January 7, 2019

Team had another great day in Ecuador.  Acclimatization is huge at this point of the trip and a hike to the top of Imbabura was just what the doctor ordered.  Night was spent at the Hacienda Guachala, near the base of Cayambe.  Plan/goal for today is to get up to the hut on Cayambe and sleep at 15K.  Keeping with the ‘acclimatization theme’, they’ll use tomorrow for some training/review and get another night at 15K before taking a shot at the top.

All is pretty much as good as it gets in Ecuador.

Phil Ershler

January 6, 2019

Our January 2019 Ecuador expedition is underway which means a bit of sightseeing and a lot of acclimaztization. The group rendezvoused in Quito on Thursday, the 3rd.

Lago Mojanda (Jay Lyon)

IMG Senior Guide, Jay Lyons is joined by our long-time Ecuadorian partner/guide, Romulo Cardenas. They’ve already taken the group to tour Old Town, Quito, crossed the equator, visited the famous market in Otavalo, spent time with Romulo’s old friend, a famed weaver in the town of Peguche and spent a long/fun day hiking outside Otavalo. Here’s their most recent update in Jay’s words:

Phil,

Hiking Fuya Fuya (Jay Lyon)

After an early morning visit to the animal market in Otavalo, we drove to Laguna Mojnada for our first acclimatization hike of Fuya Fuya. We reached the top (14K) and with the weather as good as it gets and energy high, we decided to climb the neighboring summit of Yanaurcu, at just under 14K. A few members enjoyed a swim in the crater lake back at the trailhead. Muy Frio. Before dinner, we visited an old friend of Romulo’s in the town of Peguche and admired his weavings. We saw the results of a lifetime behind a loom. Beautiful.

Team’s fit and healthy and getting on well. We’ll take on Imbabura tomorrow (Sunday). Hoping for the same good weather we had on Fuya Fuya.

–Jay

Nice way to start a trip.

Phil Ershler