Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
least a few days in the highlands before attempting it. The trail leads
directly from the parking lot to the refuge and is straight-forward.
From the climbers' refuge the route to the summit of Cotopaxi is not
very technical for an experienced climber. It is a classic introduction
to climbing in the Andes and a bit of a social event for many people.
The hut is always loaded with enthusiastic travelers. However, some
technical gear and experience are required. At the least, novice climb-
ers should hire a guide to summit. Top-quality climbing outfitters in
Quito charge up to $180 for a guided overnight trip to the summit, in-
cluding transportation from Quito and all gear. Make sure you have
tried a few lower-altitude peaks first, and are well acclimatized be-
fore attempting Cotopaxi. December through April are the best
months for climbing here.
There are two routes from the Pan-American Highway into Cotopaxi.
The north entrance to the park is about 1½ hours south of Quito (and
about 10 miles south of the town of Machachi) via the Pan-American
Highway. You'll see a sign on the left next to aClirsenNASA sign, and
a road that leads through the Boliche National Recreation Area. This
route takes longer, depending on road conditions, but is more scenic.
The more obvious and accessible southern entrance is a few miles
farther along the Pan-American and is also marked with a sign that
heads east into the park. This entrance passes through the park's ad-
ministration center and also through a large stand of introduced pine
forest. The two entrance roads meet up in the center of the park a
short distance from Lago Limpiopungo. It takes several hours by car
from Quito just to arrive at Lago Limpiopungo, as the backcountry
roads are bumpy and dusty (or muddy during the rainy season).
Buses can drop you off at the entrance to the park (be sure the driver
knows where you want to be dropped off). From there, it is possible to
catch a ride with an incoming tourist vehicle or truck from
Latacunga. Mountaineers often find rides with
camionetas
in
Latacunga that take themall theway to the parking lot just below the
climbers' refuge on Cotopaxi.
You pay the US$10 entrance fee to Cotopaxi National Park at the
main entrance. There is also a small, and rather eerie, park museum
several miles beyond the main entrance gates, as well as an adminis-
tration building. A nice trail with posted natural history signs (to
practice your Spanish) also begins adjacent to the museum. Typical
hours are 8 am-4 pm, though the staff tends to take irregular and gen-
erally long lunch breaks somewhere in the middle of the day. Inquire
about sleeping arrangements, as there are a couple of primitive shel-
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