Chimborazo 6310m - first attempt

Climbing the summit of Chimborazo, which I first saw in 2011, was our big goal in Ecuador. However, without a mountain guide this is impossible, so we booked an experienced guide for Sunday, 4.2., who should climb the summit with us.

I was already very excited days before: climbing a 6000m peak, being on the mountain for 12 to 14 hours, 1200 meters of elevation gain - and of course back down again - I had the utmost respect for that. But we definitely wanted to give it a try, because you don't have the chance every day to climb the highest mountain in the world (measured from the center of the earth)!

So the meeting point on Sunday was at 3:00 p.m. And that's when the misery started. Our trusted mountain guide (yes, at that moment he was still trusted...) arrived almost an hour late in true Ecuadorian fashion. For all those who are laughing now: yes, Johnny and I are not particularly known for being punctual - but when it really matters (like climbing a 6000m peak), we are on time and can read a clock! When the guide finally arrived at the meeting point, we had to realize that he had hitchhiked there - with two merchants who kindly gave him a ride and took us to our destination, Refugio Carrel at the foot of Chimborazo, for a few dollars. Sounds unprepared? It was! On the way, he had to buy our provisions (2 bottles of water per person, 6 Oreos and 1 cereal bar - for 14 hours of mountaineering?!? He must have been used to frugality, unlike us - fortunately, we had brought our own supplies!) and then we were also supposed to have dinner. When he informed us that we would now go to a restaurant on the way, it was already 5:30 p.m. - we had in mind that we would already start from the refuge to the summit at 10:00 p.m. and we were calculating how little sleep we would have. However, the mountain guide was as calm as can be - "ok, he knows what he's doing! It's his job after all." When we arrived at the refuge, it was already almost 7:00 p.m., we still had to try on our equipment: waterproof pants, mountaineering boots suitable for high-altitude climbing with appropriate crampons, gloves, ice axes, etc... At around 7:30 p.m., we finally lay down on the sagging mattress - all the other aspiring Chimborazo climbers were already sleeping there. The alarm clock was set for 10:00 p.m., one hour reprieve because we were running late...

After a few hours of sleep, we finally started our mission, after a little bread and coca tea for breakfast! I was super nervous and, on David's advice, sacrificed a few dried coca leaves to the mountain and asked it to be good to us :) Only a few stars could be seen in the dark night sky, but the rocks on the way were sparkling like gemstones in the light of our headlamps. After about an hour, the first two headlamps came towards us: another mountain guide had to turn back with his exhausted hiker. On the other hand, we were making good progress, shortness of breath and palpitations were limited and we were in very good spirits. After only two hours, we arrived at Base Camp, at an altitude of about 5300 meters, which is usually already covered with snow. Unfortunately, it was raining for us and in combination with the very cold wind, there was black ice on the rocks, which turned the last few meters to Base Camp into a dangerous slide. Finding Base Camp without snow and so heavily icy surprised our guide, who had assured us all day that the weather conditions would be very good. The next few meters were supposed to go over steep, bare rock - a key section and too great a risk under these conditions. Therefore, we decided to wait in a tent to see if the weather would improve. It was now about half past one in the morning, we drank some tea and waited. When the weather did not improve after almost an hour, but got worse, we made the very difficult decision to abort the tour and go back to the refuge. What a huge disappointment!!! After feeling so good and fit, the weather ruined our plans :/ So, with heavy hearts, we went back down - and that's when the misery really started: our mountain guide got lost in pouring rain, wind, and a starless night! Until 5 o'clock in the morning, we wandered around and tried to find the refuge - which we only succeeded in doing when we convinced the guide to follow Johannes' smartphone (thanks to Maps.Me!), (which may now sound like a product placement for Maps.Me is actually a product placement for Maps.Me!).

With heavy hearts, we finally arrived at the refuge at half past five in the morning and went back to bed. Shortly after, all the other climbers arrived one by one - unfortunately, none of them made it to the summit that day because of the very poor weather conditions....

For me, that's unfortunately it for Chimborazo (a mountain guide is really not cheap...). Johannes has not yet decided whether to make a second attempt.

It would have been nice, but unfortunately it wasn't meant to be....