Waking up, I looked out the window. It was still too early to know if the day would turn out so that we could hike the volcano. Then, as I was journaling on the couch, the sun started to shine. Blue sky began appearing and it was turning into the perfect day to hike.
As soon as breakfast was finished we gathered all the things we would need; water, food, extra clothing, camera, and sunscreen. We headed out, Crystal, Hilary, Chelsea, Melissa, Stacie, Bailey, Kaylaynn, Olivia, Zack, Grant and I, ready to catch our bus and start our adventure.
After a bus and a taxi, we arrived at the cable car which would bring us part of the way up Pichincha. The view of Quito from the cable car was absolutely stunning; it is a sprawling city, nestled high in the mountains, cozy within the valleys between them. God was blessing us already with beautiful views and a blazing warm sun!
Getting off the cable car I felt ready, ready to tackle this volcano! Ready to push myself to make it to the top, no matter how hard the altitude would push my body. As we started hiking, we naturally broke off into smaller groups of people who were going at a similar pace. You could definitely feel how the altitude and the thin air affect your ability to breathe. Every step was full of beauty, as well as twice as difficult.
Grant, Bailey and I made small goals and took breaks when we reached each one; every time getting closer to the top. When we reached about halfway to the top we encountered some rocky areas. I was not fazed; I’ve been climbing around rocks on the coast of Newfoundland my entire life. Finally, we reached the spot we had been warned of; the sand. Well, if it is difficult to climb sand on a normal day, it was worse here. Each step turned into two as our feet were sliding down in the sand. Luckily, an older man on his was down pointed us in the right direction, telling us to climb further over to the right. It made such a difference!
When the sand ended, we were there. The only thing between the very top and us was a few minutes of rock climbing. Though I was nervous to be rock climbing the side of a volcano with no rope, there was no stopping now! I was finishing this climb! With Bailey and Grant in front of me, I climbed over those rocks. Then, there it was, the top of Pichincha! What an accomplishment! What a blessing to have the opportunity to see God’s creation from so high! The clouds parted and we had beauty everywhere. Words cannot describe it.
Arriving at the top of Pichincha volcano in Quito. So proud that we made it all the way to the top. Did I really just hike up the side of a volcano? Did we actually make it? Standing tall at 4,698 metres (15,413 ft) I felt like I was on top of creation. I was viewing God’s wonder while standing in the clouds. This is how life is meant to be lived!
