Entries from Ecuador

Buenas tardes, amigos!

All is well here in Ecuador. Today the team left the modern comforts of Quito and made our way north for our second acclimation hike. It was incredibly clear on our drive with amazing views of Cayambe, Cotopaxi and Imbabura. We were also joined by our amazing local guide and all round superwoman Fatima. She will also be guiding and providing her local knowledge to further enrich our experience here in Ecuador.

We drove about three hours north to visit and hike around the beautiful Laguna Cuicocha. It’s a hidden lake that sits high above the town of Otavalo where we are staying the night. The hike was just under four hours and took us from dense forest, Andean highlands, to surreal views of the lake and city beneath. Everyone enjoyed the day even if it was a little hot at times with the sun shining nearly all day.

The team is currently relaxing in our new very comfortable lodge for the night and looking forward to a peaceful and good night's rest.

Casey, Jackson, Fatima and the RMI amigos!


 

Started today before sunrise with a 6:00 a.m. departure from the hotel. We drove along scenic roads high into the hills around Quito and were rewarded with beautiful views of the city and some of the surrounding volcanoes, including our future objectives: Cayambe and Cotopaxi! When the road ended and we reached the trailhead, we began hiking toward Rucu Pichincha. We walked through gorgeous grasslands and scrambled over rocks, moving in and out of the clouds all day. A few hours and a few thousand feet later, we reached the summit (15,407 ft). After a quick descent back into warmer weather, we arrived at the top of the TelefériQo just before some afternoon thunder. We waited out a brief storm while enjoying coffee in the restaurant before taking the gondola back into town. Most of the team spent some time at the spa, testing their mental fortitude in the cold plunge before dinner. Another great day enjoying Ecuador and acclimating to the altitude!

Thanks for following along—we’re all looking forward to tomorrow’s adventures!

RMI Guide Jackson Breen & Team

Hola from Ecuador!

The team arrived late last night after some long and late arriving flights. Today we started our day with a team meeting where we did our usual round of introductions to get to know each other and then discussed the game plan for our upcoming 11 day adventure here in Ecuador.

After the meeting we headed out on the town to explore this beautiful historical city with our local and very knowledgeable tour guide Gloria and trusty drive Angel. We first headed to the southern part of Quito to a big hill called La Panacia that over looks this beautiful city. Then made our way on foot to the oldest parts of Quito, to take in the sights, admire the colonial Spanish architecture, and visit one of the many old churches found here Quito.

We finished our tour with of course a visit to the Equator from which Ecuador derivesits name, stopping by a museum that had a pretty interesting collection as well as some unique test that attempt to prove it’s the actual middle of the world.

We wrapped up the day with a quick gear check to make sure everyone has all the gear needed for our climbs. Then it was off to dinner at a nice restaurant where we were enjoyed getting to know each other better.

RMI Guides Casey Grom, Jackson Breen and the the Quito Crew!

UPDATE: Friday, October, 31, 2025

Cumbre! 

We all went to bed with a degree of anxiety about the weather. For days prior, and even the day we went to Cotopaxi Refugio, there were intense periods of rain. However, luck was on our side and our guide Sam woke us up around 11pm with the best news ever - it was a clear starry night. We finalized our packs, put on our crampons, and set out for the summit.

The climb began on rocky terrain, a steady but manageable approach. We soon got to the soft snow level and the intensity started to pick up. It was a constant uphill ascent without any switchbacks. For many of us, this was the steepest continuous climb we’ve ever done and also the highest altitude ever achieved. This led to some challenges, but we pushed through with our resilience and amazing support from our guides. Before we knew it, the summit was in sight. The entire group showed their grit and determination and we all made it! What an incredible sight that we were rewarded with at the top of Cotopaxi. After taking it all in, we began the descent. We weren’t able to appreciate the beauty of the mountain on the ascent as it was mostly dark, but the descent revealed Cotopaxi’s splendor from various angles. We enjoyed a light breakfast at the Refugio and then descended to the parking lot where a bus took us to our cozy hacienda. It wasn’t long before we arrived at the hacienda that the rain and hail storms began. It’s still a mystery on how we had such a perfect weather window for our climb, but we are grateful! And all excited about our accomplishment!

RMI Climber, Madhur Nayan

Friday, October 31, 2025 - 11:00 am PT

RMI Guide Mike Bennett sent a quick update to let us know that 100% of the team reached the summit of Cotopaxi today! They will return to the climbers hut, repack and meet their drivers and vehicles for the short transfer to Chilcabamba Lodge where they will spend the night.  Tomorrow the team will return to Quito for their final night in Ecuador.

Congratulations team!

Cotopaxi Express Daily Blog 

The team woke up this morning in a packed climbers hut at the ripe hour of 4am to climb Illiniza. Snow and sleet covered the ground and word came from the top to go back to bed. After a brief breakfast The team set off at 7 am towards Illiniza Norte with a windy snow still coming down but daylight on our side. Teams split into smaller groups to tackle the snowy scramble up the knife edge ridge of the mountain. Conditions remained poor, and we turned around 16,300’ to head down to the familiarity of the climbers hut. Repacked and trekking down to the bus, snow turned to rain and the bus was a warm bumpy welcome down the cobblestone roads. Lunch at a VERY FAMOUS pizza dive. Now the team is relaxing in front of wood stove fires, gazing over pastures towards the cloudy abyss—looking to catch a glimpse of the pinnacle objective hidden in the mist.

RMI Climbers, Dan and Joe Hayden 

Today the team left the comfort of Quito to begin our journey south to Illiniza Norte (because Illiniza Sur is apparently hard so we’re going to skip it). Unfortunately, we had to make an early morning start to get from our rooms to the hotel lobby by 9am.

With everyone safely on the bus we began the drive south to a famous gas station to buy critical snacks, meet our local guides Gustavo, Felipe (one of RMI’s finest) and Jaime, and sign paperwork. After saying goodbye to the gas station (and the last real toilet) we continued our drive to the trail head where we met horses and mules to carry our gear to the refuge.

We are now furiously chomping down popcorn and hoping for a good climb tomorrow.

- RMI Climber, Joe Maguire & Team

Elevation - 15,413 feet

Team Summits Ruca Pinchinca! 

This morning we started early for our first acclimatization hike of the trip. We opted to skip the Teleferico (Gondola) ride in order to get ahead of some afternoon thunderstorms. Thanks to Hector for driving us up to 12,800’ feet! 

It took us 5 hours to reach the summit and return. The hike gradually picks up with grade and we were feeling it towards the top. Today was hard work and the team did great. We got a glimpse of our main goal - Cotopaxi - which built excitement for the days to come. 

We will rest for the afternoon and enjoy a team dinner in Quito before moving to Illiniza Norte tomorrow! Wish us luck. 

RMI Guide, 

Sam Hoffman & Team

Sunday, October 26, 2026 - 6:05 pm PT

Welcome to Ecuador! 

The team made their arrival and assembled this morning for their first time as an expedition. After morning introductions, the team talked through trip details before heading out to explore the lovely city of Quito. The team explored the city and visited the equator, getting our first taste of the beautiful South American culture that is Ecuador. 

The afternoon lead into a team gear check before heading off to dinner and resting for the evening. Tomorrow's day will be an early start for our first acclimatization hike, Rucu Pichincha. 

RMI Guide,

Mike Bennett 

A Final Day in Ecuador: Reflections and Goodbyes

After an incredible adventure, we made our way back to Quito, wrapping up our time in Ecuador. We squeezed in some last-minute souvenir shopping, picking up mementos to remember the trip by. As the evening approached, we gathered for a wonderful final team dinner, reminiscing about the amazing experiences we had shared. Conversations turned toward the future, with talk of returning to climb Chimborazo and Antisana. But for now, we had to say our final "see you laters," cherishing the memories made and the bonds formed.

Safe travels!

RMI Guide Walter Hailes

Saturday, February 15, 2025 - 7:55 pm PT

A Change in Plans Due to Weather
This morning, we woke up to heavy rain at Chimborazo Lodge. Despite the downpour, we followed the plan and drove to the trailhead, hoping for a break in the weather. Unfortunately, the rain persisted, making conditions difficult. On top of that, avalanche danger on Chimborazo is high, and lightning was a real danger on the ridge trail to high camp.

Given these risks, we made the decision to abandon our 2-hour hike in the rain and our attempt to climb Chimborazo. Rather than pushing forward, we chose to head to Baños for a chance at a very different adventure and to explore a different side of Ecuador.

RMI Guide Walter Hailes