News from Ecuador, after our ascent to Cayambe we had two days of rest, enjoying the haciendas and the gastronomy of Ecuador, also taking advantage of our transfer to the area of Cotopaxi National Park we passed through the middle of the world (the Andean clock) Quitsato, The Quitsato Sundial is the first and only Monument of the Middle of the World, which is located exactly on the Equatorial Line or parallel 0 0 0, certified by the military geographic institute.
It constitutes a great sundial of 54 meters in diameter, elaborated with a great stone mosaic that indicates the hours of the day, the different lines of the Solstices and Equinoxes.
On the afternoon of August 1st the team climbed to the Jose Ribas refuge located at 15,840 feet to attempt the summit of Cotopaxi that same night/early morning.
Our team enjoyed this morning a summit with many hues. We started to reach the summit at 5:40am, almost in total darkness, with the first rays of the sun the first team reached the summit of Cotopaxi 19,347 feet many photos of the same day in the same place (at different hours). Great summit day for this team, a lot of learning, laughter, a lot of effort and dreams fulfilled. Cotopaxi is the second highest mountain in Ecuador.
That’s all for today, we are going to rest in Tambopaxi lodge and we will continue to tell you how the trip continues.
Photos by: Ramiro Garrido, Manuel Calapiña and Juliana García (guides)
Video: Condors flying around Tambopaxi lodge
Juliana Garcia
ASEGUIM/UIAGM Guide
Esguim Instructor
AIARE Instructor
IFMGA Board member
