Today I leave for Quito, Ecuador with my brother Levi and his wife Georgia, their two little girls, my cousin Madi, and our good friends Matt and Kayla. This is a trip that I’ve had planned in the back of my mind for quite some time, and it is exciting to have it finally come to fruition, especially with the addition of unexpected friends and family members! My purpose for this trip is a summit attempt of Chimborazo, but the bonus of being able to spend quality time with friends and family during the trip while seeing a new country will be an added blessing.
The Peak
Chimborazo is the tallest peak in Ecuador and rises to a stunning 20,548’ above sea level. It has been a bucket list item of mine to summit a peak over 20,000’ and it is exciting to finally attempt that during this trip. Although Everest is the earth’s highest peak as measured from sea level (29,030′), Chimborazo has the unique status of the highest protruding point from earth’s core, as its location on the equatorial bulge gives it extra distance into the stratosphere. It is perhaps a silly way of measuring things but it’s a fun stat and deep down I’m excited at the prospect of potentially standing on the closest possible point to the moon from earth.
The Climb
The route is fairly non-technical but requires glacial travel with ice ax and crampons, and the high altitude will likely be our greatest challenge. I’ve had experience climbing at high altitude before, both in Mexico (a summit of Pico de Orizaba at 18,500’) and Nepal (Everest base camp at 17,500’), and although successful in both attempts, did not acclimatize properly and suffered physically because of it. Dizziness, vomiting, and hallucinations are a quick way to put a damper on a trip and I am looking forward to a more thought-out acclimatization process for this summit attempt! You can read about my summit of Orizaba here:
Matt, Levi, and I will hike up to base camp (15,000’) the afternoon before our summit attempt and then with an alpine start at midnight, hopefully make the summit in time for sunrise. A lone volcano rising above the valley floor, the prominence of the peak is significant. Towering a majestic 13,500′ above the villages below, the sunrise can cast a giant pyramid shaped shadow across the valley. My experience of this phenomena on top of Orizaba in Mexico was incredible and I am praying that weather and conditions allow us to experience something similar atop of Chimborazo!
Some Goals:
Travel is something that can easily turn into a sort of wandering aimless adventure, and although maybe still fun and enjoyable, I have found over the years that the more purpose and structure you can ascribe to these trips the more that you can ultimately get out of them and the more beneficial they can be long term. These are the five things I’m looking to focus on during this trip:
1. Writing
I’ll be doing my best to write frequently for the duration of this trip, both with updates on the trip itself, as well as some thoughts on traveling in general and how I am attempting to manage my business while out of the country.
2. Business Management
In the past I’ve embarked on out of country trips and left the business with fingers crossed and prayers that when I got back I’d be able to salvage whatever problems arose in my absence. This time around there are operating procedures in place, employees manning their stations, and Lord willing the business will continue to thrive in my absence. Such a better position to be in! This will be a great opportunity to fine tune operating procedures and to practice timely delegation and company planning.
3. Time with Friends and Family
The bulk of my traveling in the past has been alone, and I am looking forward to the time spent together with companions this time in Ecuador. Especially excited for time spent with my little nieces in such a different environment! Praying that these memories will be cherished and impactful for many years to come.
4. Doing Something Hard
Summiting Chimborazo will be no easy task and attempting it alongside my brother Levi and friend Matt will be an exciting experience and opportunity to test our limits and stamina.
5. Capturing the Experience
One of my larger resolutions for 2021 was to pursue more creative projects, and although I haven’t done as much as I had hoped for, it’s been fun learning more about photography, videography, and editing. This trip will be a good opportunity to finish the year strong and I hope to get some quality videos documenting the trip and the climb.
