Ecuador Volcanoes Expedition Dispatch

November 28, 2015 – The Summit of Cayambe

The team was up at Cayambe Hut at 10:00 PM. After dressing, gearing up and breakfast it was off at 11:00 PM in the darkness, climbing toward 5000 meters and beyond at the Equator. The Equator runs right over the top of the summit of Cayambe, which is 5790 meters above sea level, 18,996 feet, (lets call it 19,000!)

It was step by step through the lower dirt and rock sections of the climb until, as the sun came up, the team was on the glacier high above the Andean valleys and the upper Amazon which they could see below.

Doreen, Tim and Terri decided to wait this climb out. The other team members set out with three guides, Osvaldo , Joaquin and Sergio. Paul and Osvaldo reached 5000 meters. Margret, Sam, Howard and Joaquin reached 5500 meter and our amazing couple from Switzerland, Martial and Marie–Jose stood on the top with Sergio.

There is no place like Ecuador for accessibility of high glaciated peaks with quick descents to great facilities. By noon the entire team was together at their cozy hacienda near the town of Cayambe far below the mountain - lots of oxygen, good food, showers and clean sheets.

Tomorrow it is off to the hot springs! We will update you with more photos of the teams adventures at both high and low elevations along "Ecuador's Avenue of the Volcanos" each day.

Congratulations to everyone for great effort on Cayambe.