Friday, July 4, 2014 – 10:32 AM PT We took advantage of great weather and climbing conditions yesterday to summit Cotopaxi (19,348')! We started climbing a little before 5 am, summitted around 1 pm, and were back at camp by 5 pm. Twelve hours of ascending and descending the glaciate slopes of Ecuador's most famous volcano, Cotopaxi. Although we were greeted by gusty winds as we approached the glacier, the sky was clear and the temperature was comfortable. By the time we strapped our crampons on, the wind had died down and the weather and climbing conditions could not have been better. The snow was perfect for cramponing, winds were about 10 mph all the way up to the summit, and the views of the surrounding peaks were stunning. After a long day of climbing we settled back into the climbers' hut and enjoyed a warm meal before crawling into our sleeping bags for a full night's sleep. This morning, after a leisurely breakfast, we visited a small pre-Incan archaeological site within Cotopaxi National Park before heading south to the Hacienda La Cienega. Now we're all set to enjoy showers, some more food, and comfortable beds. Nice work team, on safely climbing up and down a very impressive mountain. We'll rest here at La Cienega tonight and then head back into the capital, Quito, tomorrow. RMI Guide Mike Walter