Pico Cristóbal Colón facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Pico Cristóbal Colón |
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Pico Cristóbal Colón in 2008
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| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 5,730 m (18,800 ft) |
| Prominence | 5,509 m (18,074 ft) Ranked 5th |
| Listing | Country high point Ultra |
| Geography | |
 Pico Cristóbal Colón
Location in Colombia
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| Location | Magdalena Department, Colombia |
| Parent range | Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta |
| Climbing | |
| First ascent | 1939 by Wood, Bakerwell and Praolini |
| Easiest route | basic snow/ice climb, Alpine PD |
Pico Cristóbal Colón is the highest mountain in Colombia. It reaches an amazing height of about 5,730 meters (that's over 18,700 feet) above sea level! This giant peak shares the title of Colombia's highest point with its twin, Pico Simón Bolívar. Both mountains are exactly the same height.
These two peaks are part of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta mountain range. They are so tall that they always have a permanent snowcap, even though they are in a warm country. Pico Cristóbal Colón is named after the famous explorer, Christopher Columbus. It's also one of the top five most prominent peaks in the world. This means it stands out a lot from the land around it. The next closest mountain that's even taller is Cayambe, which is about 1,288 kilometers (800 miles) away!
Climbing This Giant
People have been climbing Pico Cristóbal Colón for many years. The very first time someone officially reached the top was in 1939. This historic climb was made by three mountaineers: Walter Wood, Anderson Bakerwell, and E. Praolini.
More recently, in 2015, an expedition led by John Biggar successfully climbed the peak. This was one of the first times in many years that climbers had reached the summit. They made it to the top of Pico Colón on December 13th, 2015.
See also
- List of mountains by elevation
- List of Ultras of South America
Images for kids
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Petter Bjorstad climbing the north glacier on Pico Colon, December 2015
