In November 2023, the Test Your Limits team will travel to Ecuador to climb Mount Chimborazo, an inactive volcano and the largest mountain in Ecuador. Its position on the equatorial line makes the peak of Chimborazo the closest point on earth to the sun. This trek will push the team’s boundaries as they battle the effects of altitude, unpredictable weather conditions and an icy summit. In a year that celebrates the 25th anniversaries of both team member Dale Shippam’s heart transplant and the establishment of the Peter Munk Cardiac Centre, this promises to be the most demanding and memorable expedition yet!

Read more in the Ecuador 2023 blog

The Test Your Limits team is once again looking up – this time setting their sights on the highest elevation on earth. In November 2023, the team will embark on a three-week expedition to Ecuador where they will complete a number of challenging hikes and climbs through Ecuador’s mountains and volcanos before heading to the snow-capped summit of Mount Chimborazo. 

Standing at 6,310 meters (20,565 ft), Mount Chimborazo is an inactive volcano and the largest mountain in Ecuador. Its position on the equatorial line makes its peak the closest point on earth to the sun and over a mile further away from the earth’s center than Mount Everest. This expedition will be one the team’s most challenging yet, as they battle with the effects of altitude, unpredictable weather conditions and an icy summit. Adding to the difficulty of this trek, the trip to the summit will take place overnight, as climbers need to avoid the warmest part of the day when the heat of the sun can increase the danger of rock falls and avalanches.

This will be the tenth time that Dr. Heather Ross and the Test Your Limits team have taken on an adventure that demands an extraordinary amount of perseverance and teamwork. For team member Dale Shippam, this trip holds special significance as it coincides with the 25th anniversary of his heart transplant and the 25th anniversary of the founding of the Peter Munk Cardiac Centre. Climbing Mount Chimborazo will not only be a personal triumph but will also take him to the highest elevation reached by a heart transplant patient.  

 Just as the Test Your Limits team supports each other to accomplish momentous feats, we need your support to help us further critical research into heart disease and heart failure. Donate today, because every donation, like every step, takes us closer to our goal.