SouthWest Adventure Guides • Durango CO • 800-642-5389 or [email protected]  
Expeditions

Climb Cayambe, Cotopaxi, and Chimborazo

Overview |  Cayambe, Cotopaxi, Chimborazo
Cotopaxi and Chimborazo |  Cotopaxi  Express

2008/2009 Dates

  • November 1 - 16; January 16 - 31
  • Land Cost: $3500
  • Client to Guide Ratio: 3:1
  • Intermediate Level Climbing
  • Trip Highlights

    • Alternative route on the North side of Chimborazo offers better, safer route to summit!
    • Bi-lingual guides ensure your trip runs smoothly
    • Most favorable client-to-guide ratio in the industry
    • Optional city tour of Old Quito, including historical sites
    • Climb Ecuador's 3 most sought after summits
    • Satellite phone access and pulse oximeters on all trips

    Itinerary

    Day 1: Depart U.S. for Quito arriving late evening. The guide will meet you at the airport and take you to the hotel.

    Day 2: Spend today in Quito acclimating. The guide will meet with you this day in preparation for the upcoming climbs. This is an important day to check everyone's gear and do any last minute shopping before departing Quito.

    Day 3: Today we drive north to the world famous Otovalo Market and visiting the Ecuatorial Monument.

    Day 4: Travel to Cayambe. where we rest and acclimate.

    Day 5: Basic mountaineering skills review. We cover walking in crampons, self arrest, roped team travel, snow anchors and belays.

    Day 6: Glacier skills school. We cover glacier travel and crevasse rescue techniques.

    Day 7: We leave for the summit attempt around midnight. By dawn, we will be nearing the summit. We return down the glacier and further to our waiting vehicle.

    Day 8: Today we make the drive back to Quito.

    Day 9: Rest Day in Quito.

    Day 10: Drive to Cotopaxi National Park and hike the short distance to the Jose Ribas Hut.

    Day 11: Summit Cotopaxi. This is a long day up the beautifull slopes of the symetrical Cotopaxi. After our ascent we return to the valley and stay in a beautifull hacienda in Lasso.

    Day 12: Rest day and visit the market in Latacunga

    Day 13: Approach the North face of Chimborazo, supported by horses. The North Face offers much better and safer climbing than the normal route.

    Day 14: Climb Chimborazo. A midnight start will take us along a broad shoulder to the highest summit in Ecuador.

    Day 15: Return to Quito

    Day 16: Fly back to the U.S.

    Included in cost: An AMGA trained Alpine Guide, all ground transportation, hotels, tents. and food while on the mountain. All group climbing and camping equipment.

    Not included in cost: Food and drinks in towns, personal climbing and camping equipment, and international air fare, costs of a personal nature, extra hotels or transportation due to illness, injury, or early return.

    Prerequisites: Participants should have prior, basic mountaineering experience. They should be comfortable with self arrest, walking in crampons, and have basic roped climbing experience. If you do not possess these skills, or need review, we recommend doing a skills course with us in Colorado prior to your Peru trip.

    Equipment: Download the Ecuador Volcanoes Equipment Checklist

    Registration and Cancellation: You will need to fill out an International Expedition Application, cancellation policy agreement, and liability waiver, and send it to us with a 50% deposit 60 days before the trip date. Balance is due 30 days prior to trip departure date. Please click on our Registration/Travel link to access the required forms.

     
     



    (Corporate Partner)


    Operating under special use permit in the Rio Grande - San Juan National Forest and the Grand Mesa - Uncompahgre National Forest - Wrangell St. Elias National Park - Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park - Indian Creek BLM. Southwest Adventure Guides LLC provides services and employment opportunities regardless of an individual's ethnic or cultural heritage, religious beliefs, sexual orientation or physical handicap.