Cotopaxi is a snowcovered active volcano. Not erupting right now, so no stories about struggeling across rock plates, floating on lava flows or clouds of noxious gases threatening my lungs. Still a treachous and steep climb through the snow fields and across the glaciers.

These are key elevations. The "Refugio" is the climbers lodge. At night 25 degrees for sleeping. I got to 5,350 meters altitude before turning around. Left the lodge at 12:30 and reversed progress five hours later. After five hours in subfreezing weather, on ice crampons and having put out maximum effort, I decided a wise man knows his limits. (I strive for self knowledge.)

The top of the photo is the summit of Cotopaxi. Th center bottom, small, is the lodge.

This is Hermin, my Ecuadorian guide.

The effort was before sunrise to avoid the snow and ice from going soft.

"Maybe this was another bad idea?"

One of many glaciers perils. This one was about 15 feet across. The pits are ice, nearly impossible to escape from without ice tools!