Normal Route: From the guard station at Laguna de Cuicocha take a sharp right up cobbled/dirt road. Follow this for approx. 13km to military post. A shortcut would be to follow the power lines but this is a bit steeper. Before you reach the military post (approx. 300 meters) at the hairpin curve you will see a trail that heads right up the grassy paramo ridge to the base of Cotocachi. Camping is best about an hour from this juncture. There is very little water on this route, so plan accordingly. The trail winds to the left (west) and then heads north towards the peak. Obvious stone cairns mark the way. We recommend a helmet for this climb as rockfall is frequent. Head up and look for a col on the southwest side of the peak. Drop down to yellow scree in basin and head up rock benches. Head up 10m of class 5 rock to summit ridge. From here follow knife-edged ridge to summit (about 40m) with 200m drops on either side. Bring rope and slings for the climb as abseiling down is your best bet. Allow 3-5 hours from military post to the summit. This mountain is often covered in clouds and frequently has poor weather.

Additional Routes: A more challenging (mostly because of poor rock) is to head northeast from base of mountain. Head for a small saddle and look for cairns which head for ridge. At the rock wall head up the 20m chimney to summit scree slope. Caution: most of this rock is rotten and makes for difficult holds.

Suggested Reading: Climbing and Hiking in Ecuador 4th Edition

Getting There: Take a bus from Quito to Otavalo. Once in Otavalo you can find small buses that leave regularly for the 30 minute drive to Quiroga. (You may also find some willing pick up trucks in Otavalo to take you all the way) From here you can hire a pick-up truck to take you to the Laguna. Note: some camionetas will take you all the way to the military post near the base of Cotocachi, others won't because of road conditions. Be sure to ask how "far" they will go. You can also arrange for these pick-up trucks to return the next day for your return. Rates vary on these trucks but you can expect to pay about $10 for the ride.

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Created by SAE member Tim Tadder, www.cotopaxi.com
Changes or updates? Please email ttadder@fcaq.k12.ec