Description

The Guagua Pichincha, whose meaning would be “child” or “baby Pichincha”, is part of the Pichincha Massif, together with the Ruco Pichincha (4698m), Cerro Ladrillos and the Padre Encantado. The Pichinchas are especially visible from the south of Quito, sometimes with a layer of snow on their upper parts. The Guagua Pichincha Volcano has been active for many years, with eruptions that have been explosive and have caused large columns of ash which have risen kilometers high and have ended up causing abundant ash falls in the city of Quito, especially the eruption of 2001, whose image of the enormous explosive mushroom so far scares and causes admiration to the people in Quito. At present the volcanic activity is medium low, although there are some fumaroles inside the crater and their typical smell can be perceived from the edge of it. This caldera has the shape of a horseshoe open to the west, precisely on that side is exhausted most of the volcanic material expelled in the eruptions.

Elevation Table
PlaceElevation
Summit 14784m
Highest Summit4793m
Summit 24751m
Summit 34723m
Refuge4568m
Lloa3088m

Photos

Lloa

Lloa

Guagua Pichincha

Guagua Pichincha

Guagua Pichincha Crater

Guagua Pichincha Crater

Climbing and Hiking

Ecuventure LogoTour to Guagua Pichincha VolcanoPrivate tour$ 150,00
Ecuventure LogoTransportation to the Guagua PichinchaTransport$ 110,00

  1. Lloa to the refuge. Easy, 4 to 5 horas (one way).
  2. Climb to the Guagua Pichincha Summit
  3. Descent to the Guagua Pichincha crater
  4. Guagua Pichincha - Padre Encantado - Ruco Pichincha
  5. Guagua Pichincha Summit 2 hike
  6. Guagua Pichincha Summit 3 hike
  7. Trekking from Lloa to Mindo
  8. Yanacocha - Cerro Ladrillos - Guagua Pichincha Trail
  9. Click for more information

Flora

Ranunculus gusmanni

Ranunculus gusmanni

Bomarea hirsuta

Bomarea hirsuta

Chuquiraga jussieui

Chuquiraga jussieui

Monnina crassifolia

Monnina crassifolia

How to get

Western Cordillera; 12 kilometers in a straight line west of Quito.

  1. Normal Approach "Lloa": The road to LLoa is located at the south of Quito, La Mena 2 neighborhood, Angamarca street. From this place it's possible to take a bus to this town. And from Lloa it's possible to rent pickup taxi that sometimes arrive to the Guagua Pichincha Refuge. The road is paved and in good condition until Lloa, from there cobblestoned and ballasted, it's advisable to go in 4×4 vehicles, especially for the last part.

Central North SierraQuito