Pico Bolívar, Mountain summit in Mérida, Venezuela

Pico Bolívar is the highest mountain summit in the Venezuelan Andes, standing at 4,978 meters above sea level in Mérida. The peak rises above the surrounding valleys and is surrounded by steep rock walls and formerly glaciated slopes.

The mountain was originally called La Columna and received its current name in 1934 to honor Simón Bolívar, the independence movement leader. The name change was proposed by Tulio Febres Cordero and has been used officially ever since.

A bronze bust of Simón Bolívar stands at the summit, marking the highest point in the country and serving as a symbol of national identity. Climbers from different regions come here to reach this point and honor the memory of the independence leader.

The ascent requires technical equipment such as ropes, harnesses and carabiners, along with additional ice gear depending on weather conditions. Physical preparation and experience in alpine terrain are necessary, as the altitude and terrain are demanding.

The 600 km2 figure refers to the whole Pleistocene Mérida glaciation, not to this peak alone. Pico Bolívar's own ice shrank from about 10 km2 in 1910 to 7.48 hectares in 2003, and by 2012 its glaciers were gone.