Climbing in the Cocuy Range of Colombia

High Camp at Ritacu­ba Blan­co. Juan Car­los Gon­za­lez photo

Our first Colom­bian Andes expe­di­tion of the sea­son was a great suc­cess! The team got to expe­ri­ence the absolute beau­ty of the Cocuy Moun­tain range that few for­eign­ers have been so lucky to see. From their base camp at Lagu­na Grande de la Sier­ra, they had their pick of many dif­fer­ent sum­mit options. Check out some of their dis­patch­es from dur­ing the trip below:

Gor­don at the sum­mit of Pico del Aguilas. Juan Car­los Gon­za­lez photo

Decem­ber 5^th:

“These past cou­ple days, the group has climbed two acclima­ti­za­tion peaks: Montser­rate (12,520 ft/​3816 m) and Pico del Aguilas (12,795ft/3900 m). All mem­bers are very well accli­ma­tized and the spir­it is high! At the moment, they are head­ing for the base camp at Lagu­na Grande de la Sier­ra, at 14,810ft/4514 m, where tomor­row they will attempt one of the main sum­mits: El Con­ca­vo at 17,060ft/5200 m.”

Gor­don and assis­tant guide Raphael on the glac­i­er of Con­ca­vo. Juan Car­los Gon­za­lez photo

Decem­ber 10^th: 

“We have had some very excit­ing days at the camp­site Lagu­na Grande. Bill and Dorothy reached the sum­mits of Toti and Con­ca­vo while Gor­don made some real­ly good sum­mit attempts. Sun­day morn­ing we moved to the north­ern camp­site at Kan­wara. We spent last night at the high camp of Ritacu­ba Blanco. 

Bill and Dorothy ascend­ing Con­ca­vo at sun­rise. Juan Car­los Gon­za­lez photo

Bill and Dorothy on the steep sec­tion of Toti. Juan Car­los Gon­za­lez photo

This morn­ing the expe­di­tion team sum­mit­ed Ritacu­ba Blan­co at 17,750ft/5410 m. The winds were strong but we were lucky there was no pre­cip­i­ta­tion.The weath­er has been good these past few days the views of the snow-cov­ered peaks were spec­tac­u­lar. The group is now head­ing down to Cocuy were they will spend a night before the jour­ney back to Bogotá.”

~ MM Guide Juan Car­los Gon­za­lez Camacho

Bill and Dorothy at the sum­mit of Ritacu­ba Blan­co. Juan Car­los Gon­za­lez photo