Meet Our founder
Marco Cruz Arellano
Marco was born in Riobamba, Ecuador in 1945.
In 1968 he traveled to Madrid, Spain. In 1969 the Spanish Federation of Mountaineering chose him as member of the successful Spanish Trans-Himalayan Expedition. In 1969 he participated in the first Ecuadorian expedition of the Alps, directed by P. Jose F. Rivas, in the capacity as technical advisor. This expedition included the summits of Mont Blanc and the Matterhorn as well as El Pelvoux, Dent de Dieu, El Eiger, El Janfrau, El Mooch, El Piz Bernina, Dent Blanch, and Weishorn.
In 1971 he graduated from the Official Academy of Tourism with a degree in Tourism. The same year he led the Spanish Expedition of Greenland and was a member of the Iceland Operation which summited Snaeffellsjokull and Ekla.
In 1972 he was Mountain Director of the Spanish Expedition of Africa summiting Kilimanjaro, Ruwenzori and Hogar and was certified as a Mountain Guide by the Sky School of Mountaineering in Chamonix, France.
Between 1972 and 1976 he advised the National Administration of Tourism of Ecuador and over the years he has done extensive advisory work for the Ministry of Tourism and National Parks of Ecuador as well as training and seminar work with Ecuadorian and Spanish interests.
In 1975 he led a German group up Mt. Mckinley.
Chosen as the best Mountaineer in Ecuador for the years 1972-1977 and was the leading guide instructor for Metropolitan Touring in Ecuador between 1976-1988 during which time many of Ecuador’s best guides were trained.
Since 1978 he has been a member of the Association of International Mountain Guides of Europe.
In 1988 he established Expediciones Andinas which was soon to become Ecuador’s top Climbing and Trekking operator.
Over the years he has climbed all peaks and volcanoes of Ecuador as well as some of the main south american peaks, such as The Huascaran in Peru, The Illimani in Bolivia, The Aconcagua in Argentina, and The Cumbal and The Huila in Colombia.
Marco Cruz is the author of several books: “Montañas Nevadas”, edited in Germany and known as “Die Schneeberge Ecuadors”, Oberfrankische Verlagsanstalt GmbH, 8670 Hof. 1983; Co-author of “Los Ultimos Shuaras” (“The Last Shuaras”) with Renzo Milanesio, edited by Tipolitografia Martini, Borgo San Dalmazzo (Cuneo) Italy 1984; “Montañas del Ecuador”, edited by Dinediciones in 1992, 1993.
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