![Title image - BAI takes you to: Ecuador](/v3_assets/images/trip_images/south-america/SAEC00_title.jpg)
Ecuador Volcanoes Expedition Dispatch
November 9, 2012 – Team Turned Back 50 Meters Below the Summit of Cyambe
These photos will show a true mountaineering day, on Cyambe, 5750 meters above sea level and located literally on the Equator in the Ecuadoran Andes.
Out team made a competent and strong summit attempt, but giant crevasses just below the summit made them decide to turn back before reaching the very top. It might have taken hours to work their way in and out of these huge crevasses. You will see that they had a beautiful climbing day all the way and that the entire team looked great throughout the ascent.
![Lierka reporting for climbing duty – in the middle of the night!](assets/07-1-meet-team-ljerka.jpg)
![Jeremy ready to go](assets/07-2-meet-team-jeremy.jpg)
Left: Lierka reporting for climbing duty – in the middle of the night! Right: Jeremy ready to go
![Chris with her game day climbing face on](assets/07-3-meet-team-chris.jpg)
Chris with her game day climbing face on
![Osvaldo ready to climb](assets/07-4-meet-team-osvaldo.jpg)
![Joaquin set to go](assets/07-5-joaquin.jpg)
Left: Osvaldo ready to climb; Right: Joaquin set to go
![Roping up in the darkness](assets/07-6-town-cayambe-lights.jpg)
Roping up in the darkness
![Setting off](assets/07-7-movingup.jpg)
Setting off
![As the sun came up and it got light, our break time were still cold.](assets/07-8-break-time.jpg)
As the sun came up and it got light, our break time were still cold.
![Osvaldo leading as the sun come up](assets/07-9-osvaldo-looking-up.jpg)
Osvaldo leading as the sun come up
![Lierka climbing high](assets/07-10-ljerka-looking-strong.jpg)
Lierka climbing high
![Chris takes a breather.](assets/07-11-chris-take-breather.jpg)
Chris takes a breather.
![The team together over 5500 meters](assets/07-12-team-together.jpg)
The team together over 5500 meters
![Chris works her way up one of the crux steep pitches of ice.](assets/07-13-chris-moving-up.jpg)
Chris works her way up one of the crux steep pitches of ice.
![As we got near the top the fog got thicker.](assets/07-14-fog-comes-in.jpg)
As we got near the top the fog got thicker.
![The crevasses were huge and intimidating](assets/07-15-crevasses-wide-open.jpg)
![Chris in the midst of the crevasses](assets/07-16-chris-next-crevasse.jpg)
Left: The crevasses were huge and intimidating; Right: Chris in the midst of the crevasses
![Chris in the midst of the crevasses](assets/07-17-team-by-crevasse.jpg)
Chris in the midst of the crevasses
![18. A short break before we organize for our descent](assets/07-18-moment-we-go-down-out-ofthe-storm.jpg)
18. A short break before we organize for our descent
![Time to head back to the hut – the weather got clearer as we began to descend.](assets/07-19-time-to-go-back-to-hut.jpg)
Time to head back to the hut – the weather got clearer as we began to descend.