Rucu Pichincha

Description of peak:
Rucu Pichincha is a 4698 meter high mountain in the Andes that rises above Quito in Ecuador. Neighbouring mountains are Guagua Pichincha, 4794 m and Padre Encantado, 4685 m. All these mountains are of volcanic origin as are most of the highest mountains in Ecuador (a common geographical occurance near the equator).

Rucu Pichincha is renowned for its easy access, due to the cable car that takes only 18 minutes between lower station at 3117 meters to the upper station Cruz Loma at 3947 meters. The cable car is interestingly called TelefériQo, and the name is a combination of words "El Teleférico" (Spanish for "the cable car") and "Quito (the capital of Ecuador).

The Teleférico passes three distinct microclimates. At the beginning is the Andean forest where Eucalyptus trees are most common. Afterwards, with altitude the forest gives way to bushes. The most dominant are:

(1) El pumamaqui (lat.: Oreopanax ecuadorensi), that means, in indigenous Quechua language, a "paw of the puma". The meaning probably stems from the shape of its thick leaves that resemble the paw of the puma.

(2) Achupallas (lat. Pitcairmia furfuracea). The center of this plant rises up to a few meters, while its sharp leaves surround it in protection.

The last microclimate of the mountain is known as an Andean páramo. The most representative is a romerillo, which is a flower with yellow blossoms. Even higher up, the flowers are smaller, and the grass prevails. Endemic to this area are also the flowers chuquiraguas.

The fauna of the Andean páramo is also interesting. Most common are various rodents from small mice to rabbits. The most interesting is probably the curiquingue (span.) or the carunculated caracara (lat. Phalcoboenus carunculatus). Curiquingue is a species of bird prey and it is extremely agile flyer for it size. It is endemic only to the area of páramo northern Ecuador and Colombia (see pictures).

The snow line in this part of Andes is 4800 meters, therefore temperatures a little above freezing are to be expected (without taking a chill factor into account). Nevertheless, normally no snow covers the summit.

The best time to ascend the mountain is from July to August and from December to Febrauary. The best time is to reach the top is in the morning time, because afterwards clouds envelop the summit and the risk of storms in the afternoon is high. The hike is safe (police is monitoring the activities, as of 2018).

Mind that because of the altitude, the symptoms of altitude sickness may develop, especially without enough acclimatization.