Monte Sarmiento facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Sarmiento |
|
|---|---|
Monte Sarmiento in the distance.
|
|
| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 7,369 ft (2,246 m) |
| Geography | |
| Location | Chile |
| Parent range | Andes |
| Climbing | |
| First ascent | 1956 by Carlo Mauri and Clemente Maffei |
Monte Sarmiento is a tall, pyramid-shaped mountain. It has a snowy, saddle-like top. This amazing peak is found in Alberto de Agostini National Park in Chile. It's part of a region called Tierra del Fuego.
The mountain stands right by the Magdalena Channel. It marks the western edge of the Cordillera Darwin mountain range. Monte Sarmiento is often hidden by clouds. But when it appears, it's truly stunning! The famous scientist Charles Darwin once called it "the most sublime spectacle in Tierra del Fuego." Many people have been amazed by its beauty.
Contents
The Story of Monte Sarmiento
How the Mountain Got Its Name
Long ago, an explorer named Pedro Sarmiento de Gamboa saw this mountain. He thought it was a volcano covered in snow. So, he called it "Volcán Nevado," which means "Snowy Volcano."
Later, another explorer, Phillip Parker King, renamed it Mount Sarmiento. He did this to honor Pedro Sarmiento de Gamboa.
Early Attempts to Climb the Mountain
For many years, people tried to reach the top of Monte Sarmiento. But it was very difficult! Many attempts were not successful.
Some famous climbers who tried were Martin Conway in 1898. Another was Alberto María de Agostini in 1913. They all found the climb too challenging.
First Successful Climbs
The eastern top of Monte Sarmiento was finally climbed on March 7, 1956. An Italian team made this first successful ascent. The climbers included Clemente Gueret and Carlo Mauri. Their trip was organized by Padre Alberto Maria De Agostini.
The western top of the mountain was climbed much later. This happened on December 24, 1986. Another Italian team, called Ragni di Lecco, reached the summit. They even found a new way up the North Face of the mountain.
In 1995, a group of British climbers also reached the west summit. This group included Stephen Venables, John Roskelley, and Tim Macartney-Snape.
More recently, on April 4, 2010, a German team climbed the North Face to the western summit. This team included Robert Jasper, Jörn Heller, and Ralf Gantzhorn. They followed the same path that the 1986 team had opened.
Monte Sarmiento in Books and Movies
In Literature
Monte Sarmiento is so famous that it appears in several books! It is mentioned in two novels by Jules Verne: Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea and Robur the Conqueror.
The mountain is also featured in the book This Thing of Darkness by Harry Thompson.
In Cinema
In 2003, a team tried to climb Monte Sarmiento. Their adventure was made into a Brazilian documentary film. The movie is called Extremo sul.
