Trip Reports

Ecuador Volcanoes - 6 to 25 November '05

Written by Leader, December 2005

This was the fist Jagged Globe expedition with this new version of the Ecuador Volcanoes itinerary. It was a hugely successful expedition, due to the perfect acclimatisation schedule given by the new programmme, with all team members reaching the summits of Pasochoa (4,200m), Pichincha (4,650m) Iliniza Norte (5,126m), Cayambe (5,790m) and Cotopaxi (5,897m). Highlights included the ascent of Cayambe, where we were the only team on the mountain, with an unrivalled view of the northern Ecuadorian Andes.

En route to Cayambe volcano, some members of the trip took the opportunity to try their bartering skills when purchasing goods from the famous market in Otavalo. Two useful days practicing glacier skills further aided acclimatisation and got everyone better prepared for the attempt on Cayambe and Cotopaxi. The sunrise on Cayambe summit was beautiful, initially creating a orange landscape, then the sun gave an amazing shadow of the mountain on the clouds below. During the ascent, there was a great view of Antisana, the fouth highest peak of Ecuador.

Another highlight of the expedition was the ascent of Cotopaxi on a superb day. Not only is Cotopaxi the highest active volcano, it is also the second most perfectly conical volcano in the world, after Fuji, which is why its shadow is also impressive. While on the summit, in the distance, the highly active Tungurahua could be seen spitting huge clouds of dust and smoke into the morning sky. The mighty Chimborazo, the highest peak in Ecuador, could be seen to the right of this, stood in the distance. A rest was taken at Banos at the end of the trip, soaking away the aches and pains from Cayambe and Cotopaxi.

All the team members expressed their thanks to all the local team, especially to Jose Landazuri.

Javier Herrera
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