Days in the Mountains

Yesterday we hiked towards Quebrada Cojup a 34km round trip from the park entrance, we were dropped off by Micah (assistant manager at the Lazy Dog Inn...this is a good hike for acclimatizing for the altitude with it's relatively gentle steady climb without too much elevation gain - the entrance starts at 3900m and the lake is at 4500m...so we hiked slowly up the valley we were hiking up following the river, enjoying the birdsong, and the colorful wildflowers...everywhere... the trail was sometimes soft green grass and at other times it was rocky...the narrow valley gradually opening out to an expansive view of the mountains, Ranrapalca,Pucaranra and the glacier... being only 9 degrees from the equator and at such a high elevation the sun was hot and intense that we soon stripped down from our wool tights, and extra layers... We stopped for a leisurely lunch in an old cattle/sheep corral as part of the trail and hiked further on to a handmade wood and dirt bridge that crossed the river. Here we decided to turn around as we needed time to make it back to the Casa before the sunset and of course before dinner! My altitude headache was intermittent, trying to drink lots of water... but by the time we returned to the inn it was pretty intense but a nice hot wood-fired sauna was just the salve for tired bodies and hopefully to save us from Day 2 soreness...and my headache was relieved...not so my high-altitude post ridiculously long winter not yet sunkissed skin sunburn...ouch!

Wayne on top of the hill

Entering the Eucalyptus Forest....

Buena Vista

This morning Matthew and I headed out on horseback for a fantastic ride with Wayne - in the surrounding hillsides and valleys...great terrain including lots of cantering and trotting - the horses loving the workout, my horse was uber competitive with Matthew's and any attempt to pass was met with my horse trying to run Rumi off the trail on either side. Spectacular views, riding through small farms, locals out grazing their sheep in the fields with sheepdogs...fjording a river on horseback, riding up ridges to the top of a huge hill, weaving our way through eucalyptus forests, along dirt tracks or traversing steep and rocky fields...pre and post brushing horses and working them out a little first so they knew we were not predators and got used to us. Matthew of course is at home on a horse having owned, competed and ridden them for many years so it was great to see him enjoying the Western ride...and you couldn't ask for a better landscape...