Success on Cotopaxi for team “Salsa Secreta”! Breakfast at 10 pm was our earliest alpine start yet. We fueled up on our lucky mixed juice before heading up to the parking area to start the summit attempt just before midnight. Switchbacking our way up the volcanic slopes, we took our first break at the Jose Rivas hut. As we climbed higher, the moon light reflected gently off the tops of the clouds covering the valley below. The glacier’s stunning features and dramatic crevasses took shape in the light of our headlamps. We worked our way up the slopes as the sun rose and illuminated a sea of clouds punctuated by the tops of Cayambe and Antisana. When the altitude set in and we were close enough to smell the volcano; Jose, Santiago, and Nico kept us motivated up the last 700’ to reach the stunning volcano crater. We had the summit all to ourselves on an unusually clear day. A few hours later, we were relaxing with a delicious lunch in the magical Tambopaxi lodge surrounded by llamas and wild horses.
Julie
