Ecuador, the South American country that gives the name of the line that separates the north and south hemispheres- or the other way around, or both. The Andes cuts trough the country from north to south, creating 3 specific regions: The Coast, on the west side, receives the waters from the rivers that come from the Andes. La Sierra (the mountains or better said, the mountain range) on the middle, with two distinctive chains, the west (oriental) and the east (occidental), and finally to the east, The Jungles..

The Ilinizas are two mountains that hold the 6th highest Ecuadorian peak title (Iliniza Sur 5248 mts.) and the 8th highest peak (IIiniza Norte at 5126 mts.) They used to be one whole crater, but eventually splited in two. These peaks are 55 kmts south of Quito, the capital of Ecuador. Iliniza Sur holds more humidity than Iliniza North, and therefore Sur has a permament snow and glacier. Iliniza Norte (North) also is know to be easier than its cousin Iliniza Sur (South). It seems that the main challenge is the use of equipment and the snow/ice specific skills for the later, while for the former the deal is good hiking and scrambling skills. Indeed, while the South peak is advised for experience climbers, the other is suitable for those in the way to good acclimatization.

Getting to the mountains in Ecuador is simple. There is a road that goes from north to south and vice versa, and the mountains you can climb are side to side of this road.

Getting There

There are two main ways to access the Ilinizas. Both involve a trip to the town of El Chaupi (3300 mts) and then to La Virgen (3900 mts), an image of the Virgin Mary and a parking lot some 14 kmts from the town of Machachi, and then a hike to a hut called Nuevos Horizontes (4765 mts, 15 to 20 people, cooking facilities, $10 per night as of 2003, water nearby or available at the hut).

The first way to approach the Ilinizas would be to hire transportation from Quito to La Virgen. How far close to the hut depends on the weather and the conditions of the unpaved road that goes even higher than La Virgen - this extra section will imply a 4x4 vehicle. The trip is reported to be about US $ 60 to US $100, try to negotiate the best deal. Some climbers reported that thieves hang around the area and the might break into cars, therefore is not recommended that you take your own car there.

The second approach would be to take a public transportation. One option is to take a bus to Machachi, a town about 1 hour away from Quito. From Quito's Terminal Terrestre (Bus Terminal) take a bus that will go to the town of Latacunga, some 2 hours away from Quito. If the bus stops in Machachi, you will have to approach Transportes El Chaupi, a bus line of blue color buses that will take to the town of El Chaupi (1 hour). They will be parked somewhere along Avenida Amazonas. If the bus does not stop in Machachi, then you can ask the driver to drop you in the El Chaupi exit. Here you can wait for Transportes El Chaupi, to go to the town of El Chaupi (20 minutes). Buses run almost every 30 minutes or so. Other option would be to take a local bus from Villa Flora Bus Terminal in Quito, which will go directly to Machachi.

Once in El Chaupi, hike to La Virgen, or you can hire a public transportation. If you decided to hike from El Chaupi (5 to 7 hours to the hut) it would be best to hire horses to carry loads up the mountain to the hut. Brain's guidebook recommends Hacienda San Jose del Chaupi, where horses are available, and also it is possible to hire lodging. Also Bladimiro Gallo, in the Hostal Llovizna, can arrange horses and lodging for you. Mr Gallo is also the manager of the hut, so you can arrange a package of services from him including transportation to and from La Virgen. Both the Hostal Llovizna and the Hacienda can be contacted in El Chaupi.

From La Virgen the hike is about 2 to 3 hours to the hut Refugio Nuevos Horizontes. The route to the hut is marked with special signs; some of those have a green and white circle. The path to the hut is straight forward. You will be hiking on the side (your right) of a lateral moraine that goes towards the Iliniza Sur. Eventually you will gain the ridge and then approach a sharper section of the moraine. Keep on the ridge, and almost at the top of this sharper moraine, you will see that the path splits to the right, taking you to the hut.

There are also opportunities to camp, but as in any other third world country, do not leave ay gear unattended. One option would be before the sharper moraine (aprox 3500 mts, difficult or no access to water). A second option would be just near the hut. A third option would some 100 mts after the hut, towards Iliniza Sur, gaining some 50 mts of height.

Red Tape

Some guidebooks report that since there is a reserve now in the area where the Ilinazas are located, a fee may be required, for entrance and other charges. Some climbers at SP.com have reported to be charged $5 dollars for entrance. The system of collecting this fee is not clear: sometime it is collected in La Virgen and sometimes at the hut. Is this money realy going to pay for the keeping and care of the reserve? I am not sure.

The fee at the Refugio Nuevos Horizontes is of about $ 10 Dollars, as reported in 2001.

When To Climb

The best time to climb next to the Equator (and Colombia) is during the dry months of December, January and February. It seems that dry weather in these tropics is a joke, but anyhow, it rains less in the mountains during those times. June, July and August may be good months to climb. Some people actually climb year round!

This is a funny situation b/c in the tropics, glaciers and snow conditions are quite different than in, for example a maritime, temperate glacier from the Alps or the Cascades. Cycles of freeze-melt-freeze will happen almost every night-day-night. So, given the dry weather, it is possible to access the area any time of the year.

The deal here is that the sun will warm up your snow and it will become an ice cream slowly melting. Crossing snow in these conditions can be very demanding, and besides the danger of avalanches increases when the top layers get wet and heavier, not to mention the snow bridges getting weak and other ?classical? dangers. As in the Alps, aim for an alpine start, so you will be back for lunch.

Camping

There are also opportunities to camp. One option would be before the sharper moraine (aprox 3500 mts, difficult or no access to water). A second option would be just near the hut. A third option would some 100 mts after the hut, towards Iliniza Sur, gaining some 50 mts of height.

It must be advised not to leave your property unattended and arrange some kind of watchman services, either with other climbers or with the hut staff.

Miscellaneous Info

More information about Ecuador:

The CIA World Fact Book

Another very informative page: US Library of Congress.

Good information about hotels, raveling, etc, at Ecuador Explorer.

The world famous Lonely Planet. The update for Ecuador.

Weather:

Ecuador Weather.

Weather Underground.

US National Weather Service

Guidebooks:

Climbing and Hiking in Ecuador, 4th Ed,
by Rob Rachowiecki, Lonely Planet (January1998)

Ecuador : A Climbing Guide
by Yossi Brain, The Mountaineers (September 2000)

Mountain Conditions:

Cotopaxi.com

South American Explorers

Maps:

The maps can be found at the Instituto Geografico Militar. They are about 2 US Dollars each. The site I provided here is in Spanish, and you must buy the maps in person.

I am providing a grid system for the maps, using the distribution that the IGM uses (below). Use this grid to get your maps.

Omnimap also sells the maps in the Unites States, but for about 14 Dollars each. In spite of the high price, they take their time to get the maps, so if you need them ask them with enough time (2-3 months or more)

The map reference is
Ecuador National Code CT-Ñ IIIC4
Sheet name "Machachi"
International code #3892-2
Escale 1:50000

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