Beautiful view of the trail!Today we hike along the edge of the lake until meeting up with a couple of jeep tracks. As we follow the jeep tracks, we descend from the high altitude paramo toward the lush green cloudforest around Papallacta. The temperature warms each hour till we're all stripped down to t-shirts and sweating a bit. The last mile to the hotsprings we hike along a stream and through pastures where local people graze their cattle. The hotsprings resort is a welcome sight after two days hard trekking - too bad I don't have time to stay the night here! Our travelers spend the night and next day soaking in the hot pools and enjoying the spa, but I'm on a schedule and I have to fly to Guayaquil for the annual IGTOA meeting. I have to admit I'm jealous and wish I could schedule a massage for the next day when I know my muscles will be sore.