Cotopaxi is situated about 50 km south of Quito, the capital of Ecuador. It is part of the “Avenue of Volcanoes.” Its eruptions often produce massive lahars (mudflows) caused by the melting of its summit glaciers, which pose a severe threat to nearby valleys. Historically, it has erupted more than 50 times since 1738. While often cited as the “highest active volcano,” that title is technically held by Ojos del Salado on the Chile-Argentina border, but Cotopaxi remains one of the highest and most iconic active cones in the world.