Snow Days, Andean Style

Severe winter weather is passing across the US. Even my mother in south Louisiana and my son in New Orleans have had snow recently. Here, in the Ecuadorian Andes, we don't have a winter season. It will probably never snow at our house.


However, we had a day of snow last month. The day after Thanksgiving, our family went with another missionary family up Mount Chimborazo, the mountain in the banner at the top of this page. Chimborazo is home to vicuñas, a cousin of the camel and the llama. (Some visitors from Oklahoma called them "long-necked deer"!) We saw several groups of this graceful mountain animal. We drove to the first refuge, a building located at about 15,000 feet above sea level. Mountain climbers stay there and at the second refuge to acclimatize to the altitude before ascending to the peak at 20,565 feet. Patches of snow surrounded the first refuge building.

We hiked to the second refuge (16,500 ft) through snow. The altitude and dry air caused us to stop and rest frequently. As we neared the refuge, snow began to fall. We played in the snow and threw snowballs. The teens made snow angels. At the second refuge, we were greeted by a man who offered hot chocolate, coffee, tea, and the traditional remedy for altitude illness, coca leaf tea. After a rest, we hiked back down to the cars. We drove back to Riobamba, leaving the cold and snow behind us.

We don't have winter, but we can experience snow and ice with a 45 minute drive.

Like the cold of snow in the time of harvest is a faithful messenger to those who send him; he refreshes the soul of his masters. Proverbs 25:13 (ESV)