7 Banos Dirt Blog

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Wrapped up my Banos trip, focus was on Spanish classes but plenty of hiking opportunity and wanted to get dialed into vegetatation, soils, stability before Malinguapamba (MP). Banos is warmer than MP and sets on metamorphic rock with volcanics above. Plenty of deep (Mull) soils, very well vegetated, bewildering mix of plants. Remarkably stable for such steep land and rainfall (this is the headwaters for the Amazon). Long history of people living and growing crops on land at and greater than 100% which is the grade for a black diamond mogul ski run in Colorado. Cattle are tied up to a stake for grazing each day, so they don't do as much damage as if they were more free to roam. Next to Latacunga on way to MP.

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