I have not yet added information or commentaries of this trip. But basically it was going to be a two person trip, my parter could not come at the last minute, so I went anyways. At the end you will find my trip report.
Basically day one from base (2200m) to Laguna Coromote (3000m). Second day: from Laguna Coromoto (3000m) to Laguna Verde (4000m). Third day, descent from Laguna Verde to Base. I would like to point out that this is a somewhat fast rate of ascent. I had a small headeach which waned each day, but was still bothersome.

At "Laguna Coromoto (3000m)":

In the trail to "Laguna Verde (4000m)":

At Laguna Verde (4000m):

During the descent to the base (2200m):

Here is my trip report to the venezuelan andes, or the 
Sierra Nevada National park.


It started funny enough with a car breakdown.  I left on sunday august 9th with
my brother on his volkswagen van to merida.  After a short two hour tour of the
route, his oil light came on.  We pulled over, noticed that it was the 
crankshaft was spitting oil.  We returned back to caracas puttin oil every
half on hour.  This was the second set back of the trip.  The first one was
the fact that I was unable to secure a buddy for the trip.  The car would 
take a couple of days to be fixed.

Ok, I was determined, and looking bummed to my mother, and after heavy 
negotiations, I was able to borrow my mom's car, for the 10 hour drive to 
Merida on the 10th.  I drove in a caraban with my god-father who was in caracas
 and was also going to merida.  I was great to drive again at 75mph
without worrying about being pulled over, and passing those
extra-long-wide trucks on single lane roads with turns...

There was a risk of not climbing since they dont allow solo climbers into the 
park.  But I was told just to buddy up with people going up.

I got to the park on tuesday morning, there was a sign on the outside of the
park that it was closed.  I told the guard I was doing an spiritual retreat at
the first campsite, and he let me in (thumbs up for my BS abilities).
The real objective of my trip was a summit attempt at Humbolt peak at 
4,942m (16,300 feet).

I got to the park ranger and told him that I wanted to go up to the
first campsite, he said, no way, you can't go alone, so I paired up
with 3 kids that were going to the first lagoon.  The ranger asked us
to empty are bags to check that we are carrying the right gear and are
carrying no alcohol.  He was puzzled by my crampons and ice ax (or
piole as they call it).  I said "Hey, I am sorry, I always travel with
full gear, should I need to help somebody, I am part of a rescue team
in the States...bs...bs...bs".  He said ok, of course both he and I
knew that I had different plans.

So the hike started at 2200m (7260 ft), and after 4 hours we were at our 
destination: Laguna La Coromoto (la Coromoto lagoon), a beutiful lagoon at
3100m (10,200ft).  I set up my tent next to 2 french tourists and a guide.
I realized how rusty my french was... I also talked to the guide who told me
about interesting guide stories, like some of his friends marrying swiss
tourist after a parapente outing..

I went to bed early at 9pm, but I was already feeling the effects of
altitude an nice little heavy-headed feeling. and later through the
night I found out insomnia!!! I slept at most 2 hours; although
according to my medical book, insomnia is not listed under AMS (acute
mountain sickness) symptons, so either I got yipped with the book, I
am broken (I think the later :-) [I think it turns out to be a sympton alright]

Anyways I started my hike to the next lagoon on wednesday at 8:30am.  After 
hiking few hours, I realize that is very hard to follow trails that you never
been before when they are poorly marked!!! at one point I was on top of a rock
(coming from no trail) asking the guide who was about 1000 yards away on the 
trail which way the trail is!!! (how embarrassing, but then again I did not
mind going off the trail, since I was by myself, no one knew (except you guys 
now)).  At some points while I was off the trail but thinking I was on the 
trail, I saw some very hard moves (I mean climbing moves) to keep on going
on something that resembled a trail, I said to myself: "This can't be true
this can't be the trail, or these people's standard for trails are climbing
trails"

I met some other climbers coming down, they were coming down because
higher up it was raining and very windy.  Finally after 5 hours, I made
it to Laguna Verde (green Lagoon) at 4000 meters (13,200ft).  Indeed,
it was very windy and rainy.  From here I would try to assult the
humbolt peak which was about 940 meters (3000 ft) higher.  The glacier
began about 400 meters (1300ft) higher.  But the conditions where not
right: there was too much fog at higher altitudes.  So I set up my
4-season tent, with all the guy lines presupposing that I would need
the extra-good setup to withstand the winds.  I went into my tent.


The wind kept blowing: waoh, here is where I think the difference
between 4-seasons and 3-seasons is made.  The wind blew the tent A
LOT, my guess is that it was around 40 mph winds, very very noisy.
But I had confidence on my tent (not too much on my setup, but later I
regained that confidence).

The weather hardly gave in: So the only window for the attack came at
mid-night the sky was clear and the stars were shining bright.  This
is the beauty of high altitude: bright shinning nights.  But
considering the inestability of the weather, I did not want to risk
coming down alone on the foggy at night , so I decided to wait to see
how the weather is like 1 hour before sunrise, if it was right, then I
could ascend at dawn and come down in the morning with more light.
But the window closed permanently at 1am.  The fog came in again and
the rain and winds restarted their power.  (good judgement in my part).

In the morning after a sleepless night, I experience the effects of
altitude again.  This time a nice mild-throbbing headache.  no big
deal, I knew it was coming.  at 9am I decided to go home, I still had
plenty of food, you always carry an extra day or two of food, but
since the weather was not going to give in it was not worth staying.
Ah BTW, I did not bring a sleeping bag from here, I borrowed my
brother, but I did not get to see the sleeping bag until the first
night: The sleeping bag had NO loft, the zipper was sort of broken so
that if you put preassure it would come undone, and it was slightly
cut on the inside!!, lesson: always make sure you carry a good
overrated sleeping bag.  (I thought of nice things of my brother when
I realize this, but I would personally not lend a sleeping bag like
this not even to my worst enemy!!!).

Going down is much easier and better when you know the trail!! I caught up
the group I went up with on the La coromoto lagoon at noon, and started the
full descent back to the trail head.  On the way down, because I was trying to
keep up with these teenagers (they were 18), I got a triple blister on one heel
yeap, one right next to each other.  My advice to people is to descend slowly
because otherwise your knees will suck when you reach 30.

So at 3pm on thrusday I reached the trail-head and started my drive
back home.  I am pretty happy about my trip: I experienced the effects
of altitude, and carried a heavy pack (a complete pack for life for 3
nights and 4 days, including tent, thermarest (with my chair
attachments), ice ax, crampoons...)  although I was a little
disappointed by not being able to summit (but I was aware of this
possibility).  The key to these trips is to allow for extra time for
weather; I also lost one day due to my brother's car breakdown.  But
now I know where the park is, I have a map, and know the trails.  I
look forward to doing this trip again for a longer time and maybe even
a longer route and taking more people with me in the time to come.

(there is also a traverse in this range, that includes the 5007m (16,500ft)
Bolivar Peak, the highest in venezuela, that is 24km (15mi) long and 
a lot of elevation gain, that takes about a week)

Hector