Ecuador Travel

Cotopaxi

Cotopaxi Volcano is one of the world's highest active volcanoes (5,897 m / 19,347 ft) and Ecuador's second highest peak, after Chimborazo Volcano. Visible from Quito, Cotopaxi Volcano is one of the few equatorial glaciers in the world and is part of the Pacific Ring of Fire, a region of significant seismic and volcanic activity. The volcano is a nearly perfectly symmetrical cone, which features an active crater peak with fumaroles reeking of sulfur.

Cotopaxi means “smooth neck of the moon” in Quechua; the indigenous peoples of the Andes consider it to be a sacred mountain. During Inca times, Cotopaxi Volcano was worshipped as a provider of rain, and the volcano has a destructive history. The first recorded eruption of Cotopaxi occurred in 1534, and significant eruptions followed in 1742 and 1768, destroying Latacunga and resulting in many deaths. There was another eruption in 1853, and an 1877 eruption destroyed Latacunga yet again, and sent earth, rocks, and melted ice and snow all the way to the Pacific Ocean. Cotopaxi has been fairly subdued in the 20th century, with one large eruption in 1906, and minor rumblings in 1944 and1975.

In 1802, Alexander von Humboldt was the first European to climb Cotopaxi Volcano, though he failed to reach the summit. A team of Germans, which included Wilhelm Rajss, and Colombians was the first to summit Cotopaxi Volcano in1872, and the route used by Edward Whymper to climb the volcano in 1882 is still in use today.

Cotopaxi Volcano is one of Ecuador's defining images. Located in Cotopaxi National Park, approximately 30 kilometers south of Quito, along the Avenue of the Volcanoes, the volcano's accessibility draws climbers and admirers year-round. Cotopaxi National park's main entrance is a few kilometers from the town of Lasso, and there is a northern, poorly marked, entrance near the town of Machachi.

To get to Cotopaxi from Quito, you must travel approximately two hours south of the city on the Pan-American Highway. At the park sign, turn left, cross the railroad tracks and continue for 15 kilometers until you reach the main entrance (Ecuadorians and residents, $2; foreigners, $10).

There is regular bus service from Quito along the Pan-American Highway; ask to be let off at the turn-off to the entrance, from where you can hike. You can also take the train from Eloy Alfaro Station in Quito ($5 one-way). The train leaves Saturdays and Sundays at 8 a.m. for Latacunga , arriving at the Cotopaxi station two hours later. The train stops at the station at 2 p.m. on its return journey.

The main park road runs 9 kilometers to the parking area (4,500 m), from where a half-hour to hour hike up a steep dirt slope leads to the Jose Rivas refuge (refugio). Built in 1971 by a climbing club, the two-story stone hut sits at 4,800 meters.

Although climbing Cotopaxi Volcano is not an overly challenging trek, it is not for novices. The climb has an alpine grade of F/PD, and the ascent consists mostly of uphill trudging, with some large, obvious crevasses and a short, nearly vertical ice wall section. Cotopaxi Volcano's glacier begins at 5,000 meters, and technical equipment is necessary to summit (ice axe, crampons, ropes). The assistance of a guide or experienced climber is highly recommended. It is necessary to get acclimated before climbing Cotopaxi. Climbers should spend time in the highlands the highlands and practice hiking shorter peaks, such as Pichincha and Pasochoa, before attempting to summit Cotopaxi.

Cotopaxi Volcano can be climbed year-round, as the volcano experiences many clear days. However, December and January are the best months to climb the volcano. February though April are also dry and clear months, while August to December is overcast and windy. Adventure tourism operators organize climbs, and the climb is so popular that there can be as many as 100 climbers attempting to summit the volcano on weekends.

Climbers typically arrive at the refuge by mid-afternoon and begin the climb between midnight and 2 a.m., in order to arrive at the peak for sunrise. The descent takes anywhere from 2 to 6 hours. Climbs to the summit typical ascend the right side of Cotopaxi Volcano's northern face to a rock face, followed by a cutback west on a steep slope to the summit. It is a five- to seven-hour hike to the summit. On a clear day, there are views from the summit of the Andes in every direction, including eight different volcanoes.

In addition to climbing the volcano, other activities include hiking to the refuge and staying overnight, hiking around the volcano's base, mountain biking down the volcano and horseback riding in Cotopaxi National Park.

From the parking area (4,500 m), it's a steep climb up to the refuge (4,800 m). It takes about one hour to reach the stone hut, where you can stay overnight even if you're not climbing (Ecuadorian and residents, $11.20; foreigners, $22.40). The refuge is equipped with bunks, cooking facilities, a dining area, washrooms, running water, and snacks and bottled water for sale.

It is possible to hike around the base of Cotopaxi Volcano, which is approximately 20 kilometers in overall distance. Take the park road clockwise to the eastern park border, then follow the Rio Tambo upstream to the southwest after crossing the boundary. From there, head west, passing north of Quilindana to reach Pana. A full circuit can take up to a week.

Adventure tour companies also organize mountain biking trips down Cotopaxi Volcano. It's a moderately difficult bike ride on paramo landscape, riding on dirt roads over volcanic ash. Trips typically begin at the parking area.

You can also horseback ride in Cotopaxi National Park. Horseback riding tours cost around $1 per loop from the park entrance to the campsite and back. You ride along hiking trails and see diverse flora and fauna.