The Illinizas are a pair of
volcanic mountains that are located in the north of
Latacunga,
Cotopaxi,
Ecuador
Ecuador ( ; ; Quechuan languages, Quechua: ''Ikwayur''; Shuar language, Shuar: ''Ecuador'' or ''Ekuatur''), officially the Republic of Ecuador ( es, República del Ecuador, which literally translates as "Republic of the Equator"; Quechuan ...
. They are located in the Illinizas Ecological Reserve ( es, Reserva Ecológica Los Illinizas). These twin mountains are separated by a
saddle
The saddle is a supportive structure for a rider of an animal, fastened to an animal's back by a girth. The most common type is equestrian. However, specialized saddles have been created for oxen, camels and other animals. It is not kn ...
that is about a kilometer long. The peaks are among the highest in Ecuador, with Illiniza Sur standing slightly taller than Illiniza Norte, its northern counterpart, at 5245 metres and 5126 metres respectively.
Most guidebooks (for example, ''Lonely Planet Ecuador, Ecuador: A Climbing Guide'') spell the mountain with only one "l" as in ''Iliniza''. The name Illinizas is derived from the
Kunza words for "masculine hill."
Whilst Illiniza Sur (the southern peak) is a more difficult climb due to its
glacial
A glacial period (alternatively glacial or glaciation) is an interval of time (thousands of years) within an ice age that is marked by colder temperatures and glacier advances. Interglacials, on the other hand, are periods of warmer climate betwe ...
nature, Illiniza Norte requires some climbing expertise,
and may be climbed as a
trekking peak. A guide is still recommended, however, as the path becomes hard to navigate as it approaches the summit.
The Illinizas are excellent mountains for
acclimatization to altitude, and are frequently used as a preparatory climb to higher peaks such as
Cotopaxi,
Chimborazo
Chimborazo () is a currently inactive stratovolcano in the Cordillera Occidental range of the Andes. Its last known eruption is believed to have occurred around 550 A.D.
Chimborazo's summit is the farthest point on the Earth's surface from the ...
and
Cayambe.
There is a rustic refuge located between the north and south peaks. It can be reached in one hour by car from El Chaupi, followed by a three-hour climb. The refuge has gas stoves, pots and pans and bunk beds. It is necessary to bring warm sleeping bags and food, but water is available to be boiled.
The Englishman
Edward Whymper
Edward Whymper FRSE (27 April 184016 September 1911) was an English mountaineer, explorer, illustrator, and author best known for the first ascent of the Matterhorn in 1865. Four members of his climbing party were killed during the descent. W ...
tried and failed twice to make the first ascent of Iliniza Sur. It was climbed for the first time in 1880 by his two Italian guides
Jean-Antoine Carrel and Louis Carrel. The first ascent of Iliniza Norte was made in 1912 by the Ecuadorians Nicolás Martínez and Alejandro Villavicencio.
[Rachowiecki, Rob, et al. ''Climbing & Hiking in Ecuador''. 4th ed., Bradt, 1997, p.103.]
See also
*
List of volcanoes in Ecuador
A ''list'' is any set of items in a row. List or lists may also refer to:
People
* List (surname)
Organizations
* List College, an undergraduate division of the Jewish Theological Seminary of America
* SC Germania List, German rugby union ...
References
External links
Climbing Trip Report
{{Authority control
Stratovolcanoes of Ecuador
Andean Volcanic Belt
Subduction volcanoes
Potentially active volcanoes
Holocene stratovolcanoes
Quaternary South America
Five-thousanders of the Andes