Ecuador Climbing School: Cotopaxi, Cayambe & Chimborazo

Home , Cayambe (volcano), Chimborazo, Cotopaxi

! Ecuador Climbing School: Cotopaxi, Cayambe & Chimborazo

2016 Cotopaxi: $2,850 (land costs) Feb. 6-14, ’16; Mar. 5-13, ’16; June 4-12, ’16; Oct. 29-Nov. 6, ’16; Dec. 10-18, ‘16 Cayambe & Chimborazo Extension: $1,500 (land costs) Feb. 14-21, ’16; Mar. 13-20, ’16; June 12-19, ’16; Nov. 6-13, ‘16

Difficulty Level: Introductory – No technical climbing or altitude experience is necessary. It is imperative, however, that you are in good physical shape, and able to hike in rugged terrain for long!1 days. We are happy to detail physical and technical training programs as needed to get you ready for our introductory expeditions.

©2004-2016 All Rights Reserved Alpenglow Expeditions Alpenglow’s guides have been climbing and guiding in Ecuador since 1994 and believe it is unparalleled for learning the essential skills of high altitude climbing, while also exploring a friendly and interesting culture. On this expedition, we have focus on education, building technical skills and experience, while our team attempts to summit Cotopaxi, the world’s highest active volcano. At 19,347 feet (5,897 meters), it is heavily glaciated and remote yet also easily accessible. Instead of taking weeks to reach a peak in Alaska or the Himalaya, we can successfully arrive, learn and practice skills, acclimatize, and summit all in only one week! Our main goal in our “school” programs is to ensure that your mountain skills are up to speed so that you are can be a confident and active participant on this and other climbing teams moving forward.

Our expedition begins in Ecuador’s capital of Quito. The city, surrounded by 4 glaciated peaks, sits at 9,500 feet (2,896 meters), so your acclimatization begins immediately upon arrival. We spend the first day exploring the old colonial center of Quito and enjoying fantastic food and hospitality. We continue our acclimatization, now taking our classroom to the field by riding the local telepherique to 14,000 feet (4,267 meters) on Rucu Pinchincha, and then hiking to the 15,700 foot (4,785 meter)summit. If conditions allow, we will take a technical knife-edge rock ridge to this summit, learning about rock technique and the use of fixed lines.

From there we move to a luxurious refuge high in Cotopaxi National Park. A former chef from the Galapagos along with a Swiss guide opened the refuge, called Tambopaxi, and there is no better place to acclimatize while enjoying incredible food and stunning views of Cotopaxi. Based out of this refuge, we spend an entire day discussing and practicing climbing skills on Cotopaxi’s glacier. This day is essential in becoming a competent team-member on Cotopaxi and other peaks in the future. We practice crampon and ice axe techniques, traveling on a rope team, snow and ice anchor placement, and crevasse rescue.

At this point, we are ready to utilize our new skills on our climb. We move from Tambopaxi to the refuge just below the glacier. While not as luxurious as Tambopaxi, it significantly shortens our summit push. We wake at around midnight for the climb, which might take 7-12 hours round trip. The views from the summit are always stunning, and encompass many of the surrounding volcanoes, as well as the active crater of Cotopaxi itself.

After descending from the peak, we head to the market town of Otovalo for some much needed pampering. On Saturdays, the day we will be there, Otovalo holds one of the largest indigenous markets in South America. The shopping for friends back at home is incredible, as are the opportunities to explore the local Otovalan culture.

Heading home after Otovalo is one option, however, we encourage those who have the time, to stay for summit attempts on Cayambe and Chimborazo, where you will be able to build on and test all of the training you’ve done leading up to here. Cayambe, 18,997 feet (5,790 meters), sits near the town of Otovalo and is heavily glaciated. The route is longer than Cotopaxi, and is an excellent place to continue building comfort with crampon and ice axe techniques. Chimborazo, with a summit at 20,703 feet (6,310 meters), is the tallest peak in Ecuador, and considerably taller than any peak in North America. Its altitude, the length of the summit day, its technical challenges, and the skills you’ve learned to get there, make it a perfect final peak of the trip, and excellent preparation for big mountains anywhere in the world.

Our Ecuador Climbing Schools are guided by one or more of Alpenglow’s AMGA certified lead guides. AMGA (American Mountain Guides Association) certification is the highest possible training available to guides, and only the most experienced and dedicated attain it. Our lead guides have also traveled and climbed extensively in South America and know the Ecuadorian volcanoes intimately. Their knowledge of Andean culture as well as the mountains, combined with their passion for teaching others to become competent mountaineers, guarantees that your experience will be one to remember!

We combine our guides’ experience with the local expertise of our close friend and expert Ecuadorian logistics operator, Jaime Avila. Jaime is one of Ecuador’s most respected guides, and has also guided in Nepal, Peru, Bolivia, and Alaska. His local knowledge (of the mountains, the markets, and the salsa clubs) will be essential to our experience. Our small team size and low ratio of climbers to guides (2:1) ensures that you stay healthy and strong, and are able to enjoy each component of your experience.

Arrive into Quito (9,500 feet/2,896 meters) in the evening. Our guides will pick Day 1 you up and bring you to our hotel, a local family-run place close to excellent restaurants and the tourist center of the city. (Saturday)

Explore the colonial section of Quito. The old city is famous for its beautiful churches, president’s palace, and ever-present views of the glaciated peaks that Day 2 surround it. After touring for half the day, we spend the afternoon preparing for our climb of Pinchincha, practicing fixed line techniques, and organizing gear.

After breakfast at the famed Magic Bean (a gringo-owned restaurant with strong coffee, fresh fruit smoothies, and huge pancakes—the perfect pre-climbing meal) we ride the telepherique from the center of the city to 14,000 feet (4,267 meters) Day 3 on Rucu Pinchincha. Two hours of hiking brings us to the rock ridge which we climb, conditions permitting, to Pinchincha’s 15,700 foot (4,785 meter) summit. This climb is a proud peak on its own; it is also important for our acclimatization.

After a lazy morning, we drive to Tambopaxi, at about 14,000 feet (4,267 meters) in Cotopaxi National Park. From the dining room we have a perfect view of our Day 4 entire route on Cotopaxi. There are also countless hikes we can take for acclimatization.

Today we hike about an hour to the toe of the glacier on Cotopaxi. We spend the day practicing skills, including self arresting with an ice axe, climbing in Day 5 crampons, traveling on rope teams, and crevasse rescues. We also take time scouting our summit route. After a full day, we descend back to Tambopaxi for another evening.

We spend the morning reviewing any skills that need it and then check our gear Day 6 and hike to the upper refuge at 15,700 feet (4,785 meters) on Cotopaxi. We spend the afternoon resting, hydrating, eating, and trying to get some sleep.

©2004-2016 All Rights Reserved Alpenglow Expeditions Summit Day! We wake at around midnight, have a hot drink and perhaps a snack, and then begin our climb. The route takes us across scree to the glacier, and then winds up through progressively steeper slopes and heavily crevassed areas. By dawn, we should be below the final headwall, 800 vertical feet (250 meters) of Day 7 the steepest climbing on the mountain. In daylight, we work our way up this slope until we are standing on the edge of Cotopaxi’s crater, with stunning views in every direction. After a few photos, we descend back to the refuge, and then continue our descent all the way to our hotel in the town of Otovalo.

Today we sleep in, eventually waking to the sound of hummingbirds and the smell of fresh coffee and waffles. The Alishungu hotel in Otovalo has some of the best food in Ecuador, and we will have earned it. When we are ready, the hectic Day 8 Saturday market will be waiting for us, where we can buy everything from grilled guinea pig to hand-woven textiles to handmade silver jewelry. After a final celebration dinner, those flying home return to Quito. The rest of the team stays in Otovalo.

Day 9 Depart Quito for home. Flights generally leave early in the morning. (Sunday)

Cayambe & Chimborazo Extension

Those staying for more peaks spend another day of rest and relaxation in Otovalo. Day 9 In the afternoon we will begin to organize for our next climb, Cayambe.

After grocery shopping, we drive 2 hours through high altitude farmlands to the Day 10 refuge on Cayambe. At 15,000 feet (4,572 meters) it is a perfect place to continue our acclimatization.

We spend the morning out on Cayambe’s glacier. Sitting just below the hut, it is Day 11 ideal for continuing to build advanced glacier travel and rescue skills. In the afternoon we pack for the climb and rest.

After another midnight wake-up call, we being our climb scrambling a rock ridge to the upper glacier. From there moderate slopes lead to another steep headwall. Day 12 Often icy, this slope will require all of our climbing techniques to make it to the top. From the summit, we descend to our van and drive back to Quito.

After a morning in Quito, we drive south to a wilderness lodge below Chimborazo. Day 13 The lodge is owned by one of Ecuador’s original mountain guides – his stories, home, and excellent food will prepare us for our final climb.

Drive to the high hut on Chimborazo and hike 1-2 hours up to the base of the Day 14 glacier from where we can scout our climb. We then return to the refuge to rest and hydrate.

©2004-2016 All Rights Reserved Alpenglow Expeditions Our final, and most challenging, summit push. The route quickly steps onto the glacier, on which the ice is often broken by many crevasses as well as almost vertical ice steps. Eventually we reach the ridge and follow it over moderate Day 15 ground to the summit. After taking photos and enjoying the views from the tallest point in Ecuador, we descend to our van and return to Quito for a final celebration dinner.

Day 16 Depart Quito for home. Flights generally leave early in the morning. (Sunday)