What is it - the highest volcano of Cotopaxi?

Few people know where the Cotopaxi volcano is on the map, but many have seen this brilliant handsome man in photographs and posters, as he is the "calling card" of Ecuador. The type is stratovolcano, with well-defined craters. Cotopaxi belongs to the mountain range of the Andes, stretching from the north along the Pacific coast of South America. The volcano is one of the peaks of the Cordillera Orietal ridge. The height of this volcano is 5911 meters above sea level. Solid, but still not enough to enter the top of the most grandiose peaks of the world. What is Cotopaxi so interesting for a tourist? You will find out if you read further.

Firebreathing Boar

Geographical coordinates of the volcano Cotopaxi are as follows: 0 ° 41'03 "south latitude and 78 ° 26'14" west longitude. That is, it is located almost at the equator. But despite the tropical heat, the top of the volcano is always frozen. It is too high for the equatorial sun to melt the mountain snow. The glistening peak gave the name of the volcano. Indians of the Quechua tribe called it Cotopaxi. In translation it means "Brilliant mountain". But this is by no means the highest peak of Ecuador. For example, the volcano Chimborazo rises above sea level to 6310 meters. So what is remarkable about the Cotopaxi? His taller brother has long fallen asleep forever. A Cotopaxi from time to time erupts from the vents the pillars of sulfur, which gives reason to scientists to say that this is the highest active volcano not only of Ecuador, but of the whole planet.

Famous conquerors of the summit

The shining mountain, from time to time turning into a belching abyss, attracted the attention of Europeans. The first attempt to climb its summit was undertaken by the German naturalist Alexander Humboldt and the French botanist Aime Bonplan. In 1802 they arrived in Quito to survey three volcanoes - Chimborazo, Cotopaxi and Pichincha. I did not manage everything I wanted. Only Pichinch remained entrenched. But also this research has brought its results: scientists have established that the relief of our planet is formed by processes that go deep in its depths. The volcano of Cotopaxi proved to be too strong a nut and for the two subsequent expeditions - Bussengo (in 1831) and Wagner (1858). Luck smiled only at Wilhelm Rice, who climbed to the summit on November 28, 1872. A year later, his feat was repeated by Stubel.

Blond, but very dangerous

The glacier, crowning the snow-white summit, creates the illusion of security. But the volcano of Cotopaxi is not dead, but just asleep. During the time when Europeans arrived in Latin America, it erupted more than fifty times. Sometimes these were innocent outbursts of water vapor, but there were times when the vagaries of the volcano led to human casualties. The largest were the eruptions of 1532, 1742, 1768, 1864, 1877 and 1940. Since then, the Cotopaxi has fallen asleep. The last eruption occurred in 1976 and was very insignificant. What is so dangerous Cotopaxi? In addition to lava, ash, volcanic bombs, the eruption leads to the immediate melting of glaciers. Huge masses of water are thrown from the slopes in the form of mudflows. It is they who lead to massive destruction and casualties.

What did the Cotopaxi volcano in history remember?

The eruption of 1768 was included in the annals as the most pernicious. In early April, a giant pole of steam and ash rose from the vents. This circumstance did not cause much commotion, but in vain. Already on April 4, the volcano began to eject sulfur, lava and pyroclastic materials. Magmatic activity gave rise to an earthquake that completely destroyed the nearby town of Latakunga and surrounding villages. In the capital of Ecuador, Quito was so dark in the daytime that people could not examine their palms, even if they were bringing them close to their face. But in the vicinity of the mountain no one needed artificial illumination: the volcano simply spewed out pillars of fire from its crater. The cannonade thundered like a cannon shot. And later the mud landslide completed the destruction of Latakunga. Products of the eruption were found in the Amazon basin and on the Pacific coast, that is, hundreds of kilometers from the place where the volcano Cotopaxi is located.

Is it dangerous to climb a mountain now?

As already mentioned, since the beginning of the twentieth century, the pronounced volcanic activity of the Cotopaha has ceased. The summit again shines with ice. The line of snows descends to a mark of 4,700 meters above sea level, so most of the way passes through the forest, where there are hummingbirds, pumas, deer, llamas. Such a wealth of fauna can not be surprised, because the volcano Cotopaxi and its surroundings are declared a reserve. Above is the belt of the tundra - mosses and lichens. And finally, eternal snow. The hiking trail is well marked, but it is still recommended to hire a professional conductor. Craters are of great interest. Like the old, larger (800 m), and the new, in the middle of the first, have an ideal round shape, as if they were drawn by the giant giant aliens.