Tuesday, June 17th, 2003 – Day 119
I was up at 7.00am and met Mary at 7.15am. Our guide was in an open top pickup truck waiting to take us to Chimborazo – Ecuadors highest peak. It took one hour and thirty minutes to reach Base Camp 1. While the weather was good in town, as soon as started our ascent we could see the whole mountain was covered in snow. It took us quite a while to get to base camp as the vehicle kept on sliding in the snow on the unpaved roads up. We had to put heavy rocks in the back and we also had to sit in the open as well so as to give the vehicle some grip. We met four climbers at Base Camp who had tried to climb the day before. They had to turn back after 1/3 of the way up beacuse of the risk of Avanlache. It seems it only started snowing last night.
Translations of Chimborazo, Ecuadors highest peak at 6310m are “Woman in Ice” or “Icy Home of the Gods” or “Sacred Winds of the Moon” and nowadays it is also called the “Nation’s Roof”. Till the early 19th century, Chimborazo was thought to be the earth’s highest mountain and if measured from the earth’s center, it still holds true as the Himalayas are farther away from the equator and lose therefore due to earth’s equatorial bulge.
The German naturalist Alexander von Humboldt tried to climb it unsuccessfully in 1802, reaching a height of 5900m. Finally in 1880, Edward Whymper and the Carrel brothers reached the top for the first time.
Anyway we decided to walk the 45 minute trek up to Base Camp 2 in the snow. It was nice as there was no one else about and it was peaceful and quite. We spent some time up there walking about before heading back. It was nice to be in a snow background after been in humid conditions over the past few weeks. After coffee in Base Camp 1, we got the pick up truck back.
We also decided to buy tickets for the only operational train route in all of Ecuador: the tourist train from Riobamba to Alaus?that travels along switchbacks known as the Nariz del Diablo (Devil’s Nose). For a real thrill, most tourists ride on the roof of the train. As I said, this train is solely for tourists. It leaves Riobamba on Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday. The cost is 11 US and you get the bus back. You can buy the tickets from 3.00pm onwards. Mary bought for m
Anyway it rained from 1.00pm to 5.00pm and it was a miserable sight. Spent most of the time on the NET and in the hotel. Went to get a Pizza with Mary at 7.00pm and was back by 9.00pm. The town is nt that interesting. Althought the train leaves at 7.00am, we have to be at the station by 6.30am. Set the alarm.
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Riobamba – Ecuador – Chimborazo. Lunar Landscape. (17-06-2003)
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Click on the picture to see it in it´s original size
Riobamba – Ecuador – Chimborazo. Play Misty for me. (17-06-2003)
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Click on the picture to see it in it´s original size
Riobamba – Ecuador – Chimborazo. Water dripping from the Base Camp 2 Gutter. (17-06-2003)
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Click on the picture to see it in it´s original size
Riobamba – Ecuador – Chimborazo. Its a dustbin, not a letterbox, but it did ofer some colour in a bleak landscape. (17-06-2003)
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Click on the picture to see it in it´s original size
Riobamba – Ecuador – Chimborazo. On the way down. (17-06-2003)
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Click on the picture to see it in it´s original size
Riobamba – Ecuador – Chimborazo. Yes, I was there. (17-06-2003)
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Click on the picture to see it in it´s original size
Riobamba – Ecuador – Chimborazo. (17-06-2003)