Please send comments to webmaster.

This is one of eight lists that cover the known ultra-prominences for South America.  This project represents original research into accurate elevations and prominence of the world's major summits, employing both new data sources and published topographic materials.

Compiled 2005 by Jonathan de Ferranti and Aaron Maizlish.

April 2011: Prominence-oriented climbers Adam Helman, Petter Bjørstad and Rob Woodall (henceforth, "H-B-W")
collectively climbed six Ecuador ultras in December 2008. Their GPS-based comments are included.

Revised April 5, 2011

Rank	Summit Name	Country	Elevation	Prominence	Saddle	Latitude	Longitude	ID Code	Elev. (ft.)	Prom. (ft.)	Notes
1	Chimborazo	Ecuador	6267	4122	2145	01º28'09"S	078º49'03"W	SA003	20561	13523	[1]
2	Cotopaxi	Ecuador	5896	2403	3493	00º40'51"S	078º26'18"W	SA030	19344	7884
3	Nevado Cayambe	Ecuador	5790	2075	3715	00º01'30"N	077º59'21"W	SA054	18996	6808
4	Cerro Altar	Ecuador	5319	2072	3247	01º39'48"S	078º24'33"W	SA254	17451	6798	[4]
5	HP Cordillera del Condor	Ecuador	2950	2011	939	03º17'42"S	078º19'30"W	SA066	9678	6598	[5]
6	Nevado Cotacachi	Ecuador	4944	1837	3107	00º21'39"N	078º20'57"W	SA104	16220	6027	[6]
7	Iliniza Sur	Ecuador	5263	1750	3513	00º39'48"S	078º42'57"W	SA115	17267	5741
8	Volcan Antisana	Ecuador	5704	1678	4026	00º29'06"S	078º08'30"W	SA136	18714	5505	[8]
9	Cerro Guagua Pichincha	Ecuador	4794	1652	3142	00º10'39"S	078º35'57"W	SA143	15728	5420
10	Volcan Sangay	Ecuador	5300	1588	3712	02º00'18"S	078º20'27"W	SA059	17388	5210	[4]
11	Volcan Tungurahua	Ecuador	5016	1554	3462	01º28'12"S	078º26'42"W	SA182	16456	5098
12	Volcan Sumaco	Ecuador	3790	1536	2254	00º32'27"S	077º37'36"W	SA183	12434	5039
13	Cerro Imbabura	Ecuador	4634	1519	3115	00º15'39"N	078º10'51"W	SA202	15203	4984	[13]
Galapago Islands (2 Ultras)
1	Volcan Wolf (HP Isla Isabela)	Ecuador (Galapagos)	1707	1707	0	00º02'33"N	091º20'14"W	SAG01	5600	5600
2	Volcan Cerro Azul (Isla Isabela)	Ecuador (Galapagos)	1689	1668	21	00º55'42"S	091º24'34"W	SAG02	5541	5472
E1	Volcan La Cumbre (HP Isla Fernandina)	Ecuador (Galapagos)	1494	1494	0	00º21'13"S	091º31'27"W	SAG03	4902	4902	[E1]

FOOTNOTES

Elevations of summits and saddles were all checked on 1:50,000 Instituto Geografico Nacional topographic maps. There seems to be a systematic bias in the elevations on the printed maps when compared to SRTM data, and in many cases we have overridden these elevations. Saddle elevations concur strongly, and most of these elevations will be within or close to the contour interval on the topographic map.

H-B-W independently confirm this bias, e.g. Petter Bjørstad writes, "Note that we have adjusted all elevations that are reported in peak descriptions as well as in the Trip Report down by 10-15 meter relative to our GPS measurements. This should be taken into account by any party visiting and using their own GPS units."

A further suggested resource is John Biggar's climbing guide "The Andes" and website.

[1]  Chimborazo:  Elevation of 6267m is based on a 1993 GPS survey by Mike Jenkins.  Frequently given elevations of 6310m and 6272m should be considered older and obsolete.  The 6267m value is said to be the new "official" elevation. SRTM analysis concurs that the true elevation is close to 6270m.  Ecuadorian topographic maps are silent on the subject.  Chimborazo was once considered to be the highest mountain in the world.

H-B-W report an official "cover-up" by the Ecuador mapping agency of Chimborazo's summit elevation, with an "official lie" of 6,310 meters being maintained at the highest level. See the descriptions by Helman (section "Thursday, December 18"), Bjørstad (section "Day 11") and Woodall (section "Chimborazo summit elevation and Map datum").

[4]  We regard Cerro Altar (#4) as higher than nearby Volcan Sangay (#10).  Our estimates of their respective elevations are based on SRTM data.  The topographic maps state that Volcan Sangay is higher, in which case their respective prominences would be approximately reversed.

[5]  Highpoint of the range is estimated from SRTM.  Ecuadorian topographic maps are not available for the region.  The TPC charts give a high elevation of 2999m.

[6]  Cotacachi:  1:50,000 map gives 4939m, Biggar gives 4944m.  SRTM is compatible.

[8]  Antisana: The topographic maps give an elevation of 5,758 meters.  This is incompatible with the SRTM data.  We have estimated an elevation of 5704m.

[13]  Imbabura: H-B-W report a GPS-measured 4,632 meter summit elevation after subtraction of an observed 13 meter offset as determined by unit calibrations at nearby Laguna San Pablo. The resulting prominence is 4,632 m - 3,116 m = 1,516 meters.

[E1]  Volcan La Cumbre, the highpoint of Isla Fernandina does not appear to be an ultra.  Most internet sites repeat an elevation of 1463m.  The Times Atlas gives a value of 1547m.  We have elected to go with yet another published value of 1494m, which is the most consistent with our SRTM analysis.

COMMERCIAL MESSAGES