Ecuador Volcanoes December 2006 Expedition News

Ecuador Volcanoes 16 December 2006 Expedition News.

The Team Leader : Phil Coates

Ian Appleton

Hazel Davies

Annie Dawson

Geoffrey Holmes

Benjamin Kemp

Johnathon Merrit

Jill Pinkerton

Robert Power

Cath Riding

Alison Wilke

Chris Wright

02/01/07: The group have just sent word of summit success on Chimborazo (6310m), the highest summit in Ecuador. In the event Ben, Cath, Chuci (the local guide) and Phil all summited. However the top eluded them on Cotopaxi (5693m) where, in horrendous conditions and an increasing risk of wind slab avalanches, they were forced to turn back at around 5300m. A sensible decision which the ten other teams on the mountain also made. Everyone’s now safe and back in Quito having a well deserved rest.

27/12/06 – 10am GMT: The latest information from our leader Phil is that everyone is doing fine but unseasonably bad weather is making many of the ascents more demanding than usual. Chris, Robert, John, Ben & Alison all summited Cayambe on Christmas Eve which is the most technical of the summits on the itinerary. They had a day off for Christmas day and should have attempted Illinizas Norte (5116m) yesterday. At present they should all be at the Cotopaxi refuge preparing for their summit attempt tomorrow.

18/12/06 – 9am GMT: Well, the team are all together now and everything’s going well. Everyone seems to be coping fine with the big increase in altitude. Quito is at 2850m so they’ve had a couple of easy days while their bodies adjust but it’s off to the mountains tomorrow.

16/12/06 – 5pm GMT:The last members of the team flew out to Quito today. After having a couple of rest days to recover from the flight and a guided tour around Quito they will head for the hills on the 19th, starting with Fuya-Fuya (4200m).