There is no other way to describe my time at Cajas National Park other then surreal. Cajas National Park is the smallest of 10 national parks in Ecuador, but is one of the best maintained next to the Galapagos Islands. We learned that 60% of the water Cuenca uses comes from Cajas traveling down the Tomebamba River. There are many water reservoirs like lakes and marshes in Cajas supplying water that flows down many rivers. Much of the ground in this Natural Park acts like a sponge absorbing large amounts of water. Moss and lichen flourish in this environment due to the large amounts of water present. Our guide pointed out to us a few of the invasive species Cajas has had problems with including Eucalyptus, which was introduced in 1860, and Pine trees, which were introduced in 1925. These were introduced at one point in time for lumber for human use but now cause a problem of absorbing too much water and out competing native species. Cajas also has a problem with rainbow in the lakes killing and out competing native marine species. Because of this, the national park allows fly fishing in an effort to keep populations down. One of the lakes with this problem was where we took our first hike.
Today we hiked for a total of about four hours on two different trails. Our first hike was on a trail around a lake at about 9480 feet above sea level. I could definitely tell that my body has been acclimating to the altitude because I had a much easier time hiking today than I did two weeks ago when we visited ecological reserve Cuicocha. While most of this trail was flat, we were able to see different landscapes as we allowed our body to get used to movement at a higher altitude before we went up higher for our more difficult hike. We hiked through the forest that is believed to be about 500 years old. A tree had fallen across the path so we had to climb through the forest to continue on. When we came out of the forest we walked through a valley with a beautiful view of the mountains surrounding us. Our guide showed us many different plants like the Bromeliad, a plant in the same family as the pineapple. He also showed us many plants that have medicinal purposes like the Pidgin Flower which is good for stomach ailments as well as Valerian, what Valium is made from, which helps with sleep. We also hiked past the abandoned Cerveza Azuaya brewery that was the first brewery in Azuay but shut down in 1922.
After our first hike we visited the "Tres Cruces" continental divide. This was the highest point we were at during the day at 12480 feet above sea level. This divide was the area at which any water that falls flows east over the mountains makes its way to the Atlantic Ocean, and any that flows west over the mountains ultimately makes its way to the pacific ocean. The view here, along with most of the drive was absolutely breathtaking.
The second hike was at an elevation of 11880 feet above sea level. We split into smaller groups for this hike because it was much more rigorous then the first hike. My group had nine people in it including our instructor Dr. Leonardi and our mountain guide. The scenery on our second hike was absolutely amazing. Not often in this world do we see such pristine environments undisturbed by mankind. We hiked through a forest of Paper Trees that I cannot describe in any other way but magical. We sat on top of a mountain enjoying a 360 degree panoramic view of the mountains around us. We trekked though streams, over rocks, and up and down the side of a mountain just taking in everything this country has to offer us. It is an amazing feeling to be able to take a step back and appreciate the environment around you. It is a humbling experience to feel so small and realize the great magnitude nature has around you. This hike at Cajas National Park was by far one of my favorite days here in Ecuador.
