In December 2013 I skied Cotopaxi, undoubtedly the most famous volcano of Ecuador. This 5.897 meters high mountain is not the only volcano that can be skied around the equator though. With Cayambe, Antisana and Chimborazo this small country has a few other amazing challenges to offer. Together with Ale, the Italian mountain guide I had met in Peru, I went back 9 years later to see which of those big volcanoes I could tackle.
During my first ski trip to Peru I got a nice taste of what the Cordillera Blanca has to offer in terms of skiing. I also quickly realised how challenging the conditions can be. As is the case on many trips, the list of objectives I wanted to ski was longer when I returned than it was before the trip. So, in the end I had no choice but to go back and try again…
Morocco offers several options for skiing. If you’re looking for couloirs however, there is only one place. Refuge Tazaghart is surrounded by many narrow corridors, all pretty easily accessible. Couloir ouest de l’Adad was spotted when climbing couloir Occidental on the opposite side of the valley. It looked simply amazing and had to be skied. February 7, 2014, together with Jurriaan Huisman, I decided to give it a go.
Morocco offers several options for skiing. If you’re looking for couloirs however, there is only one place. Refuge Tazaghart is surrounded by many narrow corridors, all pretty easily accessible. One of the better couloirs in the area is Couloir Median which offers two variations. Looker’s right there is a very narrow couloir, nice and steep. I climbed and skied it on February 6, 2014, together with Jurriaan Huisman.
During a visit to Bolivia, I had met some climbers who recommended me to climb Cotopaxi. When I found out that skiing from the summit of this volcano is possible, my trip to Ecuador was a fact. In december 2013 I skied from 5897 meters down to 4800 meters. Find out more about my ski expedition to a big mountain somewhere on the equator…
