Cotopaxi Archives

Ecuador 2024.01

Success on Rumiñahui Volcano!

Another summit in Ecuador! Today the team reached the north summit of Rumiñahui Volcano as part of their acclimatization while they build up before Antisana and Chimborazo. During the climb, the team basked in the sunshine and took in the 360 degree views of surrounding peaks and beautiful Ecuadorian country. Expedition leader, Estalin Suárez checks in with this dispatch from Ecuador:

Hello! This is Estalin calling in for the Madison Mountaineering Ecuador Volcanoes expedition. Today is January 28.

We did our second climb for the acclimatization. We did the Rumiñahui Volcano (4721m/15,489ft) north summit, which is 15,500 feet about. We had a really great day, sunny day, we could see all the volcanoes surrounding such as Cotopaxi (5897m/19,347ft), Antisana (5753m/18,875ft), Sincholagua (4899m/16,073ft). It was a really, really great day! It took us about eight hours up and down – a little bit of a long hike, but it was a really, really nice day. The guys are resting now because tomorrow, we’re going to start early for our next hike.

That’s all for now. Stay tuned!

Navigating the rocky slopes of Rumiñahui on the way towards the summit!

Nearing the top!

A beautiful day in the Ecuadorian highlands!

In addition to these expedition dispatches, you can also follow our teams as they make their attempts on the world’s most formidable mountains on:

– Amazon Alexa devices with the Madison Mountaineering Flash Briefing skill:

Enable the skill and add to your flash briefing to hear our daily audio expedition updates on select expeditions. Just say, “Alexa, play my flash briefing.“

– Instagram:

January 29, 2024/0 Comments/by Garrett

Ecuador 2024.01

Ecuador expedition starting off strong!

The Madison Mountaineering private expedition team is off to a great start in Ecuador with a successful summit on Cerro Puntas! The climb will serve as good acclimatization as the team prepares for bigger climbs to come. Back in their lodge, the team is in high spirits and ready to continue the expedition in the days ahead! Expedition leader, Estalin Suárez checks in with this dispatch from Ecuador:

Hello! This is Estalin calling in for the Madison Mountaineering Ecuador Volcanoes expedition. Today is January 27 and we just did our first acclimatization hike on Cerro Puntas (4348m/14,265ft), which is a really nice hike. At the end of the route, just to reach the summit, you have some rock climbing. We had a really good day with nice views!

Carter and Saskia are feeling really great! Now we are at the lodge – a really nice lodge close to Cotopaxi National Park with a really nice view. Now we are resting and getting ready for tomorrow, we have another acclimatization hike. Stay tuned!

On the approach through the Ecuadorian highlands!

Climber, Saskia nearing the summit!

Carter on the final pitch leading to the summit!

All smiles back at the car after a successful climb!

In addition to these expedition dispatches, you can also follow our teams as they make their attempts on the world’s most formidable mountains on:

– Amazon Alexa devices with the Madison Mountaineering Flash Briefing skill:

Enable the skill and add to your flash briefing to hear our daily audio expedition updates on select expeditions. Just say, “Alexa, play my flash briefing.“

– Instagram:

January 28, 2024/0 Comments/by Garrett

Ecuador 2023.01.16

On the Rumiñahui Massif!

With views of Cotopaxi behind them, our team ascended Rumiñahui Massif as the next step in their acclimatization process. The weather was good, the views were great, and the team looks forward to the days ahead! Expedition leader, Estalin Suárez, checks in with todays dispatch from Ecuador:

Hello! This is Estalin calling in for the Madison Mountaineering Ecuador Volcanoes expedition.

Today we summited the central peak on the Rumiñahui Massif (4630m/15,190ft) which is 15,200 feet! We had a great day, just a little bit cloudy, but it was a nice day. We could see in the morning Cotopaxi (5897m/19,347ft) eruption – a big mushroom of ashes. Actually, we got some ash on the way up to Rumiñahui, but it was just a little bit.

Drew and Ross are very happy and they’re still motivated for the next upcoming mountains. That’s all for today! Stay tuned…

The team walking into the clouds on Rumiñahui.

Climber, Drew, leading the charge up Rumiñahui.

Climbers, Drew and Madison, taking a break on the summit ridge amongst the clouds!

Views of Cotopaxi in the distance!

Ascending the rocky slopes of Rumiñahui.

Descending back towards the valley after another successful acclimatization hike!

In addition to these expedition dispatches, you can also follow our teams as they make their attempts on the world’s most formidable mountains on:

– Amazon Alexa devices with the Madison Mountaineering Flash Briefing skill:

Enable the skill and add to your flash briefing to hear our daily audio expedition updates on select expeditions. Just say, “Alexa, play my flash briefing.“

– Instagram:

January 18, 2023/0 Comments/by Garrett

Ecuador 2023.01.16

Summit on Pasochoa Volcano!

Another Madison Mountaineering expedition is underway in Ecuador! The team is wasting no time starting the acclimatization process, reaching the summit of Pasochoa Volcano on the second day of the expedition. Expedition leader, Estalin Suárez, checks in with this dispatch from Ecuador:

Hello, hello! This is Estalin calling in for the Madison Mountaineering Ecuador Volcanoes expedition – today is February 17.

We started a new expedition! Today we summited our first acclimatization peak which is Pasochoa (4200m/13,779ft) at 13,780 feet. The weather was really good! We got some sunshine and a little bit clouds, but mostly very good. At the moment we are in a really nice lodge called Los Martinoz just resting. In the afternoon we got a little bit of rain, but at the moment it is getting better!

Tomorrow we are going to the national park of Cotopaxi (5897m/19,347ft) just to do another hike for the acclimatization. Stay tuned!

Hiking along through the Ecuadorian Highlands!

On the trail towards the summit of Pasochoa!

Hands up if it’s been a good first hike in Ecuador!

Among the clouds while nearing the top of Pasochoa.

The view from the lodge at the end of a good first day!

In addition to these expedition dispatches, you can also follow our teams as they make their attempts on the world’s most formidable mountains on:

– Amazon Alexa devices with the Madison Mountaineering Flash Briefing skill:

Enable the skill and add to your flash briefing to hear our daily audio expedition updates on select expeditions. Just say, “Alexa, play my flash briefing.“

– Instagram:

January 17, 2023/0 Comments/by Garrett

Ecuador 2022.03.01

Chimborazo Summit!

Yesterday our team reached the summit of Chimborazo (6263m/20,543ft) – Ecuador’s highest peak and the closest point to the Moon and furthest from Earth’s center! Garrett, Victor (@VictorVescovo), and Estalin left their high camp on Chimborazo (5304m/17,400ft) at midnight and climbed through a mild electrical storm (lightning) to reach the summit at 6 AM on a clear morning.

They had some nice views at the top of this massive glaciated volcano, then made their way down and are now safely back in Quito. They feel very lucky as the previous week the weather and route conditions (snowstorms, deep and unstable snow) made it impossible for climbers to reach the summit of Chimborazo.

This concludes our private expedition to Ecuador, next up is our Mount Everest and Lhotse expedition in Nepal that kicks off in a couple of weeks! Stay tuned!

In addition to these expedition dispatches, you can also follow our teams as they make their attempts on the world’s most formidable mountains on:

– Amazon Alexa devices with the Madison Mountaineering Flash Briefing skill:

Enable the skill and add to your flash briefing to hear our guide’s daily audio expedition updates on select expeditions

– Instagram:

March 11, 2022/0 Comments/by Garrett

Ecuador 2022.03.01

Cotopaxi Summit!

Victor V. and Garrett on the summit of Cotopaxi!

The Madison Mountaineering team of Victor Vescovo (@VictorVescovo), Estalin Suarez, and Garrett Madison had a great climb of Cotopaxi (5897m/19,347ft)! Despite some challenging weather conditions over the last few days their summit morning was nice with some great views from the top!

Victor’s ice axe has been with him to the top of Everest, the bottom of the ocean (Mariana Trench Challenger Deep) during his Five Deeps Expedition and now the summit of Cotopaxi. The climbers were also able to test out their Omega Speedmaster Moonwatches on the climb, the first watch worn on the Moon! Thanks to Omega for helping sponsor the climb!

The team is resting in Banos for a day before heading off to Chimborazo, Ecuador’s highest peak and the closest point to the sun. Fingers crossed for good weather and route conditions, as recent teams have turned back on their Chimborazo summit attempts due to deep snow.

In addition to these expedition dispatches, you can also follow our teams as they make their attempts on the world’s most formidable mountains on:

– Amazon Alexa devices with the Madison Mountaineering Flash Briefing skill:

Enable the skill and add to your flash briefing to hear our guide’s daily audio expedition updates on select expeditions

– Instagram:

March 8, 2022/0 Comments/by Garrett

Ecuador 2022.03.01

Greetings from Ecuador!

Our team of Garrett Madison, Victor Vescovo (@VictorVescovo), and Estalin Suarez have begun their mountaineering program by acclimatizing on some ancient and extinct volcanoes before heading to their first objective, Cotopaxi (5897m/19,347ft)! They’ve trekked up Pashachoa, Ruminahui, and are heading to Cotopaxi tomorrow evening to make their first summit attempt. Cotopaxi is a stratovolcano, the second-highest peak in Ecuador and one of the highest active volcanoes in the world.

So far the team has enjoyed some cool and moist weather in the lush countryside.

Stay tuned as they make their way up Cotopaxi and later Chimborazo, Ecuador’s highest peak and also the furthest point from the center of the Earth.

In addition to these expedition dispatches, you can also follow our teams as they make their attempts on the world’s most formidable mountains on:

– Amazon Alexa devices with the Madison Mountaineering Flash Briefing skill:

Enable the skill and add to your flash briefing to hear our guide’s daily audio expedition updates on select expeditions

– Instagram:

March 4, 2022/0 Comments/by Garrett

Ecuador 2022.01.02

Chimborazo High Camp

Our Ecuador Volcanoes team is in a position for their attempt at the summit of Ecuador’s highest mountain, Chimborazo! Lead guide, Estalin Suárez has the day’s audio expedition dispatch:

Hello, this is Estalin calling in for the Madison Mountaineering Ecuador Volcanoes expedition.

Yesterday we went up to the high camp, which is at 17,400 ft., more or less. We did this hike just to acclimitize and also to load some gear to the high camp. We had a really great day and then after we went to our lodge at the bottom of Chimborazo.

Today is January 8th. We are again at the high camp on Chimborazo. Our plan is to get up at 11:00 PM and to start the summit push at midnight. Dan and Jason are feeling pretty well and now they are resting after dinner for a couple of hours.

We are going to give a try for the summit of Chimborazo, the highest mountain in Ecuador. That’s all for now. The weather looks pretty good at the moment. So, yeah!

I’ll keep in touch. Bye!

In addition to these expedition dispatches, you can also follow our teams as they make their attempts on the world’s most formidable mountains on:

– Amazon Alexa devices with the Madison Mountaineering Flash Briefing skill:

Enable the skill and add to your flash briefing to hear our guide’s daily audio expedition updates on select expeditions

– Instagram:

January 9, 2022/0 Comments/by Kurt

Ecuador 2022.01.02

Illiniza Norte Summit!

Our Ecuador Volcanoes team reached the summit of Illiniza Norte today! They are on a roll! Lead guide, Estalin Suárez has the day’s audio expedition dispatch:

Hello, this is Estalin calling in for the Madison Mountaineering Ecuador Volcanoes expedition. Today is January 6th.

We just got the summit of Illiniza Norte, which is 16,813 ft. So, we just got another beautiful, beautiful day on the mountain with almost no wind and with a beautiful sunrise! We started very early in the morning at 5:00 AM from the hut. So, it took us about 2 hours – a little bit more than 2 hours – to the summit and, yeah, we got just a beautiful, beautiful day. Dan and Jason did very, very well and now we are back in our lodge, just resting.

Tomorrow we are going to move to the Chimborazo area. Probably we are going to do a short hike just to keep moving and then on Saturday we’re going to push to our main (ultimate) summit, which is Chimborazo, the highest mountain in Ecuador.

So I will keep in touch! Bye!

In addition to these expedition dispatches, you can also follow our teams as they make their attempts on the world’s most formidable mountains on:

– Amazon Alexa devices with the Madison Mountaineering Flash Briefing skill:

Enable the skill and add to your flash briefing to hear our guide’s daily audio expedition updates on select expeditions

– Instagram:

January 6, 2022/0 Comments/by Kurt

Ecuador 2022.01.02

Illinizas Refuge

Today our Ecuador Volcanoes team climbed up to the Nuevos Horizontes refuge (aka the Illiniza Hut) on Illiniza to get into position for their summit attempt of Illiniza Norte early tomorrow morning. Lead guide, Estalin Suárez has the day’s audio expedition dispatch:

Hello, this is Estalin calling in for the Madison Mountaineering Ecuador Volcanoes expedition.

Today is the 5th of January and we hiked up to the hut of Illiniza, which the altitude is about 15,000 feet. So, Dan and Jason are feeling pretty good, so we did about 3 hours up to the hut and now we are just resting, waiting for dinner, and getting ready for tomorrow to push to the summit of Illiniza Norte.

Okay, bye!