Pasochoa is an extinct volcano located in the Guayllabamba

Guayllabamba

Guayllabamba is a small agricultural town located 29 kilometers northeast of the city of Quito in northern Ecuador...

 river basin in the Ecuador

Ecuador

Ecuador , officially the Republic of Ecuador is a representative democratic republic in South America, bordered by Colombia on the north, Peru on the east and south, and by the Pacific Ocean to the west. It is one of only two countries in South America, along with Chile, that do not have a border...

ean Andes

Andes

The Andes is the world's longest continental mountain range. It is a continual range of highlands along the western coast of South America. This range is about long, about to wide , and of an average height of about .Along its length, the Andes is split into several ranges, which are separated...

. The current mountain form is a collapsed crater with a semicircular shape. This structure emerged approximately 100 thousand years ago due to an eruption which destroyed the crater and occidental slope of the previous volcanic cone.

Lava and ash increased the fertility of the ground in the Pasochoa region, encouraging the growth of a vibrant forest ecosystem. Despite the fertile soil, difficult accessibility and an uneven surface made the area inappropriate for extensive agriculture. The Pasochoa Wildlife Refuge, established in 1996, contains one of the few remaining original Andean forests. Fundacion Natura manages the Pasochoa and offer programs on the natural resource conservation and environmental education and sponsors scientific research. The mountain has a wonderful variety of wildlife, including pumas, foxes, skunks, a very diverse collection of birds, and a wonderful collection of plants.

Today the volcano is well known as a travel destination.