climbing Chimborazo

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Busdriver
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climbing Chimborazo

Post by Busdriver »

The guides services in Ecuador use crampons- but is there any reason why micro spikes aren't as good or better. To my understanding, AND I HAVE NOT CLIMBED IT- going in July , there's lots of firm snow but not ice. Thanks
curt86iroc
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Re: climbing Chimborazo

Post by curt86iroc »

you may be underestimating how "firm" snow can be. micro spikes will do nothing in pencil/knife hard snow...
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susanjoypaul
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Re: climbing Chimborazo

Post by susanjoypaul »

When we attempted Chimborazo in June 2009, we ran into ice, firm snow, and fresh snow so soft, deep, and steep that we had to turn around on the Veintimilla summit (around 20,500 feet). I wear microspikes and exospikes a lot up high this time of year, but I would not have been happy wearing them up there. Get yourself some good mountaineering crampons.
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Scott P
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Re: climbing Chimborazo

Post by Scott P »

Busdriver wrote: Mon May 24, 2021 4:54 pm The guides services in Ecuador use crampons- but is there any reason why micro spikes aren't as good or better. To my understanding, AND I HAVE NOT CLIMBED IT- going in July , there's lots of firm snow but not ice. Thanks
It depends on how icy the conditions were, but when I climbed in in 2007 the conditions were very icy, partially due to the eruption of Tungaragua and partially because the weather had been dry.

If the weather has been dry, it's going to be icy. Always bring crampons on glaciers and/or ice routes.
I'm old, slow and fat. Unfortunately, those are my good qualities.
Busdriver
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Re: climbing Chimborazo

Post by Busdriver »

That you all for your perspectives- crampons it is- at least in my pack.
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Stevepatles
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Re: climbing Chimborazo

Post by Stevepatles »

Did you end up going? How was it? What guide service did you use?
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Jorts
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Re: climbing Chimborazo

Post by Jorts »

Climbed it in Feb 2013 and encountered ice down low getting on to the glacial snowfield as well as on the castle area (the names escaping me). It’s kind of a walk up but those 2 areas I was glad I had crampons on. I doubt the required guide service we used would have let us climb without crampons.
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rleclair
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Re: climbing Chimborazo

Post by rleclair »

Climbed it January 2019 and crampons were needed. Snow, ice, the normal stuff...microspikes would have been worthless.
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