Persistent rumors of coup plots and simmering fears of violence turned Ecuador's typically drowsy capital Quito into the scene of a tense standoff on Thursday night.
After Ecuador's opposition staged a wave of protests over the weekend, President Rafael Correa struck back Monday, calling a massive rally of his own in central Quito.
Sincholagua gets onto so few hikers' hit lists that if you make it out to this far flung peak it means you're probably well on your way to becoming a veteran of the Ecuadorian wilderness.