Description

Chimborazo Volcano (6268m) is located in the Chimborazo Province and is the highest mountain in Ecuador. Its main peaks are four: Veintimilla, Whymper (or Máxima), Politécnica and Nicolás Martínez. The first two are frequently climbed; On the other hand, the Politécnica and Nicolás Martínez summits are more difficult and have few ascents, especially Nicolás Martínez, which is the lowest and most difficult of all. There have been numerous explorers who have fought against these glaciers, named precisely in their name: Stübel, Thielmann, Humboldt and García Moreno, among others, and of course, the "Whymper" summit in honor of its first conqueror.

Chimborazo glaciers

Chimborazo was considered “the highest mountain in the world”, a qualification that probably had its origin in the first explorers who visited it, among them the famous Alexander von Humboldt. At that time little or nothing was known about the great mountains of the Himalayas and those located south of the Equator. It was this fame that proved an irresistible temptation to the English mountaineer Edward Whymper; who after conquering the Matterhorn, which was considered one of the last great peaks of the old continent, decided to join the Carrel brothers to go in search of new adventures in lands almost unknown to Europeans. This is how Edward Whymper together with the Carrel brothers were the first to ascend to the Chimborazo Summit; at a time when no one knew the reaction that the human body could have at those elevations. And well, they were not completely wrong about “the highest mountain in the world”, since in recent times it has been determined that the Chimborazo Summit is the furthest point from the center of the Earth, likewise, the “ closest to the Sun.”

Elevation Table
PlaceElevation
Whymper Summit6268m
Veintimilla Summit6214m
Politécnica Summit5820m
Nicolás Martínez Summit5570m
Carrel Refuge4855m
Whymper Refuge5035m
Access Control4370m
Urbina Train Station3622m

Photos

South face

South face

Way to the Veintimilla Summit

Way to the Veintimilla Summit

Whymper Summit

Whymper Summit

Climbing and Hiking

Ecuventure LogoChimborazo Summit in 2 days from RiobambaPrivate tour$ 330,00
Ecuventure LogoChimborazo Summit in 3 days from RiobambaPrivate tour$ 478,00

Starting at the Carrel Refuge:

  1. Hike from the Carrel Refuge to the Whymper Refuge. Easy, 30min - 1h (one way).
  2. Carrel Refuge - Templo Machay. Easy, 2h to 2h30 (one way).
  3. Templo Machay - Árbol Solitario Trek
  4. Climb to the Chimborazo Summit
  5. Bicycle downhill from the Carrel Refuge to the reserve entrance control
  6. Click for more information

Starting at the Whymper Refuge:

  1. Whymper Refuge - Condor Cocha Lagoon. Easy. 30min (one way).
  2. Whymper Refuge - Agujas de Whymper. Easy, 2 to 3h (one way).

Around the Chimborazo:

  1. Bosque de Polylepis Trail
  2. Trekking de Abraspungo Trail. Easy, 2 - 3 days.
  3. Climbing the Carihuairazo Summit
  4. Murallas Rojas hiking trail (old route to the Chimborazo Summit)
  5. La Ruta de los Hieleros hiking trail
  6. Rock climbing at the San Juan Canyon

Flora

Espeletia barclayana

Espeletia barclayana

Ageratina cutervensis

Ageratina cutervensis

Castilleja arvensis

Castilleja arvensis

Bidens andicola

Bidens andicola

How to get

Western Cordillera; 27 kilometers in a straight line to the northwest of Riobamba; 30 km southwest of Ambato; 150 km southwest of Quito. There are some ways to approach this mountain:

  1. Ambato Approach: Take in Ambato the E491 motorway towards Guaranda. This highway is paved. Approximately 64 kilometers away you should see the sign on the left that indicates the detour to Riobamba and the Chimborazo refuge. 10 km. additional following this asphalted road and it'll appear on the left the sign to the Chimborazo refuges. Right on this place is the access control to the "Reserva de Producción Faunística Chimborazo" protected area. The last section is ballasted and arrives after approximately 7.3km at the Carrel Refuge, it's normally possible to get there by any vehicle. In total 81.3km, 1h30min, from Ambato – Ficoa to the Carrel Refuge parking lot.
  2. Riobamba Approach: Take the E35 highway in Riobamba, which goes northwest towards the towns of Licán and Calpi, then the 492 highway until you pass the town of San Juan and take the detour to the right that leads to Ambato. From Riobamba there are approximately 18.2 km until this detour, and an additional 23 km per pavement to the "Reserva de Producción Faunística Chimborazo" access control. In total 41.2km to the Carrel Refuge parking lot.
  3. "Abraspungo" Approach:: This approach is used above all to ascend to the Carihuairazo. Also it has served in few occasions to ascend to the Chimborazo by its North face. Continue along the Ambato Guaranda until you come to the detour to the left that leads to the Carihuairazo refuge. Just ahead you can see the sign that indicates access to the Cunuyacu Community. If you have left Ambato, this detour will be 13.2 kilometers before reaching the detour to Riobamba and the refuges of Chimborazo.
  4. "Urbina" Approach: Starting from the old Urbina train station, you can find some 4×4 roads that lead to the eastern slope of the Chimborazo. This approach is rarely followed and used only to ascend the Nicolás Martínez summit. One of the best ways to approach the eastern face of Chimborazo, when coming from Quito, is to take the paved detour to the Urbina Train Station and continue until you find a sign to the right that indicates access to San Rafael de Chuquipogyo little town. Or simply, start the walk at the Urbina station.

AmbatoCentral South SierraChimborazo Wildlife Production ReserveRiobamba