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deep6 wrote:what would you recommend as the best number of days inorder to do this climb including the proper amount of acclimation days??? any info. or help would be much appreciated...thank you.

The 'general' schedule for climbing is similar among the guide companies. It looks much like this one I put together for last summer:
Day 1: Fly to Quito (9,400’)
Day 2: Visit Otavalo/Tour Quito
Day 3: Hike Rucu Pichincha (~ 15,600’)
Day 4: Travel to the Cayambe hut (15,290’)
Days 5-6: Skills review on the Cayambe glacier
Day 7: Climb Cayambe (18,997’) and return to Quito
Day 8: Rest day
Day 9: Travel to Cotopaxi
Day 10: Climb Cotopaxi (19,347’); travel to Banos
Day 11: Rest day in Banos
Day 12: Travel to Chimborazo
Days 13-14: Climb Chimborazo (20,703’) and return to Quito
Day 15: Return to USA

Do a search through the SA forum, if you haven't already, as there are numerous Ecuador topic posts. Cheers!

haliku: thanks for posting up your itineary for your cotopaxi climb. did you organize this climb with a guide/trekking company...if so, who did you go with and what was your experience with this outfit? or if you did this climb on your own...was it easy to arrange your own accomodations at the huts,etc? not sure if i'm up for chimborazo since i'm more of a newbie to winter mountaineering but, would definitely be interested in some winter mountaineering course as well. i've been researching the SP forums and throughout the site for this climb and i've found it be really helpful and very informative.

if anybody else has any recommedations of good guides/trekking companies that they've used for this climb please feel free and send me a PM or post up on here...thank you.

deep6 wrote:haliku: thanks for posting up your itineary for your cotopaxi climb. did you organize this climb with a guide/trekking company...if so, who did you go with and what was your experience with this outfit? or if you did this climb on your own...was it easy to arrange your own accomodations at the huts,etc? not sure if i'm up for chimborazo since i'm more of a newbie to winter mountaineering but, would definitely be interested in some winter mountaineering course as well.

I planned this trip myself using local resources. As a newbie a worthy trip would be learning skills and climbing Cayambe and Cotopaxi in my opinion. We didn't make Chimborazo due to team conditioning.

For guidebooks on travel I suggest: Lonelyplanet Guides
We stayed in Quito at: Hotel Sierra Nevada but there are plenty of places in Quito for climbers to stay.
We used Sierra Nevada's guide company for logistics and transport mostly. I'd use them again. There are plenty of quality guide services.
Lastly my trip report will give you some more information on climbing in Ecuador.

Ecuador, overall, is a great country. Cheers!

hailku: coo...thanks for all the info! i'm just planning on doing cotopaxi and hopefully get in some snow travel/mountaineering basics especially crampon/iceaxe/rope travel/avalanche edumacation while on the equador mtns. it seems like 10 days would be the minimal amount of days to properly acclimate and climb another lower mountain to train on in hopes of eventually bag'n cotopaxi. any other tips or info. of must have or in the know while climbing cotopaxi?

tradrockiss: how did your climb go of cotopaxi and chimborazo last dec? also, would be cool if you could share with us your experiences w/ Moogley that guide company that you used for this trip?

thanks ya'all!

I believe Tradrockiss posted something a while back stating she was canceling her trip.

hey guys: i was also thinking of taking a climbing course or school while i was in ecuador before i make any attempts on some acclimation peaks and before i make my attempt on cotopaxi...are the climbing classes or schools any good in ecuador? i figured it would be cheaper than in the U.S. and more practical to learn if i'm already in the area but, wanted to know if these operators are legit, safe, worth the money, and knowlegeable enough to teach beginners beyond ice axe use & walking in crampons?

Safari's Andes Climbing School: http://safari.com.ec/climbing/climbing_school.htm

or

Gulliver's climbing and glacier course: http://www.gulliver.com.ec/content/blogcategory/18/30/lang,en/

most of these climbing guides or outfitters claim that they are french certified etc, but, wanted to hear from those that actually have taken these courses and what were your experiences with them? any help or info. would be much appreciated and feel free and post up here or send me a PM...thank you.