Sierra Nevada del Cocuy

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The Sierra Nevada del Cocuy is one of the most important mountains of Colombia and is the highest peak in the Andes Cordillera Occidental. It consists of two parallel mountain ranges, extending in a north-south direction over a distance of 30 km. The western side of the Sierra rises from the Andean highlands, its eastern side up from the hot lowlands of 700 meters over all climate zones on 5330 m at.

The Sierra Nevada del Cocuy has the largest glacier area in Colombia. All glaciers are exposed to climate change a big loss.

Location and Access

The Sierra is located in the northeast of the country, in the department of Boyacá and Arauca, in the communities Cocuy, Guicán and Chita, 280 km as the crow northeast of the capital Bogota. The Sierra is protected as a National Park ( Parque Nacional Sierra Nevada del Cocuy ).

A permit for hiking and camping is issued by the National Park Service in Bogotá or a satellite office in Cocuy. Cocuy and Guicán are accessible on country roads from the capital in about 10 hours of driving. The driveway to the chalets requires vehicles with all-wheel drive.

Peaks and lakes

The Sierra has a variety of mountain peaks and mountain lakes with extraordinary beauty. A good dozen of the summit are five thousand. The most important are:

In the northern part of the Sierra:

  • Ritacuba Blanco ( 5330 m) and Ritacuba Negro ( 5290 m)
  • Ritacuba Norte ( 5100 m) and Pico Guican (4950 m)
  • Pico Pico Aguja and Sin Nombre (5000 m)

Mountain lakes: Laguna Grande de los Verdes, Laguna Avellanal.

In the central and eastern part of the Sierra:

  • San Pablines Sur ( 5180 m) and San Pablines Norte ( 5200 m)
  • Picacho (height | 5110 m) and Puntiagudo ( 5090 m)
  • El Castillo ( 5140 m)

Mountain lakes: Lagunas of La Pintada and La Plazuela

In the southern part of the Sierra:

  • Pan de Azucar ( 5250 m)
  • CONCAVO ( 5200 m) and Concavito ( 5100 m)
  • Púlpito del Diablo ( 4949 m)
  • Cerros de la Plaza ( 4920 m)
  • Campanillas Blanco y Negro ( 4900 m)
  • Toti (4800 m)
  • Portales (4800 m)

Mountain lakes: Laguna Grande de la Sierra, Laguna Grande de la Plaza.

View from the glaciers of the Cerros de la Plaza to the Pan de Azucar. Below are the Laguna Grande de la Plaza.

Seen Ritacuba Blanco, from the southeast from the Valle de Cojines ( Valley of the pillow ).

Arauca Department
729518
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