Balthazar is the latest in a long tradition of more than a century of Chimborazo ice cutter. He went to the foot of the volcano's glacier twice a week to remove ice blocks they sold to markets in surrounding towns and villages, and has been for 15 years. A few years ago his father and brother accompanied him. It is only today to make the 8 hour round trip to the glacier.
His story is fascinating. Many photographers or people interested in television history and that it perpetuates. Even the show Beijing Express was interested in his case ...
When I arrived the next morning Balthazar is just preparation. He must harness the 3 donkeys accompanying to the glacier and ice cover. We leave around 19:30. The view of Chimborazo is clear.
On the way some people smile, seeing that I accompany Balthazar on this journey. We walk fast. Balthazar mounts quickly on one of the three asses. I press the not keeping pace. From the valley we reach the end of an hour and a half Páramo, these desert landscapes located between 3000 and 4000 meters. The scenery is magnificent. I am often in front to take pictures. The moment is magical.
Suddenly Balthazar stops for cutting of Para, shrubs Páramo main herb yellow, long and thin, and make successive heap. It takes clumps in her hands and waving, kind of like that slicks para cover the floor. In a stroke of Balthazar handle because of its scattered heap real braids. The gesture is precise. We feel that was repeated again and again.
After three hours after having exceeded the two shelters are tackling the climb to the ice. The moor becomes a wilderness of rocks and snowy slope is steeper. In the distance we see the wild vicuña, llama cousins living in the heights of the moor. Donkeys tired. The rise is slower but more technical. Temperature becomes lower and the fog rapidly formed from seeing clearly the Chimborazo. The clear sky that I saw early in the morning is long gone.
We reached the glacier after 4:00. I Balthazar leaves found his tools to go up and try to walk more to see, in vain, the summit of the volcano. I landed on the rocks a few moments. The air becomes colder and it starts to snow. The silence is total. There is no sound except that of snow falling on my coat. After some time I bothered by the cold descends to see Balthazar at work. The latter has already cut two blocks of ice and attacking a third. His action is slow, precise and efficient. Before long a third block gives the glacier.
I am especially appreciative of the work of Balthazar conditions Cold and snow are difficult and discourage me from staying too long. I leave him some food before leaving, and began the return journey.
The snow covered everything. The mountain is beautiful and wild. As far as I was down the cold disappears. Arriving at the moor, the rain set in and will not leave until I came to the community of Francisco where I live. The roads are slippery and I fell several times. I found the motorcycle community and I go Pilingui Capilla Capari completely muddy and wet in search of a hot shower and a good tea. I'll not see it but Balthazar have made me live a single ascent and allowed me to experience some of the history he writes a weekly amount in Chimborazo.
The rain eventually dissuades me to stay in the mountains. Time becomes more difficult in the hills. Tomorrow I decide to leave the community for the next day for the coast and Cuenca.
0 comments:
Post a Comment