Erin Inman

Erin Inman

Backpack to El Altar

02/18/18

My boyfriend and I attempted this in Jan 2018. Some updates: - There is now a public bus from Riobamba that goes past Penipe and will let you off directly in from of Hacienda Relenche (well just down the driveway). It only runs a few times per day. We caught a noon bus and got to the hacienda around 2:30pm. We talked with Sebastian who owns the hacienda and he discouraged us from starting so late in the day (which we were thankful for the next day). Sebastian did mention that this year had been abnormally bad as far as weather and subsequent trail conditions. But we weren't fazed. We spent a chill night at the hacienda where we paid a little extra for a home made, hot meal. - The next morning we set out at sunrise, around 7AM. The first 3 hours were a struggle up, up, up the mud ridden trail. We then reached the plain where we had been told that the trail disappears. You just need to go straight across and eventually pick up the trail again, they said. Unfortunately the plain was completed fogged in. We couldn't see anything more than 15 ft in front of us and it just kept seeming like we were dropping off hills. We had no bearings at all. We also didn't have a decent map. After ~45 min of fruitless wandering we decided to call it and head back down. We had traveled light to Ecuador and had no camping gear. We had planned on staying at the hacienda in the valley. We also had planned on using that kitchen and had little food (just MRE's). To say the least, we weren't prepared to wait out the fog/rain all day to find the way. - What did we learn? What we already knew - always come prepared. We thought this would be a straightforward overnight trip - and it probably would be if the weather was nice. - Tips for next time? Since currently there is only one tiny map of the entire region that I know of and because the trail disappears, I'd do it with a guide so you take out the ability to get lost in the fog when the trail disappears. I'd get a current update if possible on the trail/weather prior to attempting - because it's quite a commitment to get to hacienda relenche to begin with. Apparently Sebastian is working on improving the first part of the trail, but hopefully the infrastructure for the whole trail improves in the next couple of years. - It was a nice night at Hacienda Relenche and Sebastian was great, but we tried this at the end of our quick, 7 day trip and given our disappointment, were eager to return back to Quito and make the most of what time we had left.

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