We’ve seen our fair share of volcanoes – beautiful ones, furious ones, and dormant ones. But Cotopaxi is something else entirely. We were left in awe and amazement at its smoking summit, covered in eternal snow. The chills are guaranteed when standing before the world’s highest active volcano, in Cotopaxi National Park!
Saturday, October 14, 2023
Our mission is complete: we’ve met the Andean bear! Now we can hit the road south with peace of mind. Just before reaching Quito, we cross a major milestone on our journey through the Americas: the Equator! And not just the country—the actual line 😁. Fifteen months ago, we crossed the Arctic Circle in Canada. Ten months ago, we passed the Tropic of Cancer in Mexico. And now, here we are, standing at the Equator in Ecuador! 😀 A symbolic moment in our journey, which, of course, we capture properly… in the rain! More than ever, our dream feels within reach: Ushuaia, next year. But for now, welcome to the Southern Hemisphere!
We make a quick stop in Quito, since it’s on the way—and because we’ve heard about a French bakery. This time, there’s no way we’re missing it! We grab two chocolatines and two big loaves of bread. Delicious! 😋 Then, we hit the road toward Cotopaxi National Park. We try to fill up on gas, but every station is packed! Turns out, locals are stockpiling fuel ahead of tomorrow’s presidential elections, which could trigger a general strike… Well, better to take shelter in the mountains, just in case.
The road is beautiful as it takes us higher into the mountains. Unfortunately, Cotopaxi National Park closes every day at 3 p.m., so it’s way too late to get in now. Oh well—we find a wild, open spot to spend the night at 3,600 meters altitude. According to our calculations, the volcano should be right in front of us… 🤔
Well, for now, it’s completely hidden in the clouds! We can’t even see its base. But if it reveals itself at dawn, this might just be one of the most incredible bivouacs of our journey. Now, all we can do is hope for clear skies! 🤞
Sunday, October 15
6 a.m. We wake up to some great news: against all odds, the Cotopaxi volcano is showing itself! Quickly, we jump out of the warm bed, step out of the Jeep, and face the freezing cold. And indeed, Cotopaxi stands proudly before us 🤩 Just… magnificent, simply breathtaking. We’re left speechless.
Of all the volcanoes we’ve had the chance to see so far, we’ve never seen one so beautiful, so majestic, so perfect. Its flawless cone, covered in eternal ice and snow, rises to 5,897 meters above sea level. It’s the highest active volcano in the country, but also in the world. And indeed, its crater is continuously smoking! As of now, the ascent to the summit is prohibited until further notice.
The Cotopaxi is located at the heart of the Avenue of Volcanoes. It was in 1802 that the German explorer Alexander Von Humboldt named the winding road that runs along the Ecuadorian Andes mountain range. Along this “avenue,” there are around forty peaks over 4,000 meters high, including some of the most beautiful and highest summits of the Andes, crowned with eternal snow. Clearly, the Cotopaxi is one of the most beautiful and tallest! 😁
The Cotopaxi Volcano National Park only opens at 8 a.m. That seems late for a high-altitude park, where the clouds can quickly become troublemakers… A ranger greets us at the park’s southern entrance. We register: names, first names, passport numbers, emergency contact… Just a security measure. It’s already past 8 a.m. when we finally set off on the park trail. And already, the volcano is covered in clouds. Bummer!
No matter, we decide to give it a try and get closer to the giant. And yes, it’s possible! And by car, please. There’s a track that leads right up to the volcano, all the way to 4,600 meters above sea level! It’s a big challenge for Jeepy, who’s never climbed that high, his record being 4,100 meters at El Cocuy National Park in Colombia. Slowly but surely, we head up the track. With each hairpin bend, the volcano seems to get closer and more impressive. Gradually, the páramo with its short, dry grasses disappears, giving way to a landscape of black rock and volcanic ash.
Finally, we reach the parking lot at 4,600 meters without any issues 🤘 We park facing downhill, just in case. Then, we bundle up warmly and head off toward the José Rivas refuge, which sits at 4,864 meters on the volcano’s slopes. There are two ways to reach the refuge: the longer trail, which ascends gradually with tight hairpin turns, or the shorter trail, which goes straight up the volcanic slope. We choose the longer, less steep trail, and it turns out to be a good decision, as the effort at this altitude is significant. Breathing is short, legs are heavy, and the heart is racing. We take small steps through each turn, but still make sure to admire the landscape, even though the weather has turned cloudy.
We arrive at the refuge after an hour of walking, and… it’s closed! Too bad, we were hoping to warm up with some hot chocolate, but that’s not happening. There’s no one around. We sit on a low wall in front of the refuge to rest and assess our next steps. We had planned to climb a few more meters to reach the Cotopaxi glacier, but given the weather, it doesn’t seem like a good idea to venture there without a guide.
Oh well. After a 10-minute break, we decide to head back down. This time, we take the shorter route: straight down to the parking lot! And on the volcanic ash, it’s fast, you just have to let yourself slide all the way down. Result: 1 hour of uphill, 10 minutes of downhill! Jeepy is waiting for us at the bottom, and at 4,600 meters, he starts up like a pro, on the first try. Kudos! ✌️
We descend into the plains in just a few minutes, under the clouds. From there, we head off to explore the Cotopaxi National Park. And what a park! Wow! 😀 The track winds through golden meadows swept by the winds. It had been a while since we’d seen such raw, wild, and beautiful landscapes. At any moment, we half-expect to see a bison, like in Yellowstone National Park in the United States. But no, we’re definitely in Ecuador! Here, it’s the Andean bear, the wolf, and the puma that reign supreme.
At noon, we stop for lunch by the lagoon. On the menu: Quito bread and undercooked pasta – we had forgotten that at high altitude, pasta takes longer to cook!
The Cotopaxi has clearly taken its bow for the day. Hoping for better luck tomorrow, we decide to camp in Cotopaxi National Park. Our plan is simple: by staying in the park, we won’t have to wait until 8 AM to head back up to the refuge, and we can take advantage of the morning sunshine. The park’s campsite is at 3,800 meters of altitude. It’s high, but not enough to ruin our night. We find a spot next to a Slovak couple’s campervan and a German expedition truck.
Everyone is warm and cozy in their vehicles, but us… we spend the afternoon outside cooking a hearty potato and bacon soup to keep warm. It’s cold, but our spirits are high! Staying outside does have one advantage: we’re front and center to witness the wildlife of the park!
Monday, October 16
5:45 a.m. A quick look outside is enough to realize that we’re not as lucky as yesterday! We’re in the clouds. Darn. Just to be sure, we pack up the camp and drive, with the heater on, until we’re directly facing the volcano. It’s there, we know it, but we can’t see it! ☁️ The clouds are thick and dark. There’s no point in going up in this weather! So, we enjoy our breakfast in the Jeep, nice and warm.
It’s not yet 8 a.m. when we reach the North exit of the park. Technically, the park is still closed, but an employee agrees to open the gate for us. No one takes note of our exit, which makes you wonder what the point of the registration at the park entrance is! Before heading to the capital, we check the news about the outcome of the presidential election. Yesterday, Daniel Noboa was elected President at the age of 35. No major incidents, no riots, no general strikes. Everything seems calm in the Ecuadorian capital. We can go! Indeed, one of the ABS sensors on the Jeep is malfunctioning. Fortunately, we now have a good contact in Quito! Juan Carlos welcomes us warmly. The new sensor is ordered, arrives by scooter, and is replaced right away. The whole process takes less than an hour.
Then, being in Quito, we go back to the French bakery to stock up on bread: a large loaf, a baguette, and two chocolatines. By 2:30 p.m., we’re back at Cotopaxi National Park! We set up camp again. It’s still early, so while Rémi rests in the Jeep, I go for a walk. The volcano is still hidden, but the surroundings are still breathtaking!
In the evening, a Defender with an Azalaï camper arrives at the campsite. Surprise, it’s our friends David and Yvonne, the Dutch couple we first met at Lake Atitlán in Guatemala. As usual, it’s always so fun to reconnect with fellow travelers so long and so far after meeting them for the first time 😀 As we chat, a peak suddenly appears on the horizon. Could it be…? Yes! 😲 The Chimborazo, the highest peak in Ecuador, reveals itself in all its glory and splendor. We capture this magical moment, just in case it doesn’t show itself when we go see it up close 😁
At 5 p.m., it starts getting pretty cold, and everyone heads back to their vehicles. As for us, we stay outside, freezing our butts off while waiting for the soup to heat up. Yep, some days are tougher than others when you’re living the Jeep life 🤪 And cold weather is never our friend. We head to bed early. Tomorrow, we’ll try the ascent again! Hoping that this time, the Cotopaxi volcano will show up.
Tuesday, October 17
6 a.m. The alarm rings early again, but it’s for a good cause! We step outside and… horror! 😱 We’re in the clouds. Again. We get dressed, start the Jeep, and head back toward the volcano. We park right in the middle (the park doesn’t open until 8 a.m., and we’re the only ones here) and watch the mass of clouds hiding Cotopaxi. What to do? Give up? Wait? Climb?
We hesitate between making a coffee and staying warm in the Jeep or climbing. After a few minutes of indecision, we decide to go for it! Who knows, maybe we’re the ones in the clouds. We start the ascent, and in less than 5 minutes, our gamble pays off: we suddenly break through the cloud ceiling and emerge under an incredible blue sky and brilliant sunshine. And there, in front of us, stands Cotopaxi. Unbelievable! 😱
As we did two days ago, we take the park’s trail that leads up to the parking lot at 4,600 meters. From there, we leave the Jeep and set off on foot towards the refuge at 4,800 meters. This time, the weather is perfectly clear! We’re well acclimatized, but the climb is still tough! One step after another.
Just before reaching the refuge, we take a detour onto a trail that leads us along the slopes of the volcano. It’s time to break our altitude record of 5,002 meters, set last February on the slopes of Iztaccíhuatl in Mexico. We know the park is still closed and there’s nobody around for miles. We’re on our own in the high mountains, so we stay cautious. High altitude should never be taken lightly, especially as we approach the Cotopaxi glacier and the trail begins to vanish.
Moving cautiously, we continue our ascent, navigating between rocks and glacier. The terrain is slippery, and the volcanic stone rolls beneath our feet. Just a little more effort, and we find ourselves face to face with a massive ice wall. We’re finally touching the Cotopaxi glacier. The crackling ice, the rumbling water flowing through the glacier’s walls, the sun burning our skin, and the wind chilling us to the bone. The sensation is incredible. What a breathtaking landscape.. And as a bonus, we’ve broken our altitude record: 5,066 meters!
After savoring our victory and happiness, it’s time to head back down. The clouds are rising from the valley, and the landscape is already intermittently shrouded in shadow.
At the refuge, we finally take a well-deserved break. But, unlucky as always, it’s still closed! Once again, we won’t get to enjoy a hot chocolate! Oh well. We settle down on the wall in front of the chalet, this time in the sun! We enjoy a banana and some biscuits, but soon the weather changes here as well, and it’s time to head back down. We’re almost at the parking lot when we meet the first people heading up. Bad timing, the weather’s now cloudy! We find Jeepy in just a few minutes, and he starts up like a champ. That’s one less stress to worry about. From there, we head back to the park’s campsite, where we have a proper breakfast in the sun, with the deer keeping an eye on us. No doubt about it, the day is already a success! 😀
Then, we leave Cotopaxi National Park with images in our minds and unforgettable memories. We didn’t get the chance to climb it, or even see its gaping crater, but Cotopaxi has truly left us in awe. Now, it’s time to continue our journey south along the Avenue of the Volcanoes!
