As I trudged with hundreds of tourists to Pico Ruivo, I kept wondering how to shake up this monotonous routine. Then, out of nowhere, I spotted a narrow trail leading to the Pico Ruivo East Peak. It was barely visible through the bushes, but it was definitely a trail—clearly used occasionally by the adventurous. The climb was a bit steep, followed by a short scramble that, to my surprise, had chains for safety.
Finally, I spotted the trig pillar, likely marking the high point. With the clouds gone, I enjoyed clear views in one direction, then walked to another side of the ridge to find yet more stunning vistas. There were remnants of some construction—similar to what I’d seen at the summit—sitting right next to the trig pillar.
After double-checking the map, I realized I didn’t need to retrace my steps—the trail actually traverses the ridge and ends near the parking lot. I took this trail and quickly found my way back to the official Pico Ruivo path. Interestingly, when I climbed the smaller Pico Ruivo East Summit P60 peak, it wasn’t in the Peakbagger database! So I added it, a nice bonus for bagging the last Portuguese ultra-prominent peak. Then I headed toward Pico Ruivo do Paul da Serra, ready for more adventure. However, Pico do Remal came first, throwing in a surprise peak before I got to my intended destination.
