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Published: July 10th 2006
Tim summits Cotopaxi!
Celebrating sunrise at 5,897m, on the summit of Cotopaxi.¡Hola!
Que bueno!
Yes, at 6:15 yesterday morning, just in time for sunrise, I summited my fourth major peak in Ecuador - Volcán Cotopaxi, at a breathtaking 5897m.
It was the singularly most physically and mentally demanding activity I have ever undertaken and the others are en acuerdo on this point.
Was it worth it? Oh yes. Por que? The feeling of achievement I think more than anything. OK - the sunset and moonrise were stunning. And once the moon had gone, the sky was studded with every star. If I wasn´t so delirious at the time then I perhaps could have appreciated it more.
It´s difficult to describe the climb to anyone who hasn´t done anything similar. So I´ll try to paint the picture.
The refugio is at 4,800m, just over a kilometre below the summit. It was much nicer than that of Illiniza Norte (which I have just realised I have not yet written about). We had dinner at 6pm, just before retiring for the night. Breakfast was at 11pm. I´d actually managed a few hours´sleep, which is surprising given the circumstances (mental and physical).
We set off at 00:15. We were
Tim before the final summit push
I may look chirpy here but look closely into my eyes and you will see deep fatigue (altitude combined possibly with dehydration and hunger). put into teams of 2 plus a guide. I was with Pato (guia) and Ola (Swede who is also to climb Chimborazo). Pato set a cracking pace and I was pleased when the teams were changed so that I was with Abraham, the guia who had accompanied us on previous trips whose smiling face and attitude promote instant trust. Manuel, a Spaniard, was on the end of the rope, me in the middle.
Every part of the climb was difficult and I was breathing heavily the entire way. Thankfully the full moon provided enough light to see by, as my headtorch was playing up.
After an initial 40 mins on dirt, the rest of the climb was on the glacier and the snow slopes regularly reached 45 to 50 degrees. At one point we all recall looking up one particular slope which appeared almost vertical and wondering how we were supposed to climb it. But we did.
The latter slopes had a track blazed which made side-stepping (I think it´s French style) easier but the first ones comprised innumerable small snow humps and to me it was akin to trying to climb a flight of stairs using
Descanso
Taking a well-earned rest. the risers rather than the treads. We had had some training the previous day but it took a while to get used to the motion and despite best efforts I never managed to keep in step with Abraham. I think he was on a different mountain.
That´s the physical. The mental (the last hour is all mental according to Abraham, but I disagree) is something else. I was absolutely tired after about four and a half hours. It must have been about 5:15 when the moon had set and the stars were out and we took our final rest before the push for the summit. We stopped below the biggest block of ice I´d ever got up close and personal to. I lay back on my rucksack and closed my eyes and longed for sleep. Whenever I opened my eyes to look at the view (stars, Tungsten-lit Quito, incredible ice formations) I felt ill and had to lie back again. During the last push I closed my eyes more than once, desperate to grab some form of rest. The summit, though, was not elusive - you see what seems to be the summit and that is the summit.
Cotopaxi Crater
The crater of "The highest active volcano in the world". At several points during the climb we could smell the sulphur. The summit - an opportunity to get my bag off and lie down, after a few bear-hugs and pats on the back of course. Then some sunrise photography of the crater and views. What feeling? Relief I think more than anything, and perhaps a moment of elation. Perhaps I was also contemplating Chimborazo, which is 300m higher and more technically demanding.
Getting down again took just over 2 hours. Going downhill is only marginally more pleasant than uphill but we got an opportunity to see properly the slopes we had climbed the night before. Incredible.
So now I am in Latacunga, a gateway town south of Cotopaxi having a well-earned day of rest. Then we are having pizza for lunch.
Take care, and enjoy the views.
con la anticipación,
Tim
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Steve
non-member comment
Words are insufficient...
That is absolutely amazing - well done! Best wishes for Chimborazo.