Hola!

Here is a brief summary of our past 13 days in Ecuador:

Our Ecuador climbing trip is now almost over after two tremendously successful weeks of high-altitude Ecuadorian mountaineering. While the members of this historic expedition are relaxing in the semi-tropical town of Banos, "nursing their wounds" (this has been a work-out) and celebrating their victories in various hot springs and local bars, I will tell their story.

The cast of George "the lung" Plater, Keirnan "money bags" Brook, Eric "www.sextronic.com" Woodward, and their fearless yet timid (ladies love this) guide Andrew "xxx" Wexler, assembled in Quito on Nov 25, 2005. All seemed to be going well except for the fact that Keirnan Brook's luggage did not arrive. I am confident that had he known then what a costly endeavor retrieving his missing gear would be, he would have ended his quest for high-altitude fame and glory right then. Good thing he didn't though, for you see, Keirnan "money bags" Brook became the most recent hero of the Northern Andes to summit all three of Ecuador's Volcanic Giants. Congratulations Keirnan!!!

The Re-Cap: After spending a leisurely Saturday (Nov 26) perusing the Otavalo market, bargaining with the hard-driving locals, sipping Americanos, and feasting on the lovely banks of Lago San Pablo, the team was ready for mountain war-fare.

The following day, we left the luxurious and hospitable grounds of our Quito hotel and ventured forth to the peaceful and jungley flanks of Pasachoa (A local tour company recently had a vehicle stripped of all four tires while taking a group up this same peak. They returned from a hike to find their jeep resting on cinder blocks!). Our team made excellent time up Pasachoa's steep trails (really, this was the fastest I've ever seen a climbing team move) and broke out the blanket for a lovely picnic of turkey, tuna, mustard, cheese, onion, avocado, salsa and rye buns. The food was termed "yummy" the first few days, but after realizing that this was the only lunch-time trick up "xxx's" sleeve, the group's initial rave reviews became tempered over time.

After proving themselves on Pasachoa, the group, now calling themselves "The Billy Billy Boys," moved on to Gua Gua Pichincha (15,600') the next day, where they proceeded to set a speed ascent record. Sandwiches were served, Keirnan's bags were still MIA, and the group moved on to a hacienda below the base of Cayambe that evening, but not before "Big Mama" (aka Barb from a local tourist agency who was helping follow-up on the missing bags), could give poor old Keirnan a thorough reaming for losing his bags. We all felt bad for Keirnan, but we admired his strength in standing up to "Big Mama." Go Keirnan!

The "Billy Billy Boys" left the 400 year-old hacienda on Tuesday morning and moved to their new 15,500-foot home in the Cayambe Refugio. A kindly group of Michael Moore look-a-likes from Texas greeted them. "What drugs are you guys taking?" they asked. "We're on diamox, dex, cipro, imodium, and flagyll," they continued. "This volcano don't stand no chance now!"

We ignored the riff-raff and went about our business. The Billy Billy Boys were not about to be side-tracked by a renegade group of Texan cracker jacks! We set up fixed lines to practice prusik ascension. We ventured onto the lower glacier to hone our steep ice technique. We tied bow-lines, figure-eights, and double fisherman's ("doble-hombre-pescados" as they say down here). We were all serious business. Then we slept. We ate. Finally, at two a.m. on Thursday, we were ready.

We polished off our high-altitude breakfast of Advil and Pepto Bismol and departed the refugio. Seven hours later we were standing on top of Ecuador's third-highest volcano. The visibility was nil. The wind howled. Our heads pounded. Our summit experience was akin to a Navy fighter pilot practicing touch-and-go landings on the deck of an aircraft carrier. It was just great, but it didn't last long, and four hours later - after our meticulously skilled down-climbing - we were back at the hut. And four hours after that, we were down at our hacienda sipping pisco. Eric and George agreed to share the rainbow room and were greeted by naked statues of men every time they used the facilities. Whatever.

The Billy Billy Boys: 1. Ecuador: 0.

After a relaxing night at a lower elevation, we packed up our stuff and moved on to the prestigious Hostal La Cienega. The staff greeted us like a swarm of fruit flies to a stack of empty beer cans yet to be rinsed and recycled. Apparently, Andrew had long ago made the fateful error of generously tipping the staff, thus assuring that every time he returned, they would pounce on him and his people, throwing ten staff-members at a job requiring no more than one. It was crazy. We retreated to the bar and began hydrating for Cotopaxi.

At 11 a.m. the following day, I opened the door of my room to behold ten smiling, unbelievably short (I'm a whopping 5'9 on a good day) and enterprising baggage handlers, hoping to assist in moving my two pieces of luggage 100 feet to the hotel lobby. It was absurd. I tried to break a $5 bill at the reception so that I could tip them but, as is always the case down here, the receptionist did not have change for a $5 bill. It would have been maddening had I not expected it all.

The Billy Billy Boys loaded up and proceeded to their next challenge: 19,573-foot Cotopaxi. We arrived at the refugio in the early afternoon where we were forced to listen to a handful of awesomely macho (short) local guides telling their refined, blond, female, German clients how incredible they were. One such perpetrator (a short, stout man) actually had the nerve to look over at us, look back at his young German clients and loudly proclaim, "You know the three things I don't like about America: their language, their politics, y los negros." Yup, he said it and made sure we heard it. Translation: too many blacks in America. The Billy Billy Boys discussed their options and, being highly committed to mountain success, decided against thrashing the insignificant local ant. Instead, we would put that same energy into crushing his mountain (that he's probably climbed 377 times 'cause there's nothing else he can guide).

We left the hut at 2:30 a.m. the following morning and quickly passed our racist friend who'd departed 1.5 hours earlier. It seems that he'd run out of steam and was trying to convince his German friends to break trail for him. (I bet this was the same guy who Eli H. wrestled to the ground during a summit attempt many years back). We summited 5.5 hours later and were back to the Coto Refugio eight hours after leaving.

Billy Billy Boys: 2. Ecuador: 0.

That night, Keirnan B. picked up a bug and spent the night on and around the toilet. He'd managed to finally retrieve his gear after spending lots of money on import duty (his stuff was shipped Fed Ex), on rental gear, on new gear, and on shipping. He commenced a cycle of Cipro, although I am convinced that his illness was due to the mounting cost of his Andean adventure, not what he had eaten or drunk. Regardless, the antibiotics worked. Cipro truly is a wonder drug!

We awoke the next morning and drove through Riobamba on our way to the Chimborazo Refugio at 16,000 feet. At that point in the expedition, most of the Billy Billy Boys were suffering from some sort of intestinal debacle. Keirnan was still not 100% and George Plater was close on his heels. Andrew Wexler was doing OK so long as he did not stray from his morning cocktail of Advil and Pepto.

Our fearless driver Luis deposited us at the lower Chimbo Hut in foggy conditions. We'd heard rumors that the mountain had recently turned into horrible climbing shape due to a lot of recent sun combined with the receding glacier, but we figured that we'd have to go have a look around. When the clouds parted around five in the afternoon, the rumors were confirmed. Where once there had been pleasant, mellow and safe snow slopes there were now steep, exposed, icy slopes, peppered with rock fall. Good grief. Our options were few: abandon our dreams of being among the proud AAI teams that summit all three big peaks (a feat that seems almost never done by other groups), or climb the entire peak under the cover of night when the temperature would be below freezing and the rocks would hopefully not fall. I hung a thermometer outside the hut that night and told the Billy Billy Boys that we would not attempt the peak unless it was at least 0 degrees Celsius over night.

My alarm went off 3 hours later at 11 p.m. I dragged myself outside (praying that the thermometer would tell me to go back to my warm bed) and checked the temperature. Zero degrees on the nose. Ouch. Technology would not save me. Perhaps success was to be the fate of the Billy Boys. Time to boil some water and roust the troops.

We moved on the mountain at midnight. George P. had already decided that he wasn't feeling quite right and that he was not going to make a summit bid. Still, he was committed to escorting the team the one-thousand vertical feel to the toe of the glacier. Thanks George! Eric "www.sextronic.com" Woodward, was a bit a sluggish out of the gates and decided that he too would sit the Big One out. Thanks for an honest self-assessment Eric. These guys had done so well, but this wasn't to be their day.

In the end, that left the bidding to Keirnan and myself. We said goodbye to our mates, pounded some Red Bull (1 a.m., 17,000'), and entered the glacier. We had a turn around time of 7 a.m., so dallying was not an option. "Lache la Bete!" (unleash the beast) we cried as we plodded upwards towards destiny.

At 6:20 a.m., after nary a break, we emerged on the sunny, Ventamilla summit, and twenty-five minutes later, we'd crossed Chimborazo's summit plateau and stood on the peak's true summit: the Whymper Summit (It seems that a lot of things qualify as a summit these days, but this was the real one!). We embraced, snapped summit photos, and readied ourselves for the descent. We needed to be off the mountain by the time the sun touched the lower slopes and caused rocks to rain down. This gave us 1.5 hours at most.

The descent went quickly, and we were back at the refugio by 8:30 am. In so doing, Keirnan "money bags" Brook had done it: he'd joined the elite who have climbed the three C's - Cayambe, Cotopaxi, and Chimborazo. Amazingly, he had overcome lost baggage and a rough bout of Ecuador-in-the-gut to do it. Good job Keirnan!

The Billy Billy Boys: 3. Ecuador 0.

Andrew Wexler would like to thank The Billy Billy Boys for making this a thoroughly enjoyable and successful expedition. Of course, they still have to make it though a Thursday night in Banos and Friday night in Quito, but I think we've got that figured out too.

Suerte!

Editor's note: Andrew will next guide AAI's December 16-30, 2005 Ecuador High Altitude Expedition before heading south into Argentina to lead the Institute's January 7-29, 2006 Aconcagua Expedition.

Dispatch 1:

Greetings from the southern hemisphere, where toilets flush in the opposite direction, 20,000-foot peaks rise out of the amazon, and change for a five dollar bill is non-existent.

Our trip has started off successfully with everyone arriving on time and with all of their belongings. Last night we broke the ice with a thorough gear check during which we were pleased to find everyone had everything they needed. Everyone did a good job of preparing for this trip.

The group then headed downtown for our first dinner together. We have a great group of folks from all over the U.S., and everyone is warming up to one another just fine. This morning we left our hotel in downtown Quito at 8 am sharp and headed north across the equator to the small Andean town of Otavalo. The Saturday market here is the best in the country and one of the best in all of South America. Locals from Otavalo and surrounding villages have been flocking here since pre-Inca times to sell their hand-made crafts and clothing as well as freshly harvested fruits, meats, and vegetables.

The central plaza and exiting streets are lined with stalls full of colorful fabrics, artwork, and the like. The people here who run the market are Quechua and are direct descendants of the Incas. Both women and men dress in the traditional clothing and jewelry that is very unique to this region. As one peruses the huge variety of goods in the market, you can over hear mothers speaking Quechua to their children. It's enjoyable to listen to and especially interesting knowing that it is the original language of the Incas.

The group entered the market with great fervor, bargaining for gifts to bring back to loved ones. After a morning at the market we went on our first of many climbs up and over a small hill that connects Otavalo to the beautiful Lago San Pablo. It was nice to break a sweat and get our heart rates up little; after sleeping at Quito's 9500-foot elevation, this was our first our first step in actively acclimatizing.

We dined on the lakeshore at a quaint little restaurant which sits underneath the towering volcano, Imbaburra. The lake is surrounded by farms and lush green hills dotted with agave and eucalyptus trees. After a great lunch of fresh fish, we loaded up the bus and headed back to our hotel in Quito to "rest up before dinner." Tomorrow we head up on our first real hike - Pasachoa - and look forward to gaining some elevation through some of the last remaining old growth forests in Ecuador. The group and its fearless leaders are in good spirits and await more adventure in this exotic and romantic landscape.

Hasta manana,

Joey and Andrew

Dispatch 2: News Flash!

The AAI Team known as "Viper Strike" is doing well after successfully summitting Cayambe. They are the first team to summit the elusive peak since the "Billy Billy Boys'' two weeks ago. Unfortunately, Team Viper Strike is not making many friends. It seems that the local guides are beginning to resent the AAI presence as they seem to be summitting peaks that the local guides are describing as ''not in condition."

Summary:

After seven hours on the go, guides Joey "Sucio Sanchez" Elton and Andrew "xxx" Wexler found themselves standing atop Cayambe with: Rahoul "El Diablo" Desai, Linda "la Maquina" ["the Machine"] Moraski, Bill "El Animal" Borland, Jesse "Commando" Rohloff, Theresa "When Hell Freezes Over I'll Climb There Too" Gergen, and Dan "Union Jack" Moseley.

It was an incredible day and a hard-won summit. Conditions did not seem promising during the week leading up to the climb. Much rain and snow left the team with serious doubts. Miraculously, the upper mountain was in the best shape ever seen by Wexler. The only unfortunate aspect of the day was that the entire Viper Strike team was not able to stand on top of Cayambe together. For various reasons, Peggy, Lilly, Scott and Gord decided to turn around just shy of the summit. The acclimatization they accomplished will certainly serve them well on the coming climbs.

The Team is resting comfortably today at Hacienda La Cienega and heading to Cotopaxi tomorrow where they intend to stand twelve-strong on the summit.

Reporting from Ecuador,
Andrew + Joey

Dispatch 3:

Hey folks. Hope all is well up north. Here's a quick synopsis of the last few days we've spent here in Ecuador. After our Cayambe climb, the group spent another night at the beautiful hacienda below the mountain. Built in 1580, it's the oldest in Ecuador and has been run by the same family since the beginning. It is also the place that pioneer British climber Edward Whymper stayed back in the 1870's when he was climbing these magnificent volcanoes for the first time.

After a comfortable night at this Spanish-colonial oasis, we headed south to Hacienda La Cienega for a full day of rest. This hacienda was built late in the sixteenth century just off the ancient road (now the Pan American Highway) that runs south through the series of valleys between Ecuador's two parallel mountain chains. The hacienda is beautifully situated west of 19,348-foot Cotopaxi, our second objective, and it also gives good views of the Illinizas just to the north.

After a great day there, we moved up to the refugio at the base of our route on Cotopaxi, and the following morning at 1:30 a.m. we headed up in the dark and fog to make our best attempt to surmount this giant volcano. Working through the mist we climbed to a little under 18,000 feet where we encountered bad avalanche conditions. The group was moving well and everyone was feeling strong, and I have no doubt we would have summited if it had been safe to do so. Unfortunately, the mountain was "out of shape" in very tangible terms, and we had to head down. We were disappointed, but the group remained positive as we descended to the refugio.

For our climb, the recent snow was a problem, but in the slightly longer term, it bodes well for conditions on Chimborazo. If the snows hit there too, it could cover the ice that has covered the mountain and really improve what have been difficult climbing conditions there.

Tomorrow we head to the refugio beneath Chimborazo our final objective. We hope for good conditions and good weather. Wish us luck.

Joey

Final Dispatch:

On a frosty Andean morning Team Viper Strike and their loyal bus driver, Gallo "I'm not going up there", Portillo headed up to Chimborazo but were stopped on the dirt track due to heavy snow and poor road conditions. According to Gallo, we needed a 4x4 and our 60-foot long Mercedes bus was not going to cut it.

We were soon joined by the Ecuadorian guide who would be assisting us. He arrived in a 4x4. We discussed our options. We figured the only way to get to the hut was to shuttle people and gear in small groups. As we strategized, the snow was coming heavier and heavier. Reports from other guides the day before had been of "no summits in the last nine days" and of large avalanches scouring our intended line of ascent.

Our chances at a "realistic" summit attempt looked slim, and after reviewing several options presented by the guides (one of which was going to Chimbo just to see what could be done) the team opted to try a more likely summit attempt on 16,818-foot Illiniza Norte. One person asked if we could go the Galapagos Islands, but - geography, distance, space and time travel aside - everyone else felt that would be a way too warm and comfortable place to be for a bunch of hard headed alpinists.

So that night we headed to the sleepy town of El Chaupi at the base of Illiniza Norte and Sur, and the following day we moved up to the lavish yet quaint Illiniza hut. Flash Gordon decided to stay in Chaupi to guard the team's extra gear and check out the local menus.

The following morning Team Viper Strike made an assault on what would be their final climb of the trip. After a cozy night in the hut , we climbed through 4th class mixed conditions (that classic mix of snow and rock - somebody thought we must be in Scotland). After a final rock pitch we found ourselves on the summit in perfectly blue skies! What a finale!

Every one made it to the top except "The Gatekeeper" who decided to stay behind to make sure the door of the hut remained opened (inside the hut the air is approximately 2% oxygen and 98% propane). This was Team Viper Strike's best opportunity to see what Ecuador looked like. The views of Cotopoxi and Cayambe to the east were "amazing," remarked the Borland Boys. We enjoyed our moment in the sun on the summit and then descended to the hot springs of Papallacta. An evening of hot baths, cold beers, and strong pisco sours was enjoyed by all. After another luxurious soak in the morning, we headed back to Quito for a wonderful final dinner.

Fun and adventure was had by all members of Team Viper Strike. We were sad to see the trip end but are all looking forward to future climbs. Although the weather was unusually tough on this trip, we did manage to make two summits - both in excellent style - and have a great time in the process. Some groups come down here and don't get up anything, so we were very pleased. Great job Viper Strike. WeĞll see you in the hills.

Over and out,

Joey and Andrew

Dispatch 1:

AAI guide Joey Elton contacted us on Saturday (January 7) with a dispatch from AAI's first Illiniza/Antisana Expedition of 2006.

Hello to everyone back home! Hope you are all enjoying the winter. Our trip has gotten off to a great start with climbers Diana Moore (Boulder, CO) and Jeff Caron (Yakima, WA) arriving on time and without hassle. We had a lovely dinner out last night, over which we discussed our itinerary and shared each other's past climbing adventures. This morning, we headed to the Otavalo market, which was as bustling as ever. Here local Ecuadorians from various parts of the country and travelers from around the globe converge on this lakeside mountain town to buy, sell, and trade some of the most unique crafts and artwork in the world. We had a really good time checking out the goods and communicating with the sellers. For many of them, Spanish is their second language after highland Quechua, so is actually not too hard to talk with them since they're speaking a simpler Spanish at a moderate pace.

After the market we took an easy hike through several family-run farms, up and over a small hill, and then down to Lago San Pablo. The group appears to be super fit and everyone is adjusting well to the thin air down here. We ate lunch on the lake's shore with our friendly driver, Luis, and then drove back to Quito. Tomorrow we will climb a local mountain called Guagua Pichincha, which forms the western border of the city. Its summit stands at 15,670 feet, and on a clear day the view of the city below and the peaks beyond are amazing. This will be our first real hike and a bigger step toward acclimatization. Wish us luck!

Joey

Dispatch 2:

We received the following from Joey on Sunday evening:

Hey folks,

This morning "Team Triad" (there are 3 of us) woke to fog-filled city. To our pleasure, the fog lifted as we drove up to the base of Guagua Pichincha (15,670') and great views were plentiful. Luis, our driver, kindly drove us up to a lofty 12,800 feet, where we then began our climb. The ascent took us through lush, green pastures sprinkled with yellow, red, and purple flowers. The three of us climbed fast and steadily toward the refugio (hut), which sits at about 14,800 feet. At the refugio we took a nice break before pushing on the rocky summit. The views of the city from up high were astounding, and, for Jeff, it was the highest he had ever been by over 1000 feet! Jeff and Diana both seemed to fare well at this altitude, and I was once again reminded how strong they both are.

After some time relaxing on the summit, we headed back down to the refugio for a hearty lunch and then made our way back to Quito. We spent this evening packing and organizing for our first real trip into the alpine.

Tomorrow, after a couple hours' drive from Quito, we will meet our pack animals and hike up to the refugio (about 15,000 feet) between Illiniza Norte and Illiniza Sur, which will be our base camp for climbing both peaks. Years ago these peaks were part of one large volcano, but huge volcanic events since then blew out most of the mountain and created two separate peaks. Both offer great climbing in an alpine setting.

Over the next few days, we'll start with an easy ascent of the rocky South Face of Illiniza Norte, review glacier and ice climbing skills, and then move on to the more difficult Illiniza Sur. Our route on Illiniza Sur (the Northwest Face) will include several interesting and aesthetic features, including short sections of steep snow and ice, a couloir, and a dramatic ridgeline leading up to the summit. The team is excited for this challenge and ready to face the Illinizas! We'll be back to Quito by Wednesday evening, and I'll send a report of our efforts then.

Saludos,

Joey

Dispatch 3:

Joey reported in on Thursday night (January 12):

We are back from a very successful trip to the Illinizas! We arrived at the Illiniza hut on Monday afternoon and settled in with some good views of both of our objectives. After setting up camp and eating a delicious dinner, we retired early and got some good sleep.

The following morning we left camp around 7 am to climb the 16,817-foot Illinza Norte. The climb involved lots of 3rd and 4th class scrambling, and it proved to be a great prep climb for the main objective, Illiniza Sur (17,268'). From the summit we had great views of our intended route on Sur, and we were able to pick out the various ramps, steps, and faces we'd be on. It looked in great shape, and the team anticipated a fun challenge to come.

The next morning we left our camp at 3:15 am and made our way over rock and snow in the dark to the base of our route. It was slightly tricky terrain, especially in the dark, but everybody did a great job. In the hours of dawn, we encountered firm snow and short sections of ice up to 50 degrees. It was really beautiful climbing, and the group moved well over steep terrain. We had different gradients and some traversing thrown in, so the variety was a lot of fun for everyone. Our progress was steady, we found ourselves on the small summit at 7:30 am. We were all awed upon seeing the undercast cloud layer far below, with only the high peaks sticking out. Diana remarked, "The view is incredible! It's like climbing a mountain in the sky."

We had the mountain completely to ourselves, which added to our sense of adventure. After enjoying our relaxing time on the summit (and getting lots of photos), we descended back to our camp where we were welcomed with congratulations from the hut manager and several other climbers who had arrived. Everyone was curious about the details of the route, and we were happy to provide them.

Tomorrow we head to our final objective, the remote and beautiful 18,714-foot Antisana. The group is psyched. The weather has been quite good, and we hope it will last. We are expecting great climbing conditions like we had on Illiniza Sur. The snow we got ten days ago is paying dividents now! We will report back in a few days.

Saludos,

Joey

Dispatch 4:

Well, our ten-day adventure has come to a close and Team Triad is back in civilization after being in the awesome backcountry that is the Ecuadorian Andes. We left Quito Friday morning with our 4-wheel drive vehicle loaded to the gills with camping and climbing equipment.

The drive to the western flanks of Antisana took us through small, rural Andean villages and across rolling hills and pampa. Getting to basecamp on the mountain is an adventure in and of itself as serious off-road travel is required. Our brave driver, Luis, did an amazing job and got us within an hour and a half walk of the glacier. There was another group camped a few miles from us, but they were not visible from our camp. We virtually had the whole mountain to ourselves.

The beauty of this mountain is in its pristine feel and its remoteness. Most high peaks in Ecuador rise not too far from towns and have a busy hut at the base of their standard route. Antisana has neither, and its views are only of high pampas and other glaciated volcanoes. It's unique among the glaciated peaks in this country.

After setting up camp and eating lunch, we had a relaxing afternoon and evening taking in the views and serenity of this great wilderness. The evening passed pleasantly, 1:30 am rolled around quickly, and the team was off beneath the light of a full moon and starlit sky. It was so bright we almost didn't need our headlamps. The glacier glowed brightly beneath our feet as we roped up and began climbing toward the col between the main summit and its sub-peak.

After maneuvering around large crevasses and several icefalls, we gained a ramp that rose out of the col toward the main summit. At about 17,800 feet, we were stopped by a huge gap approximately 100 feet deep and 80 feet wide. We had to turn around and look for another line.

After descending, climbing back across the col, losing over 1,000 feet, and using a lot of time, we tried another line directly up the West Face. The climbing was excellent but after gaining 1,300 feet on 45-degree terrain, we were stopped again by huge slots and deteriorating climbing conditions. The route up ahead was barred by a giant overhung wall of ice which was capped by a 30-foot cornice. The recent snows from a few weeks back that helped us so much on Illiniza Sur now blocked our way in the form of this precarious cornice.

We finally headed down, but in all on our trip we had twice reached heights above 18,000 feet and had climbed to just 400 vertical feet below the summit of Antisana. We all wanted that summit, but fortunately the climbing was great and the setting was incredible. We gave a great effort and are proud of what we did accomplish. Dianna put it so well when she said, "We may not have the glory of the summit, but I always learn more when I am forced to turn around".

Dispatch 1:

AAI guide Joey Elton left word recently at the start of AAI's fourth expedition to Ecuador this season. He writes:

Outside of a few traveling snafus, our expedition has gotten off to a good start. The last several days have been spent visiting ancient traditional Ecuadorian markets, hiking through some of the last remaining old growth forests in Ecuador, and summiting the 15,670-foot GuaGua Pichincha, which towers over the capital city of Quito.

After a restful night in the oldest hacienda in Ecuador, Team Metal Storm (as we have so dubbed ourselves) is ready to head up onto our first real objective: the elusive Cayambe. Straddling the equator, this peak rises almost 19000 feet above sea level.

We hope to write back soon with tales of summit success! Wish us luck.

Joey

Dispatch 2:

Hey Folks,

Greetings from Ecuador! Today Team Metal Storm returned from a very successful trip to Cayambe. Upon arriving at the Cayambe hut two days ago, we were greeted by awe-inspiring views of this majestic peak. The comfortable and quaint hut sits above several dramatic glaciers that descend from Cayambe's summit.

During our second day on the mountain, we headed down to one of the glaciers for a half-day skills workshop, which included basic cramponing and ice axe techniques, crevasse self-rescue, and steep ice technique. We spent the afternoon top rope ice climbing on seracs, and Eva the "Hungarian Hurricane" set a speed record in the not only leashless but tool-less ice climbing event. Guiness World Records has been notified.

After a hearty, carbo-filled dinner, the team prepped for the next day's climb and went to bed early. The following morning at 12am sharp, we woke to fairly clear skies and incredibly warm temperatures. The warmth was a concern at first for "Superguide" Joey Elton, but after launching up onto the glacier the team was elated to find firm snow conditions and excellent cramponing.

Employing the skills we had developed the previous day, the group made quick progress up the glacier toward the lofty 18,900-foot summit. As dawn arrived, Team Metal Storm was blessed with amazing views of other towering peaks: Antisana and Cotopoxi to the south and the Illinizas and Chimborazo shining in the early morning sun to the southwest.

After a few last short sections of 50-degree climbing on perfect, styrofoam-like snow, the entire team reached the summit. It was 8:30am, seven and half hours after leaving the hut. "The Gazelle" (aka Diana Moore) remarked, "We have the whole mountain to ourselves!" We lingered just long enough on top to enjoy the views and snap photos, and then began the descent. Four hours later, we arrived back at the hut.

We now set our sites on Cotopoxi and hope to maintain our 100% team summit rate.

Hasta Luego,

Team Metal storm

Dispatch 3:

Great news from the mountains! Team Metal Storm has made another successful ascent. This morning, February 5th, we reached the top of Cotopaxi at approximately 7:30am. The conditions were fair, but our analysis of the snowpack suggested that things could get unstable in the heat of the later morning and midday sun. We made a very early start, a speedy ascent, and a rapid descent while the snowpack remained stable. We all feel very good about our strategy and very happy about getting to the top.

Our team has now summited two out of our three intended peaks. We are now in a position to complete the highly coveted yet seldom attained triple crown of Ecuador, the three highest peaks in the country, or otherwise known as the "three C's": Cayembe, Cotopaxi, and Chimborazo.

We are currently on our way to the southern part of this great chain of volcanoes to gear up for our highest and final objective: the mighty Chimborazo. Chimborazo is the highest peak in Ecuador, and it is also the furthest point away from the center of the earth - some say it's the closest you can get to the sun. Don't worry; we're wearing extra sunscreen. [Editor's note: because the Earth is greater in diameter at the equator than at other latitudes, the tall mountains at the equator are further from the Earth's center than the even taller mountains elsewhere in the world.]

All team members are doing great and feeling strong. We'll be praying to the weather gods for clear skies and solid climbing conditions.

Saludos.

Team Metal Storm

Final Dispatch!

Team Metal Storm arrived at the quaint and peaceful Estacion Urbina on the afternoon of the 6th and found incredible views of the 20,800-foot Chimborazo, our final objective. The Estacion is a 100-year-old train station that has been converted into a bed and breakfast and sits on a high plain above the great valley of the volcanoes. The group was treated to a private tour of the grounds (including a walk through a native plant garden which is part of a reforestation project), a visit to a craft workshop (where we witnessed artisans in action making a variety of crafts), and a visit to some indigenous homes constructed with mud walls and thatched roofs. Later that evening, we viewed slides of the great mountains of Ecuador, Peru, and Argentina. We were especially psyched to see the slides of Chimborazo, which we would be heading to the next day.

After a comfortable night's sleep, we rounded up our gear and drove higher to the base of Chimbo where we began a short hike up to the refugio at 16,400 feet. The refugio sits directly beneath the immense southwest face of this giant mountain, and the views are indescribably impressive. After a tasty quesadilla dinner and a briefing of the next day's climb, we went to bed to get as much rest as possible before our 11pm wake up call. There had been a big dump of fresh snow the previous evening so there was the possibility of avalanche hazard on the route. Certain conditions would have to be present in order to for us to make our attempt on the summit.

We left the refugio at 12am sharp and headed up toward the mountain. A clear and starry sky lit our way. We did well and climbing conditions were good, but after a few hours, we reached a questionable slope that we would need to cross in order to gain the 18,200-foot ridge that would lead us to the summit plateau. Unfortunately, the temperature was not quite cold enough for the stability we were looking for, and we had to conclude that the risk of avalanche too great. This would be our high point on Chimborazo.

The team couldn't help but feel some disappointment, but we did get to climb over half the route under a beautiful mountain sky, and none of us felt like we were walking away empty handed. We set ourselves up well for success, but unfortunately had to experience one of the fundamental characteristics of climbing: in the alpine environment, many factors are out of your control. Nonetheless, we are proud of our accomplishments, happy to have summited two out of the three famous volcanoes, and pleased to have gone halfway up the third.

After turning around on Chimborazo, we descended to the refugio to sleep for a few hours, and then continued down to the lush and tranquil town of Banos later that morning. We are now here to relax and recuperate from the last week and a half of challenging climbing. Banos is nestled in a steep green valley which looks up towards a very active volcano called Tungarahua. Here at 6,000 feet, the air is a bit thicker and temperatures are warmer, and we're enjoying the differences from where we've been. The small town radiates a laid back vibe, yet offers a plethora of mountain biking, hiking, and, of course, soaking in the relaxing local thermal baths.

Tomorrow we head back north to Quito for one last group dinner and some celebration. The following day Team Metal Storm will disband as members fly back to their lives in all corners of the states, taking with them memories of incredible views and stories of great adventure. A great time was had by all!

Good climbing and good fun. We'll see you in the mountains.

Saludos,

Team Metal Storm

Dispatch 1:

AAI guide Joey Elton writes from four days into AAI's last expedition in Ecudor this year:

We are four days into our trip and everything is running as smoothly as we could hope for. The morning of the 18th we rose to a clear, hot, and sunny Andean sky.

We had a great market day in Otavalo. It was as bustling as ever as we descended upon the locals with cameras, praises for their goods and crafts, and our best bargaining skills. People enjoy buying at the market because the items are good quality and it's wonderful to help support what was once and at times still is a marginalized indigenous group. We know that by buying crafts and other goods here that we are not only bringing home beautiful objects from another culture but are also helping support a group of hard working people who are rich in heritage and cultural pride.

The following day we ascended through a beautiful mountain cloud forest to a lofty perch on the side of Pico Pasochoa (13,776'). We watched as an amazing armada of cloud and fog hurled itself up and over ridgeline to dissipate in the valley below.

Today we summitted our first peak on the 15,670-foot Guagua Pichincha. And we've just now finished a wonderful dinner at the romantic hacienda below Cayambe and are gearing up for our three-day stay on the flanks of the big mountain.

We look forward to a day and a half of skills practice followed by a summit attempt on the 18,997-foot volcano, Cayambe. We hope for good weather and good conditions. Wish us luck. We will report back in a few days.

Cheers,

Joey

Dispatch 2:

Hi everyone,

Breaking news from Ecuador: Club Social (our team's nickname) has made a lightning fast ascent of Cayambe. After a lovely night and leisurely morning at Hacienda Gua Chala, we headed up to the Cayambe hut for some cravasse rescue practice and a delicious quesadilla dinner. The following day we hiked down to the lower glacier to practice basic cramponing and ice axe techniques. After a fun-filled day of playing on the ice, we headed back to the hut for an early dinner and a briefing for the next day's climb.

We woke at midnight to a beautiful starlit sky and cool temperatures. We were out the door at 1am sharp and began our steep approach to the base of the glacier. We climbed up the glacier for about 1200 feet before we encountered any snow - this was the driest the glacier has been all season, with the snow line hovering at about 17,300 feet. Once on the snow we encountered nice and firm cramponing conditions. However, given the shallow snow pack, the snow bridges appeared sketchy at best, and we decided a fast ascent would be required in order to avoid breaking through the bridges on the descent.

Club Social valiantly rose to the occasion. We reached the summit at 6:50am, a speedy six hours after we had left the hut. We had beautiful views of Antisana and Cotopaxi to south, Pichincha to the west and Imbaburra to the northwest, and were treated to the especially astounding sight of the sun rising over the Amazon.

After high-fives and plenty of photos, we descended back to the hut, concluding our nine-hour round trip tour of this beautiful and often overlooked peak. We were lucky enough to have the whole mountain to ourselves. Tomorrow we head to Cotopaxi and hope to have similar success. We'll be in touch!

Hasta pronto.

Club Social

Dispatch 3:

This dispatch was received on the afternoon of February 26th:

Hello from Ambato, Ecuador! The Carnival celebration is in full swing around here - most of the streets are closed to cars and filled with crowds of people who have traveled from all over Ecuador to take part in the festivities. We are enjoying the sights en route to our first lodging for our ascent of Cotopaxi, a 100-year-old train station that has been converted into a cozy bed and breakfast above the Valley of the Volcanoes.

Yesterday at 1am sharp our team, "Club Social," left the Jose Hut (15749') at the base of the normal route on Cotopaxi with several other climbers. We headed off into snowy weather and moderate visibility and were pleased to find that there had not been much snow accumulation over the night. This allowed for great climbing conditions and granted us safe passage through the potentially avalanche-prone slopes on the lower mountain.

Once we gained the ridge, we navigated through a series of beautiful glacial features and next came to a massive rock band called the Yanasacha (at about 18,000 feet). We bypassed the rock band on its right side via 100 feet of 45-degree snow. After about 20 minutes of climbing on this steeper ground, the angle finally let up and we reached the summit of the most classic looking volcano in Ecuador. All team members were elated to once again taste success! In all, it was a 6-hour trip from hut to summit, and it took us another 2.5 hours to descend back to the hut. Soon after that we were on our way back to our lavish hacienda in the valley for much anticipated hot showers, food, and sleep!

Tomorrow we head up to the Whymper Hut at the base of Chimborazo, which will be the base for our summit attempt. We hope our trend of success lasts for the final of our three Ecuadorian objectives!

Saludos,

Club Social

Final Dispatch!

Hey Guys,

"Club Social" has returned to Banos after a long stretch in the mountains and on the road. Everyone is glad to be back among the luxuries of town, and we will all soon be heading home to families and friends.

We arrived at our picturesque hotel on the lower slopes of 20,800-foot Chimborazo on Monday afternoon, after fighting our way through the swarm of traffic in Ambato that was generated by the Carnival celebration. Upon arriving, we found the views of our last and highest objective, partly obscured by a layer of fog and cloud. Chimborazo is the highest mountain in Ecuador, and the 82nd highest mountain in the world.

We decided to take a walk to soak in our surroundings, and headed down the old Panasur Highway which crosses right in front of our hotel. This cobblestone road was finished in the late 1800's, and used to take a traveler from Quito to Riobamba in 8 hours - a distance that is now covered in 3 hours on the new Pan American Highway. As we strolled along, the clouds lifted and we were delighted by the spectacular views around us.

The next morning we departed with our brave driver, Luis "It's impossible to tell my age" Marquez and the rest of Club Social, including Roy Tucker, James Higham-Kessler, and Bob Hallinan. After the drive and a short hike, we arrived at the Whymper Hut and settled in as early as we could - we had agreed upon a 10pm wake up call and an 11pm departure.

The night found clear skies but fairly disconcertingly warm temperatures. We set out from the hut with our fingers crossed in hopes for colder temperatures up high. After climbing for several hours, we gained a snowless ridge at 18,300 feet and found ourselves climbing steep frozen dirt, which made the next section - a 60-degree pitch of glued-together ice cubes - seem heavenly. We finally reached snow and found aerated, crusty conditions that provided good footing. We ascended for several more hours until we reached 19,800 feet, at which point Club Social had no more energy to be social, so to speak. In all, we had climbed over 3000 feet from the hut and had put forth a great effort that got us to within 1000 feet of the summit. We turned around and headed back down, happy with our attempt and eager for the delicious cuisine and tranquil atmosphere of Banos.

After climbing to the top of two out of Ecuador's "Big Three" summits, I'd have to say this trip was a smashing conclusion to another successful season in Ecuador. May there be many more!

Hasta proximo ano (until next year),

Club Social