The Altar Volcano

The Altar volcano (El Altar in Spanish) is a beautiful snow-capped extinct volcano located in Ecuador.

This volcano one of the most solicited climbs in the country.

Just as all the other volcanoes and mountains in Ecuador El Altar has many nicknames for example, the ancestral Puruhs used to call it "Lord of all mountains".

This volcano is a pride to the people of Ecuador.

Although its last eruption is unknown.

Legend has it that the top of the peak collapsed after seven years of activity in 1460.

With the height of 5,319 m it is one of the few snow-covered volcanoes of the Equator..

Why was the volcano named "The Altar"?

Its name is due to the fact that its 9 peaks seem to be the silhouettes of monks set against an altar.

The Laguna collanes or Laguna Amarillo (yellow lake) is a lake about 13,800ft, and is surrounded by the nine pecks

The best months to attempt an ascent are December - February.

There are many travel agencies in Riobamba that offer trips to the surrounding volcanoes, and also many hotels that include trips to this volcano, in their vacation packages.

Each year more and more people travel to Ecuador just to match wits with El Altar.

To see who will conquer man or nature?

Seeing how the predominate religion in the town of Riobamba is catholic it makes sense that the nine pecks were baptized with ecclesiastic names.

Below are the names and height of the nine pecks:

Peaks name in Spanish: Peaks name in English:

Obispo...............................................................................Bishop 5,319 miles

Monja Grande..................................................................Great Nun 5,160 miles

Monja Chica......................................................................Small Nun 5,080 miles

Tabernáculo.......................................................................Tabernacle 5,180 miles

Fraile Oriental...................................................................Eastern Friar 5,060 miles

Fraile Beato.........................................................................Devout Friar 5,050 miles

Fraile Central......................................................................Central Friar 5,070 miles

Fraile Grande......................................................................Great Friar 5,180 miles

Canónigo...............................................................................Canon   5,260 miles