Cotopaxi (5897m, 19,347ft)

Cotopaxi in the coulds.

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The day after climbing Iliniza N. my Cotopaxi guide Freddy picked me up at the hotel in Chaupi and we headed to the parking lot(4500m, 14,763ft) below the hut(4800m, 15,748ft) of Cotopaxi.  We climbed up to the hut had a small lunch and then went to the glacier to try out all the fun equipment, ice axe and crampons.  

Then we went back had some dinner and at around 7 I tried to go to bed.  This time I am not sure why, it could have been the altitude or just because it was too early to go to sleep, but again, I couldn't fall asleep.  I got up around 12:30, tried to eat some food, but totally wasn't hungry, and we started the climb around 1. 

I must say that I think it was one of the hardest climbs I have ever done. The lack of sleep and the altitude made it totally difficult.  I was like a zombie for the first few hours, just putting one foot in front of the other, not looking up, or thinking about anything (except wondering if I really wanted to go to the top).  

From the cotopaxi refuge

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When we started you could see Quito's lights in the perfectly clear sky, but as soon as sun started to come up the clouds rolled in and you couldn't see a thing.  I got to the top at around 7:30, and couldn't see anything, not even the crater.  After a little while the sky got blue, but I still couldn't really see anything.  

Even going back down was difficult, but after about 2 hours we made it back to the hut and I had some food, and recovered fast.  I won't be doing anything like that for a little while.