Monte Pissis
Encyclopedia
Monte Pissis is an extinct volcano
in La Rioja Province
, Argentina
. The mountain
is the third-highest in the Western Hemisphere
, and is located about 550 km north of Aconcagua
.
Monte Pissis is named after Pedro José Amadeo Pissis
, a French geologist
who worked for the Chilean government.
Due to its location in the Atacama Desert
, the mountain has very dry conditions but there is an extensive glacier (with crevasses, this is unique in the region) on the North face.
, but SRTM data and several modern GPS surveys have proved that this widely reproduced and repeated claim is incorrect.
In 2005, an Austrian performed a precise DGPS survey of Pissis' summit and found the elevation to be 6793m.
This was later confirmed by a Chilean-European expedition, which surveyed both Ojos del Salado and Monte Pissis. It has provisionally found the former to be 6,891 m and the latter 6,793 m.
From the base of the mountains (4,500 m) several days of hike are required. The moutain is usually summitted directly from an high camp at 5,900 m at the hedge of the glacier.
Volcano
2. Bedrock3. Conduit 4. Base5. Sill6. Dike7. Layers of ash emitted by the volcano8. Flank| 9. Layers of lava emitted by the volcano10. Throat11. Parasitic cone12. Lava flow13. Vent14. Crater15...
in La Rioja Province
La Rioja Province (Argentina)
La Rioja is a one of the provinces of Argentina and is located in the west of the country. Neighboring provinces are from the north clockwise Catamarca, Córdoba, San Luis and San Juan.-History:...
, Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
. The mountain
Mountain
Image:Himalaya_annotated.jpg|thumb|right|The Himalayan mountain range with Mount Everestrect 58 14 160 49 Chomo Lonzorect 200 28 335 52 Makalurect 378 24 566 45 Mount Everestrect 188 581 920 656 Tibetan Plateaurect 250 406 340 427 Rong River...
is the third-highest in the Western Hemisphere
Western Hemisphere
The Western Hemisphere or western hemisphere is mainly used as a geographical term for the half of the Earth that lies west of the Prime Meridian and east of the Antimeridian , the other half being called the Eastern Hemisphere.In this sense, the western hemisphere consists of the western portions...
, and is located about 550 km north of Aconcagua
Aconcagua
Aconcagua is the highest mountain in the Americas at . It is located in the Andes mountain range, in the Argentine province of Mendoza and it lies west by north of its capital, the city of Mendoza. The summit is also located about 5 kilometres from San Juan Province and 15 kilometres from the...
.
Monte Pissis is named after Pedro José Amadeo Pissis
Pedro José Amadeo Pissis
thumb|180px|Photo of Pedro PissisPedro José Amadeo Pissis Marín was a French geologist who served the Chilean government in the 19th century. Pissis worked in Brazil and Bolivia before he arrived to Chile...
, a French geologist
Geologist
A geologist is a scientist who studies the solid and liquid matter that constitutes the Earth as well as the processes and history that has shaped it. Geologists usually engage in studying geology. Geologists, studying more of an applied science than a theoretical one, must approach Geology using...
who worked for the Chilean government.
Due to its location in the Atacama Desert
Atacama Desert
The Atacama Desert is a plateau in South America, covering a strip of land on the Pacific coast, west of the Andes mountains. It is, according to NASA, National Geographic and many other publications, the driest desert in the world...
, the mountain has very dry conditions but there is an extensive glacier (with crevasses, this is unique in the region) on the North face.
Elevation dispute
In 1994 it was claimed by Argentine authorities that an advanced GPS survey had determined that the elevation of Monte Pissis was 6,882 m, and higher than Ojos del SaladoOjos del Salado
Nevado Ojos del Salado is a massive stratovolcano in the Andes on the Argentina-Chile border and the highest volcano in the world at . It is also the second highest mountain in the Western Hemisphere and Southern Hemisphere and the highest in Chile...
, but SRTM data and several modern GPS surveys have proved that this widely reproduced and repeated claim is incorrect.
In 2005, an Austrian performed a precise DGPS survey of Pissis' summit and found the elevation to be 6793m.
This was later confirmed by a Chilean-European expedition, which surveyed both Ojos del Salado and Monte Pissis. It has provisionally found the former to be 6,891 m and the latter 6,793 m.
Normal route
The mountain is very high and remote, a long approach is required but the ascent is easy and does not require any specific climbing skill. Nevertheless, good climbing equipment and warms cloths and shoes are required as temperature during the night can drop as -30 degC and wind can be very strong.From the base of the mountains (4,500 m) several days of hike are required. The moutain is usually summitted directly from an high camp at 5,900 m at the hedge of the glacier.