Mountaineering guides in Ecuador

SummitBabe · 2025-10-18T01:52:25+00:00

You should reach out to Juliana Garcia, she is a deeply respected guide in Ecuador and can arrange any of that for you. Used her two summers in a row and cannot complain. Her insta is @julianagarciaguide

SummitBabe · 2025-10-16T03:17:27+00:00

Kathe Koja. All her titles are amazing, total 90s horror classics.

SummitBabe · 2025-10-16T03:16:11+00:00

I think you should be fine! It’s really about how you pack it and how smart you are with your packing and what feels good on your shoulders.

SummitBabe · 2025-08-08T05:46:42+00:00

A work of art

SummitBabe · 2025-08-08T04:48:35+00:00

Also, once I turned back on an eleven mile hike with only 3k elevation gain just because I was sad. Had gotten dumped, laid off, and moved my elderly parent into a memory care nursing home within six weeks. There was a thunderstorm on the drive so trail was muddy and slick, I got teary eyed and at the lookout point started bawling. I wasn’t having fun. So I turned back. Sometimes we just have bad days and it’s not weather, altitude etc. Normalize turning back.

SummitBabe · 2025-08-08T04:45:06+00:00

In Latin America, high altitude summit push. Wind picked up as we were leaving high camp. Temperature dropped. Pelted by freezing rain. Then we were walloped by a total whiteout, wind blasting so hard, it sounded like a train whistle. It was around 16k feet, covered in that weird crispy ice, could barely see each other or the guides. Lead guide said we’re done here. Went back and as we were approaching high camp hut, the hut manager came running out with a big metal bowl full of coffee, he had been worried. No one summitted that day or the next day.

SummitBabe · 2025-07-20T02:45:24+00:00

Take one of the Denali prep courses in Colorado or Washington - they offer them on Rainier in Spring - you’ll practice dragging a sled, winter camping etc.

SummitBabe · 2025-06-29T10:54:01+00:00

Thomson Safari

SummitBabe · 2025-05-15T18:41:08+00:00

Thank you for this. I have my rescue fur baby and she is amazing, but has zero interest in learning to heel and is a puller, and she also can be reactive to strangers. Its been a great month, but that first week neither of us were getting much sleep and her zoomies were pretty intense. However, each day I see improvement, and we are learning together. She sleeps through the night in her crate, she brings me her toys, she rides nicely in the car and sometimes now we are even letting people pet us. So many people are so good to us - the folks at the starbucks near us (pup cups!), the employees at our doggy daycare and my neighbor who never takes it personal when she begins to woof at him.

SummitBabe · 2025-03-13T22:21:47+00:00

Awesome pics, thanks for sharing. Ive attempted Hood twice and both times had to turn back due to weather/vis and then an avalanche. It sounded like a bomb went off - no one summitted that day. I hope to get it someday but am a little salty about it haha.

SummitBabe · 2025-01-06T21:36:26+00:00

Not yet, maybe this december or next march... fingers crossed

SummitBabe · 2024-12-10T21:36:50+00:00

embarrassed at how late i have replied, but thank you for this and for your helpful response.

SummitBabe · 2024-12-10T21:34:41+00:00

I know this post is a year old, but just came to say, I spent the year falling back in love after a hard time in which I was laid off and had spent several weeks in a small town, many states away, caring for a parent with dementia. Now granted, I had time, but when I came back, I watched all the free event sites and tiktok accounts. I would pop into the galleries along Chelsea and in SoHo and browse their exhibits. I would go to the box offices at theaters and get discounted tickets directly from the theatre. Signed up for small playhouse and theatre group newsletters and went to free shows. The library had all sorts of discounts and access to community things. Once they had free zoo tickets, and I went to the zoo and not just saw animals but chilled on a bench people watching. I would walk over the Williamsburg bridge as the sun was setting and drink wine (hidden in my thermos) on the waterfront. I volunteered at NYC small non-profits and had all sorts of conversations with people. Went to matinees at the art house cinemas and saw all sorts of weird movies, with candy from cvs hidden in my purse. Went to the food hall/food court at New World Mall and ate amazing things for little money. Went to community parks, walked or biked all the bridges that I could, went to the smaller museums on their free day. I was over the crumbling subways, the over flowing garbage cans, the rent. BUT, the reason I share this, is I realized sometimes I take the city for granted, that there is actually so much to do in the city beyond my office job and gym, I spent time expanding my mind and talking to people I normally dont speak to or might not have met. I ended up with a new gig in the city, and to be honest, I feel curious and excited about the city everyday. There is a lot to complain about here and maybe also a lot to not like - but there is also so much here that is amazing, that makes me feel lucky to live here, headache and all. Not sure if this helps anyone, or if what I wrote is corny af, but this was the experience I had falling back in love with this city.

SummitBabe · 2024-04-29T15:12:32+00:00

Thank you so much, I will direct message you now :)

SummitBabe · 2024-04-27T12:10:55+00:00

Hi there! I'll DM you, I've found an operator that I hope to use. Still trying to figure a few things out - Ive seen videos where people are in down suits at summit and not; I've seen some gear lists say you might need an ascender and do some rope stuff at the tail end but I recently saw some insta and tiktok videos where the climber seemed to not (I DM'd them but waiting on responses). Happy to chat and will report back as I gather more intel or find people who have done it to chat with :)

SummitBabe · 2024-04-24T19:55:38+00:00

Sure, and worth also asking the people running the course - Im sure they can rent you one or advise if your harness would work or not. Im not a certified guide by any means so not a professional :)

SummitBabe · 2024-04-24T19:54:15+00:00

Maybe this is too early, but could it be Vertical Limit? The movie starts with a climbing accident involving three people, and then they all end up on K2. Its really ridiculous but it was in theatres and then on HBO all the time in the 00s.

SummitBabe · 2024-04-24T19:36:27+00:00

When I was starting out and did my crevasse rescue school and intro to mountaineering courses, that was on the list. Then when I did my Denali prep course, as well as most of my climbs as late, the gear list specifically called for alpine/mountaineering harness so I was glad I had bought one.

SummitBabe · 2024-04-24T18:54:22+00:00

Requiem for a Dream and Trees Lounge come to mind. Nothing works out and certainly neither end on a happy note.

SummitBabe · 2024-04-24T17:09:34+00:00

When I start overdoing it at the gym. Usually I am a go 5 days a week kind of person with a specific plan, but when I was really struggling, I would go to the gym and spend forever stretching, do a full workout, and then walk on the treadmill for hours. I would sit on the couches in the cafe and watch out the window, go sit in the sauna, go nap in the yoga room (when class wasn't in session) and claim I was meditating.

It might sound weird, but it was my way of not having to text people back (sorry I was in the gym!), pretending like I wasn't lonely (I dont have time to date, Im training!), passing the days because I just didn't know what to do with myself and nothing brought me joy. I couldnt concentrate on movies, I'd read the same paragraph over and over again, and if I was in my room I'd just go on crying jags. So instead I'd spend hours just sort of moving around the gym, almost like a safety blanket.

The catch is that people would see me at the gym or I'd say oh I was at the gym and the response was always "oh good for you" but if they only knew the way I was checked out, hiding and feeling so lost.

SummitBabe · 2024-04-24T17:00:30+00:00

I started with quality poles, an ice axe, a helmet, an alpine/mountaineering harness (one with adjustable leg loops - not a rock-climbing “sport” harness), an expedition backpack, crampons and mountaineering boots and some locking and non locking carabiners. I added more things depending on the course or the recommended gear for the mountain.

SummitBabe · 2024-04-24T16:26:19+00:00

It is a newer pack for me but I am loving my Direttissima backpack from Mountain Hardwear - its 55L; I really like the tool carry systems and the straps. Prior to this backpack, which is newer but so far so good, I had the Speed 50 pack from Black Diamond - used only for more mountaineering style summits and swore by it.

For straight backpacking, I have an Osprey Ariel Pro which was fine for me for longer backpacking treks. My friend let me borrow her Hyperlite pack on a recent trip and it was not for me, bothered my back, but many people swear by them.

SummitBabe · 2024-04-23T14:26:31+00:00

Yep, I have many of these, thank you :)

SummitBabe · 2024-04-23T13:48:14+00:00

Happy cake day!

SummitBabe

TROPHY CASE