Overview
Located in Cotopaxi National Park, Ruminahui is an underrated and incredible hike that is relatively simple to do if you have a car.
Getting there
Driving south from Quito take a left to enter the park. (If you hit Latacunga you’ve gone too far.) The park opens at 8 am, so be there then to register and enter. The park’s strictness for climbing Ruminhaui without a guide has varied over the past two years. It’s best to bring some kind of paper/official document showing you are a hiker. This can seriously be anything. When I went with a climbing club and we just had a sheet of paper with an official looking logo and our names and signatures. The time after that, they didn’t ask for any paperwork but I think it was more flexible because I was with Ecuadorians. When they see you’re a foreigner they are generally stricter. If you don’t want to do the papers, just tell the guards you’re heading to the lake.
From the entrance of the park it’s another half hour or more driving to get to the base of the mountain. Follow signs to the lake. Park your car and take the boardwalk around the lake to get to the the hike.
The Hike:
Total Distance Round Trip: 7 miles
Total Elevation Gain: 2,428
A decent Wikiloc route can be found here. Although I would use the descent route as your ascent route as well. I’ve never taken the other way.
The trail is for sure confusing if you don’t know where you’re going but just be sure to use Maps.Me and you’ll be 100% fine. The typical Ruminahui hike brings you to the central of the 3 peaks.
If you’re looking for a challenge you can do the north peak as well. It is not technical and can be accessed from the base of the central peak. Just know that the trail here sometimes doesn’t exist and can be hard to find. Again, Maps.Me can help you.
A more involved challenge to tackle Ruminahui Norte would be to approach it from the north face instead of the central face. This requires climbing gear and technical knowledge. As you approach do NOT following the ridge rock line up. It cliffs out for 70 feet before the actual face of the mountain. We learned that the hard way when I was out with some guides once trying to open a new route.
Other tips
In general you really need a car for this mountain. While you could get dropped of at the turn off from the Autopista highway, you’re still over an hour from the base and then you have to make it out the same day. There is always the possibility of hiking and camping but be aware that you are technically only allowed to camp in specified camping areas which are not within walking distance of the mountain. That said, how strictly that rule is enforced/how they would catch you, I’m just not sure.
All said, if you have the opportunity to do Rumi, get at it! Its an incredibly climb with breathtaking views of Cotopaxi. Condor sightings are common.
And remember, ABOVE ALL: Look good, have fun, be safe. Good Luck!
Hike Ecuador 