Cayambe (volcano)
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Cayambe  |
|
|---|---|
| Elevation | 5,790 m (18,996 feet) |
| Location | Ecuador |
| Range | Andes |
| Coordinates | |
| Type | Compound volcano |
| Last eruption | 1786 |
| First ascent | 1880 by Edward Whymper |
| Easiest route | rock/snow climb |
- For other uses of Cayambe, see Cayambe (disambiguation page)
Cayambe (or Volcán Cayambe) is the name of a volcano located in the Cordillera Oriental, a branch of the Ecuadorian Andes. It is located in Pichincha province some 70 km (43 mi) northeast of Quito. It is the third highest mountain in Ecuador.
Cayambe, which has a permanent snow cap, is a Holocene compound volcano which has not erupted in historical times. At 4,690 m on its south slope is the highest point in the world crossed by the Equator and the only point on the Equator with snow cover (see, for example, Google Earth images). The volcano is located within the Cayambe-Coca Ecological Reserve.
The town of Cayambe takes its name from the volcano.
Cayambe was first scaled by British climber Edward Whymper and his two Italian guides and companions Juan Antonio and Luis Carrel in 1880, and is a favourite of mountain climbers today.
[edit] External links and references
- Cayambe, Instituto Geofísico de la Escuela Politécnica Nacional
- Cayambe: Etymology
- Photographs of the Andes
- Climbing Trip Report
