Ecuador's "Avenue of the Volcanoes" is a 325 km. long valley between the major Cordillera ranges. Massive and standing alone, the volcanoes provide brooding, snow-covered contrast to the green equatorial lushness. They also provide mountaineers a rare opportunity to achieve very high altitudes without technical difficulty. Volcano climbing offers an exciting, unforgettable challenge.
In the Indian language, Chimborazo means "mountain of snow". It is an enormous mass of overwhelming scale. Alexander Von Humboldt mad an unsuccessful attempt to climb the Chimborazo in 1802, and believed it to be the highest mountain in the world (6,526 feet). This distinction lasted until the discovery of Mt. Everest fifty years later. Chimborazo was finally climbed by Edward Whimper in 1880. Today it is climbed fairly frequently, but less than Cotopaxi, which is the highest active volcano of the world (approx 6,000 meters). |
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Cotopaxi National Park - Cotopaxi is located close to Latacunga, Ecuador. It is said to be the highest active volcano in the world (though, as with most things "highest," there's some debate about that claim). Whether you get close to the summit or not, the view of its perfectly shaped, snow-covered cone is stunning—if you get a clear day. The national park protects a large area surrounding the peak, and it's home to wild horses, deer, some captive llamas and several rare species you'll probably never lay eyes on, including puma and Andean condors. The park includes forests and plains, home to animals and birds such as condors, blue-billed pointed ducks, Andean gulls, hummingbirds, rabbits, deer, gazelles, paramo wolves, bears, foxes and weasels.
Those with climbing experience and a couple of days to devote to the outing can ascend to the summit. Others can find hiking trails in the park, including one that follows the shore of Lago Limpiopungo, a small highland lake that sits at 12,465 feet. If you're in reasonably good shape and the altitude doesn't wipe you out, consider climbing up to the Jose Ribas Refuge, where mountaineers begin their expeditions to the top. Take the road until it ends at a dirt parking lot just below the snow line. From there, you have a 650-foot climb up to the refuge, which doesn't sound bad until you try to hike up the steep path in the very thin air. Plan on an hour going up, and wear hiking boots for the snow. At the refuge (15,748 feet), you can have a snack, pretend you're a mountain climber, then head back down. |
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The park has a small museum on its geology and animals. There's not a lot there, but it's worth a stop to see the stuffed Andean condor that's on display—it's huge, with an 8-ft wingspan, and this is supposedly a small one. If you have a four-wheel-drive vehicle, you can visit the ruins of a remote Inca fortress. Cotopaxi makes for a good day trip from Quito, though you can overnight at a hotel (two near the entrance) or camp in the park (cabins are available). |
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