As for the case on Ruku Pichincha last Friday, it looks like thme Ecuadorian Police have captured the perpatrator this morning.

If this is indeed true it I'm sure it will give a lot of relief to myself and the others involved. I look forward to confirmation from the contacts we have inside the embassy there now! Thankyou.

Unfortunately though, the problems in the country run far deeper than one isolated crazy man. In the last several months that several of the group had been in Equador, they said that everyone they know has had a close run-in with violent crime. Remember to be very careful while there and consider the services of RMI or equivalent (as much for bodyguards as anything else).

Mase,

It sounds like you have some first hand knowledge of the arrest. what are your sources?

lefty wrote:Mase,

It sounds like you have some first hand knowledge of the arrest. what are your sources?

Based on the screenname, we believe Mase is directly involved with the investigation. One of the victims who is still in Ecuador called jdmorris earlier today and confirmed that the guy is in custody. The phone connection was real crappy so we don't know any more than that, and I was hoping we'd get an email from an Embassy official sometime tonight before posting. Great news, though!

Kommish, I'd rather not post our hotel online as I don't think their location was particularly dangerous or unusual, and I don't want to drag their name through the mud without good reason. We were in Centro Historico, FWIW. If you still want to know the hotel's name, send me a PM.

For those whose cell phones don't work in Ecuador, I'd strongly suggest laying out for a local prepaid cell. Seemed like stores were selling them everywhere.

I appreciate everyone's follow-up and posting on this since I am heading down there in a couple of weeks with a group.

I as well would like to thank all of you for your information & advise. I too leave in a few weeks for Ecuador & would like to return safe as I have a family to care for. Thanks again.

Lessthanjoey, et. al.

Thanks for sharing this critical information! So sorry to hear about your experience in Ecuador. You guys had to make some extremely tough decisions but it seems that they were wise in retrospect.

I normally disregard the American Embassy contact information when I travel abroad. I will certainly be sure to record it next time, however!!!!

Lets hope that this bandit is, in fact, in prison right now. Nevertheless, I think I will take drizzlepuss's advice and kindly tell the Ecuadorian Consolate that I will not head there until the security situation in the backcountry improves. I imagine that foreign tourism contributes greatly to the Ecuadorian economy.

Thanks for sharing this story with everyone. It gives a lot of people an opportunity to learn some valuable lessons. My heart goes out to everyone involved in this extremely disturbing and unfortunate incident. A couple different friends called my attention to this thread because they know I've guided several trips to Ecuador's volcanoes since 1993 and asked if I might chime in.

There are several posts above that contain excellent advice and I have very little to add. I think the point has been made well that letting the US embassy know your plans is a very good thing. I try to do this for every trip I guide out of the country. It's also adviseable to leave your itinerary with trusted friends, family, and loved ones at home. Even if your itinerary is loose and you don't know exactly when you will be and where it's helpful to write out anything you can.

One thing I will add is it is helpful to check multiple sources when it comes to finding out information. Checking with the US State Dept and local embassy about travel warnings has been mentioned already. This is good as are guidebooks. Other sources (besides message boards of course) are guides who go there regularly from the US and locals in Ecuador. Some American guides are open and helpful with information and others aren't. Develop a relationship with one who is willing to be helpful. They are in touch with people locally who can help confirm or deny US State Dept official reports or give updates that haven't surfaced with the US Govt.

Thanks again for sharing your experience. I've already said a prayer for everyone involved.

I can't imagine how scary that must have been. So sorry to hear about it. I was in Ecuador last year for two weeks and had a great trip with no incidents in the city or in the mountains. I remember how much personal and group preparation it took to arrive in Ecuador and how excited I was for each climb. I can't image how disappointing it would be to experience that and have it ruin your plans. I genuinely hope you have better fortune in the future.

To those heading down to Ecuador in a few weeks, I hope your experiences and climbing opportunities are as good as ours were.

I also want to say: so sorry for your horrible experience. We just returned from a perfect trip down there with zero problems, but we had a large group.

Again, sorry for you woes. Better luck next time!

While in Quito deciding on Acclimitazation hikes my group spoke to several of the local guiding companies and they were all saying that Guagua Pichincha was more dangerous and that Rucu was safe. This clearly conflicted with everything we had read before our trip. After much debate, we did Rucu as an acclimitazion hike from the Teleferico and it went off without any incidents. We were advised the problems tended to be more in the afternoon so we went early in the day.

lefty wrote:While in Quito deciding on Acclimitazation hikes my group spoke to several of the local guiding companies and they were all saying that Guagua Pichincha was more dangerous and that Rucu was safe. This clearly conflicted with everything we had read before our trip.

Rucu gave me a creepy vibe. On my two ascents of Guagua Pichincha (2005 & 2009), the only threat I felt was that the little guy in the orange suit in the shack at the end of the road might hit me up for a five'r (which he did once, of course).

Thanks for sharing this sad story with us and making us aware of any danger in Ecudor.
Feel really sorry for you and your group for what happedend with you guys down there.
I was thinking of going there next year by myself and stay there for 2-3 months to climb few mountains but now after reading your experience I have think again and see if it possible or safe for me to go to that country.

Being from India, I have heard few roberries but never heard anything in the mountains or held somebody at gun point.

rocky29oct wrote:Thanks for sharing this sad story with us and making us aware of any danger in Ecudor.
Feel really sorry for you and your group for what happedend with you guys down there.
I was thinking of going there next year by myself and stay there for 2-3 months to climb few mountains but now after reading your experience I have think again and see if it possible or safe for me to go to that country.

Being from India, I have heard few roberries but never heard anything in the mountains or held somebody at gun point.

Although I'd recommend general caution in Ecuador, I wouldn't yet toss away your idea of heading down there for a few months. I've been to Ecuador three times, spending time in as varied places as Quito, the Amazon, and the high volcanoes. That said, I've never once felt uncomfortable (well, except for that 80mph suicide bus ride down wet mountain roads through the jungle this last January).

You might send a PM to SP member big_g, an American who lived alone in Quito for 6 or 8 months a few years back. I'm sure he'd be happy to give you his thoughts.

I have travelled in quite a few places, including Peru for extended periods of time, but the only place I have ever been assaulted was Quito, and right in the middle of the touristic part of town (though at night). Three guys jumped on me and started choking me while taking everything that could be valuable off of me, including my watch. Though I have to hand it to them, they gave me my credit card back (!) once they had taken the little cash I had in the wallet. That happened just a few hours after someone tried the old scam of spraying me with barbecue sauce in the hope of getting my camera while a "stranger" helped me clean myself. Kind of gave me a bad vibe about the city.

In contrast, I had no problems in Lima nor inside slums in the suburbs of Arequipa. Of course, luck has a lot to do with it, but judging by stories from other travellers, I am under the impression that Peru is becoming a lot safer and Ecuador a lot less so. I would be extra careful if traveling again to Quito, that's for sure, but would also gladly go there again, the country has a lot to offer.