Where the Earth meets the Sky – my Ascent to Cotopaxi Volcano (5,897 m)
It all started with the first glimpse I caught of Cotopaxi Volcano, when I visited the surrounding National Park in December 2025. The sight of the volcano’s snow-capped, perfectly shaped cone, with its spectacular glacial formations and clouds of steam, awakened in me a desire to conquer Cotopaxi and stand atop Ecuador’s second-highest volcano.
Sometimes you just need to change your ALTITUDE!
And even though I had grown up in the middle of the Austrian Alps, surrounded by mountains – which I all climbed – I needed to acclimatize first to achieve my personal goal. You can’t compare Hocharn (3,254 m) in Salzburg Province – my highest peak so far – with Cotopaxi (5,897 m). Above 5000 m of altitude every step and every breath you take is twice as hard. So, I climbed other mountains first: Rucu Pichincha, Carihuairazo, Rumiñahui, Corazón and Iliniza Norte.
“The mountains are calling and I must go.” — John Muir
On Saturday, the 28th of March, the time had come! After spending 4 months in Ecuador, admiring Cotopaxi whenever the clouds revealed its breathtaking frozen crown, I finally set off to conquer its summit. My immediate preparation the night before: Going out with friends, bowling and dancing in the discotheque until midnight hahaha 😉
“When you want to go hiking but look like a migrant with all your stuff!”
The next day, in Machachi, I got to know my companions for the expedition and our guides Roberto and Isabel, who helped us prepare our equipment for glacier climbing (mountain boots, helmet, headlamp, crampons, harness and piolet). We must have looked like migrants with all the equipment stuffed in our backpacks and bags when we reached Jose Rivas Refuge, our base camp and accommodation for the overnight stay (not sure if you can call 2 hours of sleep overnight).
“Restless with anticipation”
After a delicious dinner, at 7 pm, we tried to go to bed and rest for the peak attack. But sleep was pretty much out of the question—it was too cold, there wasn’t enough room in the sleeping bag, and my mind was racing with excitement. Finally, at 11 pm it was time to get up and get ready, leaving the hut at midnight, under a clear sky full of stars.
“It’s not the mountain we conquer, but ourselves.” — Sir Edmund Hillary
A 5-hour climb was ahead of us. 5 hours of complete darkness, strong winds and freezing cold -a tip based on my own experience: bring at least 3 layers of jackets. 5 hours of complete silence, except for the crunch of our boots in the snow and occasional technical instructions. You’re alone with the thoughts in your mind. Who am I doing this for and why? For my followers on social media, to post the story. No just kidding! 😉
“Climb the mountain so you can see the world, not so the world can see you.”
— David McCullough Jr
I got the answer when we finally reached the peak at dawn, just when the sun was about to rise and illuminate the sea of fog far below us. The feeling of the first sunrays touching my face, warming my frozen blue lips, was indescribable. Looking down to the crater of an active volcano – spectacular. The smell of the volcanic gases – literally breathtaking. The relief of having arrived and achieved my personal goal – incredible!
“On life and peaks, it is the same. With strength we win the grail, but courage is the thing we need to face the downward trail.” — Jacob Clifford Moomaw
At some point, however, you’ll inevitably be snapped out of your heroic thoughts and realize that getting to the top is only half the battle. From above the clouds, we made our way down past magnificent cascades of icicles and amazing glacier formations. But despite the beauty of the surrounding landscapes, I couldn’t enjoy the hike, physically affected by the altitude, too tired from 2 nights without hardly any sleep, too exhausted from the climb.
“Getting to the top is optional. Getting down is mandatory.” — Ed Viesturs
Like a zombie I dragged myself along, a single thought pounding in my mind: “I have to get down to the valley.” Every step brought us closer and when we finally reached the parking area, I fell asleep in the car almost immediately. The rest of the whole day, I was unable to feel joy and went to bed at 6 p.m.
“I’m incredibly grateful for this experience, although I had never faced such a huge physical and mental challenge before.” — Martina Huber
It wasn’t until the next morning, after 12 hours of sleep, that I finally realized what I had accomplished. My joy knew no bounds! Because in the end, you won’t remember the time you spent working in an office or mowing the lawn. But I will definitely remember climbing Cotopaxi!
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