Ecuador mountaneering course, 4 days

Extreme Trekking | Mountain Biking | Mountain Climbing | Scuba Diving | White water rafting & kayaking | Other Adventures

Sample itinerary

Day 1. Quito - Cayambe or Cotopaxi
Transfer to Cayambe or Cotopaxi volcano. On Cayambe we establish a fixed campsite at 4400m and on Cotopaxi at 3800 m. From here on we climb to the glacier for the course itself. On the first day we practice walking on the glacier, the use of an ice axe, crampons, carabiners, slings and some essential nuts. Dinner and overnight at camp (or refuge).

Day 2 Cayambe or Cotopaxi
Full day practice on the glacier. Use of rope, belays and arrest, abseiling, use of snow stakes & ice screws. Picnic-lunch en route and dinner at camp or in the refuge.

Day 3 Cayambe or Cotopaxi
General and comprehensive review of all learned. After lunch explore freely the surrounding areas of the refuge, relax and get some rest. Tonight we have the big one.

Day 4 Cayambe or Cotopaxi Summit climb - Quito
After getting up at midnight we set off on the climb to the summit. It takes approx 7 hours from the refuge to reach the top of Cotopaxi. The first 1.5 hours is on moraine- quite loose scree - and then we put on crampons, harness, and head off up the glaciers towards the summit. It is really a long steep walk, with little in the way of technical climbing, but a few crevasses to cross, and perhaps one or two short sections where we put up a fixed rope.

After our great achievement, we descend to the refuge and head back to Quito.

Note: On both peaks snow and ice conditions vary from year to year and the glacier changes shape, always requiring a constant monitoring of the situation in choosing a route. Crevasses and weather conditions may prevent us reaching the summit.

Skills Covered:

Hypothermia treatment and prevention
Route finding & rope team travel
Crevasse rescue
Snow/ice anchors and Belay systems
Climbing knots
Self arrest
Top rope management and introduction to vertical ice climbing

Participants are responsible for the following:

All snacks in between meals & drinks in the refuge
Adequate Insurance
Warm clothes: see below
4 season sleeping bag
Plastic boots or suitable 4 season leather boots, and gaiters.
Harness
Large head torch & spare batteries
Crampons and ice-axes
Sun glasses & Sunscreen
Water bottles and purification tablets

Tour operators offering this adventure:

Ecuador tours and Galapagos cruises : www.latintrails.com