The symmetrical, glacier-clad Cotopaxi stratovolcano is Ecuador's best known volcano and one of its most active. The steep-sided cone, seen here in an aerial view from the north, is capped by nested summit craters 650 x 800 m in diameter. Lahars accompanying explosive eruptions of Cotopaxi have frequently devastated adjacent valleys. In 1877, during one of the largest historical eruptions, pyroclastic flows descended all sides of the volcano and lahars traveled more than 200 km into the Pacific Ocean and the western Amazon basin.

Copyrighted photo by Katia and Maurice Krafft, 1983.

Copyrighted image used with permission. All Rights Reserved. Contact photographer for any usage requests.

Cotopaxi