Ecuador: death of Baltazar Ushca, the last ice extractor from the Chimborazo volcano

The Ecuadorian Baltazar Ushca, the last ice extractor from the Chimborazo volcano at an altitude of more than 5,000m who inspired numerous articles and documentaries, died Friday at the age of 80, announced the municipality of the Andean city of Guano where he resided.

“It is with deep regret that we announce the death of our beloved +Mashi+, +Taita+ (+companion+, +father+ in the Quichua Native American language, close to Quechua, spoken mainly in Ecuador) Baltazar Ushca, the last extractor of ice of the majestic Chimborazo, a national and international icon »declared the municipality on its social networks.

The day before, the same source had indicated that Baltazar Ushca had been seriously injured by one of his bulls.

From the age of 15, he followed in his father’s footsteps for his entire life, climbing the slopes of the Chimborazo volcano, the highest peak in the Ecuadorian Andes which peaks at 6,263 meters.

As soon as he found ice, from 5,000 meters, he cut blocks of several dozen kilos which he brought down to sell in the markets of the town of Riobamba, in the south of the country.

Ice extractors slowly disappeared in Ecuador with the arrival of refrigerators, but Balthazar Ushca continued to ply his trade, inspiring several articles and documentaries, such as being the “last ice cream seller”.

“His work is and will remain a reference for the knowledge of our people”wrote the National Institute of Cultural Heritage (INPC) of Ecuador on X.

Met by AFP in 2007, Baltazar Ushca was already observing the changes due to global warming.

“The Chimborazo was wild and did not give its ice easily, but time tamed it. The snow (…) was so heavy that it covered the ground and we could not climb with the animals. But it’s been 20 years since I saw her fall”he said at the time.

At 73, Balthazar Ushca returned to school to complete his primary studies, and then promoted the Guano Museum.