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GUNUNG · Venezuela

Pico Humboldt

Source
Pico Humboldt

Photo: source

Information

Elevation
4.940 m
Country
Venezuela (VE)
Location / Range
Sierra Nevada de Mérida, Andes Venezuela (Taman Nasional Sierra Nevada)
Mountain type
Gunung (puncak Andes berselimut es sisa)
Volcanic?
No (non-volcanic)
Coordinates
8.5497, -70.9961
Difficulty
Berat (ekspedisi 2–4 hari, medan es/glasial di bagian atas)
Best Season
Desember–Maret (musim kering Andes Venezuela)
Permits & Rules
Berada di dalam Taman Nasional Sierra Nevada (Inparques); pendakian ke zona beku lazim dengan pemandu terdaftar Mérida. Pendekatan dari sektor La Mucuy.
Hazards
Ketinggian (perlu aklimatisasi), cuaca páramo yang cepat berubah, medan es/crevasse pada sisa Glaciar La Corona yang menyusut, serta jalur panjang dengan bermalam di ketinggian.

Description

Pico Humboldt (~4,940 m) is Venezuela's second-highest peak, standing in the Sierra Nevada de Mérida at the heart of the Venezuelan Andes and protected within Sierra Nevada National Park. Named after the German naturalist Alexander von Humboldt, it is famous for holding the Glaciar La Corona—Venezuela's last remnant of permanent ice, which shrank so far that it was downgraded to an ice field in 2024. The classic climb starts from the La Mucuy sector near the city of Mérida, passing through cloud forest and then páramo, threading past glacial lakes (such as Laguna Verde and Laguna El Suero) to a high camp before a summit day over rock and snow/ice. Expeditions usually take two to four days and demand acclimatization and glacier gear when frozen conditions prevail. The peak is often climbed together with its neighbour, Pico Bonpland.

Routes

Ruta La Mucuy (jalur normal via Laguna Verde)

Berat; alpine glasial ringan di bagian atas (perlu crampon/tali saat beku)
Ekspedisi 3–4 hari (2–3 hari mendekat + hari puncak + turun)

The classic route starts from the La Mucuy sector near Mérida, ascending through cloud forest and then páramo, past a chain of glacial lakes (including Laguna Coromoto, Laguna Verde and Laguna El Suero) to a high camp below the summit. Summit day crosses rocky terrain and the remnant Glaciar La Corona before the final ridge. Inside Sierra Nevada National Park; full acclimatization and a Mérida guide are strongly advised. Often linked with Pico Bonpland.

Source

Climbing Experiences

Pico Humboldt (~4,940 m), Venezuela's second-highest peak, is climbed as a 2–4 day expedition from the La Mucuy sector through cloud forest and páramo to a high camp and the remnant Glaciar La Corona. The experiences below—including footage across several years by operators and climbers—highlight the route, the glacial lakes, and the retreat of Venezuela's last glacier.

References

The summary above is compiled from the following sources. Click to explore them yourself.

  1. 1 Wikipedia Pico Humboldt en.wikipedia.org · EN
  2. 2 Wikipedia Pico Humboldt es.wikipedia.org · ES
  3. 3 Wikidata Pico Humboldt (Q1188034) wikidata.org · EN
  4. 4 Encyclopedia Guía sobre el Pico Humboldt, Venezuela andaventura.com · ES