Glacier School

Andeanface Glacier School is a three days climbing excursion that provides the knowledge, skills, and experience essential for safe and enjoyable climbing, in a high altitude glaciated mountain environment.
Our core curriculum emphasises safety, judgment and basic glacier skills. It is a great introductory mountaineering experience for beginners where you can discover how your body reacts to the high mountain environment.
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. 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 prepare yourself for mountain climbing
• Equipment used in the mountains

The training will be provided on a 1:3 ratio, which means one guide for every three 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.

Itinerary

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. The challenging, long alpine slopes of Cayambe provide an excellent introduction to glacier travel techniques on a big peak.

Day 1

• Pick up at hotel in Quito at around 8:00
• Travel for 2 hours to Cayambe
• Short hike up to the hut (depending on road conditions)
• Talk about the program and rope work inside the hut
• Lunch at 12:30
• Principles of glacier travel
• Walking techniques on the glacier
• Dinner at 19:00

Day 2

• Leave for the Hermoso Glacier at 08:00
• Glacier travel techniques
• Lunch at the Glacier
• Self a rest
• Anchors in snow and ice
• Self rescue

Day 3

• Optional summit day on Cayambe or continue the glacier school with ice climbing
• Return to Quito at 16:00

Important Note: This schedule is subject to change due to unforeseen difficulties.

Map

Also see our Interactive Map.