It was September 4th around 11pm and I get my wake up call to gear up to begin my climb up one of the world’s most active volcanoes, Cotopaxi.
When the clock turned midnight, my guide and I began our climb from 15,960 ft to 19,347 ft on this glacier for a painful seven hours.
We were faced with harsh conditions, including temperatures at 10-25 degrees F that made any exposed skin vulnerable and wind gusts at 20-40 mph that would knock me down to my knees a couple feet away from sharp cliff drops.
As we crawled our way up the ice, the oxygen got thinner and thinner. All physical challenges turned into mental challenges as each step became more demanding.
With some final pushes of energy, I made it to the top of Cotopaxi. This is the highest point I have ever reached so it was a very personal feat for me. With pure emotion and sense of accomplishment, I proceeded to run and slide down the mountain to get back home.
4 ноя 2018
