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How to get to the Route:
Ecuador's Andes II – Ecuador |
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The
access routes to each of these sites |
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the Cotacachi
Take the Northern Pan American Highway from
Quito, turning off for the town of Cotacachi,
and then continuing on to Lake Cuicocha.
Immediately afterwards is the guard post for
access to the Cotacahi-Cayapas Ecological
Reserve. A right-hand fork in the road leads
to the Army Transmission Post.
The climb to the Southern summit starts at
that site. Take the left-hand fork and walk
westward to the base of the Southwestern
summit. On both this and the Southern summit
the way up is along a small stone covered
alluvial track leading to the mountain pass
that links up the two summits.
From the mountain pass walk under the Southern
summit in a southeastern direction to the
start of a channel leading up to the mountain
top.
It is important to keep in mind that the climb
along the track can be over ice and snow, over
rock that is continually breaking off, or over
rock and mud. Another option for reaching the
top is via the old route to Intag. The hike in
that case starts at the height of the Cumbas
upland moors. The trip takes between two and
three days.
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To the Pichincha
Take
Occidental Avenue in southern Quito to the
traffic review post. A dirt by-pass from there
leads to the town of Lloa. From the central
park of this town, follow the dirt road
westward, passing a drinking water pumping
station. The road is marked at some spots and
climbs to the Pailón, a small valley running
between the Guagua Pichincha and El Padre
Encantado. Drive toward the Guagua until you
reach the Civil Defense hostel. This route is
only for all-weather vehicles and care must be
taken when it is muddy.
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To Carihuairazo
Across
from the town of Río Blanco, which links up
Ambato and Guaranda, take the dirt road
through scrubland, for a drive of about 30
minutes. Vehicles are left there and visitors
continue on foot eastward to the border of the
glacier, almost on the edge of the crater.
From there, it is necessary to climb the
glacier to the base of the highest summit. To
reach it, ascend to the crest along the
western or eastern side. From either of those
points, it is a 20 minute climb over crumbling
rock to the summit. The climb takes a full day
from Ambato or Guaranda.
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To the Antisana
It is
necessary to drive from Quito to the town of
Pintag and take a gravel road to the Pinantura
hacienda (a permit must first be obtained from
the Antisana Foundation, located at Mariana de
Jesús and la Isla streets in Quito). Continue
onward to El Hato hacienda, located at about 4
000 meters. Drive onward through the upland
moor, crossing an irrigation ditch on the
western flank of the mountain 50 meters from
the house. It is important to carry two boards
two meters by 20 centimeters in the car. The
route continues in the direction of the
mountain toward the morraine bordering the
Crespos Norte, where travelers make camp. A
vehicle with four-wheel drive is required for
this route. From there it is a climb to the
glacier. The summit is circumcised by a large
crack, which, in the absence of a bridge to
cross it, makes it necessary to travel toward
the northeast or southeast to find a way
across.
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