Ritacuba Blanco
Encyclopedia
Ritacuba Blanco is the highest peak of Cordillera Oriental
, in the Andes Mountains
of Colombia
. It's also named Ritak'uwa, an ancient name from the Uwa indigenous people that live in the lowlands of the National Park Sierra Nevada del Cocuy y Güicán
, where the Ritacuba Blanco is located.
The summit is accessible from the west via the town of El Cocuy
, the village of Güicán and the hamlet of Las Cabañas. The hike is fairly easy, but weather is not reliable, and a glacier must be crossed.
Because of global warming
, its glacier is melting at very high rates, backing down 25 linear mts per year; same is happening at amazing speeds to all other snow-covered tropical mountains in Colombia
. In 1950, Ritacuba Blanco's glacier extended down to 4500 metres (14,763.8 ft) above sea level; in January 2007 its lowest point was at 4800 metres (15,748 ft) above sea level. If this melting rate continues, the glacier is expected to disappear before 2025.
Cordillera Oriental
Cordillera Oriental from the Spanish language meaning "Eastern range" may refer to:* Cordillera Oriental * Cordillera Oriental * Cordillera Oriental * Cordillera Oriental -See also:...
, in the Andes Mountains
Andes
The Andes is the world's longest continental mountain range. It is a continual range of highlands along the western coast of South America. This range is about long, about to wide , and of an average height of about .Along its length, the Andes is split into several ranges, which are separated...
of Colombia
Colombia
Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
. It's also named Ritak'uwa, an ancient name from the Uwa indigenous people that live in the lowlands of the National Park Sierra Nevada del Cocuy y Güicán
El Cocuy National Park
El Cocuy National Park is a national park located in the Andes Mountains within the nation of Colombia. Its official name is Parque Nacional Natural El Cocuy.-Geology:...
, where the Ritacuba Blanco is located.
The summit is accessible from the west via the town of El Cocuy
El Cocuy
El Cocuy is a town and municipality in the Colombian Department of Boyacá, part of the sub-region of the Gutiérrez Province. For information on Parque Nacional Natural El Cocuy, visit http://www.pnncocuy.com....
, the village of Güicán and the hamlet of Las Cabañas. The hike is fairly easy, but weather is not reliable, and a glacier must be crossed.
Because of global warming
Global warming
Global warming refers to the rising average temperature of Earth's atmosphere and oceans and its projected continuation. In the last 100 years, Earth's average surface temperature increased by about with about two thirds of the increase occurring over just the last three decades...
, its glacier is melting at very high rates, backing down 25 linear mts per year; same is happening at amazing speeds to all other snow-covered tropical mountains in Colombia
Colombia
Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
. In 1950, Ritacuba Blanco's glacier extended down to 4500 metres (14,763.8 ft) above sea level; in January 2007 its lowest point was at 4800 metres (15,748 ft) above sea level. If this melting rate continues, the glacier is expected to disappear before 2025.
External links
- Parque Nacional Natural El Cocuy Info in Spanish about the National Park where the Ritacuba Blanco is located.
- Ritacuba Blanco on Andes site