My friend and I very much enjoyed our trip with Juan and his team. Juan went above and beyond to make the trip enjoyable and his knowledge of the Ecuadorian mountains and culture was superb!
Before the trip, Juan quickly responded to our questions over WhatsApp and gave us an equipment list when we asked for it. Some of the items on the list (e.g., mountaineering boots, ice axes, helmets, crampons, and harnesses) would be provided for us in Ecuador. However, we suggest using your own mountaineering boots because there was not a large selection of sizes or styles to choose from. Also, be sure to bring a pair of non-mountaineering hiking shoes/boots for the acclimatizing hike of Rumiñahu.
Once in Ecuador, Juan communicated with us about a morning pick-up at our hostel in Quito. We spent the drive to our first hike introducing ourselves and talking about the plans/options for the week. Juan speaks okay English and we learned to ask things multiple ways so to make sure our questions were understood. The other two members of his team did not speak English well, including his equipment coordinator, so we relied on translation apps and our minimal Spanish to communicate. Despite the language barrier, his team was very kind, patient, and knowledgeable throughout the trip.
Juan was happy to hear we had no diet restrictions and were excited to try some Ecuadorian cuisine. Our included meals on the road and at the Hacienda San Joaquin were delicious--we even eat some cuy (a.k.a. guinea pig)! Juan and the San Joaquin staff also went above and beyond when they found out we were celebrating our birthdays and we each got our own homemade cakes!
Juan is a very busy guide and is often on the phone with his team planning trip details for other clients. My friend and I were glad to have each other to talk to during long car rides and on rest days. On this all-inclusive trip there were times when he is was not with us, but he always worked hard to give us options for fun things to do on our own.
As with all mountaineering, the trip itinerary changed often. First, Cotopaxi was active during our visit and was unsafe to summit, so Juan offered to substitute another mountain and we choose Cayambe. After two successful summits of Rumiñahu and Illiniza, we took an extra day to allow the weather to change on Cayambe. On this rest day, Juan coordinated with his friends to drive us to Lake Quilotoa for a day visit.
At Cayambe, we found out the avalanche danger would likely spoil our summit plans, so we worked with Juan to do an early morning sunrise hike to the base of the glacier instead. It was a bummer not to summit, but the sunrise was worth the hike! We could see Cotopaxi and its volcanic plume in the distance.
Finally, the summit attempt of Chimborazo went well. The weather and snow conditions were great and the night was beautiful. After climbing for 5 hours, I began to struggle on the final steep climb to the summit. Juan told me to really consider my fitness and ability to finish the next 3-4 hours of steep climbing. I made the decision to turn around, and Juan safely guided us down the mountain in the dark.
Overall, we had a great time! When we return to attempt the summits again, we will absolutely be calling on Juan to guide us—muchas gracias!
