By Joe Carberry
Dec 17, 2010
| Hi, I'm headed to Ecuador the day after Christmas for two weeks of climbing with a buddy.
Plan on a couple of warm-ups then Illinza Norte and Sur, Cotopaxi, and Chimbarazo. We will have a guide from High Summits guide service which is based in Ecuador.
Wonder if anyone has advice on tipping the guide. Really interested in determining what what amount is customary and how often the tip should be paid (after each climb?, at end of trip?, etc.).
Appreciate your thoughts and Merry Christmas! | 
FLAG |
By Tparis
From Pottersville,New York
Dec 17, 2010
| I would say if you will have the same guide the whole time then wait until the end. If your guide does a good job then reward them with a generous tip. |
FLAG |
By Ryan Williams
Administrator
From London (sort of)
Dec 17, 2010
| I've been tipped up to half of the original fee that was paid by the client. It's really up to you and you'll be able to figure it out once you've been there an seen how far the currency goes. 20% is a good starting point, and I'm sure you'd be somewhere in the middle with that number, maybe closer to the high end?
Def. wait until the end of the time spent w/ the guide to tip him/her. |
FLAG |
By Sarah Meiser
From Boulder, Colorado
Dec 17, 2010
| I went on a trip guided by Ecuadorian guides a few years ago and the trip organizer, who had done similar trips before, said the appropriate amount to tip was about $20/day/person. I used this as a minimum and actually tipped guides I took a liking to a lot more.
Definately wait until the end to pay. |
FLAG |
By Joe Carberry
Jan 15, 2011
| Back from trip. Was great! Attempted 6 peaks; summited 6 peaks including Iliniza Norte/Sur, Cotopaxi and Chimborazo.
$20/day/person worked out well considering we bought meals and snacks for the guide many times.
High Summits is a good guide service if you are interested in Ecuador.
Be warned though, road travel in Ecuador is much more dangerous than the climbing...
Have a good one. |
FLAG |
By Owen Darrow
From Garmisch,
Feb 11, 2011
| Lets see some pictures from your trip! Sounds like it was pretty killer summiting all the peaks you set out to bag... |
FLAG |
By -sp
From East-Coast
Feb 11, 2011
| Joe Carberry wrote: ...Be warned though, road travel in Ecuador is much more dangerous than the climbing...
Anything worth mentioning? |
FLAG |
By jack roberts
Feb 11, 2011
| Which roads? I did the same mtns over there about one month ago and the only road that was bad was the one to the trailhead of Iliniza Norte. And they were repairing that one quickly. |
FLAG |
By Joe Carberry
Feb 11, 2011
| Regarding the road travel, yea the road to the Ilinza Trail Head (La Virgen) was really muddy and rutted in late December. We actually drove around a large rutted section of the road near La Virgen.
The scary part for me was the agressive driving common in that part of the world.
You know that sickening feeling you have right before a traffic accident? I had that twice on this trip, but we never actually collided with anything.
I'll post a couple of pics from the trip. |
FLAG |
By Joe Carberry
Feb 11, 2011
| Some pics.
First peak was a easy warm-up South East of Quito
| Pasochoa, 4200m (13,780 ft) Walk-up
Submitted By: Joe Carberry on Feb 11, 2011
|
Second peak was another, higher walk-up West of Quito. Could smell sulpher, but could not see the crater due to clouds.
| Guagua Pichincha 4784m (15696 ft), Walk up
Submitted By: Joe Carberry on Feb 11, 2011
|
Third and fourth peaks were the Iliniza's. South of Quito and just West of the PanAmerican highway. The refugio is near the saddle between the two peaks. Norte was a relatively easy snow climb (usually a rock scramble). Sur was a steep glaciated climb.
| Iliniza Norte 5126m (16,818 ft) Snow climb for us
Submitted By: Joe Carberry on Feb 11, 2011
|
| Iliniza Sur 5428m (17,218 ft) Steep glaciated climb with a short mixed section. This pic is taken from our climb the day before of Iliniza Norte
Submitted By: Joe Carberry on Feb 11, 2011
|
Fifth peak was Cotopaxi. Lot of climbers on that peak. Arrived to summit before sunrise.
| Cloud cover prevented us from seeing beyond ~40 feet and covered us with rime ice. First time I have ever seen ice encrusting people's eye lashes. Crater is supposed to be beautiful...
Submitted By: Joe Carberry on Feb 11, 2011
|
View of crevasses coming down was impressive.
| Crevasse field on Cotopaxi 5896 m(19,344 ft)
Submitted By: Joe Carberry on Feb 11, 2011
|
Final peak was Chimborazo. Whymper summit is point farthest from the center of the earth.
| Chimborazo 6310m (20,702 ft) Glaciated Peak. Happy to have reached 6th peak successfully!
Submitted By: Joe Carberry on Feb 11, 2011
|
Six peaks attempted and six summited. Were fortunate with relatively good weather/conditions. Also think the conservative approach to acclimitization really paid off.
Always up! |
FLAG |
|
RSS Feed
