Mt. Imbabura, the Hill Cumorah in Lehi’s Land of Promise

The Imbabura province in north central Ecuador, is known as the “Land of Lakes” or the “Lake District,” and has 28 sizable lakes with some of the major ones being San Pablo, Yahuarcocha, Cuicocha, Puruhanta, (Pimampiro), San Marcos, Piñán, Mojanda, and Negra; as well as many waterfalls, including the spectacular 50-foot Las Cascadas de Peguche, which originates at the foothills of Mt. Imbabura along the northern tip of San Pablo Lake.

A minor point, but most theorists refer to this land in the far north of the Land of Promise as the Land of Many Waters, however, Mormon does not so name it. He stated: “…the hill Cumorah; and it was in a land of many waters, rivers, and fountains” (Mormon 6:4). Note that “a land of” referring to what was in the land, not what the land was called, which is like saying a “land filled with fig trees,” or a “land full of hills.” In addition, Mormon then tells us what the land was full of: “Waters, rivers, and fountains.”

He then tells us that this land was filled with many waters, rivers and fountains and located in the Land of Cumorah (Mormon 6:6). Thus, the Nephites were all gathered to the Land of Cumorah to battle the Lamanites. To bear this out, Mormon states: “we might gather together our people unto the land of Cumorah, by a hill which was called Cumorah (Mormon 6:2, emphasis added). Thus, Mormon states: “We did march forth to the land of Cumorah, and we did pitch our tents around about the hill Cumorah” (Mormon 6:4, emphasis added).

Almost wherever you go around Mt. Imbabura there is water, standing or moving, such as lakes and rivers

Imbabura has numerous rivers, such as the Ambi, the Choriavi, and the Taguando, scores of streams and lagoons, with spectacular waterfalls. The area has temperate valleys, snow-capped volcanoes, and many waterways that can be waded across, with only two seasons rainy and dry. The rainy season runs from January to May and the season runs from June to December. There are over 2,000 rivers and streams that have their headwaters in the Andes range of the region and flow either westward toward the Pacific or eastward toward the Amazon River and eventually the Atlantic.

Mt. Imbabura and Cotachi as the hills Cumorah and Shim

 

The mountain of Imbabura stands about 5,000 feet above the highlands (15,190 feet above sea level), and can be seen for miles around, being located between the two great ranges of the Cordillera Oriental (east) and the Cordillera Occidental (west) and is upon the mountain knot or transverse ridge which unites them.

The area of Imbabura was populated around 2100 BC. by the Caranquis, the source of most legends in the region, and situated in the northern part of Ibarra. They were associated with the Quitu and Cara cultures, and followed by the chiefdoms of Cayambe/Kayambi, Otávalo, and Cochasqui. Around 150 AD, the Otavaleños arrived at the region now known as Otavalo, which is northwest of Mt. Imbabura and near the western shore of Lake San Pablo. The Natabuelas (“Forest of Ancestors”) reached the area near Atuntaqui, located northwest of Mt. Imbabura and southwest of Ibarra.

All of this is the reason that Imbabura, which matches all the descriptions Mormon listed, is the location of the hill Cumorah. In addition, there is the fact that Mormon said that when they gathered at the hill, the Nephites pitched their tents all around the hill. As he stated: “and we did pitch our tents around about the hill Cumorah” (Mormon 6:4, emphasis added).

The hill Cumorah in western New York, the Hill Cumorah of the scriptural record to North American theorists

 

There is no way this would have been possible with the hill in western New York where Joseph Smith obtained the plates, since the Nephites would have numbered 230,000 fighting men, plus wives and children—certainly more than 300,000. There would simply be no room around the hill Cumorah in New York for 230,000 or more tents, let alone having no mountain to cover their back that fought there. In fact, anyone who has been on this hill in New York knows that over running the hill from one side to the other presents no difficulty, meaning that the Nephites would have to fight to their front and to their back. Hardly any advantage that Mormon sought. As he stated: “and here we had hope to gain advantage over the Lamanites.”

As the Nephite armies took up position around the hill, with their backs protected by the hill behind them—“here we had hope to gain advantage over the Lamanites”(Mormon 6:4)—evidently this was the advantage Mormon hoped would aid them in their defense against the Lamanite army. The purpose, of course, as any field-rank officer knows, when fighting a battle, it is imperative that the rear is protected so the enemy cannot get in behind creating a two-front battle.

The hill Cumorah in New York has a gentle slope as all low-rolling moraine hills do

 

However, if the battle took place around the New York hill Cumorah, once the Lamanites overwhelmed one area, they could race up the hill and over it and come down on the Nephite rear, less than two-hundred feet distance up and down. There would be no advantage with such a hill behind you, and such a hill would provide no protection what-so-ever.

Clearly, Mormon, as a field General in charge of the entire Nephite military forces, would not think such a low-rolling hill would provide any advantage over the Lamanites. Yet, no other advantage is is implied or suggested. In fact, the only other thing mentioned by Mormon is that they were in an area where there were lakes, rivers and fountains—which woud not provide an advantage other than slowing down an advancing army—but not for long.

Green solid line: the Nephite armies position around the hill Cumorah; Green Arrows: the point of defense facing away from the hill; Yellow arrows: Lamanite point of attack; White arrows: Lamanites over-run the Nephite positions and cross the hill

 

So let’s take a look at Mormon’s descriptions about this battle: He provides us with a clear outline of the final Nephite-Lamanite battle. First, their preparation location: “We did march forth to the land of Cumorah, and we did pitch our tents around about the hill Cumorah” (Mormon 6:4, emphasis added), telling us that the Nephites encircled all around the base of the hill; Second he tells us about the readiness for battle as the Nephites encircled the hill Cumorah with it at their backs: “People, with their wives and their children, did now behold the armies of the Lamanites marching towards them; and with that awful fear of death which fills the breasts of all the wicked, did they await to receive them” (Mormon 6:7, emphasis added). Third, the battle begins: “And it came to pass that they came to battle against us, and every soul was filled with terror because of the greatness of their numbers” (Mormon 6:8, emphasis added). Fourth, the fire-power of the Lamanites is described: “they did fall upon my people with the sword, and with the bow, and with the arrow, and with the ax, and with all manner of weapons of war” (Mormon 6:9).

Fifth the results of the battle: “And it came to pass that my men were hewn down, yea, even my ten thousand who were with me, and I fell wounded in the midst; and they passed by me that they did not put an end to my life. And…they had gone through and hewn down all my people” (Mormon 6:10-11, emphasis added).

On the other hand, Mr. Imbabura provides excellent coverage for the rear, with a mountain not easily climbed quickly, with paths if you know where they are, and such a view from the top it would be easy so see the carnage and bodies of tens of thousands of people strewn across the land. Not only that, but as mentioned earlier many pounds of arrowheads and other artifacts of war have been found around the low foothills.