Ruminahui Norte

I began the hike from inside Cotopaxi Park. In order to get into the park you will need to have a passport or residency card. We parked along the side of the road and then crossed a drainage ditch to get to a path created by vehicles driving through the grass. The trail here is easy to follow and continues on relatively flat ground for a while. Eventually the trail will end at the base of a hill. Walk up the hill and at the top there will be two paths. Take the one to the left and hike up to a ridge. Walk along the ridge for a while until you come to a rocky peak that juts up in front. Here you can either go to the left of the right. We chose to go to the right of the peak and hiked around it. We hugged the peak as we went around but quickly found out that the real path was further below us. It is much easier to descend a little and follow the path. The path is not clear here is and is difficult to find in the grass and thick brush. Eventually you will come to a steep uphill part. Here you want to climb straight up for a ways until you come to a rocky formation that looks like a tunnel. It is difficult hiking through this tunnel as there are several boulders that you need to climb up on but not very good hand or foot holds. Also, be aware that it can be dangerous for people below as it is easy for rocks to be kicked loose by people climbing further up. Once past the tunnel, you will cross a stream running down the mountain (at least if it has rained recently). From there you will have to scramble over boulders and along cliffs up to the summit. This part can be very dangerous at places because the only hand and foot holds are rotting rock and you need to check each hold before you put weight on it. Eventually, you will reach the summit which is relatively small and just a few boulders. The decent from the summit to the tunnel was even more difficult as we had to be more cautious of loose rocks. After descending though the tunnel, we took the same route back but made sure to walk lower than the cliff through the thick grass and scrub brush. Once we made it back to the ridge we were able to hike much more quickly back to the vehicles. Overall I would rate the first part of the hike easy to medium but once you start climbing towards the peak it can be difficult for anyone who has not climbed many mountains. Be very cautious with the rocks, especially if it is raining or has been raining. Ropes are not needed to make it to the summit and anyone who is in good shape and used to the altitude should be able to make it but it can be difficult. Use common sense and don't do anything you are not comfortable with. Otherwise this is a enjoyable hike and has the potential for great views on clear days.