Cajas

Yesterday we went to the Cajas, the National Park about 45 minutes from Cuena. Wow! Jeff and I visited the Cajas during my trip in 2006 but this trip was even better.

The Cajas are quite mountainous and remind me of the Rocky Mountains minus the snow. But there is the same changing of vegetation as we go up on elevation, with fewer and more rugged trees at the top. I think we were about 15,000 feet. We were high enough that on this cloudy day I was thankful for the down jacket with hood that I borrowed from Anne. The tour agency also provided boots for everyone which turned out to be a godsend.

As we traveled into the Cajas, our tour guide pointed out the walls that still remain from the Incas along the trail that leads from Cuenca to the coast of Ecuador. He explained that it took the incas about 3 days to travel the route and that the indigenous still travel the route today. In fact, while we were hiking I noticed horse prints and he explained that this was evidence of local travel.

Our hike was awesome, albeit challenging. We broke into two groups, one with a Spanish speaking guide and the other with the English speaking guide. Our group was smalled which turned out to be a bonus because we were able to take a much more strenuous route. And when I say strenuous, I mean akin to some of our most challenging hikes in Colorado. I suspect if I were with Jeff I would have baulked but with this group of students, I there was no turning back. It became a bit of a joke between me and the guide because he kept saying "just jump!" I jumped revines and rivers, climbed hand over hand up rocky cliffs, crawled under and climbed over tree branches, etc. It was fabulous!!!

The cajas are naturally wet, above ground and below. Thus the boots. Like the last tour, the guide pointed out the unusual variety of plants and their medicinal purposes. But this time we went much farther and went into the woods. wow! they are unlike anything I've ever seen, except maybe in a movie set. We agreed that maybe something similar is in the Trilogy movies. It looked something like the wild magnolia trees we see at Shad Landing, except much larger, more dense and required climbing down walls of rocks to enter. I guess that is why there is so much water that the trees can grow. As we entered one forest there was a huge rushing stream that then went under ground. We hiked a bit and then the stream resurfaced. Quite strange.

Alas, I did not take my camera and was glad I did not, as I need to keep my hands free for climbing. But student Stephanie took lots of pics which she will share.