Gabriel M. Ortega Photography + Multimedia

Hiking with RP

The sound of footsteps and hiking poles making pockmarks in the dirt mixed with the chatter from the group that had just completed a 17.2 km. (10.7 mile) hike up into the Andes mountains. Congratulations were in order for another successful hike, except this was no ordinary mountaineering group. Seven of them cannot see.

In Santiago, Chile, a metropolis of 7.2 million people that sprawls out on the foothills of the Andes, there are plenty of mountaineering and hiking clubs that seek the joy of mountain trails. But one group, coordinated by the local Fight Against Retinitis Pigmentosa Foundation (FUNDALURP in Spanish), provides an outlet for those who suffer from this group of genetic eye conditions that leads to incurable blindness.

The system used to guide the visually impaired consists of using a hiking pole held on one end by the guide in front and on the other end by the blind hiker. The guide must go along giving instructions about how to walk over obstacles as well as well as describe the scenery around them.

Daniela Carrasco is the  young, athletic and energetic law student that serves as the vice president to the foundation as well as coordinator of the group’s outings.  The group began last year and thanks in part to their Facebook page, have attracted more members for their monthly excursions.

Last weekend, I had the pleasure to meet Daniela and to accompany the group on a hike to the Waterfall of Apoquindo, traversing the natural park Aguas de Ramon. I’ve done the trek twice before and know the route requires a good dose of endurance to follow the winding trail to its refreshing end. The ten-hour hike involved crossing two streams and some dangerously inclined slopes, slippery from a lack of trail maintenance. The essential spirit of mountaineering shone through in the smiles, laughter and a profound sense of fun, all set to the backdrop of native peumo forests, beautiful blue skies and refreshing mountain air.

Although I didn’t guide anyone because I wanted to see how the system works, I am committed to go out with the group again and offer any assistance I can. The wonderful sensations of being in the mountains is for everyone and this group proves that not even a rocky trail is an obstacle for the visually impaired. Never underestimate the determination of the human spirit.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, March 15th, 2011 at %I:%M %p. It is filed under Blog and tagged with blindness, chile, eye conditions, hiking clubs, mountaineering group, retinitis pigmentosa, Santiago, waterfall. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.