Corazón (volcano)

Corazón

The Corazón (Spanish for heart ) is a 4790 m high, easily climbed, no longer active, eroded stratovolcano in Ecuador, on the western slope of the Andes is located about 30 km southwest of Quito on the Western Cordillera. It is located just north of the summit of Illiniza, the southern Iliniza Sur and northern Iliniza Norte.

Akklimatisierungsberg

The Corazón is a frequently visited Akklimatisierungsvulkan for climbers, the greater challenges, such as the ascent of the two highest mountains in the country, Cotopaxi ( 5,897 meters) and Chimborazo ( 6,267 meters), plan. However, it must be reckoned with strong winds and frequent cloud cover. For first hikes to acclimatize it is more suitable to the lower summit of Corazón at an altitude of about 4,500 meters or lower volcanoes such as the Pasochoa at (4200 meters).

Name

The volcano Corazón (also El Corazón - The Heart ) therefore its naming, as two sides of its summit from the northwest from a distance considered forming a heart.

Rise

The Corazón is easy to reach from Quito. At a very early departure by jeep it is even possible as a day trip. There are two routes, one begins above the village Aloag the other will take over El Chaupi. Depending on the starting point is needed for the approximately 1,000 meters about 6 hours for the ascent to the summit and 3-4 hours for the descent. Initially, the trail leads through pastures and arable land, but soon the trail becomes increasingly rocky. However, only short, light rock passages to overcome. A cable is not required.

Special

Although many a visitor to the Corazón volcano can only certify a corpse similarity with the typical heart shape so falls definitely the distinctive shape of this single, dark rock pad of all the higher points of the area immediately apparent. Glacier or Firnbelag missing from the Corazón completely, now and then a light layer of snow covered the upper parts of the mountains, usually it is a pure rock climb. The peak offers a magnificent view of the mountains towering in cone shape, ice-covered " picture book volcano " Cotopaxi. Even closer to the twin peaks of Illinizas, also an ice volcano is situated at a height of about 5000 meters. At the north-eastern slopes of Corazón was found ruins from before the Conquest, but they are strongly overgrown and not yet fully explored.