Ecuador is the best place to learn the fundamentals of High Altitude Mountaineering on the planet.
We guide more Ecuador expeditions than any other country throughout the year; we know it like the back of our hand. Ecuador is the first place that our founder, Adrian Ballinger, climbed, and its been our favorite country to climb in ever since. The access to 5,000 and 6,000m peaks in Ecuador is unparalleled, and the incredible lodging and infrastructure at each mountain makes the expedition the best of both worlds – adventure and vacation. From our Ecuador Climbing School to a Rapid Ascent of Cotopaxi, our Ecuador expeditions are our most popular trips.
Alpenglow’s guides have been climbing and guiding in Ecuador since 1994. They believe it is an unparalleled destination for learning the essential skills of high-altitude climbing. On this expedition we will focus on education, building technical skills, and gaining mountaineering experience during an attempt to summit Cayambe, the third tallest peak in Ecuador. There is an optional 7-day extension that adds on Cotopaxi (19,347′) and Chimborazo (20,564′). This is our most popular international expedition, and the perfect place to start high altitude mountaineering.
Cotopaxi is one of the world’s highest active volcanoes, topping out at 19,347 feet (5,897 meters). It’s heavily glaciated, remote, and yet easily accessible to climbers. It serves as the ideal peak to learn and practice skills essential for high altitude climbing — in the time span of a long weekend. We utilize our Rapid Ascent™ Approach so that you fit in a full value mountain experience without needing to take too much time away from family and work. This trip is perfect for someone who has been above 16,000′ and is wanting to climb a glaciated peak or for the experienced mountaineer looking for a quick hit 5,000m peak.
Ready to take your skiing to the next level? Our high altitude guides are also big mountain ski mountaineers. The combination of their expertise and high-end logistics that have been a priority of Alpenglow’s for over a decade, has us uniquely positioned as the first guide service to offer international, high altitude ski expeditions. We created this program as a perfect segue for backcountry skiers looking to gain the skills that will enable them to ski higher and more technical mountains. We’ll first climb and ski Cayambe (18,997′), then move onto Cotopaxi and Chimborazo during the extension. The only thing better than climbing volcanoes in Ecuador is skiing down them.
Climb technical routes on the high peaks of Ecuador on this all-female expedition in Ecuador. This expedition is led by Carla Perez, the first South American female to summit Everest and K2 without oxygen. The team starts out climbing in the storied “El Altar”, before heading to Chimborazo to complete the “Integral de Chimborazo”; a complete traverse of all of the summits of Chimborazo. This is an excellent opportunity to climb big, beautiful mountains as part of an all-female crusher team.
