Sierra Nevada de Cocuy, Cordillera Oriental, 1991. Our expedition was composed of two women, leader Isabel Suárez and Rosario Rivas, and Carlos Davila and me. Suárez had in December of 1990 climbed the difficult north face of Ritacuba Negro in this same sierra. From the town of Güicán and Hacienda Ritacuba, we walked over the Los Verdes pass and descended onto the eastern (Orinoco) side of the range. On December 12, 1991, we climbed the fine pyramid of Pico Blanco (5096 meters, 16,720 feet) by the much receded west glacier. In a storm on December 26, 1991, we also climbed Pico La Aguja (c. 5100 meters, 16,733 feet), previously known as Pico Sin Nombre.

José Betancourt, Mérida, Venezuela