El ascenso del Cotopaxi En 1999 mi esposa y yo vivamos en Quito, Ecuador, donde estudibamos espaol.

Aprendimos que el Cotopaxi, con 5,897 metros, es uno de los volcanes activos ms altos del mundo. Decidimos subirlo y contratamos un gua. Una semana despus manejamos hasta la base de la montaa y subimos a una cabaa situada a 4,800 metros. Temprano a la maana siguiente comenzamos nuestro ascenso llevando linternas, hachas para el hielo, garfios y sogas. Durante el ascenso caminbamos lentamente, pero an as fue difcil debido a la altura. Por fin llegamos a la cima. Disfrutamos de la vista panormica, observamos la caldera humeante, y despus descendimos hasta la cabaa. Estbamos muy cansados, pero nos sentamos muy satisfechos.

El ascenso del Cotopaxi Con 5,897 metros, el Cotopaxi es uno de los volcanes activos ms altos del mundo. Ubicado en los Andes del Ecuador, este pico perfectamente cnico atraviesa ahora un perodo relativamente tranquilo. Las volutas de vapor que ocasionalmente suben de su caldera son apenas un indicio de las constantes erupciones catastrficas del pasado reciente. Mi esposa y yo estudibamos espaol en Quito y con frecuencia podamos ver la cima desde el centro de la ciudad. Aprendimos que el ascenso no era demasiado tcnico y ambos estbamos en muy buenas condiciones fsicas. Contratamos a un servicio local de guas y fijamos una fecha. El servicio proporcionara el equipo, transporte, comida, y por supuesto un gua, que adems servira de conductor y cocinero. Saldramos manejando en la maana, subiramos caminando hasta una cabaa a 4,800 metros, nos acostaramos temprano y luego nos levantaramos a medianoche para comenzar la subida a la cima. Otras dos personas nos acompaaran. Manejando montaa arriba pasamos pequeos pueblos Quichua con sus cultivos de maz y papas y ocasionales grupos de ovejas, todo enmarcado por las cumbres nevadas. A pesar de la apariencia buclica, sabamos que si fallaban las cosechas, los habitantes del lugar pasaran hambre. Pensamos en el contraste entre estos pobres agricultores y nosotros, que poseemos tal exceso de reservas calricas que nos atrevemos a considerar una aventura tan rigurosa como ascender el Cotopaxi. Llegamos al final del camino y comenzamos a subir hacia la cabaa. El aire seco y cortante nos record la altura extrema. Al llegar a la cabaa, nuestro gua nos impartoi un cursillo rpido en el uso de garfios, hachas para hielo y amarres. Mientras practicbamos, l preparaba la cena. Nos acostamos inmediatamente despus de comer, y experimentamos perodos de respiracin lenta e irregular seguida de intervalos de jadeo rpido. Nuestros cuerpos intentaban aclimatarse a la altura. A medianoche nuestro gua nos despert. Mientras subamos laboriosamente en la oscuridad, la luz de nuestras linternas revelaba formaciones de hielo cambiantes y fantsticas. Por fin, el primer resplandor de la maana revel cumbres distantes e indicios de valles lejanos. Al llegar a la cima al amanecer, nos alternbamos observando la caldera y escudriando el panorama que se extenda ante nosotros. Al cabo de una hora debimos bajar, porque an a esta altura el sol tropical pronto comenzara a derretir la nieve y el hielo, creando condiciones peligrosas. En el camino de regreso a Quito estbamos demasiado cansados para hablar, al contrario del viaje de ida, cuando conversbamos en espaol con el gua. l an pareca fresco y alerta durante el largo viaje de regreso. Calculamos que, como oriundo de los Andes, no le afectaba la altura. No obstante, a pesar del cansancio, ya planebamos el prximo ascenso. Las cumbres de los Andes nos pedan regresar. 1. 2. 3. 4. Comprensin En qu pas sudamericano se encuentra el Cotopaxi? Desde qu capital sudamericana puede verse el Cotopaxi? A qu nivel est situada la cabaa? Por qu es difcil ascender el Cotopaxi?

Climbing Cotopaxi In 1999, my wife and I were living in Quito, Ecuador, studying Spanish. We learned that Cotapaxi, at 19,347 feet, is one of the highest active volcanos in the world. We decided to climb it, and hired a local guide. A week later, we drove to the base of the mountain and climbed to a hut, situated at 15,748 feet. Early next morning we began our climb using headlamps, ice axes, crampons and rope. The climb was mostly slow walking, but still difficult due to the high altitude. Eventually we reached the top. We enjoyed the panoramic view, looked into the steaming caldera, and then descended back to the hut. We were very tired, but felt a great sense of accomplishment. Climbing Cotopaxi At 19,347 feet, Cotopaxi is one of the highest active volcanoes in the world. Located in the Andes in Ecuador, this perfectly conical peak is now in a relatively quiet period. The occasional tendrils of steam rising from the caldera barely hint at the repeated cataclysmic eruptions of the recent past. My wife and I were studying Spanish in Quito and could often see the peak from the center of the city. We learned that the climb was not overly technical, and we were both in excellent physical condition. We contracted with a local guide service and set a date. The service was to provide the gear, transportation, food, and of course the guide, who would also be our driver and cook. We would drive up in the morning, hike to a hut at 15,748 feet, go to bed early, and then get up around midnight and begin the climb to the summit. Two other people were to join us. On the drive up, we passed small Quichua pueblos with their crops of corn and potatoes and an occasional grouping of sheep, all framed by towering snow-capped peaks. As bucolic as the setting appeared, we knew that if a crop failed these people would face certain hunger. We pondered the contrast between these subsistence farmers and ourselves, in possession of such a superabundance of caloric reserves that we could even consider such a strenuous adventure as climbing Cotopaxi. We arrived at the end of the road and began climbing towards the hut. The sharp dry air reminded us of the extreme altitude. Upon arriving at the hut, our guide gave us a crash course in the use of crampons, ice axes, and roping up. As we practiced, he prepared the meal. After eating we immediately went to bed, and experienced periods of slow irregular breathing followed by intervals of rapid panting, as our bodies strained to acclimate to the high altitude. At midnight, our guide roused us from our fitful sleep. Plodding uphill through the darkness, the light from our headlamps revealed fantastic, endlessly varying ice formations. As we climbed through the morning, the glow of dawn revealed distant high peaks and hints of the valleys far below. We reached the summit around dawn, and alternated between peering into the caldera and scanning the panorama that lay below us. After about an hour, it was time to head down, because even at this altitude the tropical sun would soon begin to melt the snow and ice, creating hazardous traveling conditions. On the drive back to Quito we were too tired to talk, the opposite of our trip up, when we chattered in Spanish with our guide. He still seemed fresh and alert during the long drive back. We theorized that as a native of the Andes, he was relatively unaffected by the altitude. But in spite of our weariness, we were already planning our next climb. The peaks of the Andes were already calling us back.