Ecuador - Cayambe - Cotopaxi - Chimborazo - Avenue Of The Volcanoes

Ecuador

Avenue Of The Volcanoes

Chimborazo (20,703’)

Cotopaxi (19,348’)

Cayambe (18,997’)

Overview

Difficulty Rating: Cayambe, PD; Cotopaxi, F/PD; Chimborazo, PD/PD+
Experience Level: Advanced Beginner/Intermediate
Duration: 16 days
Climbers: 6
Guides: 3
Land Cost: $3300

Dates

Jan 1 - Jan 16, 2010

Jan 22 - Feb 6, 2010

Jun 4 - Jun 19, 2010

Jun 25 - Jul 10, 2010

Expedition Code

EDCC-10-01010116

EDCC-10-01220206

EDCC-10-06040619

EDCC-10-06250710

Expedition Goals

Cayambe is a massive extinct volcano whose snowy summit rises forty miles northeast of the capital city of Quito. It is Ecuador’s third highest mountain and the third highest in the Americas north of the equator.

Cotopaxi is a classic, symmetrical volcanic cone rising over 10,000 feet above the surrounding plateau. Cotopaxi is the second highest mountain in Ecuador, and has for many years been hailed as the world’s highest active volcano, a claim that conveniently overlooks Peru’s Sabancaya (19,577’), Chile's Tupungato (19,685’) and Guallatiri (19,918’), Argentina’s Aracar (19,954’), and Chile’s San Pedro (20,161’), all volcanoes that have been active in the 20th century.

Chimborazo is a massive extinct volcano and the highest mountain in Ecuador; its ice-capped summit can be seen from the Pacific. Chimborazo’s summit is the farthest point from the center of the earth, and was thought to be the highest mountain in the world until Dhaulagiri (26,794’) was discovered in 1808.

Prerequisites

Participation in this climbing expedition requires intermediate mountaineering skills. You must have a good working knowledge of the techniques for staying warm and dry while climbing, traveling and camping in extremely cold conditions, and the proper use of ice axe and crampons. Additionally, you must be comfortable moving over steep snow and ice up to 70-degrees, following grade 3 ice, and be proficient in commonly accepted belay techniques. High altitude experience up to 14,000 feet, glacier travel experience, and technical ice climbing experience are required. For reasons of personal and team safety and success, it is imperative you arrive for this climb in excellent physical condition.

Itinerary

Day 1 — Arrive in Ecuador; transfer from airport; hotel check-in; administration & logistics. Arrive in Quito (9,350’), where an Expedition-Logistics guide will be waiting to greet you. After a gear inventory and hotel check-in, take some time to relax or explore the city. This evening, get to know your guides and teammates at the welcome dinner and expedition briefing.

Day 2 — Casual wake-up; acclimatize in Quito; trek to Laguna Cuicocha. Today we begin our active acclimatization. In the morning we walk around the city while shopping and sightseeing. After lunch we hike above town to Laguna Cuicocha (11,200’), a beautiful turquoise lake in an ancient, collapsed volcanic crater. The flora here is spectacular, and includes miniature orchids. In the distance we can see Cayambe and Cotopaxi. We overnight at the lake, at Hacienda Pinsaqui.

Day 3 — Early wake-up; return to Quito; transfer to Otavalo. After hot drinks and a quick snack, we return to Quito for breakfast. Afterwards we take a three-hour bus ride north to the small town of Otavalo (8,530’). The people of Otavalo are predominantly of indigenous, mestizo and European descent. There are some 40,000 native Otavalenos in Ecuador, and most live in the villages around Otavalo. Most native Otavalenos are master craftsmen and artisans, especially weavers and milliners. In la Plaza de los Ponchos we will find ponchos, hand made wool blankets, tapestries and sweaters, Panama Hats – which are actually Ecuadorian in origin – and handmade jewelry. We also visit the Indian market, which actually dates back to pre-Inca times. The market is a festive affair hosted by Otavalenos in traditional garb. At lunch, sample the local delicacy, cuy – roast guinea pig – and wash it down with Chicha, a beer-like libation made from corn.

Day 4 — Early wake-up; transfer to Mojanda Lakes; trek to Hacienda Guachala. This morning we load into 4x4s for the hour drive to the Mojanda Lakes, a group of mountains and three picturesque lakes just south of Otavalo. At Mojanda Lakes we take an acclimatization hike to the summit of Volcan Fuya-Fuya (13,986’), the highest peak in the Mojanda-Cajas range. We overnight at the Hacienda Guachala (8,600’), which dates back to 1580 and is oldest hacienda in Ecuador. Caranqui and Cayambe Indians inhabited this area before the Spanish came, and the Incas built a fortress where the hacienda stands today. In modern times the hacienda has been the residence of numerous political figures including two Ecuadorian presidents.

Day 5 — Casual wake-up; transfer to Cayambe Village; trek to Refugio Ruales-Oleas-Berge. After a leisurely breakfast we load into 4x4s and travel to the village of Cayambe, a quiet highland town famous for its biscochos, biscuits with cheese. From Cayambe Village we drive down a dirt road to Hacienda Piemonte and continue into the Cayambe-Coca Ecological Reserve, stopping for lunch in the Quebrada de los Mirlos. After lunch we continue on to the Refugio Ruales-Oleas-Berge (15,748’) on Cayambe’s southeast flank.

Day 6 — Casual wake-up; mandatory rest day. Today is a rest day to promote recovery and allow for proper acclimatization. It is important to remember that rest and recuperation are vital to the acclimatization process and the prevention of altitude sickness. Our well thought-out and proven system of active acclimatization – incremental increases in altitude and exertion in combination with sufficient recovery time and proper nutrition – has paid off time and again with a consistently high success rate summit days.

Day 7 — Alpine wake-up; Cayambe summit; return to refugio. From the refugio we climb to the top of a rocky ridge, dropping down onto the glacier at 15,846 feet. We continue very carefully up the very active and heavily crevassed glacier – the only glacier in the world through which the equator passes – and after many hours of avoiding crevasses, reach the huge bergschrund, which we surmount either by lowering down into it and climbing up the far side, or by skirting it, if possible. Not long after the bergschrund, we cross an easy ridge and stand on the summit. Cayambe is Ecuador’s third highest mountain and the highest point on earth through which the equator passes; as such, Cayambe reins as the coldest place on the equator. From the summit we descend to the refugio for the night.

Day 8 — Casual wake-up; transfer to Parque Nacional Cotopaxi; trek to Refugio Jose F. Ribas. After breakfast we make the short trek out and load into 4x4s for the drive to Parque Nacional Cotopaxi, 35 miles south of Quito. The valley south of Quito is bordered on either side by two mountain ranges and is home to all but one of Ecuador’s highest peaks, and half the country's population. There are a number of Indian villages throughout the area, with most of the population earning a living by farming the dark volcanic earth of this high agricultural valley. We follow the Panamericana Highway to the village of Machachi, where we enter the park, and are treated to views of Ruminahui (15,459’), Morurco (15,879’), Sincholagua (16,033’) and Quilindana (16,004’). We continue up a rough road to about 15,120 feet and arrive at our drop-off, where we unload and make the short trek to the Refugio Jose F. Ribas (15,748’).

Day 9 — Alpine wake-up; Cotopaxi summit; return to trailhead; transfer to Rumipamba. From the refugio we climb switchbacks up scree and volcanic sand, arriving on the glacier after about an hour. We continue up the glacier, crossing over huge crevasses. Some of the crevasses are bridged with ladders; peering into the depths of some of the crevasses we can see the mangled remains of last year’s ladders. After some hours we reach a steep section just below the crater rim and climb it to the summit. Cotopaxi’s summit crater frequently releases steam, and eruptions have been well documented for several centuries. The eruption of 1744 was heard as far as 500 miles away, and in 1877 an eruption thrust the capital city of Quito into total darkness at 8am. More recent but relatively minor eruptions have occurred throughout the twentieth century. After descending we make the short trek back out and meet our drivers for the ride to Rumipamba, just outside of the town of Salcedo (9,141’), and overnight at a quaint hosteleria.

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