoots out in front of you.  Your reflexes then send both of your arms into the air at odd angles, and place all of your weight on your left leg, which then of course also slips, and your recovered right leg now swings back into action.  This arhythmic dance may have as many as 5 or 6 iterations, much to the enjoyment of all spectators.  The end result will be that a small muscle you had either forgotten about or never even knew you had, sometimes around a joint but often in the back, starts to ache.  So, while you may not have necessarily been in need of repair before you started, you most certainly will be when you have finished.  And the hot springs and massages are wonderful, and usually fix any ailments that were developed in reaching them.  Sure, the net gain of this is generally zero, but it is a very exciting and luxurious way to achieve exactly nothing.  

Going all the way to the hot springs on a bus:

19th century facial hair will not make
the bus arrive any sooner, but it
will improve the wait.

You can of course go all the way to Papallacta and the hot springs on a bus, and skip the hike.  You can catch this bus by going to Quitumbe terminal in the south of Quito, or by heading to the bus stop in front of the Supermaxi in Cumbaya.  Quitumbe is more reliable for getting a seat, but it takes you far out of the way if you are already living in the north of Quito, which you likely are as an expat.  You can catch the exact same buses as they make their way north by going to Cumbaya and waiting.  This cuts down the commute time drastically.  For this option, simply keep an eye out for buses that say "Tena" or "Baeza" on the sign in the windshield.  When you get on the bus, tell the driver or monitor (the guy hanging out of the door while yelling destinations) where you want to go, and they will be sure to stop for you in Papallacta.

Balneario Pools
Photo Credit

It is probably not quite 2 hours on the bus to get there, but if you get nervous that you have missed it, just ask again.  You will be dropped off in the town of Papallacta, and will need to walk up the road (going uphill) to get to the hot springs.  There are public baths in town, but you will want to keep going if you want to reach the really nice spa and resort called Termas Papallacta.  It is a really small place, so again, just ask in a tienda if you are unsure about which way to go.  You can either walk the 1-2 kilometers, if I remember correctly, or you can take a taxi from town for about a dollar.  Termas Papallacta has different options for their hot springs for day trippers.  Check out the website, but you can go to the basic pools (Balneario) for $8 per day, or the really nice ones in the spa for $21 per day.  The spa includes not only nicer pools, but nicer changing facilities, indoor showers, bathrooms, and lockers.  The Balneario has showers, bathrooms, and lockers as well, but just not quite as nice, and it can be pretty crowded on weekends.  You can also make an appointment in the spa for a massage, for which you get a 15% discount if you are an overnight guest. 

The Upgrade
Photo Credit

Taking a hike: 

For the hike, you will do everything the same except tell the bus driver or monitor that you want to get off at La Virgen (the Virgin), about a half hour before reaching Papallacta.  This is also an advantage because you can make the decision at this point about whether or not it looks like a good day to spend outdoors.  If not, you can stay on the bus and go the rest of the way in comfort.  Well, less discomfort.  If you choose to get off and test your luck with the elements, you will need to cross the highway.  Carefully, please; as I have alluded to, driving in Ecuador is more of a faith-based activity than it should be.  On the other side, you will find a dirt/gravel road that will lead you to the Ranger Station.  This is where you begin the hike.  You don't need to pay any fees, but you will be asked to sign a registration sheet with your name and passport number.  You do NOT YET want to bundle up too much, though it may be tempting.  The first 45 minutes to an hour is uphill, so even if you are cold, just start walking.  You don't want to have your base layer sweaty the whole time.  If it is raining, then of course put on rain gear, but also kick yourself a little for starting in the first place.  You are in for a long day.  Literally.  In good weather, the hike can take as little as 4-5 hours.  In bad weather, it has taken me as many as 7 hours.  The footing is so terrible that even though the conditions are sufficiently unbearable so as to prohibit long breaks, you simply can't go any faster than a shuffle through many parts without falling.  

What rain?

Anyway, leave the Ranger Station and continue on the same road that brought you there from the main highway.  This will lead you up to some antennas at the top of the hill, where the road ends.  From here it is a path of mud, rock, and squishy green stuff marked by the posts for the next 1.5 to 2 hours.  You will (presumably) see a gazebo after the antennas, which puts you at about 4200 m/14,000 ft.  It is likely very windy for you now, and will be for the next 15 minutes as you walk at a 45 degree lean in order to avoid being knocked over.  After this, you begin to descend a bit, and on nice days, the rest of the hike is really fun.  Even if not, if you are prepared with appropriate clothing and in the mood for an adventure, you will definitely enjoy yourself.  You'll follow the posts through the lake region, and ultimately find another road.  I am using the term "road" loosely here, but it is at least a very clear path.  From here it is another 2-3 hours to the 2nd Ranger Station.  You know you are almost there when this road starts to take a long series of downhill switchbacks.  From the station, they can call you a camioneta ($2 per person), or you can continue walking for another hour to reach Termas Papallacta.

Private pools at the cabins

Lodging and dining options:

If you are thinking of staying overnight, check out the rates here.  The best option, I think, is to find five other fools to do this with you, and then share a cabin for about $35 per person.  With the cabin comes access to a different set of private pools for no additional cost, as well as access to the Balneario.  However, there are cheaper options as well.  Just outside of the gates of Termas Papallacta, you can walk down the road (this would take you into town if you kept going) and find a few other hostels with pools and hot springs for about $15 per night.  Whatever you choose, you will be happy.  Especially when it is time to eat, because also just outside of the gates of Termas Papallacta you will find several restaurants where you can order fresh trout, cooked and seasoned in a variety of delicious ways, for about $5.  As with nearly all Ecuadorian dishes I have encountered, it will also come with rice, french fries, and an untrustworthy salad.  Inside the resort, mere steps away, this same thing is $12.  But hey, try it out if you want.  Perhaps it is sprinkled with joy and laughter, or better, Old Bay.  But probably not.

Trrrrucha!!! Really make sure you are rolling your r's here,
fellow gringos and gringas.  There are consequences for
an error on this one.  Photo Credit

When, sadly, it is time to leave, walk or order a taxi into town and wait at the bus stop.  Within a half an hour, you should be able to flag down a bus going to Quito.  For the bold who opted to take the long way there, you will find that over the next days and weeks, the mixture of bafflement, pain, beauty, and accomplishment that was your hiking experience will slowly mature into a grinning nostalgia and a series of inside jokes, until you find yourself planning another trip.  Don't believe me?  Give it a try.

Some old friends from Colegio Americano at the cabins, now
mostly scattered.  Photo Credit, and an awesome blog about
Seoul from Alex and Caitlin, 2 of the people pictured here.