During our stay in Ecuador we tried all sorts of activities – transfers, waterfalls, beaches, short trips and getting to know the local culture. However, we somehow never managed to get in a proper mountain trek. So the day before our flight we set ourselves the goal of summiting at least one local volcano.
Logically we pick something easy, without technical sections or complicated logistics. The choice falls on Pasochoa – an extinct volcano near Quito. According to guides online it is a popular destination especially suited for acclimatization before larger and higher ascents. It sounds tempting. Almost the perfect “warm-up”. A walk in the park.
Reality, however, as will soon show, is often a bit more varied than the brief descriptions in guidebooks suggest.
Pasochoa volcano
The Pasochoa volcano reaches approximately 4 200 m a.s.l. and is located in a protected area known especially for its exceptional vegetation. On its slopes montane cloud forest, dense Andean jungle, grassland zones and typical high-altitude páramo vegetation mix together. Because of this, the ascent is varied and interesting practically from the first meters.
Early morning
We set off early in the morning. By car we arrive at the camp Secret Garden Cotopaxi, where we want to park. Since we aren’t sure how parking works here, we leave the car on the roadside in front of the campsite property. Our only company here are the local llamas.
It takes us a while to find the right trailhead. After about twenty minutes of wandering we finally manage to join the correct route. Our altimeter shows 3 450 m a.s.l. and the ascent can begin.
Dense jungle and a steep climb
The start of the ascent leads through truly dense jungle. The trail is narrow and has a fairly brisk incline. The air barely moves here and the high humidity takes its toll. Even though it’s not exactly hot, we start sweating practically from the first minutes.
After about an hour the trail gradually winds out of the jungle into more open, grassy areas. To our right views open onto the opposite slope and a small waterfall in the valley. It is the dry season, though, so instead of a powerful stream it’s more a thin ribbon of water trickling over the rocks.
An easier section and first encounters
After another half hour the trail joins a wider path, probably once drivable by car. This part of the route leads almost to the saddle on the main ridge. Compared to the beginning it is significantly more comfortable and, thanks to the open terrain, a gentle breeze finally starts to dry us out.
The track gradually brings us up to about 3 850 m a.s.l.. Here it ends and a relatively narrow and steep trail branches off again, which continues directly to the ridge. It is in these spots that we meet the first people returning from the summit. Their direction is already the opposite – everyone we pass set off much earlier than we did.
The altitude makes itself felt
At these heights we begin to fully sense how much we’ve already climbed. Progress requires increasingly frequent breaks. At the places where the trail meets the ridge we therefore take a longer rest and hope that the next stretch will be easier.
Reality is different. We are at around 4 000 m a.s.l. and in the previous days we didn’t pay much attention to acclimatization. This mistake is starting to take its toll. We pause more and more often and morale isn’t helped by the fact that we meet other groups already returning from the summit.
We keep discussing whether to continue or turn back. In the end ego wins and we decide to go on. The first clouds do appear, but the wind blows them away each time, so the weather is still on our side.
Battle for the last meters
The final meters are literally unbearable. We stop slowly every thirty meters and even though the goal is already in sight, every step is a struggle.
You could say that on the way up we almost “died”, but in the end we make it and stand on the summit. We spend quite a bit of time here – the views are nice, the spot deserves a few drone shots and, last but not least, we allow ourselves a well-deserved rest.
Return
After a while we say goodbye to the summit and return along the same route. The way down is trouble-free and considerably more pleasant compared to the ascent – breaks are almost no longer necessary. We reach the car sooner than we expected.
Although several times during the ascent we doubted it, the hike ultimately succeeded. We can therefore say that in Ecuador we didn’t only laze around, but we also completed at least one proper ascent of a volcano. And although Pasochoa is rather “unobtrusive” in a country full of much higher peaks, for us it will remain a powerful and memorable experience.
Basic facts about the hike and the Pasochoa volcano
- Type: extinct volcano
- Location: south of Quito, Ecuador
- Summit elevation: approx. 4 200 m a.s.l.
- Trailhead elevation: approx. 3 450 m a.s.l.
- Elevation gain: approximately 750 m
- Ascent time: 3–4 hours (depending on pace and acclimatization)
- Descent time: 2–3 hours
- Difficulty: physically moderately demanding (due to altitude)
- Technical difficulty: low
- Terrain type: jungle, cloud forest, grassland zones, páramo
- Suitable for: acclimatization before higher ascents