Climbing Cotopaxi: What does it take?

I've been rock climbing for a bit, and backpacking for longer, and I've started really wanting to do some legit summits. I have my heart set on Cotopaxi, but I get that it can take a while to build up the experience and physical ability to summit bigger things like that.
Unfortunately I don't know anyone who mountaineers, so I'm super lost on how to get started.
My only understanding right now is you bundle up because it's really cold up there, wear crampons and have an ice axe to navigate the sometimes steep snow, and follow the path because it's a fairly well traveled mountain. Apparently the route isn't so bad that you'd need to belay anyone, but a lot of people will rope up with their pals for the hike. Please tell me all the things I'm missing and/or the things I'm super wrong about!

Any tips on some appropriate, smaller goals that could help me get there?

Take a 4-5 day mountaineering course in the PNW, you'll learn all the skills needed.

http://www.alpineinstitute.com/catalog/alpinism-1-introduction-to-mountaineering/

You'll get off the plane at about 10,000' in Quito - a short drive and a hike can get you to the hut at 15,000 the very next day if you really wanted.  Then it's a day ( or mostly night) to the summit - the secret is to spend enough time acclimating that the altitude doesn't get you.   There's only one section I wouldn't call just steep walking in the snow.  Learn your crampons and ice axe work - rope up for the one section - get in great shape and Take Your time - you'll be fine.

I climbed Cotopaxi with a friend a couple summers ago for her 60th birthday.  I thought it was less technical than Rainier, at least in the conditions in which I did each one.  Good general fitness and appropriate aclimitization are needed.  My friend an I have run a few 5 and 10k races, and neither of us can do much better than 9.5 to 10 minute miles, so we're in decent shape, but not super athletes. We were there for almost a week doing hikes around Quito to 13k, 14k, and 15k feet to get used to altitude before attempting Cayambe.  We had to bail on that one at 17k feet due to poor visibility and generally shit weather.  Then we went to Cotopaxi and had much better weather.
If I were to do it again, I would focus less on the long training hikes that I did in preparation for that trip, and more on intense aerobic activities to build up aerobic capacity.  You need all the help you can get extracting O2 from that thin air.

I did it last January with two of my friends. None of us really had any mountaineering experience so we paid a guide for an 8 day "mountaineering course". This was great and we got a lot out of it. I recommend going guided and learning the ropes down there because it's a lot cheaper than taking a course in the states! I also recommend giving yourself a lot of time to acclimatize. Definitely plan for a 2 week trip down there..

Connor McCullough wrote: I did it last January with two of my friends. None of us really had any mountaineering experience so we paid a guide for an 8 day "mountaineering course". This was great and we got a lot out of it. I recommend going guided and learning the ropes down there because it's a lot cheaper than taking a course in the states! I also recommend giving yourself a lot of time to acclimatize. Definitely plan for a 2 week trip down there..

What company or guide did you use and how much did it cost? I'm looking at a similar class near Mt. Baker that runs $1500

‘Yer gonna die!’  

John Ryan wrote: ‘Yer gonna die!’  

"If there is no reason to believe that anything matters, then that doesn't matter either, and we can approach our absurd lives with irony instead of heroism or despair." - Thomas Nagel

I'll die on the mountain!

Hi Andre,

Cotopaxi is indeed a beautiful mountain, and I agree with KathyS on all counts: less technical than Rainier, and concentrate your conditioning on aerobic fitness.  It's a long day hike, certainly steep in parts and at high (to me) altitude.  You might try hiking a couple of 14ers in Colorado to learn how you react to altitude.  I see you're in North Carolina, so yes maybe it will feel cold, but it's not extreme compared to temperatures routinely experienced in winter across the northern US.

FYI, it is my understanding that climbing all high mountains in Ecuador requires a local guide.  

One of my sisters retired to Ecuador, and I've visited twice.  The first time I went, I arranged a program through Hosteria Papagayo.  They provided food and lodging, transportation, and guides for an acclimatization hike and climb, and then an attempt of Chimborazo that was thwarted by wind.  You can see pictures from that trip here.  I think some of the guide companies are actually brokers who connect you with a local guide rather than having guides on staff.  

Feeling slightly more self sufficient on my second trip, I made my own arrangements for lodging, did my own acclimatization (rented a room in a house in Quito within walking distance to the Teleferico and climbed Ruccu Pichincha) and hired Jaime Vargas directly for transportation and guide services.  You can read about some of those experiences (including my acclimatization scheme) here and here.  I haven't written up a story about climbing Cotopaxi, but you can see pictures here.  And for a second time, I was thwarted on Chimborazo, this time because of snow conditions.  

I think you should find a way to get your cold weather clothing system established for you, learn to adjust layers quickly to anticipate changes in heat output, wind, and temperature; and gain experience walking with crampons and ice axe.  Do lots of aerobic conditioning (here's a link to my program ; ) and if you're lucky with the weather and conditions, just keep putting one foot in front of the other until there's no more up.

Have Fun,
-Bob

Bob Chiang wrote:
Hi Andre,

Cotopaxi is indeed a beautiful mountain, and I agree with KathyS on all counts: less technical than Rainier, and concentrate your conditioning on aerobic fitness.  It's a long day hike, certainly steep in parts and at high (to me) altitude.  You might try hiking a couple of 14ers in Colorado to learn how you react to altitude.  I see you're in North Carolina, so yes maybe it will feel cold, but it's not extreme compared to temperatures routinely experienced in winter across the northern US.

FYI, it is my understanding that climbing all high mountains in Ecuador requires a local guide.  

One of my sisters retired to Ecuador, and I've visited twice.  The first time I went, I arranged a program through Hosteria Papagayo.  They provided food and lodging, transportation, and guides for an acclimatization hike and climb, and then an attempt of Chimborazo that was thwarted by wind.  You can see pictures from that trip here.  I think some of the guide companies are actually brokers who connect you with a local guide rather than having guides on staff.  

Feeling slightly more self sufficient on my second trip, I made my own arrangements for lodging, did my own acclimatization (rented a room in a house in Quito within walking distance to the Teleferico and climbed Ruccu Pichincha) and hired Jaime Vargas directly for transportation and guide services.  You can read about some of those experiences (including my acclimatization scheme) here and here.  I haven't written up a story about climbing Cotopaxi, but you can see pictures here.  And for a second time, I was thwarted on Chimborazo, this time because of snow conditions.  

I think you should find a way to get your cold weather clothing system established for you, learn to adjust layers quickly to anticipate changes in heat output, wind, and temperature; and gain experience walking with crampons and ice axe.  Do lots of aerobic conditioning (here's a link to my program ; ) and if you're lucky with the weather and conditions, just keep putting one foot in front of the other until there's no more up.

Have Fun,
-Bob

That's a gold mine of information, Bob!
Sadly the picture links are broken, it looks like they're only for your smugmug account. The training information and local beta are going to be invaluable, though, I'll definitely need to apply those ideas!

Thanks so much :)

Andre Chiquito wrote:

What company or guide did you use and how much did it cost? I'm looking at a similar class near Mt. Baker that runs $1500

Andre, check out Cumbre Tours. https://www.cumbretours.com/

Solid guide service I used.

When are you planning to go? I'm in upstate SC, and I have my eyes on Chimborazo this year.

Jared Chrysostom wrote: When are you planning to go? I'm in upstate SC, and I have my eyes on Chimborazo this year.

Really not sure, sadly. New to the whole mountaineering thing, have a full time job and studying. The biggest peak I've climbed is Mt Mitchell, so I've got a lot of unknowns to fill in before I start making big plans.

If you know your stuff and need a second, I'm a quick study and would LOVE to come along if you'll have me, though!! I've got the money, time, and inclination to go hard. PM me if you want to start planning something :)

Andre Chiquito wrote:

Really not sure, sadly. New to the whole mountaineering thing, have a full time job and studying. The biggest peak I've climbed is Mt Mitchell, so I've got a lot of unknowns to fill in before I start making big plans.

If you know your stuff and need a second, I'm a quick study and would LOVE to come along if you'll have me, though!! I've got the money, time, and inclination to go hard. PM me if you want to start planning something :)

I’m not qualified to be a mentor but I’m a solid partner. PM me your info and we can get out for a climb when getting out is OK again.