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Ecuador's Cotopaxi Trek or Climb
Mountaineering highpoint:19,348 foot Cotopaxi /Walking highpoints: 13,776ft/4200m; 15,088ft/4600m; & 15,744ft/4800m |
Itinerary | Equipment List | General Info |
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This trekking and climbing adventure in the friendly country of Ecuador, is designed with everyone in mind! Trekkers enjoy the scenic beauty of Cotopaxi National Park and its environs and will have the chance to walk-up several easy peaks, while climbers get a chance to ascend Cotopaxi, one of the most beautiful peaks in the world. The great part is that the group stays together for all but one night. Come share the experience!
With the up close and personal views of the gleaming equatorial ice, Cotopaxi to capture the imagination of both trekkers and climbers imagination. You'll be charmed by the people met along the way. The walk in the mysterious paramo, an ecosystem likened to the Scottish moors offers alpine plant lovers an exquisite garden to investigate. Along the way you'll encounter wild horses, llamas, and an interesting variety of birds, including the Andean Condor.
And speaking of creatures- how about some creature comforts during the trek, like those found at the historic Hacienda La Cienega or the Hacienda Pinsaqui. Both are among the most charming places to stay in the country. After some fine dining, music, and a soft bed at La Cienega trekkers end this wonderful trip with a visit to the Quilota Crater, where we descend about 900 feet to explore the lake. At the end of the final day trekkers meet back up with the climbers in Quito and exchange stories! In total, the group diverges for only one night and a day- so lots of time together for all on this amazing trip.
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General Information on Cotopaxi
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INCLUDED IN COST:
• Scheduled accommodations • Food while on the mountain • Park fees • Group climbing/trekking and cooking gear • Tents • Scheduled restaurant meals
NOT INCLUDED IN COST:
• Airfare • Personal equipment • Items of a personal nature (phone calls, laundry, etc.) • Staff/Guide gratuities • Trip & medical evacuation insurance • Alcoholic beverages
TRIP CANCELLATION INSURANCE We strongly recommend the purchase of trip cancellation and travel insurance. This comprehensive travel insurance provides coverage for: trip cancellation and interruption, travel delays, loss of baggage and travel documents, baggage delay, medical expenses and emergency assistance. An insurance application is provided with all trip confirmations.
QUESTIONS? Call our office anytime at 1-800-328-5925 or visit our website for more general information about Ecuador.
HOW DO I SIGN UP? Please call our office if you do not already have an application, or you can download it off our website. We require an application and a $500 deposit for international trips. Please mail your application in or fax it to 206-937-1772 to reserve your spot.
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Itinerary for Cotopaxi
 Day 1: Arrive in Ecuador. A Mountain Madness representative will pick you up at the airport and take you to Hotel Reina Isabel.
Day 2: Travel to town of Otavalo to visit its colorful markets, afternoon hike to orchid lined Laguna Cuicocha. Overnight in comfortable Hacienda Pinsaqui.
Day 3: From 9,020 feet, at the village of Santa Clara, we begin the trek along the Pita River in the Valley of Los Chillos. Along the way we pass in front of a shrine, where locals come to worship the "Virgen de la Piedra", the Virgin of the Rock. From a lightning strike, a figure of a Virgin was etched into the rock, a holy sign that draws local to this place of worship. Today’s hike will take around 5 hours. When we reach our campsite at 10,758 ft. things will already be set up.
 Day 4: Hike to 13,776 foot Pasochoa Volcano. Pasachoa is an ancient and heavily eroded volcano that has been inactive since the last ice age. If the weather permits, from the summit we will be able to take a good look at the crater. Inside you will see the Pasochoa Protected Forest Reserve, a humid Andean Forest with more than 110 species of birds and 45 species of trees, located between 2.700 m / 8,856 ft and 4.200 m / 13,776 ft. On a sunny day there are good chances of observing condors, the largest birds on the planet. In the afternoon we return to Santa Rita campsite for the night.
Day 5: Today we hike through a hummingbird rich Andean humid forest on our way to Hacienda El Porvenir.  El Porvenir, located at 11,808 feet, is surrounded by four volcanoes: Cotopaxi, Sincholahua, Pasachoa and Rumiñahui. Here you will be able to enjoy your stay in a comfortable, functional and beautiful traditional Andean hacienda built from local materials of brick, straw, and adobe.
Day 6: From El Porvenir we ascend the central ridge of 15,088 foot Rumiñahui, another extinct volcano. The peak is located only 13 km North West of Cotopaxi. Rumiñahui is named after a well known Inca General who in 1520 fought against the Spanish when they were looking for Inca treasure. After our climb we spend the night at Tambopaxi, a beautiful lodge located at 12,300 feet inside the Cotopaxi National Park.  It has hot showers and a relaxing place to kick your feet up! In the afternoon we will visit the nearby Inca ruins or if you prefer, just rest and delight yourself with the views. The telescope in the lodge will enable you to follow the progress of any climbers on Cotopaxi. Today climbers in the group practice on Cotopaxi’s glaciers for the upcoming ascent before returning to Tambopaxi.
Day 7: Start hiking towards Cotopaxi Volcano, the highest active volcano in the world. After about four hours we reach the trekker’s highpoint for the trip -15,744 ft. Jose Ribas Hut. After a short walk down from the hut, a vehicle takes trekkers to the charming Hacienda La Cienega, one of Ecuador’s most well-known haciendas. After a hot shower and imbibing in the South American drink of pisco, trekkers enjoy dinner accompanied by live, traditional Andean music.
Today the climbers rest and prepare at the Refuge for the next day climb of Cotopaxi. After organizing gear and eating dinner, it’s early to bed for the midnight wake-up call for the ascent!
 Day 8: Today trekkers go to the 12,464 foot Quilota Crater, a beautiful volcanic crater-lake 3 kilometers wide. On the way to the lake we will see some little "chozas", very basic Indian huts, where the local families live. Children will follow us and try to make conversation! This portion of the trip offers a unique glimpse into some of Ecuador’s varied indigenous cultures in addition to the incredible scenery of the area and the lake itself. Local legend claims the lake is connected to the ocean and is therefore salty and sulphuric. The 900 foot hike down to the lake waters will allow you to dispel or verify this legend! On the way back to Quito and the celebration dinner, we shop for the famous native Tigua paintings and carved wooden masks.
Our summit attempt for climbers in the group begins on non-glaciated snow slopes that lead to a glacial platform at 17,000 feet. As the morning progresses, we watch the sun rise over the parkland, tropical forests, and the heavily glaciated, 18,714 ft. Antisana. We travel over more complex areas of the glacier, crossing snow bridges, skirting large crevasses, and ascending moderate terrain to reach the summit cone. Once there, 35-40 degree snow slopes and a short ridge walk brings us onto Ecuador's second highest summit. After the ascent climbers return to Quito and rejoin with the trekkers for an evening of good food, exchanging stories, and dancing for those with energy left!
Day 9: Return home or continue on other adventures.
NOTE ON ITINERARY
Although we do our best to follow the schedule listed, this itinerary is subject to change for numerous reasons beyond our control.
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Equipment List for Cotopaxi
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Mountain Madness believes that all mountain travel equipment should follow two simple tenets: Lightweight and Functional. Lightweight equipment increases your chance of success and helps make you more comfortable. Functional equipment determines how warm, dry, and safe you will be, so always choose equipment that is of good quality, is dependable, and is adaptable to a variety of extreme conditions.
Clothing impacts not only your comfort but also your safety. Always be critical of the quality and the proper fit of your clothing. Cotton clothing must be avoided because it dries very slowly and is a poor insulator when wet. Instead, choose wool or synthetic fabrics that "wick" the sweat and moisture away from your skin.
Our recommended clothing system has four layers.
• Base layer: manages moisture and wicks perspiration away from your skin. (Polypro, capilene, driclime)
• Softshell: should be a durable, comfortable, insulating and wind/water resistant layer that breathes well. The main Softshell fabrics are Polartec Wind Pro, Gore Windstopper N2S, Schoeller and each clothing manufacturer has their own. 200 weight fleece can be substituted for our Soft Shell recommendations but is not as versatile on how it may be used when layering.
• Hard shell: windproof, waterproof and breathable. (e.g. Gore-Tex, or similar)
• Insulating layer: should be down-fill or synthetic-fill and fit over all layers. (e.g. down, primaloft or polarguard)
These four layers are usually sufficient for most people, but if you tend to be colder bring one extra medium-layer that would be ideal for extra warmth around camp, such as a vest. When deciding what to pack, remember to bring enough clothes and accessories to ensure your safety and comfort, while not over-burdening yourself with items you probably won’t use.
For used, new or rental equipment try these two retailers. Mountain Madness works closely with Second Ascent, a new and used gear store. If you are looking at trying to save some money, this is definitely the place to call. They are great at answering equipment questions and also ship anywhere in the US. They can be reached at (206) 545-8810. We also work closely with Feathered Friends, a retailer in Seattle which also rents gear, and will offer a 10% discount on purchases if you are signed up for a Mountain Madness trip. Please feel free to call them at (206) 292-2210 or visit http://www.featheredfriends.com
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