Mount Chimborazo, an inactive stratovolcano in the Ecuadorian Andes, has challenged Mount Everest for the title of the world's highest mountain in a unique measurement. While Everest stands taller at 29,032 feet above sea level, Chimborazo's peak is 6,800 feet farther from the Earth's centre.
This is because of the Earth's equatorial bulge, which causes the planet to be wider at the equator. Since Chimborazo is located near the equator, its summit ends up farther from the Earth's core. Everest, though, is physically taller when measured from sea level.
“If you imagine the Earth as this blue dot in space, it's the one place you can stand and be as far from the centre of that dot as you can possibly be,” Derek van Westrum, physicist with NOAA's National Geodetic Survey told CNN. This phenomenon is caused by Earth's slightly ellipsoidal shape, resulting from centrifugal force from its rotation, she explained.
Ecuador's Ministry of Tourism is capitalising on this geographical quirk to promote Chimborazo as an accessible adventure destination. “More and more, people have started coming to train and prepare for big challenges at Chimborazo,” said Santiago Granda, Undersecretary of Promotion. “You are further away from the core of the Earth, and closer to the stars, than you will ever be with your feet on this planet – and that's a big selling point.”
Chimborazo's unique location near the equator makes it an attractive destination for mountaineers. The mountain is relatively temperate, given its tropical location, with minimal variation in daylight between seasons. This allows for year-round accessibility, unlike most mountaineering hubs. Around 500 mountaineers attempt to summit Chimborazo annually, with a success rate of over 50 per cent.
Climbers typically tackle the summit over two days, following a week of acclimatisation activities on lower peaks such as Cayambe, Iliniza Sur or Cotopaxi. Christian Valencia, CEO of Activexpedition, recommends practising with crampons and axes before attempting the technical climb.
Chimborazo's stunning natural features include the stone-built Whymper Refuge, Condor Cocha Lagoon and tropical glaciers. The mountain is also home to rewilded vicunas, the feral ancestors of domesticated alpacas, and the world's largest hummingbirds. Its pre-Columbian history and cultural significance make it a revered site for Indigenous Ecuadorian communities. “Chimborazo carries a deep importance for all Ecuadorians, even appearing on the nation's coat of arms,” Christian Valencia said.
In addition to its mountaineering appeal, Chimborazo offers softer adventures, such as day hikes up to 17,000 feet, and lodge-to-lodge treks on the nearby Quilotoa Loop. Visitors can meet Baltazar Ushca, the last hielero (ice merchant) of Chimborazo, who continues the traditional practice of harvesting glacier ice for the nearby city of Riobamba.
