South America, Columbia, Pico del Castillo, Southwest Ridge

Publication Year: 1986.

Pico del Castillo, Southwest Ridge. Our party of six made on December 26 the first Venezuelan ascent of this very fine peak located east of the divide in the Sierra Nevada de Cocuy. We used a combination of routes to reach the southwest ridge, which had been previously used by Colombians. We descended by rappels and reached our camp after 17 hours of effort with almost no rest. Two women, Dora Ocanto and Ana María Díaz, participated, together with C. Pernalete, N. Rojas, J. Zambrano and me.

José Betancourt, Club de Andinismo y Excursionismo, Universidad de los Andes, Mérida