Cotopaxi Volcano Summit Climb - May 2007

Cotopaxi is Ecuador's highest active volcano at 5897m, located in the Eastern Cordillera. It is a stratovolcano (very similar to Mt. Fuji or Mt. Sashta) with an almost perfectly symmetrical cone, rising from a highland plain of 3800m and covered by a mighty glacier starting at a height of 5000m.

The main danger of a huge eruption of Cotopaxi would be the ensuring flow of mud and ice from its glacier (lahars). Computer models calculated lahars of eight meters coming down by way of River Pita to the valley of Los Chillos, nowadays a main suburban area of Quito with a population of more than 100 000 people living there. In the event of a huge explosion, not much would be left from those settlement in the valley. Another major city in danger would be Latacunga to the southwest of Cotopaxi and all the small farming villages skirting the mountain. Many experts think that another eruptive stage might be coming very soon;)

Not technically challenging, requires good stamina;)

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• Cotapaxi
• Summit
• Volcano
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• Ecuador
• Quito

[slamfuner]

Hello,

How many experience do you need for this climb? I'm going to ecuador in september and it seems great to climb Cotopaxi. But I don't really have experience with climbing and using crampons and ice axe. I'm used to make long walks in the Alps (Europe) (up to 7 hours) and i'm very sportive, but I never did more 'climbing' then via ferrata. So how much expercience did you guys have with walking on glaciers?

[distantdream]

Hi Slamfuner,

We had next to nothing climbing with crampons, most of us were beginners. As you mentioned, the biggest factor to getting to the top is acclimatizing properly. Last year, I summitted with a group of 8 people we all made it. In addition to acclimatizing, weather is probably the biggest unknown variable and so you need to be pretty lucky with that. I heard most try to plan there climbs around the full-moon:) Enjoy your time in Ecuador - ) Good luck with the climb!

[Ekua15]

sorry to hear that... you cant really predict how the mountain in gonna behave... luckily it didnt give me any problems besides the usual physical and mental sacrifice jaja... hope you guys can summit next time..

[distantdream]

....1 year later...we did it :)

[simonvega1990]

Hey there I'm ecuadorian :D i reaaaally liked your video! I'm from cuenca, and a german friend is coming to visit me and I'm taking him to the cotopaxi, but I don't think we're gonna climb it.. it's still amazing, I really like my country :P hey the chill out song you used during the video.. could you tell me it's name please? its incredible and it suits the video really well!! bye!

[distantdream]

Muchos Gracias Simon Vega,

The name of the song is called: Cookie Raver by Illumination, off the album - Café Del Mar Volume Eight. Thanks again, ciao, p!:)

[ecuaagua20]

ive only climbed up to the refuge although i would like to go to the very top

[andrespatricio90]

very good video

[slamfuner]

Thanks for the reply. So It sounds like I should give it a try when I'm properly acclimitazised and if the weather is fine :)

[slamfuner]

btw, I know how important it is to acclimatize, but I will be volunteering in the andes for one month, so normally acclimitaziation would be no big problem since i plan to do the climb at the end of my stay

[Legolas25079]

Oh sorry 2 mention...AWESOME VID 100000000000000000000000000000­0000000000000000000000000000/5­...i might get lucky and go up wit Ivan Vayeho (i think dat how u spell it...he and my dad r friends =])

[Legolas25079]

LOL last time i used gloves on Cotopaxi...by the time we got 2 the refugee they were SOAKED! i couldn't help it by playing in da snow =} Awesome vid...hope 2 get 2 da top...(I live in Quito).