| HIGHLIGHTS |
• Professional
glacier training at high altitude.
• A short and compact climbing course.
• We teach you depending on your level of experience.
• Cheaper than any course given in the United
States.
• Instructors with international
experience.
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COMPLIMENTARY
EXTENSIONS |
Galapagos
Islands
A naturalist's paradise!
These are the legendary islands that inspired the father
of the theory of "The Evolution of the Species",
Charles Darwin.
There is few places on Earth as overwhelming and powerful
for the profound experience of interacting with wildlife
and nature as you will do here!
If you are in Ecuador, visiting Galapagos is a must.
Amazon Jungle
As unique as the jungles are,
the Amazon is the single most important forest in our
planet. Not only it has the largest concentration of
species ever imagined, but it holds the secrets of a
world so mysterious and rich, that we are still at the
brink of revealing a small part of it.
Bellavista
Cloud Forest Reserve
Less than two hours away from
Quito lies one the 25 "biodiversity hot spots"
in the World. It is the Tumbes-Choco-Magdalena Hot Spot
which runs from northern Peru, Ecuador, Colombia and
southern Panama.
Located on the edge of this area is the Bellavista Cloud
Forest Reserve, a 700 hectare private reserve that holds
10 km of paths to explore. Home to hundreds of species
of wildlife and flora it is a distinct vision of a tropical
rainforest.
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| OTHER
CLIMBING EXPEDITIONS |
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Andeanface
Glacier School is a compact and short itinerary
that provides the knowledge, skills, and
experience essential for safe and enjoyable
climbing, in a high altitude glaciated mountain
environment. The itinerary first provides
some good acclimatisation hikes where you
can gradually condition your body during
the first days of the program.
Our
core curriculum emphasises safety, judgement,
mountaineering skills, Leave No Trace practices,
high altitude physiology and a good dose
of fun, of course!
It
is a great introductory mountaineering experience
for beginners where you can discover how
your body reacts to the high mountain environment.
The
course is primarily an intensive high altitude
glacier course, but it will test the acquired
skills by attempting to summit Cayambe 5.790
m / 18,991 ft and later Cotopaxi 5.897 m
/ 19,342 ft. The challenging, long alpine
slopes of these two mountains provide an
excellent introduction to glacier travel
techniques on big peaks.
If
participants have an intermediate skills
level, the course could be focused on more
advanced climbing techniques such as ice
climbing and crevasse rescue systems.
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We
provide Glacier School Training on Cayambe
and Cotopaxi.
Experience is not required. During the training
you will learn about:
• Knots and ropes.
• Glacier travel.
• Crampon techniques.
• Ice axe techniques.
• Crevasse rescue.
• Ice climbing.
• How to shelter.
• How to prepare yourself for mountain
climbing.
• Equipment used in the mountains.
• Living in mountain huts.
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training will be provided on a 1:2 ratio, which
means one guide for every two students. Therefore
every student will get all the attention he or she
needs, which will guarantee you will be able to
experience all aspects of the training course. Our
guides provide excellent instruction and coaching.
During the training you will do several high altitude
climbs.
On the first day of the program
we will start the training with a briefing and
a slide show.
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Day
1
Acclimatisation
Visit the Middle of the World Monument and the Pululahua
Crater.
We will start your training with a short briefing
while en-route to our first visit, the Middle of
the World just 23 kilometres North of Quito. There
we will enter the Mitad del Mundo Equatorial Line
Monument, at an altitude of 2.480 m / 8,134 ft.
You can visit a very interesting ethnographic museum
and a typical colonial town, with restaurants, gift
shops and a post office.
Charles- Marie de la Condamine and his French expedition
of 1736, were the first to the determine the Equator
line.
A few kilometres further on
is the Pululahua crater, which is one of the few
inhabited in the world. Nowadays it is a geo botanical
reserve due to its dramatic contrasts in vegetation.
If there is time and especially if you have the
energy - on your very first day - we will walk
down into the crater.
Later in the day you will meet
the Andeanface staff and there will be a slide
show.
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Day
2
Pasochoa Hike 4.200
m / 13,700 ft.
Having had one day to start the acclimatisation
process in Ecuador, we now go for the first
summit of a volcano. After a short drive we
are in the country side and hike out towards
the summit of Pasochoa. The hike is very straight
forward. Pasochoa is one of the few volcanoes
where we still can see the magnificent condors
flying, the largest flying birds in the world.
We spend the night in Quito. |
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Day
3
Guagua Pichincha 4.787 m /
15,700 ft.
Easy access from Quito through the valley of Lloa
makes Guagua Pichincha an excellent second acclimatisation
hike. Guagua (Quichua for "baby") is one
of the three major peaks that make up the Pichincha
massive. Quito is actually built on a plateau at
the eastern side of this massif.
The hike is again straightforward and will take
4 to 5 hours (round trip). In the past, it was possible
to descend into the crater of the volcano in order
to watch the fumaroles and superheated water rising
from its vents. Nowadays, it is no longer possible
due to the increased activity of the volcano. |
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Day
4
Otavalo Market. Night at Hostal
Aya Huma. (www.ayahuma.com)
Otavalo has one of the biggest indigenous markets
of Ecuador. You will have a chance to buy local
textiles and hand crafts. There is a market on every
day of the week. However Saturday is the best. We
recommend you to visit first the animal market as
it starts very early in the morning.
Due to its wonderful colours, Otavalo is a paradise
for photographers. |
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Days
5-7
Cayambe.
Today we leave Aya Huma and drive towards
the refuge of Cayambe at 4.600 m / 15,088
ft. If there is too much snow or the road
is not in a good condition, we do a short
hike. Once in Cayambe we start our training
course.
During the glacier training
on Cayambe we cover the following subjects:
• Snow climbing,
ice axe positioning, and moving in balance.
• Self arrest techniques.
• Snow and ice anchor selection, construction,
and equalisation.
• Ice climbing (with top rope) and
crampon techniques.
• Prussiking.
• Roped glacier travel and route finding
through crevassed areas.
• Discussions on high altitude physiology
and other related expeditionary topics.
After each session you
return to the refuge for a hearty meal.
On day 7 there will be a chance to attempt
the summit of Cayambe. After that we drive
down to spend the night at Hacienda Guachala.
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Day
8
Drive to Cotopaxi Region.
Today is a rest day. We will drive to the Cotopaxi
National Park area. On the way there will be a chance
to stop at a local supermarket. Once in the Park
we will stay in a very pleasant lodge called Tambopaxi
that is at 3.750 m / 12,300 ft. |
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Day
9
Cotopaxi.
In the morning we drive to 4.600 m / 15,088
ft and then walk to the Cotopaxi Refuge at
4.800 m / 15,744 ft. We will visit the glacier
to do more training. During lunchtime we will
be back in the refuge for an excellent lunch.
The rest of the day we rest, as in the middle
of the night we will be leaving to summit
Cotopaxi.
Cotopaxi is the most popular peak of the Andes.
Cotopaxi has more clear days than any other
peak in the country. Without a doubt it is
one of the most beautiful mountains in the
world.
Day
10
Cotopaxi summit day.
We leave the refuge at around 1 a.m. in
the morning. First we will climb to the
top of a triangular scree slope above the
refuge. A large featureless glacier is then
followed, weaving between large, obvious
crevasses. Bearing right, we pass below
a large black rock before cutting back left
to reach the ice encrusted crater rim. The
final section is quite steep. The true summit
lies along the crater rim to the right.
Cotopaxi's crater is a spectacular feature
and the proximity of ice and steam vents
is particularly impressive.
During the climb ropes will be used to protect
the team from crevasses and also to provide
protection on the steeper sections.
The ascent normally takes between five to
seven hours up and two hours down.
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Day
11
Cotopaxi Summit day # 2.
Should the weather not allow us to climb, the ascent
can be delayed one more day. Drive back to Quito.
Important
Note: Please note that this itinerary
is a guide line only. We will do every effort
to follow it, but in case of unforeseen circumstances
we may have to make changes. |
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2
pax $ 1.400 per person
3 pax $ 1.300 per person
4 + $ 1.200 per person
What
the price includes
• All transport by private vehicles
during the program.
• Accommodation: 4 hotel nights in
Quito on a B&B type, haciendas and huts.
All in double basis.
• All the food once out of Quito.
• Permits and park fees.
• One bilingual qualified mountain
guide per every two climbers.
• Climbing gear: Boots (up to 46 EU
/ 11 1/2 US), crampons, harness, ice axe
and group gear such as ropes.
The
Price does not include
• International flights.
• Travel insurance.
• Lunch and evening meals while in
Quito.
• Alcoholic drinks.
• Extras, laundry, tips. |
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| Duration
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11
days |
| Access |
Drive
in and drive out |
| Seasons
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All
year round |
| Pre-requisites |
Backpaking
experience |
| Equipment |
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| Accommodation |
Hostels
and mountain refuges |
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| Pululahua
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Easy |
| Pasochoa
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Easy |
| Pichincha |
Moderate |
| Cayambe |
Advance |
| Cotopaxi |
Intermediate |
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