Cerro Capurata facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Cerro Capurata |
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| Elena Capurata, Nevados de Quimsachata | |
Cerro Capurata is in the center.
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| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 6,013 m (19,728 ft) |
| Prominence | 602 m (1,975 ft) |
| Parent peak | Acotango |
| Geography | |
 Cerro Capurata
Location in Bolivia
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| Countries | Chile and Bolivia |
| Parent range | Andes |
| Climbing | |
| First ascent | 7 October 1967 by Ignacio Morlans and Pedro Rosende |
Cerro Capurata, also called Elena Capurata or Quimsachatas, is a large stratovolcano mountain. It sits high up in the Andes mountains, right on the border between Bolivia and Chile. To its south is Cerro Casparata, and to its west is Guallatiri.
Contents
About Cerro Capurata
Cerro Capurata is a type of volcano called a stratovolcano. This means it's a tall, cone-shaped volcano built up by many layers of hardened lava flows, tephra (ash and rock), and pyroclastic flows.
Where is Cerro Capurata located?
This impressive mountain is found on the border of two countries. In Chile, it's in the Parinacota Province, near the town of Putre. In Bolivia, it's in the Sajama Province, near the town of Turco.
What does the volcano look like?
Compared to nearby volcanoes like Acotango and Humurata, Capurata's rocks are still in good shape. However, some parts show signs of hydrothermal changes, which means hot water and steam have altered the rocks. This is sometimes linked to fumarolic activity, where gases and steam escape from the volcano.
The volcano is huge, with a total size of about 19 cubic kilometers. Over time, glaciers have carved and shaped its sides. Capurata is made up of different volcanic materials, including lava domes (mounds of thick lava), lava flows (rivers of molten rock), and pyroclastic flows (fast-moving currents of hot gas and volcanic debris). You can also find sulfur deposits on Capurata, which are formed by solfataras, a type of volcanic vent that releases sulfurous gases.
The western side of the mountain is covered in snow and ice. At the very top, there are two bowl-shaped areas called crater depressions. They look like they were formed in the Holocene period, which is the current geological age, starting about 11,700 years ago.
Exploring Capurata: Inca Ruins and First Climb
Ancient Inca Ruins
Near the northern part of the summit, there's a ruin that measures about 10 meters by 5 meters. Experts believe this structure was built by the Inkas, an ancient civilization in South America. A climber named Pedro Hauck took a photo of these ruins during his last climb in 2014. These ruins show that people visited this high mountain a very long time ago.
First Recorded Ascent
The first time someone officially climbed to the top of Cerro Capurata was on October 7, 1967. The climbers were Pedro Rosende and Ignacio Morlans, both from Chile.
How Tall is Cerro Capurata?
The official height of Cerro Capurata is 5,990 meters (about 19,652 feet). However, some handheld GPS devices have measured it to be slightly taller, around 6,013 meters (about 19,728 feet) or 6,014 meters (about 19,731 feet) high. Different measuring tools and methods can sometimes give slightly different results for mountain heights.
See also
- Salla Qullu
- List of mountains in the Andes
