El Corazon, Ecuador
Author
Trail stats
- Distance
- 8.51 mi
- Elevation gain
- 3,451 ft
- Technical difficulty
- Moderate
- Elevation loss
- 3,428 ft
- Max elevation
- 15,545 ft
- TrailRank
- 25
- Min elevation
- 12,142 ft
- Trail type
- Loop
- Moving time
- 3 hours 30 minutes
- Time
- 8 hours 32 minutes
- Coordinates
- 2415
- Uploaded
- March 10, 2018
- Recorded
- March 2018
near El Chaupi, Pichincha (Ecuador)
Viewed 1796 times, downloaded 51 times
Itinerary description
Getting there: It is very easy to get to El Corazon. Just take Simon Bolivar Highway south from Quito till just before the town of El Chaupi. The road to Corazon is a cobblestone and dirt road but it will not require a 4x4 vehicle. You can park your car at a farm with a white building. It is with a cost of $1 per person to park there. From the house, you will hike up the road for a little while until you come to a sign that marks the beginning of the trail.
The Hike: The first part of the trail is fairly easy with no steep hills and is all in the grass. The trail is fairly easy to follow and cuts through the thick paramo grass. The path will lead you up onto the ridge of Corazon where you will have to start scrambling over rocks. This is the difficult part of the hike as there are several false peaks that have to be scrambled over. Eventually though you will reach the top and it will all be worth it! When you are ready just descend following the same trail you took to go up. The climb is not particularly difficult compared to some other Ecuadorian volcanoes, but it could be difficult for someone new to climbing or someone who is not used to the altitude. The group I was with moved a little slow but everyone still made it to the top.
Gear: Simple hiking gear is sufficient. Make sure to pack several layers of clothes since it can be rather cold and windy on the ridge.
Overall thoughts: Corazon is the 5th mountain I have climbed here in Ecuador and is my favorite. On a clear day you can see the Cotopaxi, Antisana, and Los Ilinizas Volcanoes. It is a great hike for people who want to get into climbing some of the bigger and more difficult mountains in Ecuador.
The Hike: The first part of the trail is fairly easy with no steep hills and is all in the grass. The trail is fairly easy to follow and cuts through the thick paramo grass. The path will lead you up onto the ridge of Corazon where you will have to start scrambling over rocks. This is the difficult part of the hike as there are several false peaks that have to be scrambled over. Eventually though you will reach the top and it will all be worth it! When you are ready just descend following the same trail you took to go up. The climb is not particularly difficult compared to some other Ecuadorian volcanoes, but it could be difficult for someone new to climbing or someone who is not used to the altitude. The group I was with moved a little slow but everyone still made it to the top.
Gear: Simple hiking gear is sufficient. Make sure to pack several layers of clothes since it can be rather cold and windy on the ridge.
Overall thoughts: Corazon is the 5th mountain I have climbed here in Ecuador and is my favorite. On a clear day you can see the Cotopaxi, Antisana, and Los Ilinizas Volcanoes. It is a great hike for people who want to get into climbing some of the bigger and more difficult mountains in Ecuador.
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