AFTER THE PRINTS OF A BIG ONE

Thursday, September 6, 2007

It was Wymper`s second ascension to the colossus of Ecuadorian Andes on July 1880, when 100 Km. to the north, Chimborazo Volcano erupted and covered with a black ash mantel the mountain where Wymper was. The pictures and drawings of Wymper show him and his partners posing next to the place where Edgar Wymper established the second and third camp for the first 2 ascensions to the volcano, in this occasion all covered with ash.
Images like these, motivated me to look for the remains that the mythical English mountaineer settled down to carry out so daring journey.

My passion for Chimborazo Volcano began when I was a boy, when a school trip took us to the giant's slopes of about of 6300 meters high. Step by step I was feeding my passion for the Chimborazo. Trough the years, I have been able to store a wide collection of articles published by the own Wymper about their experiences in the Ecuadorian Andes and especially about Chimborazo, our favorite volcano.

Wymper was a visionary. Its education in fine arts of the engraving took him in a journey through the Alps drawing its spectacular landscapes, motivating him to become one of the biggest mountaineers. After years of successful ascensions, he arrived to South America to conquer the Andes of Ecuador
His mythical expeditions to Chimborazo, in company of mules and Indians of the area, loading his expensive and heavy instruments of pressure, climate and temperature mediation motivated him to make several expeditions that later would lead him to conquer highest peak in Ecuador.
It was habit of Wymper to name the geographical accidents in each one of their expeditions; all these details are clearly pointed in their notes.
These names and images made easier my research work looking for the remains of the camps left by the European climber
From 1980, I became devoted to find the rest of the camps between the valleys and rocks of the volcano. I carried out several expeditions following the route that gingerly had almost been planned one century before. I had the great opportunity to guide to a German Ecuadorian group toward the summit of Chimborazo the night of July of 1980, commemorating this way, one century of the feat of Wymper.
After several years of research, arrived to my hands a picture taken by the same Wymper, in which I saw him next to their companions in one of the built base camps I had been looking for years, and that rocky step came to my memory for which I had trafficked so many times, but because of the perspective of the image that had in my hands it had been very difficult to recognize it previously.
I Planned an expedition immediately, and finally I arrive to the place where, under the rocks and the snow, I found the wooden posts of polilepys of which i had read Wymper accustomed to identify its camps with wooden stakes and with its respective engraving.
Bottles of wine, brandy, cans of preserves, metallic pieces and even a bottle for samples with its cork were my discovery in that place.
This way I closed a cycle with Chimborazo Volcano, its great valley and their gigantic slopes are now my home and my work place. From this point the mountain watches over me and I watch her hoping to obtain rakes that take me to discover a little bit more about the highest point of the Ecuadorian Andes.

TO THE SUMMIT OF “THE ROAD TO THE SUN”
Almost 40 minutes away from the summit, the cold and fog stopped us to countinue climbing, likewise strong it is our yearning to be able to crown this excellent mountain. The view from this point of the Cayambe makes us remember the old legend of the pre Colombian cultures of the north of Ecuador that says although taita Imbabura is married to mama Cotacachi, he fills the Cayambe dressing closet with long dresses
The Cayambe (5790 meters above sea level), it is the third highest summit in Ecuador after the Chimborazo and the Cotopaxi. To arrive to this place we take the highway until arriving to the city of Cayambe and then, for 28 Km crossing the Andean forest trough the Wymper road, named it after Edgar Wymper, a visionary German who was first one in conquering Cayambe volcano. Once in the refuge, we take a moment to meditate, each member of the team speaks to his way with the mountain, as requesting it it’s blessing to step on its slopes. We enter in the previous hours to the ascent.
It is necessary to practice the techniques that we will use in the mountain during the climbing, and also the gear that we will be using the entire night during the ascent: thermal clothes, crampones, front lights, strings, piloets, pickaxes, gloves and glasses. With this armor we challenge to beautiful glacier located behind the refuge Ruales berge located to 4600 meters high. We practice the techniques that we will use in our expedition that will begin in a few hours. The evening announces that we should rest, since the ascent begins to the stocking night.
After a brief and slight lunch, the lights of the refuge go out at 18h00 o'clock.
The excitement is too much, thinking in what we are about to face in the mountain we can hardly sleep.

At 1 am, and after getting dressed up with our mountain gear, we leave the refuge. Between each member of the group there are almost 8 meters rope, our only lifeboats in the height.
After an hour of walk, we anchor our crampones and we begin the ascent to the glacier. Strong winds and a snowfall that suddenly becomes a storm hit us strongly. Suddenly a crack catches one of our partners. I fall to the floor despaired to anchor my ice axe. The rescue and the terrible storm are taking quickly all our energy.
With the sunrise, we get to Picks Jarrín to 5400 meters. The view in hallucinating and in spite of our desires of continuing, the fog and the ice melting due the sunrays force us to descend before we reach the summit.
The descent is quick; the soft snow allows slipping quickly for the glacier that little by little melts for the sunbeams that falls perpendicularly on the mountain because it is located exactly in the parallel 0 of latitude.

Exhausted and sad we arrive at the refuge after 13 hours of coexistence with the volcano. We don't have anything left but the latent challenge of being able to return some moment, and with the permission of the mountain, we will dare to step their eternal ice again.

A jealous mountain from ancestral times awaits us.
The Cayambe or “Cayamburu” witch means “the road to the sun” are one of the supreme challenges of the andinismo in Ecuador.

PEDALING ACROSS 3 REGIONS
White Beaches, Blue Ocean, white snow capped mountains, turbulent rivers and magic waterfalls are part of an incredible adventure across Ecuador on board our bikes.

Through the forests of the amazonía, crossing rivers and waterfalls until the cloud forests, crossing sandbanks from the perpetual snow capped volcanoes up to 4900 meters high until the beaches of Manabí and Esmeraldas. The adventurers ride their bikes carrying only a backpack enjoying the marvels of Ecuador.
As in few countries of the world, in Ecuador it is possible to visit coast, mountain and the Amazon region in only one day. The short distances and the rich biological diversity allow us to live a magic experience.
Mountain biking allows to take advantage of the natural resources and attractive of our country. From the capital Quito, it is easy to visit landscapes worthy of being traveled in bicycle. Depending on the degree of difficulty, children and adults can practice this exciting sport.
Routes in the mountain like the famous downhill of the Cotopaxi would take us from the 4900-meter high until the 4200 meters in question of minutes. Local agencies offer the complete services of transport, rent of biking gears, security and experienced guides
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If you like the route cycling, there are several options for you in the noroccidental area of Quito, crossing the cloud forest while the waterfalls and rivers refresh our travelers.
Toward the North, Otavalo, Mindo, Nono, Tandayapa, are circuits that can be easily carried out in one day.
In Ecuador you will have the opportunity to experience this adventures with first class biking gear. Experienced dowhill and cross-country will take you through the adventure.
Almost all the places in the country are in capacity of receiving tourists on board their bicycles.
Small towns such Baños and Otavalo offers tours from 1 hour to several days.
In the coast, routes along the beach crossing the route of the sun in Guayas, or traveling the fascinating tropical dry forest in Manabí are obligatory tours for the biking lovers
Routes of 2 and 3 days are recommended for those who want to surpass their limits of their capacity and to rush to the adventure. Biking Circuits by Cotopaxi volcano, Chimborazo volcano, Papallacta paramo and hot springs, San Rafael waterfall and quilotoa lagoon are the best in Ecuador.
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For experienced bikers, Ecuador promises to take you from the mountains to the jungle Amazon and take you back to the mountain in 5 to 12 day biking tour, traveling always with a safety car and supplies. From Quito to Cotopaxi volcano, then traveling toward the north to the town of Otavalo, well known for its Indian market, then we leave toward the east, going by papallacta to enjoy its thermal hot springs. This route will lead us to contemplate the impressive San Rafael Waterfall.
Once in the Amazon region, we will be able to appreciate the beauty and amazing Amazon forest, going toward the south pedaling until the population of the puyo and of there until Baños de Agua Santa, in the same slopes of Tungurahua volcano that will receive us with fumaroles.
The Chimborazo and the crater of the quilotoa will be the next stop before returning to Quito. These routes contain roads of several levels of difficulty, downhill sections, city routes, and highways and cross-country roads. The security of the supply car will always be with us.
Also, in cities like Quito, every 15 days a bike route is habilitated in the middle of the city with almost 50 Km of free traffic streets for the enjoy of the bikers.

Mountain, snow, sun and sand waits for you in Ecuador, 4 regions, and 2 hemispheres in a single country.