This is Cotopaxi, the world's highest volcano at 19,348 feet. It took me three tries to make the summit, which I did last Sunday.

I had two guides assigned to me. One to push and the other to pull. This is our group the day before outside of the Lodge (refugio),

Here is Christian, one of the top guides. I made my hood to fit me perfectly. It served me well and got alot of laughs!

At the summit, I collapsed after near exhaustion! There was no joy in making the summit after such a huge effort.

The photographic evidence of me at the volcano's crater,

Th



The crater.

Everyday is sunny at the summit. these are the cloud tops making it cold and overcast in Quito, way below. Later on, during our descent, we got a near "white out." I was in the middle of our 3 man rope so I just followed the guide before me.

A great photo! But misleading. Most of the trail was up ice cliffs and snow banks and around glacier perils.

The ascent required exercion to the point of exchaustion. there was no joy in summiting at 19,348 feet I was mear nauseous and empty of all energy, I just laid down. After seven hours of climbing ice cliffs, snow banks and navigating the glacier perils, there was no emotion left for the summit. the trip down was just as bad. The hazards I had missed during the night climb were now before and beside me.. bottomless glacier pits, ice cliffs inches from our path, bottomless snow banks. Every step was steep and pounded the knees. at times rapalling was the only way back down. near the bottom I finally fell and twisted my knee such i could not carry by pack to the waiting bus. The next two days saw me in bed and day three and four on crutches. I had gotten much more than I had anticipated.
I had told the leader that i was old and needed to go slow. That this was my third and last attempt at Cotopaxis summit. His solution was to stick to his schedule and assign two healthy guides to me. One pulled and the other pushed me all the way up and then down the volcano. Even so, one did carry my pack from the refugio to the bus.
I{m still not back on my feet. Yellow eyes, last night terrible wretching, brown urine, gas and light headednesss. Blood pressure is 117 over 77. Monday I will go to the hospita. I do have a hospital plan here in Ecuador. Photos later.