Video: Cotopaxi refuge (4800m)

Here are some facts you should know before visiting the Cotopaxi volcano and the refuge:

The entrance fee to the Cotopaxi National Park is $10 for foreigners and $2 for ecuadorians.
Admission to the Cotopaxi National Park (through “control norte” and “control caspi”) is allowed only before 4pm (16h00).
There is a parking area at 4600 m, you [...]

Iliniza Norte (5,126m). The mountain continues to change.

Mountains are changing a lot.  Iliniza norte was one of the first mountains I climbed 10 years ago as a beginner, it was a nice hike between rocks and sand, with a little bit of climbing in certain parts. The hardest part I remember from that first time was to experience the vertigo of standing [...]

Video: Climbing Cayambe

One year ago I had one of my best birthday parties ever, my friends organized a lunch in the refuge or the Cayambe volcano. They invited family and friends.  They even brought a birthday cake, candles and ballons.  It was so much fun!, they knew -JOse knew- what would I enjoy the most [...]

Adventure gear in Ecuador. Where to go and how the industry evolved

About 10 years ago when I started rock climbing, there was one big store for climbing gear with 2 or 3 offices in Quito, and a couple of travel agencies that were used to sell climbing gear as well. The big store was used to have gear that would expire in the shop windows, [...]

How to choose a Mountain Guide?

Last weekend some friends from the Polytechnic Climbing Club (CAP) and myself took a group of ten tourism students and their teacher to make an attempt to summit Cotopaxi. It was great to see the students very excited about their first time climbing an ice mountain. I am sure that many of them [...]