Central Highlands - Adventure Guide to Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands - page 172

it will be good. For local excursions, advice and a good place to stay in
this region, see the Black Sheep Inn (page 179).
Chimborazo Volcano
Several of Chimborazo's peaks are over 19,600 feet high (20,633 feet
being the high point), and all are within the 147,630-acre
Chimborazo Faunal Reserve . The more modest Volcán
Carihuairazo , one of the 10 highest peaks in the country, lies just to
the northeast and is also visible fromthe highway. BothCarihuairazo
and Chimborazo are dormant and have been for some time. Although
there are no formal tourist services in the reserve, visiting
Chimborazo is not difficult. Most people go to climb, but there is
plenty of excellent hiking and multi-day trekking available within
the reserve. The habitat is open páramo , so it is convenient to just
park and hike. Day-trips are possible from Riobamba, either with a
guide or you can arrange transportation with a camioneta (near the
train station) to the first refuge. A nice hike is to the second refuge,
which takes under an hour.
There are two routes into the reserve. The Ambato-Guaranda Road,
the less traveled of the two, approaches from the north. An easier en-
tryway is from the south via the village of San Juan, several miles
west of Riobamba. A gravel road intersects both routes and leads to a
parking lot just below the climbers' refuge at 15,696 feet. From the
refuge there are a number of different routes to the summit, but all re-
quire solid ice-climbing experience, technical gear, and a guide.
Chimborazo is shrouded in clouds most of the year. The best time to
try the summit is June through September. Quality guides can be
hired in Quito, Ambato, or Riobamba (see pages 94-97, 174-75).
On Wheels
Mountain Biking
One activity that continues to gain popularity in
Cotopaxi National Park is mountain biking. Miles of
dirt roads, wide-open space and an absence of traffic make
this area perfect for the avid biker and shuttle-supported
novice alike. A favorite ride with travelers and local mountain biking
outfitters is to start at the parking lot below the climbers' refuge and
ride downhill, away from the summit. Note that, at this altitude, it is
not a ride you would want to be doing up toward the refuge. There
aren't a lot of single-track options available, but just pedaling
through such a surreal lunar landscape, as well as occasionally
brushing by a herd of wild horses, is an awesome experience.