On Day 3, we ditched our packs in the morning to check out the Paramo Ecosystem, before heading back to the cabin for lunch. We would ultimately take our gear with us down the mountain as we headed back to La Pastora.
Click Here to Jump to Day 1
Click Here to Jump to Day 2
The Trek from Doña Nelidas to Paramo Ecosystem
Today, we would continue our trek into the Paramo Ecosystem. We awoke well before the rooster’s serenade which allowed us to get a head start on the activities of the day.
With a mountain sunrise upon us, we enjoyed breakfast and hot aguapanela on the porch of the cabin before pushing onward.
Climbing into the Paramo
We were quick on our feet, and this allowed us to cover distance (and altitude) fairly quickly. The route to the Paramo was relatively straightforward, as long as you knew which direction you needed to head from the cabin.
The inclement weather of the previous night had shifted into more suitable weather. The sky was blue without a cloud in sight, giving way to the most majestic views of the trek. Looking down from above, we could see the cabin on flatland, completely surrounded by mountains. Unencumbered eyes could see for miles. The rays of the sun transformed into spears that pierced through the skin as our altitude passed over 14,000 ft.
Cream, Milk, and Honey
There was a long and steep section after a wooden gate which led us through an enchanted forest maze; a time capsule back centuries to trees of wisdom. During this stretch, a sweet perfumous musky aroma filled the air. It reminded me of the aroma at Mt. Moosilauke, just when you reach treeline, about an hour before the summit. The decident scent in Colombia somehow transported me back to that place in New Hampshire, although this aroma was slightly different. I’m sure it is related to the ecology of the area, but I like to think that tasting the creamy, milky, honey-like air as you breath is one of the gems of doing this trek!
Entering the Cloud Forest
As we continued our journey to see the frailejones – prehistoric plants that feed the rivers and other waterways in this region – we entered the area known as the cloud forest. Usually, like yesterday, dense clouds blanket the entire region while the tall frailejones soak up the humidity. The captured moisture is transported to the root system of the forest, which is the life source of all the rivers and waterfalls we crossed through on Day 1 and Day 2 of the trek.
A Dangerous Trail
There are several dangers of hiking in this area of the Paramo Ecosystem that I learned along the trek. One is easy to conceive and normal, while the other is utterly terrifying. The easy danger is the sun; if you are exposed on a clear day like today – like I was – you will get severely sunburned. Even with long sleeves and a hat, you must wear sunscreen on every inch of your head. Although you will be up here for hours, sunburn will take only 10 minutes.
The terrifying danger is falling into holes. This entire cloud forest is full of roots, to the point where you are hiking on systems of roots rather than solid land. The “trails” are extremely narrow, and most of the way is shrouded by overhanging plants. You can very easily step in the wrong place and find yourself falling straight through what you thought was solid ground.
This actually happened to both of us. She fell and a plant poked her eye. I then ran over in concern to help, only to sink into a hole several meters away. My hole was deep – the only reason I did not fall completely through is really only luck. I somehow kept my arms above the hole, grabbing onto the dense plants around me, while sticking my left foot out in order to pin myself in place through force, preventing further slippage into the abyss. Without her to pull me up with the trekking poles, I’m not sure I could have come up with a maneuver that would guarantee not falling further down into the root system. Make sure you take heed of this!
The Prehistoric Frailejones: 2 Million Years Young!
After not seeing the fraile jones for a very long time, we finally started to see them, way off in the distance.
It was a gamble on which direction to travel – we were not headed to Laguna del Otun, so our goal was to quickly see the frailejones and then leave the Paramo Ecosystem immediately. Otherwise, we risked passing nightfall before reaching La Pastora, and having to hike down the mountain in the dark. After a while, we discovered a sea of them.
Unfortunately, there is an invasive species of beetle that is wreaking havoc on this prehistoric plant. I only hope that Mother Nature allows the beauty of this region to maintain its disposition as the ecology goes through these transformative periods.
We claimed success after reaching this point and then started our return trip.
Heading Back Down
Our first stop was the cabin. Dona Nelida had lunch prepared upon our arrival. We ate fresh eggs and cheese, and tried our best to thank her for her hospitality and for inviting us into her home. We settled our debts and said our goodbyes, happy to have had the experience that so very few ever even get to imagine.
From here on out, the trek took a somber turn. The adventure was over, along with the air of enthusiasm and exhilaration it brought. Although we were still enjoying ourselves immensely, the focus switched from wanderlust to cautious descent as we navigated our way back down to La Pastora.
The Return Leg Was Different
We flew down the mountain with relative ease. The skies were clear and the sunlight gave way to vast, colorful views of the landscape. Perhaps the best view of all was looking back up the mountain after making it back to where Julio dropped us off yesterday.
When I think of Los Nevados, I think of mountains and rivers. This is the picture that encapsulates the former.
Reaching El Jordan on an Unfamiliar Trail
From this point to El Jordan was uncharted territory for us. Although yesterday’s detour procluded us from traversing this section of the trail, we did not feel lost. In fact, for the first time on this trek, we saw others hikers on the trail. These were all locals, but there were quite a few of them, and they were all heading to La Pastora by way of El Jordan. Again, this felt entirely different from Salkantay. At least in this case, the folks we ran into were not tourists. They were all locals enjoying a weekend hike; groups of friends and families from a not-too-distant town.
Reaching La Pastora
Arriving at La Pastora made us feel all the more blessed for having the trail to ourselves for 2.5 days because of how crowded it was. On the upside, this meant that the canteen was open, and we were able to order a homemade dinner consisting of fresh juice and a squash soup, followed by a plate of beef, rice, and vegetables. There were many friendly folks in the canteen and around the campsites with whom we chatted throughout dinner, prior to turning in for the final night of the trek.
Hike Stats: Elevation Gain and Distance
Here is the track from the cabin to the Paramos Ecosystem. Note, the elevation gain is NOT accurate due to the app I was using to record the track:
Total climbing: 3133 ft
Total time: 03:52:38
Here is the track from the cabin, back down to La Pastora. Note, the elevation gain is NOT accurate due to the app I was using to record the track:
Total climbing: 3419 ft
Total time: 04:48:26
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