Cotopaxi is one of the South America's most famous Volcanoes and one of its most active one. At the moment, it started to show superficial activity (minor steam emissions) from the crater and sporadic gas emissions with minor amount of ash since August 2015. It was dormant for over 70 years, which is an unusual long interval in its recent history. It is part of the chain of Volcanoes around the Pacific Plate known as the Pacific Ring of Fire.
Cotopaxi means "Neck of the Moon" in the local language. The Mountain was sacred to the Andean People during the time of the Inca Empire. It was worshiped as "Rain Sender," that served as a guarantor of the Land's fertility, and at the same time its summit was revered as a place where the gods lived.
The majestic, snow covered symmetrical, loftiest and most mischievous strato-volcano of the Eastern Cordillera of the Ecuadorian Andes is located in the LataCunga Canton of Cotopaxi Province, about 50 km (31mi) South of Quito and in a very straight line from the Port of Guayaquil. It is the 2nd highest Summit in Ecuador reaching a height of 5,911m (19,393 ft). It is one of the world highest Volcanoes.
Its explosions are the most frequent and disastrous.
The Chillos Valley Lahar from Cotopaxi Volcano's NorthEast slopes is the largest known "debris flow" in the Northern Andes formed 11,700 years ago. It descended River Systems and flowed 326 km North-NorthWest to the Pacific ocean and more than 130 km East into the Amazon Basin. The massive avalanche occurred around 4,500 years ago.
In 1534 the Spanish invaders were trying to take control over the Ecuadorian Land. It is reported that during the confrontation on the flanks of Cotopaxi, the Volcano started an eruption and filled the air with hot ash. The locals viewing the event as a divine sign from their god stop the confrontation and ran directly to the refuge locations prepared in advance to protect themselves in this kind of event. They already knew that the Empire days were over and the invasion of the land was a punishment given to the land because of the civil war in which they were engaged. The Spanish who had no experience with volcanic activity were terrorized and fled in fear. A lahar from the eruption destroyed the Contiega Village.
Cotopaxi erupted more than 50 times since 1738.
In 1738, the flames of Cotopaxi rose 1/2 a mile, above the brink of the crater. In 1742, two lafger explosive eruptions occurred in December 1742, producing ash fall, and destructive lahars. In 1744, the roarings of this Volcano were heard at the distance of 600 miles and a major eruption started in May producing extensive ash fall 7-10 cm thick 10 km West of the crater. In 1766 several small to medium-sized explosions occurred damaging the town of Latacunga and the fall out of coarse pumice West of the Volcano destroyed several farms.
On April 4th,1768, one of the largest historical eruptions occurred. A large explosion took place and generated a high ash plume, heavy ash fall and pyro-clastic flows. The quantity of ashes ejected at the mouth of Cotopaxi was so great, that it was dark from morning to afternoon. Large bombs were falling at great distances.
In 1803, an explosion took place preceeding by the sudden melting of the snows. At the Port of Guayaquil which is 52 leagues distant in a straight line from the crater, the noise of the Volcano was heard day and night, like a continued discharges of a battery; and the sounds were distinguished even on the Pacific Ocean. In 1853, four large eruptions occurred between January and September. The explosions produced high eruption columns, heavy ash fall, pyro-clastic flows and lahars.
One of the largest eruptions in historic times began on July 3rd, 1880. A powerful explosion sent an ash column of 6 km(20,000ft) height above the crater in less than a minute. In 1903-04, a medium size eruption started on 26 September, 1903 and lasted until December 1904. The eruption occurred from the central vent and produced tall ash plumes, pyro-clastic flows and lahars. The eruptions in 1905 and August 1906 consisted in small ash explosions.
The last significant eruption was in 1907 and produced ash explosions and small pyro-clastic flows but no lava flows.
The Volcano has often produced lahars during eruptions melting the snow on the upper flanks. The lahars have eroded Valleys in all directions from the Summit as far as the base of the Volcano.
The modern strato Volcano was built above the scar left by a major debris avalanche which destroyed an older formation about 5000 years ago.
The form of the Cotopaxi is the most beautiful and regular of the colossal Summits of the High Andes. It is a perfect Cone, which covered with a perpetual layer of snow, making it as one of the few equatorial glaciers in the World, notwithstanding it lies near the equator. The glacier part starts at the height of 5,000 m (16,400 ft). At its summit, Cotopaxi has an 800x550 m wide crater which is 250 m deep.
Cotopaxi shines with dazzling splendor at the setting of the Sun, in the most picturesque manner. This covering of snow conceals from the eye of the observer even the smallest inequalities of the soil; no point of rock, no stony mass, penetrating the coat made of ice, or breaking the regularity of the cone's figure.
A rare high altitude Hummingbird (Oreo-tro-chilus Chimborazo) has been discovered to live on the slopes of Cotopaxi between 13,000 and 15,000 ft where it nests on protected cliffs.
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