El Altar is an extinct volcano that features a summit of 17,451 feet (5,319 m), which makes it a little taller than the park’s namesake Sangay. The massif was created from two separate stratovolcanoes, followed by a caldera on the west side. The mountain displays several peaks that, to some, resemble four friars and two nuns listening to a bishop as they surround a church altar. This is where the name of the mountain was derived, “El altar.” 9 different peaks reach over 16,400 feet (5,000 m) that display as a horseshoe-shaped ridge. Laguna Collanes is a crater lake situated toward the middle of the caldera. This is another popular ascent for climbers with astounding panoramic views of the crater lake and surrounding peaks.