🌋VolcanoAtlas

Guagua Pichincha

The Volcano That Looms Over Quito

Elevation

4,784 m

Last Eruption

2002

Type

Stratovolcano

Country

Ecuador

Location

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Volcanic Hazards & Risk Assessment

Primary Hazards

  • Pyroclastic flows
  • Lava flows
  • Volcanic bombs and ballistics
  • Lahars and mudflows

Risk Level

Population at RiskLow
Infrastructure RiskHigh
Aviation RiskSignificant

Geological Composition & Structure

Rock Types

Primary
Unknown
Silica Content
Varied composition

Tectonic Setting

Unknown
Intraplate setting with hotspot or regional volcanic activity.

Age & Formation

Epoch
Unknown
Evidence
Unknown

Eruption Statistics & Analysis

MetricValueGlobal RankingSignificance
Total Recorded EruptionsUnknownLowModerately active volcano
Maximum VEIVEI UnknownMinorLocal impact potential
Recent Activity24 years agoRecentRecently active

Monitoring & Alert Status

Monitoring Networks

Global Volcanism Program
International eruption database

Current Status

Watch
Dormant but monitored. Capable of renewed activity.

Authority Sources

Smithsonian GVP
Official volcano database

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Karl Paul Baldacchino

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Ryóka

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A mountain with a cloud of smoke coming out of it

Geoffrey Busse

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a view of the top of a mountain with a cloud in the sky

Pedro Romero

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A view of a mountain with clouds in the sky

Aron Marinelli

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Mountain and forest landscape with a resort at the bottom.

Abhi Verma

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Interesting Facts

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Guagua Pichincha's active crater lies just 10 km from the western suburbs of Quito, making it one of the closest active volcanic vents to a national capital anywhere in the world.

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The name 'Guagua' means 'baby' or 'child' in Quechua, distinguishing the younger active western peak from 'Rucu' (old) Pichincha to the east.

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The 1660 eruption deposited up to 30 cm (12 inches) of ash on colonial Quito — turning day into night — and ash reportedly fell over a 1,000-km radius.

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A massive sector collapse approximately 50,000 years ago destroyed the volcano's western flank, creating a 6-km-wide horseshoe-shaped amphitheater that channels pyroclastic flows away from Quito.

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During the 1999 eruption crisis, Quito's international airport was closed multiple times due to ashfall, causing millions of dollars in economic losses.

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Guagua Pichincha was erupting simultaneously with Tungurahua volcano in 1999, creating a dual volcanic crisis unprecedented in Ecuador's modern history.

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The Battle of Pichincha (May 24, 1822), fought on the slopes of the volcano, secured Ecuador's independence from Spain and is commemorated as a national holiday.

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Ecuador's capital Quito was the first city designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site (1978), and its dramatic volcanic setting is part of its heritage value.

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The TelefériQo cable car ascending Pichincha's eastern flank is one of the highest aerial lifts in the world, reaching approximately 4,050 m (13,287 ft).

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Guagua Pichincha has erupted 44 times in approximately 9,000 years, but activity is highly clustered — 11 eruptions occurred in the 16th century alone.

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The volcano's andesitic lava dome grows incrementally between eruptions, building pressure until explosive failure occurs — a cycle that has repeated throughout the Holocene.

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Quito sits at approximately 2,850 m (9,350 ft) elevation, meaning ash from eruptions only needs to travel horizontally, not rise above the city — it falls from roughly the same altitude.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Guagua Pichincha active?
Yes, Guagua Pichincha is classified as an active stratovolcano. It last erupted in 2002, and its most significant recent eruption occurred in 1999–2001, when explosions deposited ash on Quito and forced partial evacuations of the capital. The volcano has produced 44 recorded eruptions over approximately 9,000 years. It is continuously monitored by Ecuador's Instituto Geofísico (IG-EPN), which operates seismometers, gas sensors, GPS stations, and webcams around the volcano. Fumarolic activity within the crater continues, and scientists consider future eruptions not just possible but probable, given the volcano's historical eruption frequency.
When did Guagua Pichincha last erupt?
Guagua Pichincha's last confirmed eruption occurred in 2002, consisting of minor explosive activity rated VEI 1. The most significant recent eruption was the 1998–2001 crisis, which peaked on October 5, 1999, when a powerful Vulcanian explosion sent an ash column 15–20 km into the atmosphere and deposited several millimeters of ash across Quito. Multiple additional explosions occurred through late 1999 and into 2001, accompanied by lava dome growth within the western crater. Uncertain eruptions were reported as recently as 2009.
Could Guagua Pichincha erupt again?
Yes, future eruptions of Guagua Pichincha are considered highly likely by volcanologists. The volcano has averaged roughly one eruption every 200 years at VEI 3 or above over its historical record, and the current repose period since 2002 is well within the range of normal inter-eruption intervals. A lava dome emplaced during the 1999–2001 eruption remains in the crater and could serve as the focus of renewed activity. The IG-EPN monitoring network is designed to detect precursory signals — increasing seismicity, ground deformation, gas emissions — weeks to months before a major eruption, providing time for emergency response in Quito.
How close is Guagua Pichincha to Quito?
The active crater of Guagua Pichincha lies approximately 10 km (6.2 mi) west of Quito's nearest suburbs and roughly 15 km from the city center. The ridgeline of Rucu Pichincha, the older eastern peak of the massif, rises directly above the western edge of the city. This makes the Quito–Pichincha pairing one of the closest major city–active volcano relationships in the world, comparable to Naples and Vesuvius (9 km) or Kagoshima and Sakurajima (8 km). The Pichincha massif is visible from virtually every neighborhood in Quito.
What would happen if Guagua Pichincha had a major eruption today?
A VEI 4 eruption similar to 1660 would deposit 5–30 cm of ash on Quito, collapsing weak roofs, contaminating water supplies, grounding all aviation at Mariscal Sucre International Airport, causing severe respiratory health impacts, and paralyzing transportation. Pyroclastic flows would primarily travel westward through the amphitheater, away from the city, but dilute pyroclastic surges could potentially reach western neighborhoods. Lahars could affect river valleys draining toward the city. Economic losses would be measured in billions of dollars. Ecuador's emergency plans call for partial evacuation of western Quito neighborhoods and distribution of ash-protection equipment. The IG-EPN monitoring network is designed to provide days to weeks of warning before such an event.
How tall is Guagua Pichincha?
Guagua Pichincha's summit stands at 4,784 m (15,696 ft) above sea level, making it one of the higher active volcanoes in the Northern Andes. The adjacent Rucu Pichincha reaches 4,698 m (15,413 ft). For context, Quito itself sits at approximately 2,850 m (9,350 ft), so the volcano rises roughly 1,934 m above the city. The Pichincha massif is dwarfed by Ecuador's highest volcanoes — Chimborazo at 6,263 m and Cotopaxi at 5,897 m — but its immediate proximity to the capital gives it outsize significance.
What type of volcano is Guagua Pichincha?
Guagua Pichincha is a stratovolcano (also called a composite volcano), built from alternating layers of lava flows, pyroclastic deposits, and volcanic ash. Its dominant eruption style involves the growth of andesitic lava domes within the summit crater, which periodically collapse or explode, generating pyroclastic flows and ash columns. A defining structural feature is the 6-km-wide horseshoe-shaped amphitheater on the western flank, created by a massive sector collapse approximately 50,000 years ago. This amphitheater channels pyroclastic flows westward and partially shields Quito from the most destructive volcanic hazards.
Can you hike Guagua Pichincha?
Hiking on the Pichincha massif is popular, though reaching the active Guagua Pichincha crater is a serious undertaking. Most visitors take the TelefériQo cable car to the Cruz Loma ridge at ~4,050 m and hike to the summit of Rucu Pichincha (4,698 m), a moderately challenging 3–4 hour round trip. Reaching Guagua Pichincha's crater typically requires a full-day trek or a 4WD approach from the village of Lloa. Access to the crater area may be restricted during periods of elevated volcanic activity. Altitude acclimatization is essential, as the entire hike takes place above 4,000 m. Weather changes rapidly, and warm, waterproof layers are mandatory.
What is the difference between Guagua Pichincha and Rucu Pichincha?
Guagua and Rucu Pichincha are two distinct peaks forming a single volcanic massif. Rucu Pichincha (4,698 m) is the older, eastern peak — a deeply eroded Pleistocene stratovolcano considered extinct, with no eruptions in the Holocene. Guagua Pichincha (4,784 m) is the younger, western peak and the source of all historical volcanic activity. The name distinction reflects this relationship: 'Rucu' means 'old' and 'Guagua' means 'baby/child' in Quechua. Most Quito residents see primarily Rucu Pichincha from the city, while Guagua Pichincha's active crater is hidden behind the ridgeline on the volcano's western side.
Why is Guagua Pichincha dangerous?
Guagua Pichincha is dangerous primarily because of its extreme proximity to Quito, a city of 2.8 million people located just 10–15 km east of the active crater. The volcano's andesitic eruption style produces explosive dome-collapse events that generate pyroclastic flows and thick ashfall — hazards that can paralyze a modern city. The 1660 eruption deposited 30 cm of ash on colonial Quito, and the 1999 eruption shut down the international airport and prompted emergency evacuations. A VEI 5 eruption similar to the ~930 CE event would be catastrophic for the capital. The volcanic record shows 44 eruptions in 9,000 years, indicating that significant eruptions recur on timescales of centuries — well within planning horizons.