Volcán Guagua Pichincha

That day we got to the town of Lloa and follow a path which gradually led us ascending the slopes of the mountain, always accompanied by great weather, sunny and clear, that, as we ascended, we gave a fantastic panoramic view of some of the various, and towering volcanoes of the region (the so-called "Avenue of the volcanoes"): the Taita Imbabura, Cayambe, Antisana, Pasochoa, Cotopaxi, Rumiñahui Iliniza and Tioniza, Atacazo, and even, at least one end of Chimborazo, way in the back, over course Rucu Pichincha, the Padre Encantado, Cruz Loma, where the modern cable car, the newest attraction rises ...


maxima summit Guagua Pichincha volcano 4791 meters above the sea

The crops, the few simple peasant villages, grazing animals, the contrast of warm and green colors with a flawless blue sky, just spotted by a puff bold, impressive both cusps Rucu as the Guagua ... is impossible not to get excited at this picture, to which must be added, of course, the incredible view of the city of Quito ... I can not imagine the thrill and bustle that must have felt in the mid-99 when the Guagua "woke up", with huge column of smoke and ash came out of the crater and covered much of the city. And if we add the fact that Mama Tungurahua also began, almost immediately afterwards, an eruptive process that continues, and as a chain effect, began to awaken other giants of our mountains, gives reason to believe we are in a real "Ring of Fire" ... No wonder it is said: "When the child (Guagua) awakens the mother (Tungurahua) answered".


Nearly half hour after we left, we arrived at Refugio del Guagua Pichincha, at 4550 meters altitude, and we prepare (gloves, boots, and comfortable and warm clothes) to undertake climbing the mountain, its rocky side, with imposing and jagged edges. The stones seemed to have intricate steps at every step, sometimes strong, sometimes a bit slippery ... had to stretch as much as possible to keep ascending and overcome every obstacle, looking for the way in those walls. Best not to look down to avoid the inevitable vertigo. The feeling of clinging to the rocks, to experience that one "free mountain" as I call it, just subject with hands and feet to the rocks, adrenaline and desire to reach the top, which seemed eternal to achieve ... all this mixed emotions, actually impossible to describe, accompanied each step, faltering times, to safer times, and drove to continue, with better pace, until no more, we reach the first of two summits over 4781 meters.


The strong wind raged, and stopped just a few minutes to catch her breath, after which continue through narrow channels and a small but winding cliff, and a last ditch effort (10 meters of height, not distance) to reach the second summit, 4791 meters, and with it the joy of the landscape of the crater, fumaroles, scaling the walls had moments before, the path, the Avenue of the Volcanoes in all its splendor, the south of the city Quito, and, beyond, the beginning of the Cloud Forest (Mindo), and imagine, after that, the Ecuadorian Coast ... Moment of photographs and congratulations rigor ...

Who knew that shortly after that, others would be grateful for the "training" that gave me that escalation, it would make a trip to Quilotoa, which include not only down to the volcanic lake for camping, but back up with the entire team and then go all the profile of the mountain peak by peak, going through rocky passages, cultivated fields, and vast beaches, with constant winds kicked up dust storms that sometimes made ​​it difficult to walk, which took a total of six hours over hour and a half it took up the lagoon in the first instance to the parking ...

The decrease of Guagua (25 minutes approximately) what we make for a more sandy part, which more than once led to a slip a few meters below, but that really was quite fun and less complicated than the ascent, which took just over 45 minutes from the Shelter to the 2nd summit. When we returned to the vehicle, at the Lodge, we were with scratches, stones and sand everywhere, tired but happy and others happy from this experience so amazing well worth it, especially for those who like the mountains, adventure, risk (there were parts that had to be balanced a bit to reach the next corner), and the incredible scenery of the mountainous region of our country.