Mountain climbing

Hi.  I've been to 4 glaciated peaks and around 11 lower peaks since moving to Ecuador. I plan to climb 3 more in the next three weekends.  There's plenty of options here for all experience levels.    Usually I go with a group in Quito. Throughout the year, they offer 3-month-long seasons that go to a different mountain each Sunday.  The season starts easy and progressively works up to one or two large, glaciated mountains.  He offers a day long glacier school the week before they go to a glaciated mountain.  Each climb is $30-40, which only covers guide and transportation, not lunch.  If you are interested, I can send you the director's email, and you can get on his weekly email list which includes the description of that week's climb.  He doesn't have a web site, and he speaks very little English. 

It's pretty easy to find signs advertising other groups/guides by just walking around La Marical Sucre area, near Plaza Foch. 

For mountains with glaciers, the price is usually around $150-$200, not counting gear rental.  Gear rental for everything you need on a glacier is like $40-50 per day. 

As for lessons, it depends on your goals.  If you just want to know how to safely get up and down a glacier, the guides usually teach people the day before a climb. Hundreds of people try Cotopaxi each year with zero previous experience.  If you want to get more advanced, then a school will have more to offer.  Another option would be once you find a guide you trust, hire him/her to teach you everything he/she knows. 

Let me know if you have any other questions.  -- John

John: Thanks loads -- that's very helpful. It sounds even easier to organize than it had appeared on the websites I've found (and also cheaper).

At forty bucks or so a climb, it would be not at all financially painful to try it out a few times on smaller peaks and see if it's as fun as seems likely (and if I can physically handle it), and then if so invest a bit more for the glaciated climbs when I feel ready for it.

Climbing once or twice a month with a group sounds like a good way to do it, if that would work with this group. I hope the group wouldn't mind having an old guy. (I'm 66).

Please send me the email (either here or a PM). I won't be arriving in Ecuador until near the end of the year, but I can start learning what's available now.

My Spanish is somewhere between limited and nonexistent, but I plan on getting it up to merely abysmal by the time I arrive.

Thanks again,
Bob

PS: You don't know anything about scuba, do you?

If you Google "scuba ecuador" you will find sites that describe some of the dive sites, list places that offer certification, places to stay, places offering tours to islands, etc.

I am a certified diver and plan to check it out when I get there.

Glad to help.   I'll send you his email.  I wouldn't worry about your age.  We have people of all ages in each group.  As long as you're in somewhat good shape and keep a positive attitude, there shouldn't be any problems. 

A good place to get your feet wet is climbing Rucu Pichincha.  It's the mountain that overlooks Quito and is very accessible from the city.  You don't need a guide or group to climb, but I wouldn't go alone.  I've been up there 7 or 8 times.  If you or anyone else reading this wants someone who knows the area to go with them to Rucu, I'm always up for going into the mountains. 

Sorry. I'd love to start scuba diving, but mountain climbing is already an expensive hobby.  Adding diving would break me.  I know I've seen a dive shop it Quito, but I can't remember where.  If I see it again, I'll get its information.

Mela1 wrote:

If you Google "scuba ecuador" you will find sites that describe some of the dive sites, list places that offer certification, places to stay, places offering tours to islands, etc.

I am a certified diver and plan to check it out when I get there.

Hi, Mela. I just completed my Open Water Diver certification.

I've been googling some of the sites and found a lot about Galapagos diving, but just a few mentions of other places (Machalilla mostly). I was looking for any local info (which I imagine you'd like too) about which places (other than Galapagos) might be best, or what the costs are.

Like you, I think I may just have to check it out when I get there.

Bob