Pico Cristóbal Colón (pre-Columbian name: Gonawindua) is possibly the highest mountain in Colombia, with a reported height of . Pico Cristóbal Colón and Pico Simón Bolívar are the two highest peaks in Colombia and almost equal in elevation.Andes site One of the two mountains is therefore the fifth most prominent in the world (see list of peaks by prominence). The nearest peak that is higher is Cayambe, some away. There is a permanent snowcap on this peak and on the nearby mountains. It is part of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta range, along with Pico Simón Bolívar, and was named after Christopher Columbus. This mountain is the highest point in South America outside the Andes.
Climbing history Colón was first climbed in 1939 by Walter Wood, Anderson Bakewell and E. Praolini.
Access to these mountains became very difficult after the early 1990s due to hostile locals, drug traffickers and FARC guerillas. An expedition in 2015 led by John Biggar was one of the first to climb in the range for many years, and reached the summit of Pico Colón on 13 December.
Cultural Significance The indigenous Kogi honor Pico Colón as a holy mountain which they call "Gonawindua". They believe that this mountain is "The Heart of the World" and they are the "Elder Brothers" who care for it."centre of the world" (the Sierra Nevada of Santa Marta).
See also List of mountains by elevation List of Ultras of South America List of mountains in Colombia
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