The team are doing a stellar job in Ecuador.

Yesterday they covered cramponing on hard ice using various techniques for steep bare ice and set up belays using ice screws on the lower slopes of Cotopaxi. Crowd favourite was their self arrest training and sliding on the snow (which they were lucky to find in current conditions).

The team is moving very well at altitude and in various conditions. They tagged 16,400ft which is the highest they’ve been on the expedition thus far, moving as a rope team through the glaciers.

With the summit climbing route on Cotopaxi still closed due to volcanic activity, the team have pivoted plan and today they are driving to the trailhead of Los Illinizas where they will use a mule team to move some of their heavier gear up to the mountain hut and have dinner and sleep. The next day, they may split up with part of the team heading to Illiniza Norte to do more high altitude hiking/scrambling and the folks who really loved the ice portion of training will head to climb Illiniza Sur which is a steep glacier involving a short low angle ice climbing section.

Then it is onward to Cayambe!

All well in Ecuador.

Cheers
CTSS Team