Volcan Pichincha Traverse

I've always wanted to explore the stunning Andes range. As a trail runner and climber, the allure of these towering mountains and volcanos has always drawn me in.

Volcán Pichincha is a majestic and active stratovolcano located in the Andean Cordillera of Ecuador. At 4,784 meters above sea level, it is the highest peak in the metropolitan area of Quito and a popular destination for hikers and mountain climbers. Volcán Pichincha with two highest summits, Guagua Pichincha and Rucu Pichincha. While Rucu Pichincha is often accessed directly from Quito by the teleferiqo, I took a different route and decided to traverse from Guagua to Rucu through the range.

Getting to Guagua Pichincha took some logistical planning. The journey started at a Refugio, located high in the mountains. I was picked up by Kleber and his wife at 5:30am, and we set to go the Refugio. They expertly navigated their 4x4 to take us almost 15,000 feet into the heart of the Andes. Certianly the highest point I've been by car!

As we got higher up, the summit of Guaga Pichincha was completely covered by clouds. I kept feeling unpreapred as I was in my running gear, not what I typically find appropriate to be at 4700m+. Once we got to the Refugo, I was asked to register and said my goodbyes to Kleber and his Wife. Before I changed my mind, I started running.

The first peak was Guaga Pichincha, which was completely covered by clouds, and frost. I kept getting hit by intense winds, but it wasn't too cold. The summit being completely cloud covered showed no views, but that didn't deter me.

I kept going to the next three peaks, and as the day progressed, the clouds began to clear, revealing breathtaking views of the surrounding trails and peaks. The scenery was simply glorious, and I was in awe of the natural beauty that surrounded me. Along the way to Rucu, I was able to summit two peaks, including Padre Encantado, Ladrillos.

After Ladrillos, I had a pretty big climb to get to the saddle to reach Rucu. It was quite slow with the elevation. At the summit, I met a few other groups, who had hiked up to Rucu from the cable car. I had a quick snack, and began my run down.

There were lots of people on the way down, mostly attempting to hike up to Rucu. Finaly, I reached the teleferiqo, bought my one way down ticket, and reached down to quito. The perfect conclusion to this unforgettable journey.

For anyone looking to explore the Andes, I would highly recommend this route. The combination of challenging terrain and breathtaking scenery will provide a true introduction to the magic of high-altitude adventure.