Augusto Nicolás Martínez, Ambato 1860 - 1946.
Augusto Nicolás Martínez: Ecuadorian scientist, climber, farmer, researcher and educator, Ambato 1860 - 1946.
The Tungurahua was the most climbed summit by the ambateño Nicolas Martinez, scientist and father of the ecuadorian "andinismo". From his memoirs it's known that he climbed four times before 1900, it's known that at some of them he managed to reach the summit. Try again in 1910 along with R. Reimburg and P. Suzor, reaching the sector known as "the altars"; once again in 1911 with M. Palmers without success. Its most memorable ascent was on April 27, 1911, here the testimony of Nicolás Martínez:
This ascent was remarkable, because in it the first woman climbed to the summit of Tungurahua, and until now the only one who has reached that height: Mrs. Elisabet B. de Robalino accompanied by her husband, Mr. Luis Robalino Davila, and by Mr. Victor Elias Teran, Antonio Jose Holguin, Alfredo Coloma and myself. In the same way that when the ascension with Messrs. Suzor and Reimburg, near the altars, a heavy snowfall fell, which, as it lasted a short time, did not stop us from climbing until the peak "Luis A. Martínez" at two o'clock in the afternoon, after climbing from the Altars, opening steps in the hardened snow. I found something changed in the crater; then, to more than a noticeable increase in the volcanic activity, great landslides happened in the 5 years that I had not seen it, had made its inner aspect different from what it was before.
This time, the trip almost ends with a catastrophe; then, when descending the gigantic scale of snow, of elusive steps, the guide Amador Barros who went ahead, slipped sliding towards the abyss, with vertiginous rapidity; happily, he had the cool blood needed to nail the pick 50 meters down, and could stop when we thought he was lost. Meanwhile, those of us who descended back, stayed suspended on the frozen slope, as Barros slid down, destroying the steps, so that he himself had to climb again, opening others so that we could continue descending.
At sunset, already in the camp, we admire, and I for the first time, the "Specter of Broockes", another one of very peculiar and curious mirage: while the sun was hiding in the distant summits of Western mountain range, it seemed to leave on the East another enormous sun, but opaque, of a very dark blue color, and which also threw blue rays, which joined at the zenith with those of the true sun, forming a series of arches of surprising and very beautiful aspect. Nicolas G. Martinez, April 1911.