Altar Group, Ecuadorian Ascents. On December 3, 1978, six Ecuadorian climbers of the Agrupación de Montaña P. Leiva made the third ascent of Monja Grande (c. 5300 meters, 17,400 feet), which had been ascended twice in 1968 by Californians. The Ecuadorians followed the American route. Other ascents in this massif of steep rock and ice peaks have been: Canónigo (5260 meters, 17,257 feet), on September 20, 1979, by J., P. and R. Gómez and J. Moreno, second ascent; Fraile Occidental (c. 5150 meters, 16,897 feet), same date, a first ascent, by six climbers led by Luis Naranjo; Fraile Central, same approximate height, another first ascent, January 1978, by B. Beate and R. Terán. Information from Montaña #9, Quito.

Evelio Echevarria