Yanahurco de Mojada is a 4280-m. mountain that along with some other peaks, circunvalates the Caricocha Lake (Laguna Grande). Laguna Grande, together with the Huarmicocha Lake (Laguna Negra) and the Chiriacu Lake (Laguna Chiquita), make the inactive volcano known as Mojanda.
Thanks to its relatively low altitude, Yanahurco de Mojanda is a suitable option for those who are seeking to start in the mountaineering world. It does not require any specific technical skill, besides being in a good physical condition. Its summit is usually attempted in one day, so people coming from Quito or nearby cities can do a one day round-trip. You will not necessarily require a 4×4 vehicle to access this mountain; the hike up Yanahurco’s summit might be started from the Laguna Grande shore, leaving the car parked near that area.
Depending on where exactly you start the hike, it might take, on average, between 2 and 3 hours to reach Yanahurco’s summit. If you start the hike from Caricocha’s shore, you will have to walk on average 45 minutes through a road in muddy conditions, until a little parking from where starts a pajonal steep slope. After this part, you have to walk a path that fluctuates between little descents and ascents, until a rocky area where you will need to escalate before achieving the summit. The rock is relatively easy to escalate, extra precaution will be required if it is slippery due to the rain.
Most of the time, I would suggest to hire the services of nature or professional mountain guides, even in relatively easy mountains. You will feel much safer being accompanied by someone who already knows the hike and/or has the skills to guide a group in this context. Additionally, there have been some reports of people being robbed or assaulted in the Mojanda area, so aim at going in group if you decide to reach this summit. However, it is actually possible to access this place and summit Yanahurco; neitheir will you be required to have a guide nor to process permits.
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