Cerro Pajonales. Our aim was to ascend Cerro Pajonales (5958 m), highest in the Pajonales chain north-northeast of the railroad station of Socompa. We reached the end of the motorable road at the Llano (plains) de Pajonales and then marched southwest to the base of the mountain. From a camp at around 15,100 feet we reached the summit on February 10 over talus and varying ground, but no snow or ice. Although it was believed that the peak was unclimbed, we found a short metal rod encrusted into the summit ground, possibly the work of surveyors. Climbers were Ricardo Artalejo, Luis Durand, Eduardo Ruiz and I.

José Martínez H., Madrid, Spain