Entries from Ecuador

Friday, February 7, 2025 - 6:57 pm PT

After getting a peak at Cayambe on our hike yesterday, we were eager to make our way to the mountains. We packed our bags and set off from Quito to Laguna Cuicocha, a beautiful crater lake surrounded by jungles and peaks near to our next hotel in Otavalo. Clouds sat high up in the sky for most of the day, sunlight peaking through for the first half of our circumnavigation of the lake. Just as we hit the parking lot after our 7.5 mile hike, the light sprinkle turned into rain and we hopped in the bus to Itinyaya Residencias, our stay for the night. We chatted by the fire in the main lodge after settling into our rooms and capped off the night with a team dinner of more local meals.

RMI Guide Walter Hailes

We set out early, eager to hike up Ruca Pichincha, ready for an adventure that would take us to 15,000 feet. The ascent was fun, despite a few headaches and light-headedness that came with the altitude—nothing unusual for our first high-altitude climb. Unfortunately, the clouds were thick for most of the hike, hiding the breathtaking views we had hoped to enjoy.
Afterward, we enjoyed some delicious traditional Ecuadorian food to fuel up, savoring the flavors while sharing stories and laughter.

RMI Guide Walt Hailes & Team

Although some of us were a bit worn out from the late-night flights, we rallied together for a whirlwind tour of Quito. Our first stop was the Equator, where we attempted (often unsuccessfully) to balance eggs and marveled at the Coriolis effect, which shifted just 10 feet from the equator.

Next, we ventured into the historic old city, filled with presidential mansions, grand city squares, ancient churches, and bustling crowds. It was a blast taking in the sights while chatting with our teammates. Exploring and challenging ourselves in the mountains is always a highlight, but the true magic of these trips lies in the people we meet and the friendships we forge along the way. We are off to a great start on that front.

After the tour, we headed back to the hotel for a quick gear check, followed by plenty of time to nap, explore the city further, and enjoy an early dinner. The goal was to rest up and catch up on sleep before the real challenges ahead.

RMI Guide Walter Hailes

It has been a rewarding and exhausting week and a half traveling around Ecuador and venturing into the high mountains. Yesterday, we concluded the trip with an attempt of Cotopaxi, followed by a celebration dinner in Quito. We did not summit Cotopaxi and yet, had a meaningful and memorable experience. There are some days that the mountain does not grant reasonably safe passage and that is just how it goes. Reflecting on my own experiences climbing in this country, some of the windless, sunny days where we reached big summits have begun to blend together. On the other hand, those nights with unrelenting wind, rain, snow, rime ice or lightning really stand out. Our attempt of Cotopaxi falls into that category.

As we left the hut, the feeling was that the steady 20-30mph wind would need to relent during the early morning hours as we went higher on the mountain. Adding to this, we were occassionaly spritzed by rain or very moist clouds. I know that may sound like the same thing, but there is a subtle difference. Either way, by the time we reached the glacier our clothing was thoroughly coated in rime ice and we found ourselves in even more need of improvements in the weather. We began the long, steep traverse from the entrance of the glacier to the Yanasacha Ridge and the weather never improved. At 17600' we made the decision for the team to turn around. That is a tough call to make, albeit the right one. Most people's reflection seemed to include some continued dialing of how much weather is too much weather. I often reflect using a thought process along the lines of: if I continue to the summit in these conditions 100 times, does something catastrophic occur? Of course, we can't know for sure the answer to that, but we can begin to imagine the variety of outcomes and I think we all know a 1 in 100 chance of catastrophe is not worth the reward. We can feel proud to have pushed ourselves in adverse conditions and have had a learning experience.

Today the team is parting ways. Most are headed home to family, while some are extending their vacations or climbing plans further into South America. Wherever it is, this team now carries with them some great memories and stories to be shared.

RMI Guide Dustin Wittmier & Team

Monday, January 27, 2025 - 11:43 pm PT

What a proper effort that was. Every member of our team pushed themselves today and some reached the summit of Cayambe, while others reached personal high points. Overall, the climb was a great learning experience.

It was a pretty challenging climb. We sat in the hut for most of the day yesterday because it was too rainy to go outside. Then knowing we needed to get an early start, we left the hut with wind and a light mist, wearing hard shell jackets and pants. We had to push towards the upper mountain gambling on some clearing in the weather and we got just that, SOME clearing. We faced moderate winds for most of the remainder of the climb as well as clouds that obscured visibility at times. Everyone had a thin layer of rime ice.

We're now headed to a hacienda for two nights of rest before heading off to Cotopaxi!

RMI Guide Dustin Witmier

RMI Guides Dustin Wittmier and Mike Bennett and the Ecuador Volcanoes team reached the summit of Cayambe earlier this morning. 

Way to climb!

We are settled in at the Cayambe Hut. It has been raining constantly since early this morning, so we are hunkering down until we see a weather window to review some climbing skills.

Our plan is to climb tonight, but we do need the weather to improve. Despite that, every individual's preparations have already been made and now it's just a game of wait and see. We will update you tomorrow!

RMI Guide Dustin Wittmier

Onward and upward! 

The team begins its transition into the high alpine, leaving behind the comforts of city life as they begin their first climb of Cayambe. After a casual morning enjoying the Otavalo market, the team drove to the lower Cayambe hut where they sorted gear for the climb and did final fit checks on all the technical gear. After a freshly prepared Ecuadorian dinner, the team is settling in for their last full night of sleep before moving up to the high hut to begin their climb. 

RMI Guide Mike Bennett

Well, that's a wrap on the entire trip. Our final day also coincided with a 40th birthday party, so we celebrated at La Briciola, a nice Italian restaurant in Quito. We shared laughs as people recounted funny moments from the trip and even had a couple laughs about things that felt more serious in the moment; mountaineering is fun, but can also be stressful.

This trip was a success before we even stepped foot on any of the mountains. Each member of the team prepared diligently and showed up in Ecuador ready to climb, if the mountains would allow safe passage. In the end, all three big mountains allowed such and we had the privilege of visiting three beautiful summits. Had we reached none of these summits, I would be equally proud of this team for all the mental and physical training they accomplished before arriving here. A job well done team.

RMI Guide Dustin Wittmier

Three for three! The seminar team had another successful climb this morning, topping out their last climb of the trip and Ecuador’s tallest peak: Chimborazo (20,561’). Fresh snow and cold temps made for challenging climbing conditions, but the team was rewarded with a calm summit sunrise and spectacular views of the surrounding volcanoes. Now off the mountain, the team is enjoying some rest and relaxation at Abraespungo before making the migration back to Quito for a final wrap up of the expedition. 

RMI Guide Mike Bennett