Tour Diary, Camping around Chimbarazo
The 8th Day: Hike upward
On this day didn't happen so much. Because our hiking tour around Chimborazo began, our "sherpas" had arrived from Alao. They had never before done that outside of Alao, or Sangay national park.
We waited the whole morning until the rain became lighter, then hiked upwards some 600 elevation meters to our camping place. We headed in between Chimborazo and Carihuairazo; in the following days we would make a half circle around Chimborazo in the north side.
The ground was so wet, that the original camping place was unpossible, and because of the fog it was difficult to see, if there would be any better. Somehow Reinhold - or our backup-team, I don't actually know which - managed to find a good field between a low hill, which protected us from the wind. I was in the first group, and while the camp was not yet ready, we had no place to cover us from the weather. The afternoon went by by helping building the camp, waiting for the others, and just hanging around. In the evening the normal rituals, talk with Reinhold, Camilo explaining the coming day, eating and early in bed.
The 9th Day: Hike over Abraspungo pass
It was still foggy and windy. Camilo estimated the fastest would make the hike in five to six hours. We did it in three. The route took us over the Abraspungo pass, with 4300m the highest point on this day.
When we arrived the next camping
place, the weather was already clearer, but still windy and chilly.
There were some buildings, where we could even make a fire
and lay down, while waiting for the others. I hiked up a hill
behind the houses, and one of the dogs of the local people followed
me.
It was really friendly to me, he put even his head under my arm when I was squatting and admiring the view. I called him "Poika", "Son" in Finnish (no further connotations, please).
I spotted also two llamas, a mother and a calf. I
could walk really close while they were eating grass, called
them and they lifted their heads, and I made a couple of nice pictures.
Later it started raining again, and the evening was again just sitting in the tent where we ate. It was always nice, don't get me wrong.
On the next day we would ascend to Carihuairazo, and our mountain guides had arrived. We learned to know Benno, Carli, Patricio, Diego etc. We discussed what was waiting for us: the weather, difficulty etc. The guides wanted to break off at two o'clock in the morning. Reinhold thought it was nonsense, because this mountain was not so high. Luckily we all agreed to use the first morning light, that meant six o'clock. Even that was early, but much better than the original proposition!
The 10th Day: Carihuairazo
On this day we would see, how well acclimatised we were. Carihuairazo with it's 5028m elevation was about 1600m higher than what I had before this tour done (see Mulhacén). We would be using crampons and sail teams while in the glacier, something new to me! That's because I wanted to take it easy, and stuck with Petra and Manfred, whom I knew were experienced and not so hectic. The walk to the mountain was long. The weather was still foggy, so the scenery wasn't so terrific.
We reached the glacier. Unexperienced as I was, I put the crampons on before the belt. But I managed to get the belt past the crampons, still! (Well, later Diego said, it would be easier to open both the belt and the leg loops totally, and so it was.) Coming from Finland, walking in snow was familiar to me, with or without crampons, so I had no problems. Near the top we reached a steeper part, where the sand and stones were quite loose. For some of us it was difficult, but we all managed it.
Done! We had reached the top! Or
at least almost, the actual peak was some 20 meters higher, but
it took more technical climbing to get there, and only Manni and
Manfred from us went there. And, as we later heard, from the
first group of course Reinhold and Sigi. Unfortunately it
was really foggy up there, only about 30 meters to be seen. No
views to admire.
Back down. On the way back we felt how long the hike from the camp had been, it was really tiring. The evening was just recovering. The weather became clearer, and Chimborazo was magnificent in the sunset, and then in the moonlight.
The 11th Day: Behind the next hill...
Our goal was a camping place at 4800m elevation, near Whymper hut. The hike was supposed to be easy, and we started only at nine o'clock.
We made friends with two children who were taking care of some llamas. The views were great, and the route interesting, ridges to get over, even some climbing was needed. Then we started asking Camilo, how long it still would take. The answer was - many times - "It must be behind the next ridge". That became a joke to us. Until we no more had much time until sunset. Then we reached a road, we our bus came and picked us. The rescue team had still to go and find Ursula with Rodrigo, who were still behind us. They managed that, too. In the camp Camilo was very sorry, telling us he had estimated, the lower route would be easier for us, but had overlooked the greater length. No one was sour, because nothing had really happen,, and we had seen great scenery, ice avalanche and Chimborazo in sunset.
The 12th Day: Visiting Cruzs
Reinhold had told us, it would be difficult to sleep at 4800m. I heard no one complaining that. We were obviously so well acclimatised, and had perhaps had so good training on the day before...
For today's program we had to choose from hiking down to Marco Cruz' hacienda, or to the Whymper hut, and then with bus to the hacienda. I opted for the hut, it was still 200m higher, that is, at 5000m altitude. The weather was great, and the walk light for us.
When we walked back, we saw people, who had driven from Quayaquil, at sea level, and wanted to ascend the last 200 meters. It was almost unbelievable, somehow comical, how difficult it for these people was. They made pauses every ten steps, walked like drunken, vomited even. Well, we were well acclimatised, they not at all.
The hacienda of the Cruzs' was situated in a beautiful mountain valley, naturally with a great view to Chimborazo. We had a tasty lunch on a sunny patio, admired the view to Chimborazo, the lamas and the house of Cruz'. Finally we had to leave, back to hosteria Andaluz.
The 13th Day: A day in Bus
This day proved to be wasted, just sitting in the bus. Our goal were the Osogoche lakes, but the weather was so foggy and rainy, that after reaching the lakes we just turned around, made a short walk in some village and drove further to the next hacienda. On the way we saw how the vulcan Tungurahua erupted with thick clouds of smoke.
Hacienda Manteles was situated in the end of a valley, near Tungurahua. The hacienda itself was nice, but unfortunately we had only cold water in the showers, some of us not at all! The dinner was great, and the vine tasty.
The 14th Day: Another day in Bus
The surroundings of the hosteria was beautiful. Luckily we had free time in the morning. Or that was the plan, anyway. The weather was so rainy, none us us wanted to go hiking in the bushes. We just waited till we drove away, admiring the colibris through the windows.
On the way we stopped in Salasaca, to visit the market. It was nice, not too many people, and the weather had become better.
After a long drive, again, we reached the next
place to overnight, Hacienda el Porvenir. On the way we saw how the top of Cotopaxi
became red in the sunset. Unfortunately just a couple of minutes
before we reached the hacienda. 
The place was nice, albeit
somewhat cold inside, because the roof was made of straw, and the
wind just blew through. Our "rooms" were like tents
in the second floor, just with walls of straw separated beds. After
some rearrangement I found myself in a playroom, that I had as my
private room! Sheer luxury, if you don't count the wind through
the walls, that swung the lamps. I had even a giant roof window,
through which I could view the stars, and in the morning Cotopaxi
itself.