This morning at around 1h30, we started to climb and attempt to summit Volcan Cotopaxi (5,897m) in Ecuador.

It was actually a pretty straightforward climb, with some fairly large crevases (which I only really spotted on the way down, in the daylight). The normal ascent time is 6 hours.

I felt pretty well acclimatized, and slept well at the refuge before waking up at midnight. I also didn't feel the altitude as much as I did at the refuge at Iliniza Norte.

Unfortunately we didn't reach the crater summit. When it rains in Quito, it snows in Cotopaxi! And it was raining hard for 2 days straight in Quito beforehand.

In the end, we had the option to go as far as we can. At 5,650m Lukasz felt very ill from the altitude and decided to turn back. I'll definitely attempt this again, but maybe in the dry season!

Click here to see the album!

posted by Erik De Leon on Monday, March 27, 2006 at 9:07 PM | Post a comment 

Hey Erik, Congratulations on the successful climb !
Saw some pretty amazing pics from out there.
Hope this finds you well !

By Anonymous, at 11:22 PM  

By the way - the last post was from me - Michael

By Anonymous, at 11:24 PM  

Sure.

Blame it on the weather and on Lukasz...

By Absolut Micha, at 12:04 PM  

Well, if it's any consolation for not reaching the summit, your pictures are amazing! The first group that I went with on coto couldn't even see 20m in front of them for the last half (because of fog), at least you got amazing sights. Still time for a second try ?

By Martin G., at 12:39 PM  

Hehehe, well I won't let Lukasz forget it ever...

I really don't know if there's time for a second try. Right now we're in Otavalo, about 2 hours north of Quito. We are thinking of a multi-day hike in Parque Nacional Las Cajas and then head out to Peru.

It rains every afternoon now, and the snow is just getting thicker and thicker. I think it's better if I come back later this year, or early in January to try again.

By Erik De Leon, at 7:17 PM