Nevado Sajama is an extinct
stratovolcanoA stratovolcano, sometimes called a composite volcano, is a tall, conical volcano with many layers of hardened lava, tephra, and volcanic ash. Stratovolcanoes are characterized by a steep profile and periodic, explosive eruptions. The lava that flows from stratovolcanoes tends to be viscous; it...
and the highest peak in
BoliviaBolivia, officially Plurinational State of Bolivia , is a landlocked country in central South America. It is bordered by Brazil to the north and east, Paraguay and Argentina to the south, and Chile and Peru to the west....
. The mountain is located in
Sajama National ParkSajama National Park is a national park located in the Oruro Department, Bolivia. It borders Lauca National Park in Chile.The park features spectacular Andean landscape, with elevations ranging from 4,200 to 6,542 m. It contains the snowy cone of Nevado Sajama, the highest mountain in Bolivia. The...
in the southwest area of the country some 16-24 km (10-15 mi) from the border with
ChileChile, officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
. The peak is an isolated cone, but is geologically complex, with
lava dome|250px|thumb|right|Image of the [[rhyolitic]] lava dome of [[Chaitén Volcano]] during its 2008–2009 eruption.In volcanology, a lava dome is a roughly circular mound-shaped protrusion resulting from the slow extrusion of viscous lava from a volcano...
s of
andesiticAndesite is an igneous, volcanic rock, of intermediate composition, with aphanitic to porphyritic texture. The mineral assemblage is typically dominated by plagioclase plus pyroxene and/or hornblende. Magnetite, zircon, apatite, ilmenite, biotite, and garnet are common accessory minerals. Alkali...
and rhyodactic composition overlain by an andesitic stratovolcano. The date of the most recent eruption is uncertain, although
HoloceneThe Holocene is a geological epoch which began approximately 11 700 years ago . According to traditional geological thinking, the Holocene continues to the present. The Holocene is part of the Neogene and Quaternary periods. Its name comes from the Greek words and , meaning "entirely...
activity is assigned to the volcano by many.
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Nevado Sajama is an extinct
stratovolcanoA stratovolcano, sometimes called a composite volcano, is a tall, conical volcano with many layers of hardened lava, tephra, and volcanic ash. Stratovolcanoes are characterized by a steep profile and periodic, explosive eruptions. The lava that flows from stratovolcanoes tends to be viscous; it...
and the highest peak in
BoliviaBolivia, officially Plurinational State of Bolivia , is a landlocked country in central South America. It is bordered by Brazil to the north and east, Paraguay and Argentina to the south, and Chile and Peru to the west....
. The mountain is located in
Sajama National ParkSajama National Park is a national park located in the Oruro Department, Bolivia. It borders Lauca National Park in Chile.The park features spectacular Andean landscape, with elevations ranging from 4,200 to 6,542 m. It contains the snowy cone of Nevado Sajama, the highest mountain in Bolivia. The...
in the southwest area of the country some 16-24 km (10-15 mi) from the border with
ChileChile, officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
. The peak is an isolated cone, but is geologically complex, with
lava dome|250px|thumb|right|Image of the [[rhyolitic]] lava dome of [[Chaitén Volcano]] during its 2008–2009 eruption.In volcanology, a lava dome is a roughly circular mound-shaped protrusion resulting from the slow extrusion of viscous lava from a volcano...
s of
andesiticAndesite is an igneous, volcanic rock, of intermediate composition, with aphanitic to porphyritic texture. The mineral assemblage is typically dominated by plagioclase plus pyroxene and/or hornblende. Magnetite, zircon, apatite, ilmenite, biotite, and garnet are common accessory minerals. Alkali...
and rhyodactic composition overlain by an andesitic stratovolcano. The date of the most recent eruption is uncertain, although
HoloceneThe Holocene is a geological epoch which began approximately 11 700 years ago . According to traditional geological thinking, the Holocene continues to the present. The Holocene is part of the Neogene and Quaternary periods. Its name comes from the Greek words and , meaning "entirely...
activity is assigned to the volcano by many. Some of the highest growing trees in the world are found on the volcano, where
Polylepis tarapacanaPolylepis tarapacana is a species of plant in the Rosaceae family. It is found in Bolivia, Chile, Peru, and possibly Argentina. It is threatened by habitat loss.-Source:* World Conservation Monitoring Centre 1998. . Downloaded on 23 August 2007....
have been found growing up to 5200m.
Joseph Prem made the first attempt to climb the mountain in 1927 by the northwest ridge but was stopped short at 6,200 m. After several more attempts, Prem along with Wilfrid Kuehm reached the top in August 1939 by a more difficult southeast ridge.
In August 2001, two teams of Sajama villagers and Bolivian mountain guides played a soccer match on top of Mount Sajama in an effort to show that altitude itself is not a limitation to physical strain : http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/1476866.stm
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