Snow on the Equator

Any travel guide about Ecuador will make note of its spectacular and diverse climates. Ecuador has no seasons – only different altitudes. It is possible to have breakfast on a hot and humid beach in Manabí, lunch in eternally spring-like Quito, afternoon coffee from a thermos at a natural park in the snow dusted Andes and dinner in the Amazon basin. Although this is generally known information and has been told to me time and again by every Ecuadorian with whom I have traveled, I am surprised to see snow in September and surprised to see my breath in August on chilly nights in Quito…

The morning after one particularly chilly night I accompanied a friend on a filming trip to the subtropical forest of Baeza, an hour and a half outside of Quito. We drove through a mountain pass dusted in snow and cloud…an hour later we were filming butterflies, orchids and waterfalls in our short sleeves, skin toasted by the warm sun.