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Ecuador, Andes Introductory Mountaineering Course

Marcelo, an ASEGUIM certified guide, wants to guide you on a 5 day introductory level mountaineering course in the Andes of Ecuador.

Not specified

Andes

5 Days

All year

Fit

Beginner

Description

In the Andes of Ecuador there is an assortment of amazing peaks to climb. However, it is crucial to know how to properly, safely and securely climb those majestic peaks. And over the course of 5 days, I would like to thoroughly instruct you how do that. And on the final day of this adventure, you will get to take what you have learned and scale one of the most impressive peaks in the area, Cayambe (5,790m). The third highest peak in Ecuador, Cayambe is an amazing mountain. And the views you will get from its summit, just as the sun starts rising, are second spectacular.

The trip will begin in the capital city of Quito. From there, we will drive for approximately 2 hours to the Refugio Ruales-Oleas-Berge (4,600m). This refuge will be our base, as well as our shelter for four consecutive nights. Around the refuge, you will learn a number of important skills. A few examples of those skills include equipment use and care, climbing knots, risk management and more. We will also venture to a nearby glacier during the course. There you will learn an assortment of important skills from how to properly use crampons and an ice axe to basic rescue skills. We will also dedicate a full day to crevasse rescue. Finally, we will dedicate a day to preparing for the fifth and final day of this trip, which will have you climbing to the summit of Cayambe.

If you want to learn what it takes to climb a great peak in Ecuador, and then take what you’ve learned and actually climb a great peak in Ecuador, this 5 day trip is for you. Just send me a request, and I’ll see you in Quito.

Price includes

- Guiding fee

- Accommodation included

- Transport during the trip

- Breakfast

- Lunch

- Dinner

Price details

Please contact us for pricing information.

Itinerary

Day 1: Cayambe - Acclimatization Camp at 3.900m. + Mountaineering class

Today we will drive to Cayambe National Park. When we arrive, the course will begin, covering topics that include practical work on dry ground, soft skills, rope, and knots. We will have dinner and spend the night in the refuge.

Day 2: Acclimatization + Mountaineering class – Camp at 3.900m.

We will wake up at 8:00 am. After breakfast, we will go over many things, from the basic equipment list to self and team rescue system.

Day 3: Acclimatization + Glacier school – Reguge 4.800m.

Split between the area around the refuge and the glacier, the focus of today will be practical work on the glacier, technical equipment list and features, functions, and usage techniques. We will return to the refuge at approximately 5:30 pm for dinner and rest for the night.

Day 4: Acclimatization + Glacier school – Refuge 4.800m

The day will begin 7:30 am. We will go to the glacier, where you will practice what you have learned the last few days, along with learning new skills, in preparation for the following day’s climb. We will return to the refuge at approximately 5:00 pm where we will have dinner and rest early.

Day 5: Summit of Cayambe (5,790m)

We will wake up very early, at 1:00 am, have breakfast and make our way to the Cayambe summit. It will take approximately 10 to 12 hours to make the ascent and descent. After we return to the refuge, we will have a hot lunch and drive back to Quito.

Details

Accommodation

Refugio Ruales-Oleas-Bergé (4,600m)

Meeting point

Quito

About the guide

Marcelo

4.00

(1)

Mountain Guide

Marcelo was born into hiking boots in Riobamba, a small city in the Andean Region of Ecuador. At the age of 10, he was already racing up and down the mountains and was allowed to accompany his father as he guided tourists. Since childhood he loved climbing the mountains. He has climbed all the peaks in the Ecuadorian Andean countless times.

In 1999, he moved to Germany for five years and, apart from learning German, he also found time to climb and hike in the Alps. He climbed Grossglockner and Mont Blanc, among many other peaks. He graduated as Mountain Guide at the ASEGUIM in Ecuador. He is a loyal member of the German Alpine club Section Cologne DAV.

In 2004 he returned from Germany to work in his father’s mountain tour company ANDESTREK EXPEDITIONS, where he led countless successful expeditions in the Ecuadorian Andes. In 2015 he and his German wife started their own Tour Company MAPUDI TRAVEL & TOURS which has been in operation since.

He studied 2 years at the university and obtained the degree of NATIONAL TOURIST GUIDE and received his NATIONAL GUIDE CERTIFICATION from the ECUADORIAN MINISTRY OF TOURISM. After that he continued studying for 4 more years and obtained the degree of BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION OF HOTELS AND TOURIST OPERATIONS. He manages 2 Bed & Breakfasts, one in Quito and the other in Baños. These serve as a Base Camp for the Expeditions in Ecuador.

He has more than 30 years of experience climbing mountains. These experiences prepared him to guide routes all around the world. He became a UIAGM/IFMGA/IVBV Mountain guide at the year of 2017 and since 2020 has been guiding tours during the summer into the east and west Alps and during the winter tours in Ecuador. He speaks fluent German, English and some Italian and French. He works together with certified guides by ASEGUIM and UIAGM.

Languages

Spanish | German | English

Certificates

ASEGUIM | UIAGM | IFMGA

Residence

Ecuador

What people are saying about this trip

Wayne Herzog

4.00

February, 2023

My guide Marcello was/is an outstanding teacher. He showed great patience and attention to me as I struggled to gain understanding of safety procedures, knots, rescue techniques etc. During the climb he was always alert to the surrounding conditions and to my physical stamina. Marcello motivated me to climb much higher than I would have been able to do without his support. The single drawback to the training ,in my opinion, would be the use of a mountain cabin for the early days of training. The cabin was unfinished, covered with cement dust from top to bottom and without basic sanitary supports (no bathroom, no toilet paper provided, no running water). The location offered good space for a mountaineering training course but was not as comfortable as the original option of the “Refugio” at the base of the mountain. Marcello did give us the information on the change in advance but without seeing either facility the choice was a blind one. I would recommend Marcelo as a guide in the future and would gladly climb with him again. As with all adventures in Ecuador the language and cultural barriers can be a large part of any misunderstandings. I felt Marcelo worked very hard at making things clear and at the same time I know there were times that information passed back and forth came out inaccurate (that just happens).