El Altar

Italian Camp

This is by far my favorite trek I have done in Ecuador thus far. This 3 day/2 night trek begins in Sangay National Park near Riobamba, about a 4 hour drive south of Quito. Here we met our guide for the trek and gave our gear to the mules, which would carry our gear to camp. We began our trek at 10:30am, trekking through muddy grasslands for 4 miles with nearly 3,000ft of gain. Less than 4 hours later we arrived at the Italian Camp where we set up our tents for the night. Rain boots were an absolute must for this hike! It was VERY muddy! When we arrived at camp, the clouds enveloped us. We quickly set up our tents and climbed inside just in time for a hail producing thunderstorm. We emerged two hours later to clear skies and the first view of El Altar. From camp, you are provided 360 degree views of volcanos: Chimborazo, El Altar, and Sangay. The views are truly spectacular!

Sleeping at 14,000ft. is not for the faint at heart. It was COLD! I was wearing 3 upper layers, a base layer, down jacket, and outer jacket, two pairs of pants, two pairs of socks with hand warmers in between, and a hat inside my 20 degree sleeping bag and I managed through the night. The ground was covered in frost when I awoke for sunrise. Luckily, I was greeted with clear skies and a beautiful sunrise showing off the snowcapped Chimborazo and the ever-active Sangay emitting volcanic ash in into the orange-hued sky.

On Day 2 we spent the day exploring. We trekked to Laguna Negra Pagcha beneath the towering Obsipo Peak. This loop was approximately 4.25 miles with 1,500ft of gain. This area is so rugged that there rarely was a trail as we followed our guide around the Laguna. The lake was stunningly blue and frigidly cold. We marveled at Osbispo, one of the most technical ascents in Ecuador, as we viewed the tracks of a climber from earlier that morning making a summit attempt.

If you plan to do this trek then I suggest that you should be experienced with backpacking and come prepared for cold weather! Expect your experience to be rustic. You will be sitting and eating on the ground. The food that was provided by the company I went with left much to be desired. Expect simple dishes cooked over a camp stove. Dinner consisted of ramen or noodles with canned tuna. Luckily we had hot tea, but no coffee. So come prepared based on your own dietary needs or wants. Additionally, there are no toilets, so come prepared with a shovel and bury any human waste at least 6 inches in the ground and of course pack out what you bring in, including any toilet paper.