Test my limits on the Cotopaxi volcano

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I knew it would be cold. I knew it would be difficult. What I didn't know is that I would give up at the Cotopaxi volcano after only 10 minutes. Our height of 4,500 m, mixed with unusually rough weather, made every breath difficult, every step to the trouble. When the wind hit me in the face, I closed my eyes and didn't wonder for the first time why I let Peter be persuaded to do so. Glacier were his thing. Trekking in clinking cold was his hobby. I like adventure, sure, but not when it hurts so. I prefer my adrenaline 10 degrees above freezing, thanks.

I tried to concentrate on the upcoming task: one foot in front of the other. No matter the gossip wet gloves, no matter the constant rain - just one foot in front of the other. Peter was in front, accompanied by a lively Scottish girl who climbs on rocks at lunchtime. (It didn't matter to me ... I was pretty.)

The middle of the pack formed a group of weekend hikers who luckily had almost as much to fight as I do. The bottom was another city girl. Instead of hiking shoes, she wore sneakers - and paid the price expensive.

We slowly trudged forward, the heads boomed out of height, the skin trembled with cold. After half an hour our refuge came in sight. It seemed so close and yet it took us to get there. Peter laughed when I later told him I understand why mountaineers give up a few meters before their summit. I was dramatic, of course, but we got progress so slowly that it took us an hour to climb a few hundred meters.

When we finally reached the refuge, our guide Henry put us all and asked us to seriously consider whether we wanted to continue. The weather is unusually bad, he said, and it could be difficult to move up further. Some of me wanted to jump down happily, but part of me was disappointed. We had come so far, we were sure to make it to the glacier?

After 10 minutes of Uming and Ahhing and with the gentle encouragement of Peter and Sprightly Scottish, we have decided to continue as a group. We piled up our soaked layers again and made our way into the cold. My scarf got wet from my warm breath. I adjusted it, but in the end I only had a scarf that was wet from the rain. My fingers were deaf in my wet gloves and the scorching cold air seemed to shoot through my nose directly into my brain. One foot in front of the other. One foot in front of the other and so it went to 5,000m.

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When we finally reached the glacier, we held breath long enough to cheer. It was a relatively short hike, but the sense of achievement was fantastic. I got an insight why Peter likes to climb mountains (not that I would get back to him soon). We took a moment to enjoy the dramatic view and take a few pictures of us that look more than just a bit run down. And then the difficult part was just over and we went down again.

stacking into the waiting car at the base was both a relief and pain. Our dripping clothes and our wet skin did not ensure a pleasant trip back to our hotel. Fortunately, a blazing fire was waiting for us in our Cabana in The Secret Garden Cotopaxi. This jewel of a lodge is the perfect place to explore the Cotopaxi National Park. With a breathtaking view of the volcano, a real fireplace fire in the cabanas and the common area and a whirlpool, this is not your hostel with garden variety.

Oh, and did I mention that homemade cakes, "happy hour" snacks and three meals a day are included in the room price? I do not often rave about hostels (mainly because her clientele is full of hipster ucculer who think that they are so subversive because they can grow a beard), but The Secret Garden Cotopaxi stole a piece of my heart. Its unique location means that they do not meet ukulele players as often as adventurous outdoor types that are infinitely more interesting. In addition, as a city girl, I rarely had the pleasure of falling asleep when an open fire sounds. After a hard day it was the perfect night.

The essentials

Was: Vulkan Cotopaxi and glacier hike ($ 35 per person), 2.5 hours. A summit trekking as well as other hikes of different lengths and difficulty are just as available as an excellent riding excursion - all bookable via The Secret Garden Cotopaxi. A private Cabana there costs $ 96 per night and includes its own bathroom, open fireplace, unlimited hot drinks, three meals a day, homemade cakes, daily happy hour snacks and access to the whirlpool!

Where: Cotopaxi National Park, Ecuador - 56 km south of Quito.

When: According to Summitpost.org, Cotopaxi has most of the clear days a year in the Ecuadorian Andes. Increase can be tried all year round. June and July are the driest months, but strong winds are not uncommon. December and January are almost as dry and much less windy.

like: If you stay in The Secret Garden Quito, you can get a transfer to the Secret Garden Cotopaxi for only 5 USD per person. Send an email to hola@secretgardenquito.com to arrange this.

fly to the international airport from Quito (booking via skyscanner.net).

Mission statement: Atlas & Boots 
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