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- Feb 28, 2014
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Getting Primed for Climb in the Ecuador Climbing School
Today, we came down from Cayambe after four days of an intense Ecuador Mountaineering School. This time, Liina, a dentist from Finland, and John, an engineer from Oregon, joined our trip. They came not just for the opportunity of attempting three of the highest volcanoes in Ecuador, but also to learn the fundamentals for enjoying the mountains with safety.
![](https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FDSCN1648.jpeg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=300&s=91d91617bde238ee177567ea343315a1 300w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FDSCN1648.jpeg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=500&s=5bd313249c06a54ae082c250732072de 500w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FDSCN1648.jpeg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=700&s=f36caf22c253c6abf58bd88b361d0c64 640w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FDSCN1648.jpeg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=800&s=ef744c2e0c3e6a5e50ead783affb0a94 640w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FDSCN1648.jpeg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1000&s=c60a9ac722fe92d6f6414f77aa8d44fe 640w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FDSCN1648.jpeg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1200&s=45ec9138e3120619bfd4c45496b7818f 640w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FDSCN1648.jpeg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1400&s=26c2e451fb46dfc734f4f43aabbabaad 640w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FDSCN1648.jpeg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1600&s=7bacf4c2c03ddcf21273b8bf17e40bbf 640w)
Joshua Jarrin photo
Everything started with the acclimatization when we visited the old and new parts of Quito at an average of 9000ft. After that, we climbed Ruco Pichincha as our first hike where our participants had a great opening push successfully reaching the summit. For this part of the trip, we alternate a hard day with an easy one, in order to adapt our bodies to the altitude. Following that idea, after the summit of Pichincha we visited the market of Otavalo, where the worst of the clients’ problems was choosing the right color of handicrafts for their friends and family.
![](https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FDSC03192.jpeg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=300&s=80c4ccb838cddb21337e463dc515dd66 300w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FDSC03192.jpeg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=500&s=e9c723094f976012e1eb72f835040187 500w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FDSC03192.jpeg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=700&s=c59796f6e2328f1f9188536cab84eb4c 640w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FDSC03192.jpeg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=800&s=4bd36e2d485b1758ef0adcfcb75845f4 640w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FDSC03192.jpeg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1000&s=cf6126e69cb44016cb40b0cdbc787715 640w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FDSC03192.jpeg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1200&s=ac0dfa8fc52b7ec80fde3b443c0641fa 640w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FDSC03192.jpeg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1400&s=2509d4dd3f6702cb2fcfcf4c3d16e799 640w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FDSC03192.jpeg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1600&s=a0eb65c22abeb1020b672ce905141c09 640w)
Joshua Jarrin photo
Once on the mountain we started with cramponeering techniques and proper use of the ice axe. They learned that having a proper technique is the best way to prevent accidents and travel glaciers efficiently. After a full day of practice, we moved on to the possible problems that could happen while we climb high mountains. What if I slide down? What if my partner slides down? What if I fall into a crevasse? What if my friend falls into a crevasse? With that, Liina and John learned how to arrest a fall, self arrest, self rescue, and the necessary anchors for these activities.
![](https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FDSC03380.jpeg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=300&s=c40febbc593517162c97394b8ca7f068 300w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FDSC03380.jpeg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=500&s=2f689b65a0e23132208bb3dcb8e06db7 500w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FDSC03380.jpeg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=700&s=45687e41c346066fb5f5b1dca1aede94 640w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FDSC03380.jpeg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=800&s=4289bb4ba60ad49e78c1ed5e3d5b55f9 640w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FDSC03380.jpeg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1000&s=f08fdbc6062a9324bbd718124af44595 640w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FDSC03380.jpeg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1200&s=f462c7e5a1c26d4f60b037f4fbfcbd4e 640w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FDSC03380.jpeg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1400&s=acdccdd03401480bff7d6182ce2e9106 640w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FDSC03380.jpeg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1600&s=f04084895b28449b75b58d502817187b 640w)
Joshua Jarrin photo
![](https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FDSC03399.jpeg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=300&s=79581b23ba1c3c94854771cac42e2629 300w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FDSC03399.jpeg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=500&s=a1da2394c46edb659e745bd0121f200f 500w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FDSC03399.jpeg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=700&s=1464067d6435a6dc745bee8a9c53a8dd 640w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FDSC03399.jpeg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=800&s=add4b2b417030d925aeee3cd41828046 640w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FDSC03399.jpeg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1000&s=ddfa4bb9365e8059769aa3b4c1ed6f76 640w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FDSC03399.jpeg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1200&s=701eb988e2dd3b37b5a8ab6599a4769d 640w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FDSC03399.jpeg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1400&s=71d09bd54fb4bfc9115c4809ffd5b67e 640w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FDSC03399.jpeg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1600&s=684cf24d9fe5b1ec4bfe51b6bc8892c5 640w)
Joshua Jarrin photo
With all these concepts learned we went to the Glaciar Hermoso to get ourselves in trouble. That was the third day. Five hours of steep and broken ice put us at 5100 meters of fun. But we still had one missing factor to be included; practice all that in the dark. So today, we woke up at 3am and went for our last day of practices to part of the normal route by the starlight. I was glad to know that they are already mastered how to rope up, put on their crampons, how to be efficient on the transitions and knowing that if the weather cooperates we will be reaching summits in the coming days.
~ MM Guide Joshua Jarrin
![](https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FDSC03433.jpeg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=300&s=8510132ed88c10ad21fd978fa2ea4343 300w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FDSC03433.jpeg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=500&s=913855207b0435dd519f40596376e8be 500w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FDSC03433.jpeg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=700&s=e51921d5025f21cdf60ad511969c7706 640w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FDSC03433.jpeg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=800&s=e0ce9d8100cb98d7cef773ad5f8b7c02 640w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FDSC03433.jpeg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1000&s=575373dc3553541d9812ef90de3177ad 640w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FDSC03433.jpeg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1200&s=fa33fa0407f61aa664b44bc64ae1239c 640w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FDSC03433.jpeg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1400&s=ec1bce181a39f08ad7d0f743406f4e19 640w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FDSC03433.jpeg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1600&s=78554143f6e9840efca2b7607bb88829 640w)
Joshua Jarrin photo