Ritacuba Negro : Climbing, Hiking & Mountaineering : SummitPost

Overview

The Ritacuba Negro is a very interesting mountain because is located in the Cocuy National Park, There, in an area of about 30 kilometers, there are more than 22 snowy peaks, it meets the biggest mass of snow and ice from South America to the north of the equatorial line.

Nevertheless not too many people go to the Ritacuba Negro by the glacier because is considerably more difficult than the it´s neighbor Ritacuba Blanco and the highest peak in the area with 5330 m.

The easiest route its by the glacier taking a narrow and exposed traverse to the top, this route requires a few snow stakes and ice screws. If you prefer you can do the north-east wall, which involves a bivouac in the middle of the wall and it´s primary rock climbing until you reach a little part of the traverse.

Getting There

From Bogotá (412 Km) you con take a Bus to Güican or el Cocuy (10-12 hours), then you can spend the night on any of these towns and take the milk truck very early in the morning or you can just rent a car, wich is not very expensive.

The car will take you to the Kanwara cabins at almost 4000 meters, from there you can go directly in one day to the glacier or if you are going to do the wall you will have to walk two days to the base of the mountain.

Red Tape

You have to pay the park entrance wich costs 6000 pesos (US$2.50) and that´s all. No camping fees, except if you sleep in the Kanwara cabins.

When To Climb

The best season to climb is between December and February, when the weather is dry. Then, between March and June, the weather becomes harder and the conditions of climbing are not adequate. In the next two months, July and August, the weather conditions changes a lot, so you may also have sunny days but the rain and the snow can appear any time. Finally, September, October and November are not recommended to go climbing, if you still want to go expect rainy days.

Prices

LISTA DE PRECIOS COCUY. Abril 2003 Pagina nueva 1

RUTA	$ Guía/día	$ Caballo/día
LAGUNILLAS
Laguna lagunillas	15000	15000
Hotelito	20000	20000
Pulpito	20000
Laguna de la Plaza	35000	30000

HDA. LA ESPERANZA
Valle de los frailejones	15000	20000
Laguna Grande de la Sierra	20000	25000

CABAÑAS KANWARA
Playitas	25000	20000
Laguna los verdes	30000	25000
Laguna el Avellanal	60000	45000


Trasnporte	$	Tiempo
Bogotá - Cocuy	33000	10 horas
Cocuy - Hda la Esperanza	4000	2 horas

About the cocuy national park

Depending on the area of the park and the particular conditions that it each area presents, has been determined the use that the man has given to the resources.

In the oriental area of the park, of the one that make part the basins of the rivers Arauca and Casanare, the forest ecosystems are represented in the llanero forest, Andean forest and páramo. The not existence of access areas for this region has allowed that the area is conserved in acceptable conservation state in spite of colonization processes developed from before the declaration of the park.

In the northeastern end of the park, the indigenous territory U'wa overcomes with the area protected in near 100.000 hectares. This indigenous group conserves almost intact its traditions and ways to use the resources. They are combined in the conservation of the protected area. The inhabitants of this indigenous town are constantly mobilized among the two slopes of the mountain range, interacting with the municipalities of Cubará, Tame, Concepción, Chiscas, Guicán and the Cocuy.