Cotopaxi

Climbing to the summit of the world’s highest active volcano wasn’t a goal of mine at the outset of our trip. In fact, the volcano wasn’t even on my radar and (full disclosure) I could barely point to it on a map. However, shortly after our travels in Guatemala where volcanoes are a dime a dozen, my curiosity led me to research various volcano climbs in the Americas. Eventually the idea to summit Cotopaxi in Ecuador manifested itself in my head and when our travel plans brought us to Ecuador, I jumped at the opportunity to climb to 5,897m /19,347ft.

En route to the top of Corazón

Being a high altitude climb, it’s suggested to acclimate to the altitude by climbing other mountains in the area beforehand. Opting for the 5 day package with Andes Climbing, it included climbing three volcanoes with a day of rest in between. Diego, the owner of the company, and his wife Janet, also operate a cozy bed and breakfast in Machachi, Ecuador. We really loved staying there and had a great experience with all of the guided climbs over the 5 days.

Views on the way up to Iliniza Norte — seen here is Iliniza Sur

Alex joined me on the summit hikes of two other volcanoes, Corazón and Iliniza Norte which we completed back-to-back in the first two days. Neither were a walk in the park and required scrambling and some steep sections near the top, so a rest day was very welcomed on day three.

The summit of Iliniza Norte

Day 4 started with a hearty breakfast before meeting my new guide and heading towards Cotopaxi to begin the climb. We drove into the Cotopaxi National Park where began the first stretch from the parking lot (4500m/14,763ft) up to the lodge (4800m/15,748ft). Here we checked into the lodge and relaxed before having a large dinner and meeting a few other guides and climbers.

As we would be starting the climb around midnight, most of the evening after dinner was focused around gear preparation and getting a few hours of shut eye. Various warm layers and waterproof external layers were included with the rental, as well as hard shell hiking boots, crampons, ice axe and helmet. The guide had all the ropes and safety equipment in his bag which we also went over during a safety review.

At 11:00 pm I woke up and ate a slice of bread and coffee before gearing up. With headlamps on full blast and the ice axe in hand we set out at midnight sharp. It had snowed a few inches overnight so it was a challenge navigating. Fortunately my guide was a veteran and knew the mountain well, so he would often chat with other local guides on our way up about the safest route given the conditions. As there were only two of us, we set a brisk pace but took frequent, quick breaks for water and snacks.

Visibility the first few hours of the hike

The route was consistently steep and even with crampons it was a challenge getting a solid hold in a few areas. Crossing crevasses on ice bridges and using all my limbs to scale ice and rock in the dark tested me mentally and physically. Over half way up, altitude started sinking in with the air thinning, breaths shorter and more frequent. Pushing our way toward the top, we arrived just before 6am and caught an incredible sunrise.

Making it to the top brought with it a feeling of accomplishment, awe and relief to have made it. Being above the clouds, it was incredible seeing a 360 degree panoramic around us and peering into the deep crater spewing smoke up into the sky.

Starting the descent from the summit just after sunrise

After a snack at the top, we started the descent. With the sun now shining, visibility made for a much quicker and easier route down toward the lodge.

Climbing three volcanoes in 5 days provided a unique way to experience some of the rugged and diverse landscapes in central Ecuador.