| Last team on the summit. Cotopaxi, Ecuador. Trip Report |
Geography Parents  Loading... Trip Reports
| Last team on the summit. Cotopaxi, Ecuador.   | 
| Page Type: Trip Report Location: Cotopaxi, Ecuador, South America Date Climbed/Hiked: Jul 13, 2008 Activities: Mountaineering Season: Summer | Page By: HIGH EXPEDITIONS Created/Edited: Jul 17, 2008 / Nov 7, 2008 Object ID: 422129 Hits: 384 Loading... Page Score: 83.44% - 5 Votes Loading... Vote: Log in to vote |
A deal..A week before our arrival to Cotopaxi's refuge, Raquel (ECU) was the only person left with no plans to make the midnight assault to the summit.
I think she eigered to make the climb the same night, while a bunch of small lights were heading up through the darkness of the night, trying to reach the top, mine included.
As soon as I got back to the refuge she told me about her plans of coming back again next weekend and to try to reach the summit.
So we made a deal and plan to climb Cotopaxi 7 days later.At the refuge..We got to Cotopaxi National Park entrance at 2:55 pm, five minutes before gate closing and drove up to the parking lot (4,600 m/15,100 ft).
From there we started hiking up towards the refuge (4,800 m/15,750 ft). It was completely crowded by day hikers and climbers, most of them belonged to the ecuadorian Army. They, along with their family (wives and children) made all what was in their hands to give us all of the climbers one of the worst nights at the refuge ever.
Well, we all went to bed around 8:00 pm and tried to get some rest for the remaining 4 hours prior to our midnight climb. But a few minutes later, people walking up and down, wearing those heavy plastic boots, kids crying and everybody complaining about everything. The result... nobody shut up an eye during the whole night!
The Climb.. Finally, is midnight and Raquel and I are heading up to the glacier and passing everybody in our way up, even though we are walking at very slow pace.
 Summit (5,897 m/19,347 ft)
Once we got to the glacier, put the crampons on, roped together and kept climbing up by la Rompe Corazones (Heartbreaker hill). This time all teams were passing us, and we became the last couple, but still climbing up.
Two hours later we reached a huge crevasse that marks the end of La Rompe Corazones and we met again with the Army team that passed us before, but now they are quitting and heading back to the refuge. I guess, it isn't who is faster and looks stronger and fit who wins the game, but the ones who keep a constant pace, patience and humility who reach their goals.
The sun came out and with it a strong blast of wind coming from the east which threaten us with blow us away from the mountain like kytes.
Soon we reached the last ramp above Yanasacha (Black Rock) and met with the other teams coming down from the summit. We congratulated to each others and kept climbing up. Crossed a couple of deep crevasses, traversed the last 50 meters beneath the summit and we made it!
We both were on the top of Ecuador's second highest mountain (5,897 m/19,347 ft). We felt so happy of being up there, surrounded by an endless sea of clouds, all around us. The view of the active crater beneath us to the east, as well as Tungurahua active volcano steaming at the distance.
It was so gratifying seeing Raquel, tears in eyes and very happy of her accomplishment.
We were the last team to reach the summit. It was 7:50 am when we made it, an amazing day, and surrounded by the magestic prescence of the ecuadorian Andes, one of the world's most beautiful mountain ranges. At the end... I felt so lucky of being borned here... in the Andes Images
|
|
Cordillera Oriental (Ecuador)
