El Corazon 15,702ft

This is where it all begins.

My guide Segundo is right on time at 7:30 and says "hi, lets go", a man of not too many words. We drive to a hacienda to drop my bags that are not needed for the hike. We drive for another hour and park near the base of El Corazon. Then its an uphill hike, walking is slow and breathing is hard due the altitude and I feel out of breath all the time.

Visibility is low because of the clouds, then it starts drizzling and the drizzle turns to snow. The gentle hike turns to a scramble; the ground is wet which makes it tricky but slowly we make it to the top. I know that it was the summit because my guide told me so, I couldn't see a thing beyond five feet.

The entire hike took five hours; we now go to La Estacion (appropriately named for being next to a train station). We are joined by Edgar (my guide Segundo's brother), Kathy another guide and a Russian couple. We have dinner and then I pass out.