Sierra Nevada de Cocuy, Southern Peaks. I used the upper valley of La Cueva to tackle several peaks in the southern half of this range. On December 23, 16-year-old Mateo López, a local hillman, and I, reached a point some 120 feet below the top of Nevado Gorro Blanco (5047 meters, 16,560 feet), where we retreated for lack of proper equipment to finish the climb. On December 26, I made the 7th (?) ascent of Nevado Pan de Azúcar (5174 meters, 16,975 feet) and on the 31st, the first of Nevado del Chifión (5050 meters, 16,568 feet), together with Arturo López, also of La Cueva. The last is a rock-and-ice peak located on the west ridge of Nevado Banco Ancho. I also did my best to collect from the locals mountain names, to replace the existing nomenclature assigned by visiting expeditions. The following new names (or rather, old names, since they have been in use for more than 200 years) have been submitted to the Instituto Georgráfico Agustín Coddazzi, chief geographical authority in Colombia; names previously used by climbers are in parentheses: Nevado de Güicán (Ritacuba Norte), Alto Ritacuba (Ritacuba Blanco), Pico Los Por- tones (El Picacho), Pico Corrales (San Pablín Norte), Nevado Banco Ancho (San Pablín Sur), Pan de Azúcar (Concavito), Pico Los Portales (Pico Daniel Trumpy), Pico Púlpito (Pico Toti Gansser), Campanario (Campanilla Grande), Nevado del Púlpito (Pan de Azúcar) and Campanula (Campanilla Chica).

Evelio EchevarrÍa