Chimborazo is composed of two quaternary strato-volcanoes that not only form Ecuador’s tallest mountain, but also the furthest point from the center of earth due to the earth’s bulge at the equator.  The base is nearly 20 km in diameter, and it rises nearly 3,350 m (11,000 ft) from the central valley.   It is visible from Colombia in the north, Peru in the south and far out into the Pacific Ocean.  Chimborazo was thought until very recently to be extinct since it has not erupted in historical time.  However, recent evidence has shown that it is in fact active.  Water has been found 24 meters (82 feet) below the summit and seismic activity has confirmed the volcano’s status.  The vast glaciers descend to around 4,600 m (15,090 ft); however they once dropped much lower.  Just like mountains around the world, Chimborazo too has been affected by global warming.  This poses dire consequences in the future for the people of Ecuador, who rely on glacier-melt for their potable water. On its west side volcanic debris are strewn about, and the harsh cold winds help make it a semi-desert, the arenal, much like the altiplano in Bolivia. The trekker or climber will see rabbits, deer and occasionally see a herd of vicuna, alpaca or llama. 

The mountain has highly varied routes ranging from highly technical to fairly straight-forward and some very steep grades.  However, due to its height, it is quite an accomplishment to summit this enormous mountain.  When the accomplished Edward Whymper and the Carrel Brothers first set foot on the summit of Chimborazo in January of 1880, little did they know the significance of their exploit.  Since the beginning of time, no one on this earth had been as close to our sun as they had.  They accomplished this not by some mystical process, nor by climbing the world’s tallest mountain (measured from sea level).   They accomplished this simply because there is no other place on the face of the planet where one can be further from the center of the Earth than on the summit of Chimborazo.  Today the status of the mountain has not diminished.  There simply is no other way to get as close to the sun and stars other than flying in a jet or in a spacecraft. French scholars arrived here in Ecuador in 1735 to test Newton’s theory that the earth was not a sphere, but in fact a elliptical.  After fastidious measurements and exact calculations the theory was soon proved to be true.  The span of the Earth was in fact much shorter from North to South Pole, and much wider along the Equatorial line, due to the Earth’s centrifugal force. The most recent and exact measurements show that the distance between and North and South Pole is 21,386 m (70,160 ft, or a bit over 13 miles) shorter than between la Mitad del Mundo (the middle of the earth) north of Quito and its opposite location.  Mount Everest is 8,848 m (29,028 ft) above sea level and by universally accepted current methods of measuring mountains it is the tallest by far.  However, since it is far from the equatorial line.  It is located between Nepal and Tibet at 28 degrees north latitude thus gains little benefit from the equatorial latitude line.  On the other hand, Chimborazo, although at an altitude of 6,310 m (20,701 ft) above sea level, is located only one and a half degrees south of the equator.  Therefore, by measuring it from the center of the Earth, it rises a full 2,100 m (6,889 ft) higher than Mount Everest.  Not even Cayambe, with its 5,790 m (18,996 ft) and location virtually on the equatorial line, is further from the Earth’s core than Chimborazo.  In the unlikely event that one day the oceans were to disappear, and humans still found somewhere to exist, there would be no other reference to measure the height of the tallest spots on Earth other than from the center of the planet.  Ecuadorians find pride in this interesting fact.  Nonetheless, Chimborazo cannot compare in difficulty, lack of oxygen, nor in fame,  to Mount Everest. 

According to Quechuan legends, Chimborazo’s immense powers were clearly revealed when, a long time ago, taita Chimborazo’s fiery and explosive wife, mama Tungurahua had an affair with neighboring El Altar.  It was very difficult for them to hide this romance, above all because the one being betrayed was so tall that he could see everything.  Taita Chimborazo soon found out of the betrayal and released all of his fury on the unfortunate El Altar who had stolen his beloved.  The inopportune Carihuairazo came out to defend his friend El Altar, and ended up receiving the worst of Chimborazo’s wrath.  Neither Carihuairazo nor El Altar could withstand the power Chimborazo’s jealous rage.  Ever since, the peaks of both mountains appear worn out, and their once elegant summits are crumbling and rotten.  To this day Tungurahua still releases sulfuric plumes and lava whenever she remembers her exasperating romance.