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Cotacachi's southeast face. The south ridge (normal route) is on the far left. Photo by Jason Spellberg

Bonus Peaks
These spectacular volcanoes are technically and logistically more challenging than those in the previous section, and can also be used for acclimatization.

Iliniza Sur (17,200 feet) is one of Ecuador's most beautiful mountains. Even by its easiest route—the northeast face—it is one of the more technically difficult peaks in Ecuador. With 1,700 vertical feet of glacier and steep snow climbing, this route is a classic Ecuadorian challenge. From the Iliniza hut, gain the lower portion of the glacier and hike over low-angled snow across the saddle separating the north peak from the south. Pass La Rampa, the awesome, rock-swept, serac-filled couloir that used to be the normal route on Iliniza Sur. Don't stay too long, as La Rampa is a notorious rock chute.

The current normal route starts well beyond La Rampa. Near the west end of the saddle, there is a 100-foot high mixed rock and ice pitch in a narrow 40-degree gully. Finding this gully is the key to gaining the northeast glacier. Much of this gully is coated in thin black ice over frozen mud, but the glacier above it is good, hard snow. The gully is easy to protect with a couple of stoppers or friends, but this probably won't be necessary. Crampons are usually sufficient for the ice and mud and the rock walls present solid hand holds. Climb out of the gully and proceed directly up the steeper upper glacier towards the summit. In late December 2002, the crux of the normal route was a 100-foot high vertical rib of hard, brittle ice that approached 60 degrees in steepness. This crux was about 200 vertical feet just above the mixed couloir. If you don't want to tackle this formidable and scary section, you can traverse around it farther to the right—this variation is no more than 45 degrees in steepness, and the terrain is much easier, but it will take you out of your way by as much as 30 minutes. Aside from the enormous crevasses and seracs you will bypass on the ascent, there may also be one final obstacle: a four-foot high snow mushroom just beneath the summit.

Route-finding can be somewhat challenging on Iliniza Sur, so be sure to carry a photo of the route, and, if possible, scout to the west end of the saddle the day before your climb to find the black-ice gully.

The Big Four
Let's face it—even with all the other great peaks this country has to offer, Ecuador's four highest volcanoes are the major draw for most mountaineers. Once you're properly acclimatized, they are guaranteed not to disappoint!

Antisana (18,900 feet) is Ecuador's fourth highest peak, and the most glaciated and difficult of the Big Four. It is arguably the most astonishing and spectacular mountain in Ecuador.

Unlike Ecuador's other big peaks, Antisana is extremely remote; there are no towns, farms, or settlements within an hour's drive of the base and there is no hut. What's more, the dirt roads are gnarly; only serious off-road vehicles can reach the base of Antisana. For all of these reasons, you are not likely to see other people on this mountain. While many climbers will welcome the solitude, remember that if something goes wrong, you'll be on your own. Regardless, Antisana is definitely worth going out of your way for. It offers 3,200 feet of awesome glacier climbing, almost twice as much as Iliniza Sur. Antisana's summit cone is an astonishing place—to walk among those gaping crevasses and gigantic towers of broken, jagged ice is truly an unforgettable experience.

Because Antisana has no hut, parties must bring their own shelter. Climbers attempting the west face direct route to Antisana's cumbre maxima (main summit)—the easiest route on the peak—will find plenty of good camping spots on the páramo at 14,800 feet. You could camp higher, near the start of the glacier at 15,600 feet, but this moraine is quite rocky and good campsites are hard to find. From camp, hike up the moraine on a vague trail system to reach the lower tongues of Antisana's western glacier. These tongues are low-angle, and will probably crack and pop as you trample over them. As you progress higher, the route gradually gains steepness, reaching about 45 degrees just below the fearsome summit block. Ascend to a broad ledge just below a steep, 150-foot mound of snow. The route finding is easy—up to this point. But before you celebrate, be aware that, from this ledge, you can't see the difficulties that lay ahead. All that is visible from here is the prominent 80-foot vertical ice wall that looms over the west face like a turret. What isn't visible until you reach the top of the snow mound (about 18,600 feet) is a huge depression of ice guarding the wall. This depression encircles essentially the entire summit cone like a moat. The problem with this moat is that it's filled with a wreckyard of crevasses and ice towers. Due to the inherent instability of these features, the route from this point up changes by the month, and is therefore impossible to describe. Usually, the easiest line to the summit is accessed on the north side of the peak, so a traverse through the moat can sometimes be found to the left. Unfortunately, this cannot be guaranteed. Certainly, there are occasions when only experienced technical ice climbers can make it through the obstacles in the moat. Most parties fumble around searching for a “reasonable” line, but fail to find one. As such, your chances of standing on Antisana's summit are much higher if you climb with a guide who has done the route recently.