In brief
Baltazar Ushca, the last of Ecuador’s traditional ice merchants known for his dedicated 60-year career of collecting ice from Mount Chimborazo, has passed away at the age of 80.
Ushca trekked up the snow-covered slopes of Chimborazo, Ecuador's tallest mountain, multiple times a week, using a pickax to extract blocks of ice. These were then wrapped in hay and transported on donkeys to sell to villagers who lacked modern refrigeration. His dedication to this grueling but important trade began as a family tradition, passed down from his father Juan and shared by his brothers, who also worked as ice merchants.Despite the rise of modern refrigeration, Ushca persevered in his role, selling ice blocks primarily to local vendors in Riobamba for making beverages and ice creams. He was regarded as the last ice merchant of his kind, emphasizing the unique quality of the ice: "The natural ice from Chimborazo is the best ice," he declared in the documentary “El Último Hielero” (“The Last Ice Merchant”), which chronicled his life and legacy.His sons often questioned the arduous nature of his work, asking why he would endure the cold and long hours for minimal pay. Nevertheless, Ushca's connection to his heritage and the ice-crafting tradition endured long past its commercial usefulness. His passing marks not only the end of an era for the local community but also highlights the cultural shifts impacting traditional livelihoods.
