Dallas Krentzel
Cotopaxi, Ecuador
Cotopaxi is the second highest active volcano in the world, reaching a height of 5,897 m (19,347 ft) and it has erupted more than 50 times since 1738. We climbed to about 16,000+ ft (~4900 m) before we were completely exhausted. Once we were up on the glacier though, we had the option of skiing down on our butts. One of my friends came down back to the refuge looking like a zombie, complete with purple face and bloodshot eyes, but he climbed a bit higher than I did. The altitude definitely took its toll, it was like being on a another planet. Overall, it's actually a comparatively easy climb for such a tall mountain and is a common tourist location in the country.
The reddish colored sediment indicates where the glacier was just ten years ago, before melting (likely due to rising temperatures).
We also saw these Andean Foxes 14,300 ft (4,360 m) up at the refuge: www.flickr.com/photos/31867959@N04/6011811567/in/photostr...
www.flickr.com/photos/31867959@N04/6026579227/in/photostream
Cotopaxi, Ecuador
Cotopaxi is the second highest active volcano in the world, reaching a height of 5,897 m (19,347 ft) and it has erupted more than 50 times since 1738. We climbed to about 16,000+ ft (~4900 m) before we were completely exhausted. Once we were up on the glacier though, we had the option of skiing down on our butts. One of my friends came down back to the refuge looking like a zombie, complete with purple face and bloodshot eyes, but he climbed a bit higher than I did. The altitude definitely took its toll, it was like being on a another planet. Overall, it's actually a comparatively easy climb for such a tall mountain and is a common tourist location in the country.
The reddish colored sediment indicates where the glacier was just ten years ago, before melting (likely due to rising temperatures).
We also saw these Andean Foxes 14,300 ft (4,360 m) up at the refuge: www.flickr.com/photos/31867959@N04/6011811567/in/photostr...
www.flickr.com/photos/31867959@N04/6026579227/in/photostream