Hiking on the highest mountain!
Trip Start
Jul 27, 2008
1
15
77
Trip End
Mar 05, 2009
Riobamba, Ecuador
Sunday, September 21, 2008
It is set in a National Park and on the way we passed llamas, and vicunas which were introduced into the country and are now breeding out of control. I was with Rodrigo who looks after the shelters on the mountain and is the owner of the company that runs the ice climbing trips to the top. A most interesting person who cares passionately about the countryside.
A dirt road took us to the first shelter at 13000ft and the plan was for Rodrigo to take me to the second shelter at 16400 ft. To get acclimatised I was given hot sweet tea and then we started our slow walk up. We passed the graves of climbers who had been killed on the mountain but fortunately there were no fatalities in the last 2years.
On the way up we met climbers on the way back from the summit. At this time of the year its best to do the climb at midnight so that by 6am you should be at the top ready for the descent. The reason is avalanches and dangerous caravasses.
We eventually made it to the second shelter after several stops for me to catch my breath . This is at the start of the snowline so up to here there a lots of volcanic rocks everywhere. Unfortunately by this time there was cloud cover at the summit and I did not get a good picture. I was given lunch and after chatteing to a few people we started down. No problems this time.
On the way back to Riobamba Rodrigo pointed out farms that were breeding bulls for professional fights as opposed to those bulls who were bred for local people to have a go. I told him about my exploits in Pamplona all those years ago. Its a beautiful park which is very barren in parts with some very distinctive strata showing different eruptions during the ages. Well worth the visit.
Footnote: Rodrigo can be reached at aventurag@ch.pro.ec in Riobamba cell phone 099694867
Where I stayed
