Volcanoes in Ecuador and legends
Ecuador’s volcanoes are an essential part of the relay of this country in Latin America. And not only for a landscape issue. Also for its presence in the customs and beliefs of Ecuadorians since ancient times. And is that the conical profile of these mountains and the usual eruptions in many of them, since then that they have formed the character of these people. The volcanoes of Ecuador and the Fire Ring.
The abundance of Ecuador’s volcanoes is due to their geographical location. And this country that bears the name of the parallel mayor of the planet is crossed by the Andes mountain range, which is part of the so -called Pacific Fire Ring, which extends by land and sea bordering the largest ocean in the world,And where there are volcanoes as famous as those of Hawaii or Mount Fuji in Japan. But returning to this South American country, we can see that the Andes here are in two different mountain ranges: the western and the eastern one, and in both the volcanoes of Ecuador are found. In fact, the highest height in the country is Chimborazo, one of the mountains that star in this beautiful Ecuadorian tour between volcanoes.
Chimborazo
Of all the volcanoes of Ecuador, Chimborazo is the highest of all with 6.310 meters. And although its presence is imposing, the truth is that it is one of the few that is inactive, since since the sixth century there is no registered eruption. With its altitude we can already imagine that its highest parts are a great glacier. Ice in similar latitude !, since there is only one grade south of the line of Ecuador.
The Cotopaxi
The second of Ecuador’s biggest volcanoes is Cotopaxi with 5.897 meters altitude. His conical profile and his perpetual snows are unmistakable, in fact it is a recurring image of the country and already the Quechuas considered it a sacred mountain. It is a very beautiful mountain but the result of eruptions from the Pleistocene, the last of them in the mid -twentieth century.
The Pichincha
We actually need us to talk about the Pichincha massif, a whole set of mountains and volkish volcanoes to the beautiful Ecuadorian capital: Quito. Also in this case they are active volcanoes, in fact it is usual to see fumarolas leaving their craters. However, it is possible to ascend to its highest part. Something that has been done since in 1802 the German explorer Humboldt becomes the first European who threw these peaks.
The tungurahua
To talk about this mountain, we have to count a legend that stars in several of the volcanoes of Ecuador. Popular beliefs say that the two great Andean giants, Chimborazo and Cotopaxi face the love of Princess Tungurahua. The winner was the Chimborazo who conquered the princess and that surgical union a son, the Pichincha. That is why it is said that both volcanoes are activated at the same time. Although, the truth is that tungurahua is much more active, and in recent years its eruptions have been frequent.
The Reventor
Another very active Volcanoes of Ecuador is the Reventor, whose name is really a threat. While it is a good visit for all those who spend a few days in Quito and want to know more than the colonial charm of the capital. The Reventor is less than 100 kilometers to the south and can be a magnificent place to do some mountainism and remain amazed with the visual power of these landscapes. At the same time that it reflects on the force of Andean nature. Since when these types of mountains are scaled it is impossible not to be attracted to the magnetism of the volcanoes that express as few things in the world the beauty and brutality of the most wild.
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