Angling the Andes

Action abounds in the splendor of Ecuador’s Southern Highlands. Where the journey and the destination deliver equal significance, there you find a satisfied traveler.

I enjoyed just such an adventure when I joined my friend Marco Cevallos and his college buddy Jimmy Jaramillo for a trip deep into a desolate corner of Ecuador’s Andean Mountains known as Cajas National Park. Pronounced CA-hahs, it means “boxes,” referring to some 235 lakes holding a bounty of stocked rainbow and brown trout. Park admission is only $10.

Cold, wind-swept, unforgiving and profoundly captivating – that was my impression of the park’s rough and rugged environment. Frosty air and complete seclusion fostered a refreshing lucidity.

Located in Ecuador’s Azuay Province, the park with 71,186 acres of gouged granite visage owes its formation to volcanic activity of the Mesozoic period and glacial carvings many millions of years later. U-shaped valleys and box lakes now compose the Cajas’ complexion.

The ground here has a perpetual dampness, and you’ll find shallow, marshy ponds where frequent rain and a persistent paramando (mist) settle into low spots. Despite the frequent moisture, Cajas actually receives a lot of sunlight, mostly in the morning and early afternoon. This, combining with rich soil and plenty of water, yields a vivid array of orchids, ferns, lichens, mosses and brilliant wildflowers. Hillsides often glisten with narrow waterfalls.

With altitudes ranging from about 10,000 to over 13,000 feet and daytime temperatures that can fall past 50 degrees F, Cajas National Park relinquishes its trout treasures begrudgingly. Listen closely and you may hear the shrill cries of a hawk gliding above, while hummingbirds hover next to yellow flowers and the impressive Andean condor watches from a rocky perch.

Throughout the park, deer, rabbits, foxes and the rare spectacled bear make random appearances. If you need a break from casting, the park contains archeological ruins and caves that beckon exploration, while the historic Ingacarretero (Inca Road) passes through the northeast quadrant.

Come for the fishing, but expect a heavy dose of escapism.