Tag Archive for: Pasochoa

There is no connectivity currently for our Ecuador Volcanoes expedition team, but our expedition leader, Terray Sylvester checked-in today with a quick inReach satellite communicator message:

Hello from Cotopaxi. We’re sipping coca tea in the Jose Rivas Hut (4855m/15,928ft) and resting before beginning our climb around midnight.

Sounds like good living!  Godspeed team as you make your way tonight to Ecuador’s second-highest point, the 5897m / 19,347 ft. summit of Cotopaxi!


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:

Krisli enjoying the summit of Illiniza Norte

Acclimatization wrapped up today with a successful climb of Ecuador’s Iliniza Norte (5126m/16,813ft).  Next up is Cotopaxi and Chimborazo.  Here’s guide Terray Sylvester’s recap of the two-day climb of Iliniza Norte:

Hello!  This is Terray calling in for the Madison Mountaineering Ecuador Volcanoes expedition on January 28th.  We are just about back to the parking lot after successfully climbing Iliniza Norte over the course of two days.

Yesterday we hiked up to the New Horizons Refuge (Refugio Nuevos Horizontes) at just about 15,500 ft. (4724m) and had a restful night there plus a great dinner of fried trout and guacamole and soup and fresh pineapple.  Then we woak up early this morning – a couple of hours before dawn – and climbed up to the summit of Iliniza Norte, which is 16,800 ft. (5126m).  It’s the eighth highest peak in Ecuador.  It was a great climb, the clouds parted and gave us views of three of Ecuador’s major volcanoes:  Antisana (5704m), Cayambe (5790m), and our next objective, Cotopaxi (5897m).

So now we are right on scheudle to be back at our hacienda for lunch.  We will relax the rest of the day and then tomorrow we will drive into Cotopaxi National Park to begin our ascent.  We’ll be in touch!

Photos by Terray Sylvester @terray_s

Misty conditions on the hike up to Refugio Nuevos Horizontes on Illiniza Norte

Heading up to Refugio Nuevos Horizontes on Illiniza Norte

Enjoying the comforts of the Refugio Nuevos Horizontes at 15,500 ft. elevation on Illiniza Norte

Pre-dawn start for the Illiniza Norte with the lights of El Chaupi and Polivio in the distance below

Heading up Illiniza Norte

Woohoo!  Summit of Illiniza Norte!

Woohoo!  Summit of Illiniza Norte!

Krisli soaks it all in on the summit of Illiniza Norte

Topping out on Illiniza Norte

Cokie surveys the commanding view from the top!

So many Ecuadorean volcanoes in sight.  Cotopaxi, you are next!


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:

Climbers topping out on Corazón

On day three of our 12-day Ecuador Volcanoes expedition, the team continued their acclimatization by climbing the Corazón volcano (4790m/15,700ft).  Here’s expedition leader, Terray Sylvester with today’s audio dispatch:

Hello, this is Terray calling in for the Madison Mountaineering Ecuador Volcanoes expedition.  We are back down at our hacienda in El Chaupi after successfully climbing Corazón volcano today.  That was another beautiful acclimatization hike.  We started out through the lush Ecuadorian highlands, just like yesterday.  This was a fun climb because we gain a rocky ridge about half way up, and some scrambling and a little bit of rope work took us up to the summit at 15,700 ft. (4790m).

Then we returned down to hacienda and the team just finished enjoying a soak in the jacuzzi and some time in the sauna and now we are all just sort of relaxing and waiting for dinner.  So another good acclimatization ascent!

Tomorrow we head up to the refuge between Iliniza Norte and Iliniza Sur where we will spend the night before climbing Iliniza Norte the following day.  So, we’ll be out of touch for a little less than 48 hours until we come back down to El Chaupi and have access to Wi-Fi and cell reception yet again.

Getting going up Corazón

Deep into the mist on the slopes of Corazón

Damp, misty, rocky ridge to the summit of Corazón

Happy Corazón summiteers with a canine friend

Enjoying another great day out acclimatizing


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:

Guides and clients with Madison Mountaineering climb mountains and travel in Ecuador, between January 24 and February 4, 2021.

Our third Ecuador Volcanoes expedition of the season kicked-off today with all of the team arrived in Quito and already tackling their first acclimatization climb.  Here is expedition leader, Terray Sylvester with today’s dispatch:

Hello, this is Terray calling in for the Madison Mountaineering Ecuador Volcanoes trip.  The whole team arrived safely and smoothly in Quito over the last couple of days and today, January 25th, we left Quito and did our first acclimatization ascent on the old, extinct volcano Pasochoa – it’s a couple of hours south of Quito.  The climb went well, went up to the summit at 13,700 ft.  It was a peaceful, beautiful walk through the very lush Ecuadorean highlands here.

Then we drove down to the little town of El Chaupi where we just had a great dinner at the Chuquiragua lodge and now we are going to get to bed early in anticipation of an early start tomorrow for our second acclimatization ascent – that will be another extinct volcano called Corazón.  We’re all looking forward to the two main objectives on our trip, which will be Cotopaxi and Chimborazo.  Those are the two highest points in Ecuador and they are two of the world’s most famous high altitude volcanoes.

So, all is well and we’ll be in touch!

Guides and clients with Madison Mountaineering climb mountains and travel in Ecuador, between January 24 and February 4, 2021.

Heading up Pasochoa for some acclimatization

Guides and clients with Madison Mountaineering climb mountains and travel in Ecuador, between January 24 and February 4, 2021.

Crossing the beautiful heathered slopes of Pasochoa

Guides and clients with Madison Mountaineering climb mountains and travel in Ecuador, between January 24 and February 4, 2021.

Happy guides and happy climbers on their way up Pasochoa

Guides and clients with Madison Mountaineering climb mountains and travel in Ecuador, between January 24 and February 4, 2021.

Krisli, Jonathan, Mary Lynne, and Cokie on the summit of Pasochoa with guide Estalin Suárez


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:

Beautiful views in the Andes as our climbers set off for the Ecuador volcanoes! Our team will spend the first few days acclimating on local peaks close to Quito in preparation for Cayambe at an elevation of 18,996 feet. For a detailed overview of this exciting climb please visit our page here.

To the top!

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William celebrating his first summit of Pasochoa. This extinct volcano is located in the Guayllabamba river basin in the Ecuadorian Andes.

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Yesterday Jeff, José, and I summited Pichincha in record time and enjoyed panoramic views of Cayambe, Cotopaxi (active), and many other notorious mountains across Ecuador. Once we reached the summit at 15,700 feet we had lunch and continued to acclimate as we prepare for the journey to Cayambe hut today. After our climb we checked out of our hotel in Quito and drove a short distance to Hacienda Guachala, a famous establishment that dates back to 1580! As we fell asleep we enjoyed a warm fire in our room and woke up to the smell of freshly brewed coffee on our patio. Today we will journey to the Cayambe hut and begin to review the technical skills that we will need for the climb. Service will become harder to find but I will try and update the blog as soon as I am able. Onward!

-Andrew

 

Photos taken below by Andrew Tierney

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Bouldering across a rock field as we make our way up Pichincha.

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Jeff and José Luis climbing up the last few steps of Pichincha!

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Jeff and Andrew at the summit of Pichincha (15,700 feet).

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Beautiful views looking over the city of Quito from Pichincha!

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Today Jeff Glasbrenner and I explored the rolling country side and completed acclimatization hikes near Quito. We cruised to the top of Pasochoa at 13,860 ft and bagged another nearby summit as well. After a day of hiking we explored the beautiful city of Quito where we saw the historic sites and had an authentic Ecuadorian dinner in town. Tomorrow we will continue to acclimate to the altitude with our amazing guide, José Luis, and climb Pinchincha at 15,700 ft. The weather is beautiful and our team is very excited to begin our journey to Cayambe in the days to come.

To the top!

-Andrew Tierney

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Photos taken using DJI Phantom 3 Professional drone and GoPro Hero4. Enjoy!

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Virgin of El Panecillo overlooking the city of Quito

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Church of San Francisco

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One of my favorite shots looking over the city of Quito!

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Basílica del Voto Nacional – Quito

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Rolling layers of fog made for a beautiful picture here from the summit of Pasochoa (13,860′).

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Jeff and I taking our first summit photo! More to come!!

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Our adventure rig for the week!

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Climbing down from Pasochoa over the rolling hills outside of Quito

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Palace in the Plaza Grande

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Church of La Compañía de Jesús

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Yesterday our Madison Mountaineering team in Ecuador made it to the summit of Pasochoa!! Pasochoa is an extinct volcano with amazing views and is located in the Ecuadorian Andes. This initial acclimatization hike is the first of many as the team continues to adapt to the high altitude Ecuador volcanoes. At 8:30 am the team started the trek toward the summit of Pasochoa Volcano at 4,200 meters (13,860 feet). The weather was enjoyable with a few clouds throughout the day. Luke and Zack made amazing time on this first hike and trekked up and down of the mountain in four hours and sixteen minutes! The team then made their way back to the hotel for a good nights rest. Tomorrow Luke and Zack will depart the hotel and hike up Pichincha at 4,784 meters ( 15,700 feet).  Stay tuned as the expedition continues, beautiful pictures below!
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Luke and Zack starting the way up in the middle of the Andean grassland:
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Lunch break selfie 🙂

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Luke and Zack viewing the beautiful volcano crater:

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The final push to the summit of Pasochoa Volcano at 4,200 meters:

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Summit of Pasochoa volcano:

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