El Altar
El Altar or Capac Urcu is an extinct volcano in Ecuador, 170 kilometers (110 miles) south of Quito, with a peak height of 5,319 meters (17,451 feet). Spaniards gave it that name because it resembled two nuns and four friars listening to a bishop around a church altar. It is also known as The Altar in ancient English sources.
El Altar is made up of nine prominent summits that form a reverse C shape. The names of the summits are as follows, starting with the tallest in the south and working counterclockwise: Canónigo; Obispo; Monja Grande; Monja Chica; Tabernaculo; the three Frailes, Oriental, Central, and Grande; and Canónigo.
Whatever angle you look at it from, this ancient and extinct volcano is the most spectacular in Ecuador's Andes. It is the most technical mountain in Ecuador, ranking fifth in height. El Altar offers the most difficult climbing in Ecuador. El Obispo 5.319m / 17,451 ft is El Altar's most popular peak because it is the simplest to reach and the highest. The months of December through February are ideal for attempting an ascent.
MORE INFORMATION:
Elevation: 17451 ft
Location: El Altar, Ecuador
