Cotopaxi Climber's Log

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forjan

forjan - Jan 13, 2006 3:35 pm

Route Climbed: Normal Route Date Climbed: January 7, 2006  Sucess!

Our 1st attempt on Cotopaxi was on January 5, 2006. DeeDee and I woke up at 12:15am. We started to climb at 1:30am. Socked in clouds; poor visibility; 1.5 feet of new snow overnight meant avalanche risk. We decided to turn around at 5255 meters (17,241 feet) at 4:04am. Back at the Jose Ribas hut at 4:56am. Went to sleep from 5:00am 'til 9:00am. Defeated by conditions, we went down to Hosteria La Estacion to rest overnight.



Our 2nd attempt on Cotopaxi was on January 7, 2006. Woke up at midnight. Started climbing exactly at 1:00am. Got to the ice wall near the Yanasacha before dawn. Waited for daylight to tackle the crux of the route (a small 50 degree step) by the bergshrund. Summited at 7:40am. Stayed 15 minutes at Cotopaxi's summit. Back at the hut by 9:53am (~ 9 hrs roundtrip). Then, we drove down to Aloasi for much-needed rest at Hosteria La Estacion.

climberben

climberben - Dec 26, 2005 4:49 am

Route Climbed: Normal Route Date Climbed: 1 November 2000  Sucess!

Made a quick ascent and descent of the mountain in beautiful weather. The climb took 6 hours round trip from the refugio. Beautiful sunrise on the summit!

YetiBauer

YetiBauer - Dec 8, 2005 9:36 pm

Route Climbed: Normal Route North Date Climbed: Feburary 2005  Sucess!

The lower glacier was dry with no snow cover. On descent we experienced a "solar oven" trapped in a low cloud with the brilliant sun above the sun light was double reflected and it warmed up beyond belief!

Tambo Paxi (the lower hut) is a great place to acclimatize

Ario

Ario - Nov 9, 2005 4:52 am

Route Climbed: Normal Route (North) Date Climbed: June 10th, 2005  Sucess!

Alpine grade PD (50 degrees, + 1100m), free climb following a Tyrolean party, icy rain during the night and good weather in the morning.

When we reached back Refugio Jose Ribas at 10:30 am, we were still ice-covered due to the night icy-rain !

edl - Sep 29, 2005 6:28 pm

Route Climbed: Normal Route Date Climbed: Nov. 1998

Turned around at 19,000 due to partners illness. Still a great time on a fantastic mountain.

radson

radson - Sep 18, 2005 5:21 am

Route Climbed: Normal route Date Climbed: 15 June 2005  Sucess!

A wonderful sustained climb in beautiful weather. As per photos cotopaxi turned pink beneath our plastics at about 5600m. We summited around 7am with no wind and looking at Chimbo and Antisana. Good snow meant we were down in just under 2 hours.

Guillaume.Ceyrac

Guillaume.Ceyrac - Aug 24, 2005 2:47 am

Route Climbed: Normal Date Climbed: August 2001

Went there with PO and Benoît, also from France. After a freezing night in the refugio, we started to climb at 3 O clock and had to stop after 3 hours because of a heavy snow storm. We did not have enough time to wait a while in order to attempt the summit on more time... I'll have to get back there !

C.Wagner - Aug 22, 2005 1:46 pm

Route Climbed: Normal route from J Rivas hut Date Climbed: July 16, 2005  Sucess!

Strated at 0100

Summited at 0630

Nice weather, but windy

Clear view of all other equatorian summits

Some fresh snow just below the summit

esugi

esugi - Aug 20, 2005 3:51 pm

Route Climbed: Normal Route Date Climbed: July 30, 2005  Sucess!

Was turned back 200 m below the summit due to rediculously strong winds. Consistant 40-50 mph but gusting to probably 70mph. Very difficult to stand much less climb into it.



mpa

mpa - Aug 11, 2005 5:26 am Date Climbed: Jul 10, 2005

Route Climbed: Normal  Sucess!

After a very short night of about 3 hours, we started at 0:30 in the night. The ascent was very steep so we needed about 8 hours to make it to the summit, but we had some really nice views on the lights of Quito in the night. We reached the top at about 8:30 in the morning.

TNclimber - Jul 26, 2005 2:35 pm

Route Climbed: NORMAL Date Climbed: JULY 25 2005  Sucess!

Very tough climb in terms of steepness. use a good guide from a reputable company that is asegium certified.

spiffmo - May 17, 2005 5:49 pm

Route Climbed: Normal Route - up and to the right of Yanasacha Date Climbed: March 19, 2005  Sucess!

Left Quito at 8 pm, drove in the back way (didn't have to pay park entrance!), hiked straight from the trailhead to the summit without "sleeping" at the refugio. The fog broke as we passed Yanasacha and left us with stunning views from the summit. -5 C. sustained temps, no wind. Summited just before 8:00 am. Well-consolidated snow softened as we descended, but not dangerously.

RModelli

RModelli - Feb 20, 2005 9:14 pm

Route Climbed: normal route Date Climbed: january 20, 2005  Sucess!

Very nice climb sustained and friendly.


Colder than I expected, but no problems.





Great views.

amcfarre

amcfarre - Feb 16, 2005 9:52 am

Route Climbed: Normal Date Climbed: Jan 28, 2005  Sucess!

We left around 1am and reached the summit for sunrise after 5 hours. The route was well marked since it hadn't snowed for a few days. We crossed the ladder over the final crevasse and used it going down as well even through there was a snow bridge just 20 feet away. The summit crater is an amazing sight.



Photos and Trip Report

neoday

neoday - Feb 15, 2005 1:16 pm

Route Climbed: Normal Route Date Climbed: January 20, 2005  Sucess!

Wow!

Left the hut at 0100 and summited around 0800. I had to go pee at 2100 on the night before the climb and saw the clear sky and moon lit glacier! When we awoke it was not too cold (about 20f degrees I would guess) and calm. It got windy towards the summit (go figure) and colder. I did the whole climb in two long sleve layers, only putting on my jacket at the summit and for the decent.



The ladder was out, (unless you wanted to try something like the jump in the movie Vertical Limit) so we had to traverse around the crevasse to a small snow bridge then up to the summit.

esugi

esugi - Jan 31, 2005 7:36 pm

Route Climbed: Normal Route Date Climbed: January 27, 2005  Sucess!

Started from the hut at 0100 and summited at 0745. Clear night but strong winds. Soft snow and wind made the climb very difficult. The clouds were wipping around on the summit. No view of the crater. Interesting route meandering through the crevasse field and seracs. Felt great to hit my personal altitude record (to be broken 3 days later on Chimborazo).

bluescrummachine

bluescrummachine - Jan 13, 2005 7:14 am

Route Climbed: Normal Route Date Climbed: January 2005  Sucess!

Started at 1 a.m. to the summit. Bad weather - strong winds. No view on the summit, that we reached at 7 a.m. A day, where you feel the nature and yourself.

jweidman

jweidman - Jan 10, 2005 3:31 pm

Route Climbed: Normal Date Climbed: 7 Jan 2005  Sucess!

Bad weather with no views. 60mph winds around the wind scoop just below Yanasasha on the way down. Great time though.

climbingsarah - Dec 13, 2004 4:37 pm

Route Climbed: standard Date Climbed: july 2004  Sucess!

For my first major big summit, it was absolutely spectacular. Views were brilliant, guides amazing, the whole experience one never to forget.

Daniel Klassen

Daniel Klassen - Oct 28, 2004 1:23 pm

Route Climbed: Normal Date Climbed: Spring 2001  Sucess!

Summated in an ice storm... visibility 5 metres. Somewhat disappointing. The view before the storm though made everything worthwhile.

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