It might just be that we got the legend of El Dorado all wrong. What else could explain the golden flowers sprinkled all over these mountains? Frailejones grow a centimeter a year making me-tall frailejones 165 years old. The taller ones have been keeping these lagoons company for at least 400 years. All I want is to keep wandering below the treeline. Maybe someday they will allow backpacking here, but in the meantime, a day hike at 3500m is enough. At least for now.