The clouds briefly parted allowing us a brief view of the glacier at 5000m beginning just 30 minutes walk from the Jose Ribas Refuge (4800m). The hike down from the refuge is very fast, taking only 10-15 minutes depending on how much you can bend your knees to slide down the old lava flow is covered in a thick layer of volcanic dust and ash. Once back at Tambopaxi we enjoyed a glass of white wine.