Emily Pennington
Photo Date: 
07/18/2018
The first view of Cotopaxi when you drive through the national park is unreal. The volcano seems impossibly huge!
Emily Pennington
Photo Date: 
07/18/2018
At 19,347 feet above sea level, it's difficult to capture just how massive Cotopaxi really is.
Emily Pennington
Photo Date: 
07/18/2018
View of nearby 15,000-foot peaks are dwarfed from the Cotopaxi massif. In the distance, if you look closely, the park is full of wild horses!
Emily Pennington
Photo Date: 
07/18/2018
The Jose Rivas Refuge is the first stop on any Cotopaxi trek. From here, guides will decide if it is safe to continue on to the glacier.
Emily Pennington
Photo Date: 
07/18/2018
Though gently graded, the rocky path from the refuge to the glacier will knock the wind out of most hikers due to the altitude!
Emily Pennington
Photo Date: 
07/18/2018
Seeing this big a glacier up close is a once-in-a-lifetime experience!
Emily Pennington
Photo Date: 
07/18/2018
Once you've had a moment to explore around the refuge, descend the way you came and be grateful for the sandy downhill slopes.
Emily Pennington
Photo Date: 
07/18/2018
Once you've had a moment to explore around the refuge, descend the way you came and be grateful for the sandy downhill slopes.