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Ever since first going to see Cotopaxi in early 2008 it had been an ambition to go back and try and attempt to get to the summit.No mean feat given it has an elevation of 5,896 m (19,344 ft), making it the second highest volcano in the country.To put it into perspective Quito the capital is some 2800m above sea level. That's twice as high as Ben Nevis the highest mountain in Scotland - but only half as high as Cotopaxi!
Although not the highest volcano in Ecuador, for me it is the most beautiful given it has a perfect cone permanently snow-capped and the fact it is still active adds to the excitement.Clearly it wasn't a complete trek from the bottom to the top - thanks Paul for kindly pointing that out - you basically drive to a height of 4300m. You then tramp another 500m to the José Ribas Refugio, where 'climbers' spend the night and from which you begin the summit.
The blurb all says that plenty of ordinary people have climbed Cotopaxi, people who don't strike you as being mountaineers or super-fit. It still though was a fairly risky venture despite living in Cuenca and being more used than other people to altitude.Running the stairs near to the house at least every other day and walking everywhere clearly helped.So I had done my preparation but knew that I also needed a fair amount of grit and determination (goes without saying really) and encouragement which I luckily had from friends in Cuenca although most people thought I was bonkers (was and still am I'm afraid!).
So the big day arrived and after getting myself kitted out at the agency in Latacunga we drove into the park.The first challenge was slogging up to the Refugio with all the gear I had to wear the next day.Even this part took me the best part of an hour but finally I made it despite having to tramp up on a cinder and ash track which was like tramping through treacle.
I should have realised at this point that the guide and I weren't going to be best friends.Whilst other groups went out to practice with their ice picks on the glacier and try on crampons my boy lounged about with his mates.Then when he finally got round to showing me how to put them on and I couldn't work it out he had a bit of a hissy fit.He clearly failed to appreciate that I have a complete lack of manual dexterity.Luckily another guy was able to show me much more easily.
After dinner I headed to bed.The idea is that because the ice and snow are at their most stable at night and in the morning, you climb at night (supposedly helps keep you warm too) and descend in the morning at 8 o'clock at the latest.Upstairs in the Refugio there were these huge wooden bunks and you all basically sleep, or attempt to sleep, in a row.There was a sense of tension in the dorm but my fear was slightly eased after meeting up with Denisse.She too was from Cuenca and was looking to go to the summit but didn't have a guide.We persuaded my guy to also take her so at least I had some company.Thank god really as the guide turned out to be even more of a dick-head than I first thought.
After what felt like hardly any sleep we got up and left around 1 o'clock in the morning.I felt physically sick.Not because of the altitude, just the tension.Everyone pretty much set off at the same time and all you could see along the snow-dusted zigzag cinder path was a trail of lights.Thank god really because if I could have seen the top I think I would have freaked out.It was a long, slow trudge but finally we made it to the glacier and after having yet another spat with the guide I put my crampons on and we headed even further up.
We were roped together in a line with the guide at the top, Denisse, then me.It was bloody steep and the rhythm was basically step, step, pause.Sounds nice and easy but it was so steep and in places you just sunk straight into the snow.It got harder and harder despite their supposedly being a well defined path.I just kept my head down and tried not to think about it.All the way up we passed groups resting or groups coming down and at one particular point it looked like some sort of kamikaze scene with groups of climbers dotted all over the mountainside; basically having given up.Each step got harder and harder and having seen so many groups giving up it felt like we would as well.
Our guide took us right to the edge of this area and despite it being incredibly steep we managed this bit relatively easily.Not so easy was the ice wall that we then had to ascend.I kid you not.Glad he gave us lots of training on how to use ice picks the day before.It was a nightmare but we made it over the hardest bit.
You could now see the top but now we were right up against the clock.You had to make it to the top by 8 and then start your descent.Our guide had a weird way of encouraging us by basically telling us we had to turn back.These ladies were not for turning though, onward and upward and all that.We basically took off as much weight as we could then scrambled as fast as we could to the top.
Finally, finally we made it.It was an incredible achievement as less than half the people who attempted it didn't make it.The views were spectacular, one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen in my life.After a quick photo call we turned round and headed back down.
Unfortunately we had to put up with yet more crap from the guide as poor Denisse got scared by the steepness of the slope.He kept losing his temper with her and me but eventually we made it down despite him ditching us as soon as we got off the glacier.
It was one of the hardest physical challenges I have ever done but one of the most rewarding, satisfying and exhilarating.Oh yes!
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