Chimborazo

After the successful Iliniza climb; some of the team still wanted to try Chimbo .. so with trepidation I decided to go along. We drove 4 hours south the next day (29 th), and stayed in an only rail depot that had been converted to a Hostel. Man the place was dank and cold. Then we hiked into the Edwards Whymper refuge on the flanks of the Theilman Glacier on the flanks of Chimbo. Man that place was disconcerting! There was grave stone after gravestone after gravestone of climbers who had died trying to climb that beast. Have to say that my heart was NOT into the climb. Anyway we left at midnight to try for a summit attempt and climbed for two hours through mixed rock and ice to the glacier; cramponed up and started up this 50 degree rotten ice slope trying to attain the ridge so that we would be above any potential rock and ice fall. Just before getting to the ridge (another two hours of climbing) a giant slap of snow and ice broke loose below us ... the whole mountain seemed to "crack". It scared all of us silly including our guides! They "suggested" that is would be too dangerous to go on ... I completely agreed .. and was very relieved to get off of that hill in one piece. Got back to the hut, slept for two hours and headed out for Quito .. where I am happily drinking Cervesa in the hotel lounge right now!

Climbers Graves at Whymper Hut, Chimborazo

Looming Giant

On the way home some enterprising Indian kids built a clever road block to stop cars and hold us for snacks and change .. had to admire their ingenuity. Hopefully I can get some more Iliniza pics uploaded tomorrow; along with the names of the team members, etc. 

Wild Llamas on flank of Chimbo

Highway Robbery!