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Cotopaxi dream climb and success!
By Mallorie Estenson
Cotopaxi is simply a dream to climb. If it isn’t already on your to-do list, it should be added immediately. And if you’ve already climbed it, I’m sure you agree. This particular volcano erupts seemingly out of nowhere amid lush, rolling grassy hills home to wild horses and llamas. It’s a strikingly beautiful volcano, both conic and iconic at the same time.
We started off at Tambopaxi (12,300’) a climber’s hotel with sweeping views of the mountain and surrounding grasslands. We enjoyed hearty dinners with Ecuadorian locro (potato soup), some form of protein (fish, pork, chicken,) rice, and a vegetable side dish. Each night dinner was followed by dessert — nobody goes hungry at Tambopaxi! The next day we piled aboard the bus that would take us part way up the mountain on the first leg of our journey. We climbed a short sandy stretch from the parking lot to the climber’s refugio. At an impressive 15,748’, we were on our way to the 19,347’ summit.
![Climber 6](https://mountain-madness.imgix.net/general-images/climber-6.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=1833&q=80&w=2200&s=ee35cb294acdf2d82f3292fb99520131 2200w 1833h, https://mountain-madness.imgix.net/general-images/climber-6.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=1667&q=80&w=2000&s=8b7fae1b704cef63aba15ca16a9dde2c 2000w 1667h, https://mountain-madness.imgix.net/general-images/climber-6.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=1500&q=80&w=1800&s=81951efbf8f41cf1f38c9efc40f3495a 1800w 1500h, https://mountain-madness.imgix.net/general-images/climber-6.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=1333&q=80&w=1600&s=925fb9a0719cddd850bb2a3c99f279c7 1600w 1333h, https://mountain-madness.imgix.net/general-images/climber-6.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=1167&q=80&w=1400&s=8a508f3356c88106e9cbe66ca7572bcc 1400w 1167h, https://mountain-madness.imgix.net/general-images/climber-6.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=1000&q=80&w=1200&s=2f934d0d665ee088224261f6bd2ee732 1200w 1000h, https://mountain-madness.imgix.net/general-images/climber-6.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=833&q=80&w=1000&s=9298c4824005ad8e3be0a637b66d3104 1000w 833h, https://mountain-madness.imgix.net/general-images/climber-6.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=667&q=80&w=800&s=590ea22530e5223633c26e0234ea51e6 800w 667h, https://mountain-madness.imgix.net/general-images/climber-6.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=500&q=80&w=600&s=19cc4b74ab2cbde8f3236e60e22c5187 600w 500h, https://mountain-madness.imgix.net/general-images/climber-6.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=333&q=80&w=400&s=6192afc4d3f9eedabf9fcc97f1b57d0f 400w 333h, https://mountain-madness.imgix.net/general-images/climber-6.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=167&q=80&w=200&s=a66282f82642741ed8df191338ee3a62 200w 167h)
![Climber 2](https://mountain-madness.imgix.net/general-images/climber-2.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=1833&q=80&w=2200&s=df31eee14cff68af9bfba18a5211666b 2200w 1833h, https://mountain-madness.imgix.net/general-images/climber-2.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=1667&q=80&w=2000&s=2dd3e29ba23c1eaa01f62f876c2d5b3a 2000w 1667h, https://mountain-madness.imgix.net/general-images/climber-2.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=1500&q=80&w=1800&s=3746c79416864c86834052b6372576bf 1800w 1500h, https://mountain-madness.imgix.net/general-images/climber-2.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=1333&q=80&w=1600&s=c2903a323f663da4bbe3c9e8ff5057e8 1600w 1333h, https://mountain-madness.imgix.net/general-images/climber-2.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=1167&q=80&w=1400&s=6e923412ecdb041ef77a7a73d303a2dc 1400w 1167h, https://mountain-madness.imgix.net/general-images/climber-2.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=1000&q=80&w=1200&s=5e9730b170b505162e4f3b27e7cc9309 1200w 1000h, https://mountain-madness.imgix.net/general-images/climber-2.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=833&q=80&w=1000&s=ae64a85faf90b33515aa0382e8d0bb5f 1000w 833h, https://mountain-madness.imgix.net/general-images/climber-2.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=667&q=80&w=800&s=f7807499d432e7c563eb1b2bf39ca7b6 800w 667h, https://mountain-madness.imgix.net/general-images/climber-2.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=500&q=80&w=600&s=e20b2b909588057993ff2c2c71449f37 600w 500h, https://mountain-madness.imgix.net/general-images/climber-2.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=333&q=80&w=400&s=ad54a5886793890c3459d2a0fe2bb26e 400w 333h, https://mountain-madness.imgix.net/general-images/climber-2.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=167&q=80&w=200&s=909714efa44481cb05912b8e3232bc90 200w 167h)
![Climber 5](https://mountain-madness.imgix.net/general-images/climber-5.f1580844528.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.511&fp-y=0.5744&h=1833&q=80&w=2200&s=6d357db646360921dcc8f97559aaf02a 2200w 1833h, https://mountain-madness.imgix.net/general-images/climber-5.f1580844528.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.511&fp-y=0.5744&h=1667&q=80&w=2000&s=6a0090953812b6bb1298fdaa343789f1 2000w 1667h, https://mountain-madness.imgix.net/general-images/climber-5.f1580844528.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.511&fp-y=0.5744&h=1500&q=80&w=1800&s=aa35bfa51ffeff10973033c74bb3617c 1800w 1500h, https://mountain-madness.imgix.net/general-images/climber-5.f1580844528.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.511&fp-y=0.5744&h=1333&q=80&w=1600&s=17fd8d4fa3ab1e1465347542f0b0b50f 1600w 1333h, https://mountain-madness.imgix.net/general-images/climber-5.f1580844528.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.511&fp-y=0.5744&h=1167&q=80&w=1400&s=94fae9beba0f44a715dec3d01c43428b 1400w 1167h, https://mountain-madness.imgix.net/general-images/climber-5.f1580844528.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.511&fp-y=0.5744&h=1000&q=80&w=1200&s=bc05e374c83282adbfc83d9a3a5a5e58 1200w 1000h, https://mountain-madness.imgix.net/general-images/climber-5.f1580844528.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.511&fp-y=0.5744&h=833&q=80&w=1000&s=3a1d0e183cb48710e775ab41ac7d7709 1000w 833h, https://mountain-madness.imgix.net/general-images/climber-5.f1580844528.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.511&fp-y=0.5744&h=667&q=80&w=800&s=f8c047a2db0cd9c2b984b2220208a1ee 800w 667h, https://mountain-madness.imgix.net/general-images/climber-5.f1580844528.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.511&fp-y=0.5744&h=500&q=80&w=600&s=d56b3fb139080a6875af1ab8355c7975 600w 500h, https://mountain-madness.imgix.net/general-images/climber-5.f1580844528.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.511&fp-y=0.5744&h=333&q=80&w=400&s=0988bfd31bced4b427c22f03a2f50054 400w 333h, https://mountain-madness.imgix.net/general-images/climber-5.f1580844528.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.511&fp-y=0.5744&h=167&q=80&w=200&s=b5d4597bf489bab5842b2bf8f48a40da 200w 167h)
The Jose F. Ribas Refugio is a lively place. During the day, tourists clamber up to take in the views. I was surprised to see a toddler motored up the final steps to the hut by a determined dad counting out each step: uno, dos, tres… all the way to veinte (20). Inside, there’s a steady stream of tea and hot water continuously available to climbers. For $1.50, you can get a cup of coca tea, which tastes similar to green tea and allegedly caffeinates similar to a cup of coffee. We took an early dinner, very much like the one we had at Tambopaxi, and got ourselves to bed around 6pm to prepare for our midnight wakeup call.
We woke to wind whistling through the building. This wasn’t the earth-shaking wind that we’d woken up to on Cayambe, but it was certainly reminiscent of the experience and a reminder that we were still up against some wild Ecuadorian weather. Some of us reluctantly abandoned our sleeping bags and donned our hardshells. Others nearly leapt out of bed at the first sound of an alarm fully ready to climb. Gradually, the whole team assembled in the dining area of the hut. We arrived to a heaping pile of croissant-like buns, jam, butter, and hot tea. The walls are covered with flags from all over the world, signed by teams triumphantly announcing their successes on the mountain.
On this particular night, a cloud decided to linger at our exact elevation. Hoping that the wind might blow it away, we decided to try to wait it out to avoid saturating ourselves right from the get-go. Fortunately, one of the climbers on our team had an iPhone and plenty of music to keep the climbing psych high. There was some John Mellencamp, Bön Jovi and other artists to announce our American heritage and eagerness to climb. We filed out into the darkness and were met with pleasant temperatures, moderate wind and a reasonable level of humidity.
Step by step, we made our way through the scree and sands to eventually reach the edge of the glacier. The guide team made a decision to pursue an alternate route, avoiding the traffic and the exposure of the “Normal Route” described in guidebooks. Our route was steeper and more arduous but protected from the wind. Ultimately, it turned out to be the right call as the majority of the team was able to summit that day while many other teams turned around. This was clearly an instance of shining local expertise. I felt lucky to be working alongside such a knowledgeable and talented crew. Gaspar, David, Lenin, Panchar, Ramiroand Julianaare some of the best guides out there.
![Climber 3](https://mountain-madness.imgix.net/general-images/climber-3.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=1833&q=80&w=2200&s=f33f90cc71c179d28d907a5b73ce7dec 2200w 1833h, https://mountain-madness.imgix.net/general-images/climber-3.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=1667&q=80&w=2000&s=a460d98e1dd81f027a687163214c637b 2000w 1667h, https://mountain-madness.imgix.net/general-images/climber-3.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=1500&q=80&w=1800&s=a1acca774869d76627f7d8647b615e6c 1800w 1500h, https://mountain-madness.imgix.net/general-images/climber-3.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=1333&q=80&w=1600&s=d1b202aa2e8b714ce737a947e0bc0924 1600w 1333h, https://mountain-madness.imgix.net/general-images/climber-3.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=1167&q=80&w=1400&s=4e212c1614424bd27aac69f56b2dd2ae 1400w 1167h, https://mountain-madness.imgix.net/general-images/climber-3.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=1000&q=80&w=1200&s=c5a29aab1e556555b1a6805763d5984d 1200w 1000h, https://mountain-madness.imgix.net/general-images/climber-3.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=833&q=80&w=1000&s=9ef0a12966b295702cbea1add67fd8ff 1000w 833h, https://mountain-madness.imgix.net/general-images/climber-3.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=667&q=80&w=800&s=ee19bad420fee17969c5f10bf12274cb 800w 667h, https://mountain-madness.imgix.net/general-images/climber-3.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=500&q=80&w=600&s=f8e4bbd735842c6c48516015c3c564a1 600w 500h, https://mountain-madness.imgix.net/general-images/climber-3.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=333&q=80&w=400&s=284e202ef29b01a230c23780b8384ffc 400w 333h, https://mountain-madness.imgix.net/general-images/climber-3.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=167&q=80&w=200&s=3392eadf157dfbd50e78e60573856ee6 200w 167h)
![Coto](https://mountain-madness.imgix.net/general-images/coto_200204_193254.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=1833&q=80&w=2200&s=be4f27a70cfff462a4f65096454a6108 2200w 1833h, https://mountain-madness.imgix.net/general-images/coto_200204_193254.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=1667&q=80&w=2000&s=506e730386d40cbb453b1485200936db 2000w 1667h, https://mountain-madness.imgix.net/general-images/coto_200204_193254.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=1500&q=80&w=1800&s=f04f44b98e7e2f0209f7edcb3c251aea 1800w 1500h, https://mountain-madness.imgix.net/general-images/coto_200204_193254.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=1333&q=80&w=1600&s=61b98fbd24acb8d90dde2030dfedfef9 1600w 1333h, https://mountain-madness.imgix.net/general-images/coto_200204_193254.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=1167&q=80&w=1400&s=449ea26132ff5325a4f1eadaec6db58a 1400w 1167h, https://mountain-madness.imgix.net/general-images/coto_200204_193254.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=1000&q=80&w=1200&s=76bc68c0861739ace9176e8d61921c7a 1200w 1000h, https://mountain-madness.imgix.net/general-images/coto_200204_193254.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=833&q=80&w=1000&s=c4e000d41a7065ca09109b8350cdc95c 1000w 833h, https://mountain-madness.imgix.net/general-images/coto_200204_193254.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=667&q=80&w=800&s=6420f8929e51b3751ae1244bc7ddf317 800w 667h, https://mountain-madness.imgix.net/general-images/coto_200204_193254.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=500&q=80&w=600&s=b3bc44551c50dd6b7ccdde4c47515685 600w 500h, https://mountain-madness.imgix.net/general-images/coto_200204_193254.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=333&q=80&w=400&s=c7dda31fc3836e984ba3a043446bcf83 400w 333h, https://mountain-madness.imgix.net/general-images/coto_200204_193254.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=167&q=80&w=200&s=37955e41543cdaf57379e46311a8be3e 200w 167h)
![Climber 4](https://mountain-madness.imgix.net/general-images/climber-4.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=1833&q=80&w=2200&s=863f23d480d24ecd833abad6baa51d64 2200w 1833h, https://mountain-madness.imgix.net/general-images/climber-4.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=1667&q=80&w=2000&s=29f9c8a94d7650c102ddf3cc86193b00 2000w 1667h, https://mountain-madness.imgix.net/general-images/climber-4.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=1500&q=80&w=1800&s=14bfed42cf82c6e4984b6f24b74a698d 1800w 1500h, https://mountain-madness.imgix.net/general-images/climber-4.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=1333&q=80&w=1600&s=f8d050a69cee686ea237c4ccbf0f9b65 1600w 1333h, https://mountain-madness.imgix.net/general-images/climber-4.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=1167&q=80&w=1400&s=448f8ad0bf7682dfffc896c1110397e1 1400w 1167h, https://mountain-madness.imgix.net/general-images/climber-4.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=1000&q=80&w=1200&s=0437e8689324ede36670fb229d5db03f 1200w 1000h, https://mountain-madness.imgix.net/general-images/climber-4.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=833&q=80&w=1000&s=9a06911375510508bb125afedfe2b0fb 1000w 833h, https://mountain-madness.imgix.net/general-images/climber-4.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=667&q=80&w=800&s=3312d2ceadb623e47b9094449a727ed3 800w 667h, https://mountain-madness.imgix.net/general-images/climber-4.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=500&q=80&w=600&s=db4b17a8940f5f48951f765457dbbdcc 600w 500h, https://mountain-madness.imgix.net/general-images/climber-4.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=333&q=80&w=400&s=9c720ff683b236977fd63e1a8c76d310 400w 333h, https://mountain-madness.imgix.net/general-images/climber-4.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=167&q=80&w=200&s=83580701c5b69b2a6cb837e6c01daf73 200w 167h)
The majority of the route is steep, like the Roman Wall on Mount Baker. As you walk through the night, hour after hour, you almost forget to perceive the angle of the snow you’re climbing. Your life has three parts: left foot steps forward, right foot steps forward, breathe. The slope angle became very clear to me on the descent; what took us six hours to climb took two hours to descend.
Pushing on through the night, I find that the most challenging hour is just before sunrise. Your world is reduced to the six feet of snow illuminated just ahead. We settle into a rhythm and just as my body begins to long for sleep, the sun peeks above the horizon and splashes the landscape in beautiful shades of blue and purple. My tiny headlamp world rapidly expands and I feel like I’m climbing through a painting; I realize how lucky I am to be climbing in Ecuador and I feel a renewed sense of purpose striving onward toward the summit.
Hours pass and we know we’re getting close. After a steep snowy hill climb, we made our way across an exhilarating catwalk traverse and have just a few more obstacles between our rope team and the summit. We rejoin the normal climbers’ route as we near the summit. In doing so, we are welcomed by gusts of wind that are strong enough to make me stumble. When I look back at my team, I see two people determined to carry on. Nico and Bjorn’s resolve gives me strength, and together we make our way to the top. The summit is striking. At 19,347’ the light seems brighter, the snow seems whiter. The wind continues to blow hard enough to knock me around. This is a standout moment for all of us. On top of this gorgeous mountain, we get to experience the awesome power of the natural world. A cloud obscures part of the crater rim, but we can see down into this massive and impressive mountain. Cotopaxi is a Quichua word (Quichua being an indigenous Ecuadorian language) that roughly translates to “necklace of the moon,” which is easy to believe from the top. At the summit, I feel humbled. This isn’t just a summit to be added to the list and just as readily forgotten; breathing the thin air made even more harsh by high winds, I reveled in the magnitude of the moment and the accomplishment. It was grand.