Climbing The Equator
Page 24
In Ecuador the mountains are known as ‘Apus’ and every Ecuadorian acknowledges their history is all important, stretching way back to ancient times and they must always be respected. Some of the mountains have affectionate nicknames and are considered to have had emotions and feelings that have influenced their behaviour in the past, one to another and also to the Ecuadorians. Chimborazo has as his ‘wife’ the mountain of Tungurahua and when he discovered that she was having a love affair with El Altar he unleashed his full fury on them both and attacked their cones, causing them to break. Carihuairazo tried to mediate and for his pains Chimborazo also broke his cone. Chimborazo won’t allow anything of that kind to happen again and uses his great height to keep careful watch on Tungurahua, who every so often can’t contain her pent-up frustration and sends her fiery smoke billowing into the sky. Imbabura always had an eye for the young ‘girls’ but eventually decided to marry the nearby maiden mountain, Maria de las Nieves Cotocachi (Maria of the Snows of Cotocachi). They had a son, Yanaurco de Piñan who is still playing and growing next to his mother. Young Ecuadorian girls falling pregnant often would blame it on Imbabura as being the taita (the father). There are many more clandestine relationships between mountains but they want them kept secret and we must respect their wishes if we want to climb there again.
The heights of the highest mountains over 4,500 metres are listed although some of the smaller ones are just as interesting and many are based within the National Parks and Reserves, forming part of the natural habitats of those regions.
Location Metres Feet
Chimborazo 6,310 20,703
Cotopaxi 5,897 19,348
Cayambe 5,790 18,997
Antizana 5,752 18,891
El Altar 5,319 17,451
Iliniza South (Sur) 5,248 17,218
Sangay 5,230 17,159
Iliniza North (Norte) 5,126 16,818
Tungurahua 5,029 16,500
Carihuairazo 5,020 16,470
Cotacachi 4,944 16,220
Sincholagua 4,898 16,070
Quilindaña 4,877 16,000
Guagua Pichincha 4,794 15,729
El Corazon 4,788 15,709
Chiles 4,723 15,495
Rumiñahui 4,712 15,460
Quilimas 4,719 15,483
Soroche 4,694 15,400
Ruca Pichincha 4,698 15,413
Soroche 4,694 15,400
Sara Urco 4,675 15,340
Imbabura 4,630 15,190
Archipungo 4,629 15,186
Cerro Hermoso 4,571 14,997
Quispicacacha 4,537 14,884
BIBLIOGRAPHY
An Anthology of Modern Verse edited by A. Methuen. Published by Methuen & Methuen in 1921
Andes of Ecuador by Jorge Anhalzer. Published by Imprenta Mariscal in Quito in 2000
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Ecuador & Galapagos Insight Guide edited by Pam Barrett. Published by Apa Publications Gmbh & Co in Singapore in 1991
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www.summersdale.com
Hiding in the jungle
Huaorani girl bathing
Amazonas butterflies (the eyes have it)
Tribal warriors
Turtle frolics
River reflections
Amazonas walkway
Colorado tribesman and wife
Devil’s Nose Railway
Llama and friend
Inquisitive monkey
Volcanic crater lake of Laguna Quilota (3,854 metres)
Chimborazo (6,310 metres) and Carihuairazo (5,020 metres)
Silver cloud haloes around the Chimborazo summit
Pinnacle Rock (Bartolomé Island)
On top of Guagua Pichincha (4,794 metres)
At the Edward Whymper Refuge waiting to climb Chimborazo
Arriving back from Chimborazo
Pelican feeding young
Blue-footed booby and chick
Land iguanas
Waved albatrosses ‘dancing’
Galapagos snake
Brooding blue heron
Snuggling seals
Iguanas sunbathing
Sally-lightfoot crab
Boobies sky pointing