Trip Reports

Ecuador Volcanoes 15 Dec 03 - 3 Jan 04

Written by Leader Mungo Ross, January 2004

Ecuador has experienced one of the worst Decembers for weather for a long time, providing very difficult climbing conditions. Too much snow with high avalanche risk on mountains, while Chimborazo turned to hard bottle ice making it impractical for our group.

Despite this unsettled weather, the group have enjoyed the mix of culture, comfort of hotels and haciendas and fine mountaineering that makes the Ecuador Volcanoes the experience that it is.

After one team member had to return to the UK for domestic reasons, having only just arrived in Quito, the other six members went on to enjoy acclimatisation ascents of Pasochoa (4,200m) and Pichincha (4,787m). Attempts at climbing Cayambe and Cotopaxi were thwarted by difficult and dangerous snow conditions and it was agreed that Chimborazo was out of the question. A return to Cotopaxi National Park proved a good decision with five of the six members summitting Cotopaxi on 31 December 2003 in perfect conditions. This was a fitting and satisfying conclusion to what has been a very enjoyable and rewarding time in Ecuador for all the group. « | »

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