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December 4 - 14, 2009 Ecuador's Volcanoes Expedition
Lead Guide: Casey Grom
December 4, 2009
Expedition begins with flights into Quito.
December 4 - 14, 2009 Ecuador's Volcanoes Expedition
Lead Guide: Casey Grom
December 6, 2009
Hello All!
It's Casey and Billy checking in from down south! We've been hanging out in Quito for the last couple of days and the whole crew is already having a blast, and being situated at over 9,000 ft, we've already begun our acclimatization for our climbs. The first day around town was excellent. After a great breakfast at "Spicy" aka the hotel restaurant, we hit the town on a city tour to get a dose of history and colonial architecture. We had the chance to visit the Basilica, Presidential Palace, among other incredible buildings dating back from Spanish colonial times. This place is OLD, compared to American cities. Quito was founded in 1532! After the city tour, the group split. Half of the team headed to the Plaza de Toros and the other half went to a cool museum along the equator. The crew at the plaza had the fortune to witness a series of bullfights. Definitely barbaric but also a unique cultural experience unique to countries with Spanish influence. The other team enjoyed the interesting exhibits and experiments at the equatorial museum. The evening brought a lively night out for the team. After reuniting back at the hotel everyone went out for an amazing dinner. Local music and dancing was a great addition to the dining experience. Filet Mignon, Malbec? Who knew that you could acclimatize in such style!
Day 2 has thus far been a blast as well. The entire team headed up to the volcano Pichincha for a little exercise to help with the acclimation process. After a 40 minute gondola ride we were deposited high on the slopes of the volcano and were greeted by sweeping views of Cayambe and the city below. The high point for our hike brought us to approximately 14,300 ft.; nearly the summit of Mt. Rainier! The whole team is climbing and acclimating well thus far. Tonight, being Sunday, will hopefully turn out to be a bit quieter than the previous but we still plan to have another nice meal out on the town! Tomorrow we will to leave the city following an early wake-up and head out to the Illinizas for some more training.
We hope all is well back home and will check back in as the trip progresses.
Viva Quito!
Billy and Casey
December 4 - 14, 2009 Ecuador's Volcanoes Expedition
Lead Guide: Casey Grom
December 7, 2009
Hello again,
We had another great day here in Ecuador. Our day started early with a wonderful breakfast full of local fresh fruit, juices and breads. We left Quito and headed into the highlands of the Andes. First on our list was a hike on the Illinizas to further our acclimatization. We hiked for several hours to just over 15,000 (a new record for some). Though the weather did not allow for any amazing views it did provide us relief from the intense equatorial sun. After a quick lunch of soup and tea we headed back down to our van. An 1.5 hour drive through the beautiful rural countryside brought us to Chilcabamba. Chilcabamba is a beautiful hacienda located just outside of Cotopaxi, our first climbing objective. See Chilcabamba for yourself.
We had a wonderful dinner and good conversations to finish off the night. The entire team is doing great and we are anxious for tomorrow's adventure.
Casey and crew
December 4 - 14, 2009 Ecuador's Volcanoes Expedition
Lead Guide: Casey Grom
December 8, 2009
Hello again,
Today we awoke to mostly clear skies and got our first views of Cotopaxi (which means the neck of the moon). We had a leisurely start this morning with another fantastic breakfast. Next up was to get things in order and packed for our short (50min) hike to the hut on Cotopaxi.
The hut (Refugio in Spanish) on Cotopaxi is a far cry from anything that I have ever seen in the United States. It sits proudly on the flanks of the mountain at an astounding 15,700'. It's approximately 6000 sq. ft. and can accommodate around 70 people. There are two kitchens with propane stoves, two dinning rooms, and two fireplaces. Needless to say we are not really roughing it!
Our hike to the Refugio was a snowy one, and everyone did great. We had a huge spread for lunch with smoked salmon, cheese, crackers, olives and popcorn.
We are just getting ready for dinner and then it will be off to bed.
Buenas noches,
Casey and crew
December 4 - 14, 2009 Ecuador's Volcanoes Expedition
Lead Guide: Casey Grom
December 9, 2009
Hola from Ecuador,
All is well as we prepare for our summit attempt.
We spent the first half of the day reviewing some basic climbing techniques on the glacier. Then the team had a quick lunch and a siesta to make up for some of the sleep we didn't get last night. Apparently a few of the team members forgot to mention they snore.
We had a nice dinner and then finished packing up the last bit of gear needed for our climb. Everyone is feeling good and excited for tonight's climb. The weather has been good thus far, clear in the mornings and cloudy in the afternoons. Hopefully it will be the same for us tomorrow.
Wish us luck!
Casey and crew
December 4 - 14, 2009 Ecuador's Volcanoes Expedition
Lead Guide: Casey Grom
December 10, 2009 (5:43 a.m. PT voicemail)
Hello, this is Casey Grom calling from the summit of Cotopaxi!
We are just now standing on top in perfect weather with no wind. It has been a great day but a pretty tough day with deep snow and steep ice climbing to get us to the top. Our summit attempt took almost 7 1/2 hours and we have five out of nine climbers standing on the summit with Billy and me. We will be heading down soon and will check in later today from our next hacienda.
December 4 - 14, 2009 Ecuador's Volcanoes Expedition
Lead Guide: Casey Grom
December 11, 2009
After our climb on Cotopaxi we descended down into the comforts of hot showers, soft beds and thick air. Our refuge for the night was the beautiful Hosteria La Cienega. We had a nice dinner and then it was off to bed after such a long day.
Today most of the team headed back to Quito for their long flights home, while a few of us continued north with hopes of climbing one more mountain. Several hours of driving delivered us to yet another beautiful plantation called Hacienda Guachala. Guachala lies just below our next climbing objective, Cayambe. Cayambe is the third highest mountain in Ecuador and rises to 18,993'.
One more night of rest and we will head to back into the mountains.
December 4 - 14, 2009 Ecuador's Volcanoes Expedition
Lead Guide: Casey Grom
December 13, 2009 (4:31 a.m. PT voicemail)
Hey, hey, hey RMI. This is Casey and crew on the summit of Cayambe!
Great day yesterday. Everyone slept well last night and we got up about midnight again. Took us about 6 1/2 hours to summit. Clear, windy and cold today. Both trips have been real tough. These guys are real troopers and did a great job. We'll check in again when we get back to Quito.
December 4 - 14, 2009 Ecuador's Volcanoes Expedition
Lead Guide: Casey Grom
December 14, 2009
A good ending to a great trip!
Today the remaining climbers successfully reached the summit of Cayambe. It was a cold, tough, and windy day. To add to that, the glaciers here in Ecuador have receded a significant amount the last few years. Because of this, the route that we climbed today felt like we were attempting a "Triple Lindy" see here. Despite the conditions that we had the team did great and persevered.
Everyone has safely returned to Quito and are getting ready for one last dinner and our long flights home.
Thanks for following.
RMI Guides
-
Casey Grom
-
Billy Nugent
Climbing Team
Lance, Mike, Mark, Carmelo, Chris, Ernest, Matthew, Daiwai, and James
Itinerary
Day 1: Depart U.S.A. Most flights arrive in Quito (UIO) in the late evening. Your guides will meet you at the airport and transfer with you to our hotel. Overnight at Hotel Mercure Alameda in Quito.
Day 2: We meet in the hotel lobby for an orientation meeting and our first team breakfast. The day is spent exploring Colonial Quito with a local tour guide. We visit Independence Square, church of La Compania (1605) and the church and monastery of San Francisco (1535). We will also travel 15 minutes north of Quito to the Equatorial Line where we can jump from the northern to the southern hemisphere. There is also time in the afternoon to relax and recover from our flights. Overnight at Hotel Mercure Alameda in Quito. (B)
Day 3: After breakfast we leave the city to explore Pasachoa Forest Reserve, a 1,000 acre park at the base of the extinct volcano. The Pasachoa caldera, with its steep flanks and dense vegetation, is surrounded by some of the last remaining high altitude forest of the highlands. This enjoyable hike helps with our acclimatization and prepares us for our upcoming climbs. We return to Quito and overnight at Hotel Mercure Alameda. (B)
Day 4: Leaving the city of Quito we travel to Illiniza Norte, a jagged peak just west of Cotopaxi National Park. This is our second acclimatization hike; this time to 15,000'. We spend the night in a traditional Ecuadorian farmhouse, located near the base of Cotopaxi. Overnight at Chilcabamba Eco Lodge. (B, D)
Day 5: After breakfast, a short drive takes us to the end of the road at the base of Cotopaxi. A short 45 minute hike leads to the Jose Ribas Refugio at 16,000'. Overnight at Jose Ribas Refugio. (B, D)
Day 6: In the morning we hike out to the toe of the glacier to focus on reviewing basic mountaineering techniques that will prepare us for our summit attempt. We settle in early in anticipation of our alpine start. Overnight at Jose Ribas Refugio (16,000'). (B, D)
Day 7: Summit day on Cotopaxi (19,348')! With an early alpine start, we use the first hour to approach the glacier. A long, initial pitch gains access to an interesting maze of crevasses on the lower slopes of this beautiful volcano. The ascent then weaves through impressive crevasse fields for several hours before ascending the final steep slopes to the summit. The deep, sheer-walled volcanic crater is an incredibly impressive sight. After our summit celebration and photo session, we descend safely to the hut. Upon reaching the vehicles, we head out of the park to one of Ecuador's most beautiful colonial haciendas, the 300-year old La Cienega. Climbing time is approximately 10 - 12 hours. Overnight at Hosteria La Cienega. (B)
Day 8: Our adventure continues after breakfast as we travel to the town of Cayambe to relax and explore some of the local culture. We have the option to visit Otovalo, a town known for its beautiful woolen products or Cotacachi, a town famous for its leather industry. After shopping and sightseeing we transfer to Ecuador's oldest and possibly most historically and socially important hacienda, the Guachalá. Overnight at Hacienda Guachalá. (B)
Day 9: Using 4 x 4 vehicles, we drive to the hut at the base of Cayambe. The afternoon is spent preparing for our summit attempt, with the option of a short hike. Hiking time is approximately 1 - 2 hours. Overnight at the climber's hut (15,300'). (B, D)
Day 10: Summit day on Cayambe (18,997')! With an early alpine start for the summit, our route begins by climbing through some low rock outcroppings before stepping onto a spectacularly crevassed glacier. Once on the glacier, the route climbs directly to the upper reaches of the mountain, where a challenging final push to the summit awaits us. After enjoying our success, we descend to our private vehicles, and drive to Quito for our celebration dinner. Climbing time is approximately 10 - 12 hours. Overnight at Hotel Mercure Alameda in Quito. (B)
Day 11: Early morning transfer to the airport for our outbound flights.
Key: B, L, D = Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner included.