Climbing the Seven Summits is no easy task, which is why Mark trains all over the world. In November of 2019, he trained in Ecuador by climbing some of its highest peaks. He also took an extensive mountaineering course that’s designed to develop self-reliant alpine climbers. This course gave Mark the chance to gain new mountaineering skills that will benefit him in future climbs!
Five-day Course Curriculum Included:
- Snow climbing, ice axe positioning, and moving in balance
- Self arrest techniques
- Snow and ice anchor selection, construction, and equalization
- Ice climbing and crampon techniques
- Prussiking and team crevasse rescue practice
- Rappelling and rope management
- Glaciology and crevasse pattern prediction
- Navigation using maps, altimeters, and compasses
- Roped glacier travel and route finding through crevassed areas
- Mountain weather, alpine ecology, hazard assessment, and Leave No Trace Ethics
- High altitude physiology and other related expeditionary topics
Ice Climbing and Crampon Techniques
Rappelling and Rope Management
Prussiking and Team Crevasse Rescue Practice
Cotopaxi
Cotopaxi stands in at 19,347 feet (5,897 meters). The active stratovolcano is Ecuador’s second-highest peak and one of the world’s highest volcanoes. Mark was able to put his newly acquired mountaineering skills to the test by applying them to a high-altitude ascent of Cotopaxi. He summited in just under 6 hours on November 25th, 2019.
Cayambe
Cayambe stands in at 18,996 feet (5,790 meters). It’s a massive glaciated extinct volcano and Ecuador’s third-highest peak. Mark summited Cayambe in just over 6 hours on November 19th, 2019.
Peaks for Purpose 