Pico Cristóbal Colón
Pico Cristóbal Colón in 2008
Highest point
Elevation5,730 m (18,800 ft)[1]
Prominence5,509 m (18,074 ft)
Ranked 5th
Isolation1,287 km (800 mi) Edit this on Wikidata
ListingCountry high point
Ultra
Coordinates10°50′18″N 73°41′12″W / 10.83833°N 73.68667°W / 10.83833; -73.68667
Naming
Native nameGonawindua (Cogui)
Geography
Pico Cristóbal Colón is located in Colombia
Pico Cristóbal Colón
Pico Cristóbal Colón
Location in Colombia
LocationMagdalena Department, Colombia
Parent rangeSierra Nevada de Santa Marta
Climbing
First ascent1939 by Wood, Bakerwell and Praolini
Easiest routebasic snow/ice climb, Alpine PD

Pico Cristóbal Colón is the highest mountain in Colombia, with an estimated height of 5,730 metres (18,800 ft). Pico Cristóbal Colón and Pico Simón Bolívar are the two highest peaks in Colombia and are equal in elevation.[2] One or the other of these peaks is therefore the fifth most prominent in the world (see list of peaks by prominence). The nearest peak that is higher is Cayambe, some 1,288 kilometres (800 mi) away. There is a permanent snowcap on this peak and on the nearby mountains. It is part of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta range, along with Pico Simón Bolívar. The peak is named after Christopher Columbus. This mountain is the highest point in South America outside the Andes.

Climbing history

Colón was first climbed in 1939 by Walter Wood, Anderson Bakerwell and E. Praolini.[3]

Access to these mountains became very difficult after the early 1990s due to hostile locals, drug traffickers, and FARC guerillas. An expedition in 2015 led by John Biggar was one of the first to climb in the range for many years, and reached the summit of Pico Colón on 13 December.[4]

Pico Colon Glacier
Petter Bjorstad climbing the north glacier on Pico Colon, December 2015

See also

References

  1. ↑ The elevation given here is based on SRTM data. Colombian topographic maps show 5650m contours but no 5700m contours. A handheld GPS reading obtained in 2015 indicated a height of c.5730m may be correct. A figure of 5775m is frequently quoted.
  2. ↑ Andes site
  3. ↑ "Pico Cristobal Colon Overview - Peakware.com". www.peakware.com. Archived from the original on 2017-03-02.
  4. ↑ Bjorstad, Petter. "Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta Trip Report".


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