It’s great to have a team back in the field!

After months of planning and working to create a safe climbing plan our Ecuador team left Quito today and headed into the mountains. Even a rainy forecast couldn’t dampen enthusiasm as the team started the acclimatization process by winding their way through the cloud forest to the rocky high alpine summit of Pasachoa (13,780ft, 4,201m).

The team was strong today and has just one more training day before they’re ready to tackle the first big objective of the trip, Cotopaxi. Tomorrow they’ll head out to the lower flanks of Cotopaxi to refresh the crampons, ice axe, and rope travel skills needed to climb glaciated volcanos. With any climbing skill, practice makes perfect, and this goes doubly for the basics!

Just look at those smiles!

Cheers,

CTSS Team