Say hello to see crater and Rainbow Mountain Papandayan

KOMPAS.COM-For those who have never set foot on the ridge slopes of Mount Papandayan, would be amazed what a mountain located on the south side of Garut regency, West Java, this.

Apparent condition of the slopes and some point-altitude mountain peak 2665 m above sea level as it has just eroded. Expanse of rock fragments, ranging from the smallest to large chunks of stuff strewn path towards the summit trail to the campsite and Pondok Seladah.

Not much different from the tourist sites and historical heritage Situ Cangkuang Temple. These relics of the 16th century like a scattered without attention. Although the temple is visible
clean, because there are still people around who diligently sweep and maintain the cultural pilgrimage to the tomb of Mohammed Arif Grandmother (in the temple area), Situ Cangkuang which should make it beautiful tourist sites, it seemed less manicured.

Siltation problems due to mud and weeds and lotus thrives on it is visible. In fact, there are some land there is already clear land for farming shallow by most residents in Cangkuang.

However, the two tourist sites that are being initiated by the Government of Garut Regency as the main destination Garut tourist map, it can still be enjoyed, both coolness and beauty. Cold crept in when the body began to tread the path to the crater Papandayan, so enjoyment is not forgotten.

Seeing the stones strewn along the path to the crater Papandayan, cursory as it is impossible to traveled and enjoyed. Precisely with treading the path that does not like it's walking paths, a lot of sensation. At least, if not too strong to the top three or two at altitude 2200 m and 2,300 m, can already be witnessed the emergence of a number of new point sources of sulfur and small craters. That's what emerged from the remnants of the grandeur Papandayan after landslides and erupted in late 2002.

"Before the landslide partially erupted that made these hills, craters large size. Then, all of which landslides are stones from the mountain walls that cover the crater and the location of points of sulfur. Well, after nearly two years of the avalanche of new craters appeared and the point of sulfur, but size is not large. Despite the current small, a dozen in number. In fact, there is a point of sulfur and craters that emerged from the ruins of a stone wall. Not too visible, but wait and listen later there must be small roar and smoke, "said Ade Nadin (51), tour guides who are also natives in Papandayan.

Wanawisata Mountain region is located in District Papandayan Cisurupan, is located 28 km south of Garut. This mountain is one of the hiking and camping destination for those who like outdoor activities.

Although the route from the village and Kramatwangi Sinarjaya not smooth, but still can enjoy views of the stones scattered about the color is slightly golden. Footsteps rather terambat because the steep rocks would be relieved when it was up to some point where it can be seen the beauty of a small crater lake that is still bubbling gray, named Balagadama.

It must be remembered, enjoyed the crater that is still bubbling with a temperature of 400 degrees Celsius it should also remain cautious. Especially up close. Because, there are a number of pathways around the crater that Danah aka unstable terrain can suddenly ambles. Therefore, when they want manikmati sulfur and beauty of the location of the crater is better to use guide services, so that no wrong way.

To use the services of a guide is not too expensive, especially if the entourage. The cost is Rp 50,000 per person each way, while for groups of between Rp 250,000 - Rp 300,000. With a guide, the trip can be arranged so that up to the top of the snow (because the surface is filled with ashes eruption) and meadow flower edelweiss.

"You could see from the crater near the point of sulfur and, as this Balagadama. But, to be strong hold breath just wrote. Because, there are often strong winds that change direction. It blew the smoke from the point of sulfur. Create a strong smell does not take cover nose. The important thing is still carrying water if later the coughing, "explains the guide.

While living ruins of a wall mount, but still worth Papandayan enjoyed. No need to hurry to reach the top, seeing the edelweiss. Walking with the usual pace, only took about two hours. With a break here and there and portraits, can be three hours. The results, look Garut from one side of the peak. Late afternoon, come down from there peak. If the rains had just ended, there are additional attractions, namely the emergence of a rainbow encircling the top of the mountain Cikuray.

Scenario Three Mount Papandayan

BANDUNG, KOMPAS.com - Center for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation of Geological predicts three potential scenarios of disaster on Mount Papandayan, Garut, which is currently the standby status.

The Center for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation of Geological Surono, Saturday (08/13/2011), in Bandung, said the potential first phreatic eruption accompanied the sudden release of gas
or the occurrence of toxic gas eruptions directed (directed lateral blast).

The second potential, avalanche cliffs around the crater of Mount Papandayan which can trigger lahars. The third is the potential for rain of lava in the event of heavy rain. Currently there is buildup of material previously recorded eruption of about 3 million cubic meters at the headwaters of the River Cibereum and Ciparugpug.

Mount Papandayan Alert

GARUT, KOMPAS.com - Center for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation of Geological increase of the alert status of Mount Papandayan be alert since Saturday (08/13/2011) at 04.00.

The Center for Volcanology and Geological Disaster Mitigation Surono said the increase was the status of the background activity of visual and instrumental data Papandayan. This visual data such as
spread of gas in the crater Welirang, Manuk, and Baladagama. While the increase in instrumental data seen from the increase in volcanic earthquakes, local tectonic earthquakes, and volcanic deformation.

"We expect people to stay calm about this incident and should always follow the direction of local government and the local Disaster Management Agency," said Surono.

Mountain West Sumatra Marapi Semburkan Volcanic Ash

Padang - Mount Marapi in Tanah Datar, West Sumatra (West Sumatra) shows increased activity. The officer is quite difficult to monitor the mountain as high as 2891 meters above sea level because it is visually obstructed fog.

Monitoring was carried out also using the seismograph. Observation Post Mount Marapi officer of Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation (PVMBG) Bukittinggi, Bujang, when contacted by AFP via telephone on Wednesday (08/03/2011) said the region around the mountain peaks shrouded in mist Marapi relatively thick after spitting ash 8 times volcanism in the morning and afternoon.

"The fog makes us difficult to visually monitor the volcanic activity. If the seismographs permanent road 24 hours a day. Marapi current alert status and can not be sure when that status back down," said Bujang.

Coordinator of Operations Control Center and Disaster Management (Pusdalops PB) West Sumatra Edward Ade, asking residents who live around the mountain increases kewaspadan. He asked that citizens outside the home using a mask.

Vomit volcanic ash causing residents in the surrounding agricultural lands covered volcanic ash up to 1 cm. When bursts of ash continues, vegetable farmers in the region's threatened rotten.

"If it continues, we can be sure our vegetable crops will rot. Plant vegetables are very vulnerable to damage if you hit the mountain ash," said Sutan Pamenan, Nagari Aie Angek residents, District X Koto, Tanah Datar.

It is said Sutan, based on experience, not only causes decay, volcanic ash can also make vegetable crops such as tomatoes and cabbage die. "Honestly we were so worried now. Hopefully semburannya not continue because it can make us lose. Especially now the fasting month and Idul Fitri will soon be," he said.

Regions foot of Mount Marapi, continued Sutan Pamenan, such as the area AIE Angek, Pua River, New Koto, and Lasi, is the center of the organic vegetables that supply the needs of West Sumatra and Riau.

Information compiled AFP, in addition to covering the area around the mountain, the volcanic ash also covered a number of areas in the district of Padang Pariaman, such as District Six neighborhood of 2 x 11, Patamuan District, and District VII Koto.
detik news

' lakon' mountain

KOMPAS.com - Life as clashing with the power of the mountain, that is experienced by thousands of feet of Mount Lokon who is now locked in the refugee camps. They were embarrassed to live in refugee camps that all its activities are limited.
Distress and anxiety of refugees can be seen from the activities of their lives in the barracks. They are not quiet.

When the eruption subsided, many of them go home. However, they must yield when officers Natural Disaster Tomohon find them. Officers undisguised force people back into the refugee camps. If you fight, immediately transported by vehicle.
Officials reasoned that the normal situation of the mountain yet continue to threaten human life. "This is a command, do nothing against. We are on duty to save the mother," cried the officer was quoted as saying Deitje Tooy. Such a situation is enough to make residents of the mountain foot stress. "Our life is like a strong race with a volcanic eruption," said Agus Wollah (54), refugees.

Agus a living as a vegetable farmer tells his confusion facing the eruption of Mount Lokon situation uncertain. He's like trying not know what the loss of income.

From the vegetable business, Agus said to his wife and two children. "The sale of vegetables every week the money collected Rp 300,000. Now the money just is not there. Want to go see the plants, run out of costs," he said.

Erupted 197 times
Volcanic activity of Mount Lokon that erupted since June 18 until Tuesday (19/07/2011) long enough compared to previous year record of eruptions.

Village Kinilow Kinilow situation and I are located at a radius of 3-4 kilometers from the crater Tompaluan pretty quiet. People's houses looked sealed and guarded by police and the Civil Service. There are some people who are reluctant to evacuate despite the eruption Lokon ongoing.

"We know Lokon harmless. In fact, the 1991 eruption Lokon worse," said Herdi Togas, residents who stayed at his home in Kinilow I.

Elizabeth Mandagi (82) said twice felt being displaced by the eruption Lokon, namely in 1991 and this time around. He recounts, when the great Lokon erupted in 1951, no residents were displaced. "My parents stayed at home," he said.

Kelurahan Kinilow itself looks clean of ash bursts Lokon. Lokon bursts of dust, said Herdie, just to the north, Tanawangko, and Manado.

Farid Ruskanda, observers Post Volcano Lokon and Mahawu, say, a month-long Lokon has erupted 197 times. For Farid, through the crater Tompaluan Lokon activity is quite high. He himself did not dare to predict eruptions would soon subside Lokon. "Energy supply from the bottom of the crater Tompaluan still quite high," he said.

Until Tuesday, the City Government Tomohon recorded around 5210 people displaced. They were placed at 24 locations refugees.

Information obtained, there were about 36 people displaced, three of them children under five who have received treatment in hospital due to various diseases. Some of these refugees are exposed to respiratory illnesses and chronic diseases such as stroke.

Debby will momongan of Team Helper Evangelical Church in Minahasa AD said many refugees who can not stand the stress of living in refugee camps. "Our refugee Spiritual content with the ritual every night around the refugee camps," he said.

According to Debby, the refugees vulnerable to disease because of inadequate infrastructure sleep. Most refugees in the location of Residents Training Center Church (PPWG) Kaaten, for example, still sleeping on the floor. In fact, the temperature Tomohon quite cold at night, which is 10 to 25 degrees celsius. (Jean Rizal Layuck)

Beautiful mountain: Mount Fuji

Mount Fuji (Fuji-san) is the highest mountain in Japan, rising to 12,388 feet. Visible from Tokyo on a clear day, the beautiful cone-shaped mountain is located west of the city, surrounded by lakes in a national park.

Mt. Fuji is named for the Buddhist fire goddess Fuchi and is sacred to the Shinto goddess Sengen-Sama, whose shrine is found at the summit. It is the holiest of Japan's "Three Holy Mountains." Every summer, thousands of pilgrims and tourists climb to the summit, many of them hiking throughout the night to witness the sunrise from the summit.
History

Mount Fuji is a volcano, which geologists estimate was created 600,000 years ago during the Pleistocene era. It last erupted in 1707 and is now dormant. According to Buddhist tradition, Fuji rose from the earth in 286 BC after an earthquake that also created Lake Biwa (the largest lake in Japan).

Fuji-san has been regarded as sacred mountain for virtually as long as humans have lived nearby. It was originally a sacred mountain of the Ainu, the aboriginal inhabitants of Japan.

For Shintoists (modern followers of the native religion), Mt. Fuji is sacred to the goddess Sengen-Sama and an embodiment of the very spirit of nature. The Fujiko sect goes even father, believing the mountain itself is a sacred being with a soul.

Although especially important to Shintoists, Fuji is also sacred to Japanese Buddhists, who revere the mountain is a gateway to another world.
What to See

Mt. Fuji is located in the Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park and is surrounded by five lakes: Lake Kawaguchiko, Lake Yamanakako, Lake Saiko, Lake Motosuko and Lake Shojiko. Fuji-san's dimensions are impressive: 12,388 feet high; 78 miles in circumference and 25-30 miles in diameter around the base; topped with crater spanning 1600 feet in diameter.

A beautifully proportioned volcanic cone in a spectacular natural setting, Fuji-san is beloved for its symmetrical beauty as well as its holiness. It is a very popular subject in Japanese art and landscape photography. Fuji's nickname Konohana-Sakuahime means "causing the blossom to bloom brightly," referring to the pink cherry blossoms that frame the snowy mountain in the spring.

Unlike some sacred mountains, it is not considered sacrilegious to climb Mt. Fuji - in fact, to ascend to the summit is an important pilgrimage. The mountain is home to many Shinto shrines, Buddhist temples and torii gates. The official climbing season is only two months long (July and August), during which time most of the snow has melted and thousands of pilgrims and hikers make the climb to the top.

The climb is no walk in the park - it is very steep and takes about 8 hours - but for many it is an experience of a lifetime. It is estimated that up to a third of the climbers are foreign tourists, making for an atmosphere that is at once quintissentially Japanese and international. An especially memorable approach is to complete the hike in the early morning, arriving at the summit in time to witness the sunrise.

There are ten stations along the way up, the first at the foot of the mountain and the 10th at the summit. These include huts for resting as well as other basic amenities. Paths are paved up to the 5th station (at 1400-2400 m), which is the most common place to begin the ascent to the summit. There are four 5th stations, located on different sides of the mountain, among which the most popular is Kawaguchiko on the Tokyo side.
Quick Facts
Site Information
Names:     Mount Fuji; Fujiyama; Fuji-san
Location:    Chubu, Japan
Faiths:    Original/Primary: Shinto
Current/Secondary: Buddhism
Dedication:    Sengen-Sama
Categories:     Sacred Mountains; Shinto Shrines
Size:    Height: 12,388 feet (3,776 m)
Circumference: 78 miles (125 km)
Diameter: 25-30 miles (40-50 km)
Crater surface diameter: 1,600 feet (500 m)
Crater depth: 820 feet (250 m).
Status:    active
Visitor Information
Coordinates:     35.363576° N, 138.730717° E   (view on Google Maps)
Lodging:    View hotels near this location
Cost:    Free


from: www.sacred-destinations.com

Beautiful mountain : Mount Everest

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Mount Everest (Tibetan: ཇོ་མོ་གླང་མ, Jomolungma, "Holy Mother"; Chinese: 珠穆朗玛峰, Mandarin: Zhūmùlǎngmǎ Fēng, "Jomolungma Peak"; Nepali: सगरमाथा, Sagarmāthā) is the world's highest mountain at 8,848 metres (29,029 ft) above sea level. Everest is in the Mahalangur section of the Himalaya on the Nepal-China (Tibet) border. Its massif includes neighboring peaks Lhotse (8516m), Nuptse (7855m), and Changtse (7580m).

In 1856, the Great Trigonometric Survey of British India established the first published height of Everest, then known as Peak XV, at 29,002 ft (8,840 m). In 1865, Everest was given its official English name by the Royal Geographical Society upon recommendation of Andrew Waugh, the British Surveyor General of India at the time, who named it after his predecessor in the post, and former chief, Sir George Everest. Chomolungma had been in common use by Tibetans for centuries, but Waugh was unable to propose an established local name because Nepal and Tibet were closed to foreigners.

The highest mountain in the world attracts many well-experienced mountaineers as well as novice climbers who are willing to pay substantial sums to professional mountain guides to complete a successful climb. The mountain, while not posing substantial technical climbing difficulty on the standard route (other eight-thousanders such as K2 or Nanga Parbat are much more difficult), still has many inherent dangers such as altitude sickness, weather, and wind.

By the end of the 2008 climbing season, there had been 4,102 ascents to the summit by about 2,700 individuals.[4] Climbers are a significant source of tourist revenue for Nepal, whose government also requires all prospective climbers to obtain an expensive permit, costing up to US$25,000 per person.[5] By the end of 2009 Everest had claimed 216 lives,[4] including eight who perished during a 1996 storm high on the mountain. Conditions are so difficult in the death zone—altitudes higher than 8,000 metres (26,000 ft)—that most corpses have been left where they fell. Some of them are visible from standard climbing routes

Identifying the highest mountain
Mount Everest is located in Earth
Location on Earth
Mount Everest relief map

In 1808, the British began the Great Trigonometric Survey of India to determine the location and names of the world's highest mountains. Starting in southern India, the survey teams moved northward using giant 500 kg (1,100 lb) theodolites (each requiring 12 men to carry) to measure heights as accurately as possible. They reached the Himalayan foothills by the 1830s, but Nepal was unwilling to allow the British to enter the country because of suspicions of political aggression and possible annexation. Several requests by the surveyors to enter Nepal were turned down.[7]

The British were forced to continue their observations from Terai, a region south of Nepal which is parallel to the Himalayas. Conditions in Terai were difficult owing to torrential rains and malaria—three survey officers died from malaria while two others had to retire owing to failing health.[7]

Nonetheless, in 1847, the British pressed on and began detailed observations of the Himalayan peaks from observation stations up to 240 km (150 mi) away. Weather restricted work to the last three months of the year. In November 1847, Andrew Waugh, the British Surveyor General of India made several observations from Sawajpore station located in the eastern end of the Himalayas. Kangchenjunga was then considered the highest peak in the world, and with interest he noted a peak beyond it, some 230 km (140 mi) away. John Armstrong, one of Waugh's officials, also saw the peak from a location farther west and called it peak 'b'. Waugh would later write that the observations indicated that peak 'b' was higher than Kangchenjunga, but given the great distance of the observations, closer observations were required for verification. The following year, Waugh sent a survey official back to Terai to make closer observations of peak 'b', but clouds thwarted all attempts.[7]

In 1849, Waugh dispatched James Nicolson to the area. Nicolson made two observations from Jirol, 190 km (120 mi) away. Nicolson then took the largest theodolite and headed east, obtaining over 30 observations from five different locations, with the closest being 174 km (108 mi) away from the peak.[7]

Nicolson retreated to Patna on the Ganges to perform the necessary calculations based on his observations. His raw data gave an average height of 9,200 m (30,200 ft) for peak 'b', but this did not consider light refraction, which distorts heights. The number clearly indicated, however, that peak 'b' was higher than Kangchenjunga. However, Nicolson came down with malaria and was forced to return home, calculations unfinished. Michael Hennessy, one of Waugh's assistants, had begun designating peaks based on roman numerals, with Kangchenjunga named Peak IX, while peak 'b' now became known as Peak XV.[7]

In 1852, stationed at the survey's headquarters in Dehradun, Radhanath Sikdar, an Indian mathematician and surveyor from Bengal, was the first to identify Everest as the world's highest peak, using trigonometric calculations based on Nicolson's measurements.[8] An official announcement that Peak XV was the highest was delayed for several years as the calculations were repeatedly verified. Waugh began work on Nicolson's data in 1854, and along with his staff spent almost two years working on the calculations, having to deal with the problems of light refraction, barometric pressure, and temperature over the vast distances of the observations. Finally, in March 1856 he announced his findings in a letter to his deputy in Kolkata. Kangchenjunga was declared to be 28,156 ft (8,582 m), while Peak XV was given the height of 29,002 ft (8,840 m). Waugh concluded that Peak XV was "most probably the highest in the world".[7] Peak XV (measured in feet) was calculated to be exactly 29,000 ft (8,839.2 m) high, but was publicly declared to be 29,002 ft (8,839.8 m). The arbitrary addition of 2 ft (61 cm) was to avoid the impression that an exact height of 29,000 feet (8,839.2 m) was nothing more than a rounded estimate.[9]
[edit] Naming

With the height now established, what to name the peak was clearly the next challenge. While the survey was anxious to preserve local names if possible (e.g. Kangchenjunga and Dhaulagiri), Waugh argued that he could not find any commonly used local name. Waugh's search for a local name was hampered by Nepal and Tibet's exclusion of foreigners. Many local names existed, including "Deodungha" ("Holy Mountain") in Darjeeling[10] and the Tibetan "Jomolungma" (ཇོ་མོ་གླིང་མ), which appeared as "Chomolungma" on a 1733 map published in Paris by the French geographer D'Anville. In the late 19th century, many European cartographers further believed (incorrectly) that a native name for the mountain was "Gaurisankar",[11] although this was a result of confusion of Mount Everest with Gauri Sankar, which, when viewed from Kathmandu, stands almost directly in front of Everest.[citation needed]

Waugh argued that with the plethora of local names, it would be difficult to favour one name over all others. So, he decided that Peak XV should be named after George Everest, his predecessor as Surveyor General of India.[7][12] He wrote:

    I was taught by my respected chief and predecessor, Colonel Sir George Everest to assign to every geographical object its true local or native appellation. But here is a mountain, most probably the highest in the world, without any local name that we can discover, whose native appellation, if it has any, will not very likely be ascertained before we are allowed to penetrate into Nepal. In the meantime the privilege as well as the duty devolves on me to assign...a name whereby it may be known among citizens and geographers and become a household word among civilized nations.[13]

George Everest opposed the name suggested by Waugh and told the Royal Geographical Society in 1857 that Everest could not be written in Hindi nor pronounced by "the native of India". Waugh's proposed name prevailed despite the objections, and in 1865, the Royal Geographical Society officially adopted Mount Everest as the name for the highest mountain in the world.[7] Interestingly, the modern pronunciation of Everest ˈɛvərɨst, ˈɛvrɨst[14] is in fact different from Sir George's pronunciation of his surname, which was /ˈiːvrɨst/.[15]
Aerial view of Mount Everest from the south

The modern Tibetan name for Mount Everest is ཇོ་མོ་གླིང་མ (Wylie: Jomolungma; also transliterated Chomolungma in the West and Qomolangma in China), meaning "Holy Mother". The official Chinese name is Zhūmùlǎngmǎ Fēng (simplified Chinese: 珠穆朗玛峰; traditional Chinese: 珠穆朗瑪峰), "Jomolungma Peak," although it is sometimes known as Shèngmǔ Fēng (simplified Chinese: 圣母峰; traditional Chinese: 聖母峰), the Chinese for "Holy Mother".

In the early 1960s, the Nepalese government gave Mount Everest the official name Sagarmāthā (सगरमाथा),[16] although this name had not previously been used. The local inhabitants knew the mountain as Jomolungma. The mountain was not previously named in Nepali.[citation needed] The government set out to find a Nepalese name for the mountain because the government felt the Tibetan name Jomolungma was not acceptable.[citation needed]

In 2002, the Chinese People's Daily newspaper published an article making a case against the continued use of the English name for the mountain in the Western world, insisting that it should be referred to by its Tibetan name. The newspaper argued that the Chinese use of the Tibetan name preceded the English one, as "Mount Qomolangma" was marked on a Chinese map more than 280 years ago

Mount Ararat: Beautiful Mountain

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Mount Ararat (see below details on names) is a snow-capped, dormant volcanic cone in Turkey. It has two peaks: Greater Ararat (the tallest peak in Turkey, and the entire Armenian plateau with an elevation of 5,137 m/16,854 ft) and Lesser Ararat (with an elevation of 3,896 m/12,782 ft).

The Ararat massif is about 40 km (25 mi) in diameter. The Iran-Turkey boundary skirts east of Lesser Ararat, the lower peak of the Ararat massif. It was in this area that by the Tehran Convention of 1932 a border change was made in Turkey's favor, permitting her to occupy the eastern flank of the massif.[5]

Mount Ararat in Judeo-Christian tradition is associated with the "Mountains of Ararat" where according to the book of Genesis, Noah's ark came to rest. It also plays a significant role in Armenian nationalism and irredentism.

Names and etymology

    * Ararat - The Bible says that Noah's ark landed on the mountains of Ararat. This does not refer to any specific mountain or peak, but rather a mountain range within the region of Ararat, which was the name of an ancient proto-Armenian kingdom also known as Urartu.[6] Nonetheless, one particular tradition identifies the mountain as Mount Masis, the highest peak in the Armenian Highland, which is therefore called Mount Ararat.[6] (As opposed to the Armenian and European tradition, Semitic tradition identifies the mountain as Judi Dagh located in Turkey near Cizre.)[note 1] According to the medieval Armenian historian Moses of Khoren in his History of Armenia, the plain of Ayrarat (directly north of the mountain) got its name after King Ara the Handsome[7] (the great grandson of Amasya). Here the Assyrian Queen Semiramis is said to have lingered for a few days after the death of Ara.[7] According to Thomson, the mountain is called Ararat (Armenian: Արարատ) corresponding to Ayrarat, the name of the province.[note 2][note 3]
    * Masis (Armenian: Մասիս) - is the Armenian name for the peak of Ararat, the plural Masikʿ (Armenian: Մասիք) may refer to both peaks.[7] The History of Armenia derives the name from a king Amasya, the great-grandson of the Armenian patriarch Hayk, who is said to have called the mountain Masis after his own name.[7]
    * Çiyayê Agirî (Fiery Mountain), Çiyayê Alavhat and Grîdax (Kurdish): This entire tree name referred a volcanic characteristic of Mount Ararat. It is the only name to have a clear, descriptive etymology while also indicating the preservation of folk memory.[8]
    * Ağrı Dağı (Mountain of Ağrı) - The Ottoman Turkish name was Aghur Dagh اغـر طﺎﻍ [note 4] means heavy mountain. Since Ağrı literally means "pain" in Turkic languages such as Azeri and Turkish, the toponym has been popularly rendered as "Painful Mountain". It is almost certainly, however, a borrowing of the Kurdish toponym. Ağrı is also a province in the Eastern Anatolian Region of Turkey, which derived its name from the mountain in 1949.[9] During the Ottoman Empire era the Ağrı village was originally called Karakilise (black church).[8]
    * Kuh-e-Nuh (Noah's Mountain): (Persian: کوه نوح, IPA: [ˈkuːhe ˈnuːx], Kuh-e Nuh) , also influenced by the flood story, this time via the Islamic view of Noah.[8]

Geography

Mount Ararat is located in the Eastern Anatolia Region of Turkey between Doğubayazıt and Iğdır, near the border with Iran, Armenia and Nakhchivan exclave of Azerbaijan, between the Aras and Murat Rivers.[1] Its summit is located some 16 km (10 mi) west of the Iran and 32 km (20 mi) south of the Armenian border. The Ararat plain runs along its northwest to western side.
Geology
Masis, Ararat plain

Ararat is a stratovolcano, formed of lava flows and pyroclastic ejecta, with no volcanic crater. Above the height of 4,100 m (13,451 ft), the mountain mostly consists of igneous rocks covered by an ice cap.[10] A smaller 3,896 m (12,782 ft) cone, Little Ararat, rises from the same base, southeast of the main peak. The lava plateau stretches out between the two pinnacles. The bases of these two mountains is approximately 1,000 km2 (386 sq mi).[11] The formation of Ararat is hard to retrieve geologically, but the type of vulcanism and the position of the volcano raise the idea that subduction relation vulcanism occurred when the Tethys Ocean closed during the Neogene.[12]
Elevation

An elevation of 5,165 m (16,946 ft) for Mount Ararat is still given by some authorities. However, a number of other sources, such as public domain and verifiable SRTM data[13] and a 2007 GPS measurement show that the alternatively widespread figure of 5,137 m (16,854 ft) is probably more accurate, and that the true elevation may be even lower due to the thick layer of snow-covered ice cap which permanently remains on the top of the mountain. 5,137 m is also supported by numerous topographic maps.[14]
Activity

It is not known when the last eruption of Ararat occurred; there are no historic or recent observations of large-scale activity recorded. It seems that Ararat was active in the 3rd millennium BC; under the pyroclastic flows, artifacts from the early Bronze Age and remains of human bodies have been found.[3]

However, it is known that Ararat was shaken by a large earthquake in July 1840, the effects of which were largest in the neighborhood of the Ahora Gorge (a northeast trending chasm that drops 1,825 metres (5,988 ft) from the top of the mountain). An unstable part of the northern slope collapsed and a chapel, a monastery, and a village were covered by rubble. According to some sources, Ararat erupted then as well, albeit under the ground water level.

Beautiful Mountain: Famous Mountains

from: www.travellerspoint.com


Introduction

Mountains have a huge attraction for many different sorts of travellers. Experienced and adventurous travellers may want to climb a mountain, while less experienced travellers can still climb many of the world's most famous mountains. And although the highest of them all, Mount Everest, may be the most famous one, a few of the better known mountains might just be several hundreds of metres high with a cable car leading to the top. Below you will find a selection of the most famous mountains on our planet.

Africa
Kilimanjaro
Mt Kilimanjaro

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    * Location: Border Tanzania and Kenya
    * Elevation: 5,895 metres
    * Climb: Physically in good condition, no experience needed

The Kilimanjaro, at 5,895 metres (Uhuru Peak), is the highest peak in Africa. It also has the distinction of being the tallest free-standing mountain (i.e., not in a mountain range) and the tallest "walkable" mountain in the world. But don't think that it is an easy walk. It will take many days and you need to be in a good physical condition to reach the top. The risk of getting altitude sickness should not be underestimated and can occur on heights of 3,000 metres or more, although usually most people will be fine up to 4,000 metres.

For those who are fine with just seeing the mountain, your best bet would be heading towards Kenya for a visit of Amboseli National Park. From this flat and dusty park you will have chances of seeing lots of wildlife and the elephants, giraffes and zebras with in the background the Kilimanjaro might just be the highlight of your trip.

Recently, snow levels at the top have been retreating much faster and it is estimated that there will be no snow at all before the year 2050.
Table Mountain
View of Table mountains
View of Table mountains

© All Rights Reserved namfon

    * Location: Cape Town, South Africa
    * Elevation: 1,086 metres
    * Climb: Not necessary, just take the cable car

Like the 1,000 or so geysers on the world which are named after the Icelandic Geysir, Cape Town's Table Mountain is the grandfather of all table mountains in the world. It is located in the Table Mountain National Park and towers above the city, while Devil's Peak and Lion's Head tower above the mountain itself. The flat top is about 3 kilometres wide and offers tremendous views over the city and the ocean. There are only small differences in height on this flat, with the cable car station only 19 metres lower than the highest point. Although in 2 to 3 hours you are able to climb (walk) up to the top, the Table Mountain Cableway takes passengers up and down the mountain, ascending over 700 metres from Table Mountain Road.


Antarctica
Mount Vinson

    * Location: Antarctica
    * Elevation: 4,892 metres
    * Climb: Yes, first time in 1966, experienced snow/ice climb!

Mount Vinson is the highest point of the Vinson Massif, a 21-kilometre long mountain range on the southern end of the planet: Antarctica. It is located about 1,200 kilometres from the geographical southpole, lying in the Sentinel Range of the Ellsworth Mountains, which stand above the Ronne Ice Shelf near the base of the Antarctic Peninsula. The mountain was only first seen in 1958 and is named after Carl Vinson, a US Georgia Congressman actively supporting of funding for Antarctic research. It was first climbed in 1966. The climb is not very technical, but conditions far away from anyone and temperatures of minus 50 °C, make it a challenging climb.

Asia
Mount Ararat
Mt. Ararat with a monastery
Mt. Ararat with a monastery

© All Rights Reserved Rika884

    * Location: Eastern Turkey, close to the border with Armenia
    * Elevation: 5,137 metres
    * Climb: Yes, but climbing experience needed

Mount Ararat is the highest mountain of Turkey and is located in the far east of the country, not far from the border of Armenia, which claims that the mountain should actually be on Armenian grounds. This dormant volcano has a snow-capped cone year-round, so you really need crampons, an axe and some climbing experience to make it to the top.

The mountain has long been subject in debates but since 1923 with the Treaty of Kars, the mountain is on Turkish grounds, much to the dislike of Armenia. Ararat has been revered by the Armenians since ancient times as their spiritual home. Today, it is the national symbol of Armenia and on clear days the views from the capital Yerevan are tremendous. An even better view is possible from the monastery Khor Virap, a little bit more south just across the border from Turkey.
Mount Everest
Mount Everest from Basecamp
Mount Everest from Basecamp

© All Rights Reserved ChrisEvans

    * Location: Border of Tibet and Nepal
    * Elevation: 8,848 metres
    * Climb: Yes, and you need experience and luck!

The highest mountain of all, the Mount Everest or Chomolungma in the local language, is on every climber's list to do. But this mountain is not without risks and many people die when climbing or descending (!) the mountain. About 2,500 people have reached the top and over 200 deaths have been recorded. The mountain is part of the highest mountain range in the world, the Himalayas. For attempting a climb you need to have a permit, which iscostly, and a good source of income for Nepal.

It is internationally recognized that the mountain was first climbed and successfully descended by Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay in 1953, although controversy still exists about the question whether George Mallory and/or Andrew Irvine had climbed the mountain 29 years earlier! Unfortunately, neither of them survived their early expedition. More recently, questions about the commercialization have come up as more and more climbers make the climb. Even a double-amputee (Mark Inglis) and a helicopter have made it to the top during the last year, although both did so with risk. All the litter that is left behind by expeditions is a growing concern, and since a few years there are even clean up expeditions going up the mountain.
Mount Fuji

Mt. Fuji with a baseball cap

© All Rights Reserved Triabroad

    * Location: Chubu, Honshu, Japan (west of Tokyo)
    * Elevation: 3,776 metres
    * Climb: Yes, walkable and can be done in a day trip

Mount Fuji is one of the best known natural features of Japan and is conveniently located west of the capital Tokyo. Mount Fuji has an exceptionally symmetrical cone which is a recognisable symbol of this East Asian country. Over 200,000 people climb the mountain yearly and most of them climb in the 1 July - 27 August season when huts and most other facilities in and around the mountain and nearby villages are open. It is part of the Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park and although it hasn't erupted for about 300 years, it is indeed a volcano. It also is surrounded by five lakes, among which are Lake Kawaguchi, Lake Yamanaka and Lake Motosu. From these lakes and Lake Ashi (which is a little further away) people who do not want to climb the mountain can have excellent views of the mountain when the weather is clear. In winter, the summit is covered in snow.
K2

    * Location: The border between Pakistan and China
    * Elevation: 8,611 metres
    * Climb: Yes, even experienced climbers need luck

The second highest mountain in the world is the K2, which is only one of the few mountains that has kept the name the Great Trigonometric Survey team gave it, after the first discovery. Normally, these letter-number combinations are replaced by a local name, but in the case of K2, there was no local name to be found. Probably because it can't be seen from any settlement or village.

The mountain is famous for its difficult ascent and terrible weather conditions. Besides that the K2 is also notorious because of the high rate of casualties among the climbers attempting to summit. The first successful summit attempt was in 1954, after that 23 years passed before some else put a foot on the top. The mountain also received worldwide publicity with the release of the films K2 in 1992, and Vertical Limit in 2000.
Mount Kailash

    * Location: Far Western Tibet
    * Elevation: 6,638 metres
    * Climb: No one has climbed Mount Kailash and it is off limits to climbers due to the religious importance of the mountain.

Mount Kailash is one of the most holy mountains in the world! This is because it is a holy mountain for Buddhist, Hindu, Jainist and Bon religions, thousands of pilgrims make the journey every year to this remote mountain at the edge of the world. The Hindus consider Mount Kailash to be the home of Lord Shiva, a principle Hindu deity, while the Bon believe it to be the origin of the world. These pilgrims come to do the kora, spiritual walk, around the mountain. It is believe that one kora around the mountain will wash away a lifetime of sins. It can take several days to complete the kora around Mount Kailash, and some pilgrims complete it multiple times.

The other amazing fact about this mountain is the number of important rivers that start from it. The Indus, Sutlej and Brahmaputra rivers find their sources from the different faces of this mountain. Many of the other rivers coming from this mountain are tributaries Mekong, Ganges and Yellow rivers. Getting to Mount Kailash is very difficult and expensive, as it requires arranging a tour from Lhasa with a Land Rover, guide and permits. The standard tour, including transportation time and a kora around the mountain, takes a minimum of 10 days. Some tours include visiting ancient ruined cities beyond Mount Kailash, but this adds about five more days.
Mount Kinabalu
Mount Kinabalu
Mount Kinabalu

© All Rights Reserved kody

    * Location: Sabah, Malaysia
    * Elevation: 4,095 metres
    * Climb: Yes, you can walk up to the summit and back in two days

Mount Kinabalu is located in Kinabalu National Park in the Malaysian state of Sabah on Borneo island. It is the highest mountain in Malaysia and on the island of Borneo, as well as one of the highest in South East Asia, trailing Hkakabo Razi of Myanmar and, depending on where the boundary of South East Asia is drawn, Puncak Jaya and Puncak Trikora of New Guinea.

It has been long documented that Low's peak, the summit, has an elevation of 4,101 metres. A survey in 1997 used satellite technology and corrected it to be about six metres lower at 4,095 metres. Mount Kinabalu, known to be a highly accessible mountain, requires no mountaineering equipment or specialised skill to summit. Nevertheless, sufficient stamina is important for a successful ascent. The hike can be quite intense for many as the air gets thinner all the way up.
Nanga Parbat

    * Location: Northern Areas, Pakistan
    * Elevation: 8,126 metres
    * Climb: Yes, but extremely difficult

Nicknamed "Killer Mountain", the Nanga Parbat, is one of the 14 mountains with a peak above 8,000 metres. What stands out is the way the peak rises above the surrounding landscape. This also explains the name, which translate to the Naked Mountain. To the south the view of the mountain is dominated by the Rupal face, with its wall of rock and ice, which measures a height of 4,608 metres from the base, to the top. To the west lies the Diamir face.

The number of people who lost there lives on this mountain is very high. Just like Mount Everest, the Nanga Parbat was not climbed until 1953, when Austrian climber Hermann Buhl reached the top. The second ascent of Nanga Parbat was via the Diamir Face, in 1962, by Germans Toni Kinshofer, Siegfried Löw, and Anderl Mannhardt. In decent Siegfried Löw, lost his life after a fall, while the two others, suffered from severe frostbite. The Diamir face route is now seen as the easiest route to the summit. In 1970 the brothers Günther and Reinhold Messner reached the summit taking the difficult route up the Rupal Face. This was only the third ascent of the mountain. The succesful ascent was overshadowed by the death of Günther Messner on the decent. This tragic story, was made into a film called Nanga Parbat which was released in 2010.
Mount Tai
Hostel at Mount Tai
Hostel at Mount Tai

© All Rights Reserved stollick

    * Location: Shandong, China
    * Elevation: 1,533 metres
    * Climb: Yes

Located in Eastern China, Mount Tai (泰山, Tàishān), is one of the most famous mountains in China. It is considered the most famous of the Five Sacred Chinese Mountains. The mountain has had human settlement around it since the Neolithic period and has been the sight of several warring periods. About 3,000 years ago active religious worship began at the mountain and continues to this day, with several active temples still located precariously on the slops. As a legacy there are 22 temples, 97 ruins, 819 stone tablets and 1,018 clidd-side and stone inscriptions scattered across the mountain

Mount Tai is a tilted fault-block mountain, which means it is a series of high peaks, that increase in elevation from north to south. The highest peaks are Jade Emperor Peak, Heaven Candle Peak, Fan Cliff and the Rear Rock Basin. 80% of the area is covered in vegetation an many of the trees were planted by the Emperor Wu Di about 1,300 years ago. In 1987 the mountain was designated an UNESCO World Heritage Site. Today the Mount Tai has over 6 million visitors a year.

Caribbean
Soufriere Hills
Soufriere Volcano
Soufriere Volcano

© All Rights Reserved Utrecht

    * Location: Montserrat
    * Elevation: 915 metres
    * Climb: Technically possible but certainly not advised (area is off limits to travellers)

Soufriere Hills is an active volcano on the island of Montserrat, located in the central Caribbean. Soufriere means sulphur in French and many volcanoes on other islands in the region (e.g. Guadeloupe, Martinique and Saint Lucia) have names like this as well. The volcano on Montserrat is the most active one during recent years and probably the most famous as well.

In 1995, the volcano became active again after a long period of dormancy. It has since been active up until now although the main eruptions and resulting pyroclastic flows occurred during the second-half of the 1990s. The southern part of the island was abandoned during this period, including the former capital Plymouth. From then it was a relatively period of rest until 2008, when a devastating eruption again took place with pyroclastic flows towards the former capital and surroundings. Again, people were evacuated and the small part in between the safe zone and exclusion zone, that used to be open during the day, again was closed and became part of the exclusion zone. Apart from researchers and several other authorised people, no one is allowed to enter this exclusion zone.

There are excellent viewpoints of the volcano and its surroundings, on both the western and eastern part of the island. On the east side, one can see the former airport, while from the west the former capital, an extraordinary and breathtaking view and experience. One of the best views of the volcano itself though is at the Montserrat Volcano Observatory, in the west of the island.

Central America
Arenal Volcano


© All Rights Reserved evelynez

    * Location: Alajuela province, Costa Rica; about 100 kilometres northwest of San José
    * Elevation: 1,670 metres
    * Climb: No, prohibited because of safety reasons

The Arenal Volcano is one of the best known volcanoes throughout the Central American region and is located in north-western Costa Rica. Together with Lake Arenal, they form part of the Arenal Volcano National Park and is popular with landscape and nature enthusiasts. The viewing of the lava flow at night is one of the most fantastic activities here.

The volcano was dormant until 1968 when a first eruption killed 87 people and destroyed much of the crops and livestock. Up until now it has been active almost continuously but it is a relatively safe area to go, as long as you don't go beyond the safety perimeter. The last major eruption was in 2000. You have to be a little lucky to see the volcano in full glory as mostly there are clouds around the top. The park itself has more to offer though, including hiking through the rainforests and meeting the local wildlife up-close and personal.


Europe
Ben Nevis
Ben Nevis - The Real Mountain
Ben Nevis - The Real Mountain

© All Rights Reserved ulsterboy

    * Location: Scottish Highlands, Scotland, United Kingdom
    * Elevation: 1,344 metres
    * Climb: Yes, and you will not be alone.

Ben Nevis, the best-known and highest mountain in the British Isles, can be found in Scotland, near Fort William, at the western end of the Grampian Mountains. For mountaineers the most challenging part of the mountain is the northern side, with its 700-metre-high cliffs. Most of the 100,000 people climbing Ben Nevis every year take a more careful approach and use the Pony Track.

There are three starting points for the ascent over the 1883 Pony Track, also known as the Tourist Route. You can start from the Glen Nevis Youth Hostel, Achintee Farm, and from the parking lot at Glen Nevis visitors centre. The total distance to the top is 13 kilometres. For an average tourist, the summit can be reached within five hours, and getting back down takes another 2.5 hours. Bear in mind that the conditions on the mountain can be bad on any day of the year. Be prepared for rain, strong winds, mist and snow - even on summer days.
Mont Blanc
Mont Blanc
Mont Blanc

© All Rights Reserved navman

    * Location: On the border of France and Italy
    * Elevation: 4,810 metres
    * Climb: Yes, but experienced climbers only!

The Mont Blanc is the highest mountain in the Alps, and sometimes mistakenly named as the highest mountain in Europe (which is Mount Elbruss, see below). It is the highest mountain of the Mont Blanc massif. If you are in good shape, and have experience in mountaineering you can climb under the supervision of a guide to the top of the mountain. From Charmonix it's a two day tour that starts at the highest point the cable car can reach. For most people a visit to the panorama point at the highest station of the cable car does just fine.
Mont Ventoux

    * Location: Vaucluse, France
    * Elevation: 1,912 metres
      TK Cycle Day 4 - Mt Ventoux rises from the distance
      TK Cycle Day 4 - Mt Ventoux rises from the distance

      © All Rights Reserved Gelli
    * Climb: Yes, but if you go by bike you need to be well trained.

The Mont Ventoux is a legendary mountain for cyclists, but it is much more than that. It is one of the most recognisable mountains in the world. The top of the Ventoux is often compared with the landscape of the moon, as no trees or other vegetation grows on the heighest part of the mountain, and all you see is the white limestone. The limestone is exposed by the mistral winds blowing with high speeds over this part of France. On the Ventoux wind speeds are measured up to 250 km/h. In one of the first-known descriptions a monk in the middle ages decribes the walk to the top of the mountain, as the road to hell. What makes the mountain legendary for cyclists are the battles that were fought here during the Tour de France. The most famous victim of these battles is the Britsch cyclist Tom Simpson who died during the climb of the mountain in the Tour of 1967. The Mont Ventoux is a beloved trip for many cycling enthusiasts. If you want to cycle up this mountain make sure you are in good shape, as it is one of the hardest and longest (21 kilometres) to climb by bike.
Mount Elbrus

    * Location: Caucasus Mountains, Southern Russia
    * Elevation: 5,642 metres
    * Climb: Yes, easiest route requires basic ice climb, but no technical difficulties

Mount Elbrus is officially the highest mountain in Europe at 5,642 metres above sea level. It is located in the western Caucasus Mountains in Southern Russia, just north of the border with Georgia. The first ascent was in 1874, but the lower summit's (just 21 metres lower) first ascent was much earlier, in 1829. It's relatively easy nowadays to climb this mountain and thanks to a cable car it is now possible to start walking to the top just after midnight and return the next day before 3:00pm when the cable car has its last ride.
Mount Etna
Mt. Etna, Sicily
Mt. Etna, Sicily

© All Rights Reserved Rika884

    * Location: the island of Sicily, Italy
    * Elevation: 3,329 metres (but varies due to eruptions)
    * Climb: Yes, when not active.

Mount Etna is the largest of the three active volcanoes in Italy, and also one of the most active in the world. It is situated on the eastern part of the island of Sicily, near the city of Catania. The mountain is almost always in a state of eruption the last couple of years.

The best way to get onto the mountain is from the south, via a road that leads up to the mountain. At an altitude of 1,900 metres, there is a parking lot. There used to be a cable-car going up the mountain, but this was destroyed and hasn't yet been rebuilt. From the parking lot most trails lead to the Valley of Oxes (Valle del Bove). The first of the four active craters is not that far away. There are buses going up the mountain until the parking lot, and there are a couple of tour agencies in Toarmina offering tours to the mountain.
Mytikas (Mount Olympus)

    * Location: near Litochoro, Greece
    * Elevation: 2,919 metres
    * Climb: Yes, apart from the last piece, it's a non technical climb.

Mytikas is the highest peak in the Mount Olympus mountain range in Greece. Measured in terms of prominence it is one of the highest peaks in Europe. In Greek mythology Mytikas was seen as the throne of Zeus, the highest of all the Gods. The Olympus was the home of the Olympians, the principal gods of the Greek pantheon. The mountain can be climbed pretty easy, apart from the last piece to the top of Mytikas, which is full of rock scramble. Around 10,000 people climb the mountain each year, although most of them, only climb until the Skala summit, which doesn’t involve the 30 minute climb over the rock scramble.
Jungfrau
Jungfrau
Jungfrau

© All Rights Reserved skteddy

    * Location: Swiss Alps, Switzerland
    * Elevation: 4,158 metres
    * Climb: Yes, but experienced climbers only!

The Jungfrau is located in central Switzerland, in the Berner Oberland and is one of the best known mountains in the country, along with the Matterhorn. It is the highest mountain of the massif which has the same name, the other mountains in the vicinity are the Eiger and Mönch.

The Jungfrau Railway is the highest in Europe and brings you to a height of 3,454 metres above sea level. It is not cheap but it makes for one of the highlights of a trip to the Swiss Alps.
Matterhorn
Matterhorn Sunrise 2
Matterhorn Sunrise 2

© All Rights Reserved tracebc

    * Location: On the border of Switzerland and Italy
    * Elevation: 4,478 metres
    * Climb: Yes, but experienced climbers only!

Although it is not the highest mountain in the Alps, the Matterhorn is considered to be one of the landmarks on this mountain range. The distinct pyramid-like summit is its claim to fame. It is part of the Pennine Alps and it overlooks the towns of Zermatt (in Switzerland) and Cervinia (in Italy). However, it is the image from the north side that is most well-known to the world.

The Matterhorn is one of the hardest mountains to climb in the Alps because of its steep ascent and the weather conditions. In the last 150 years, over 500 climbers have lost their lives on this mountain. For tourists, it is probably better to enjoy the view from the top of the Gornergrat Railway that leads up to a height of 3,089 metres, or from the top of the Klein Matterhorn cable car lift at 3,820 metres. The cable car is the highest in Europe.
Mount Vesuvius
View of Mount Vesuvius
View of Mount Vesuvius

© All Rights Reserved CJTaylor

    * Location: Naples, Italy
    * Elevation: 1,281 metres
    * Climb: Yes

Mount Vesuvius is a volcano that earned its place in the history books in 79 AD, when an eruption covered the town of Pompeii under a layer of lava. It also caused huge destruction to the town of Hercalaneum. The stratovolcano, considered one of the most dangerous in its class, could do a lot of harm to the city of Naples. The last eruption of the mountain was in 1944. Today, the volcano and its slopes are a national park. There are a number of paths leading up the mountain, and there is even parking space at 200 metres below the summit. The rest of the climb has to be done by foot.

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North America
Mount McKinley
Mt. McKinley (Denali)
Mt. McKinley (Denali)

© All Rights Reserved Pamrides

    * Location: Alaska, USA
    * Elevation: 6,194 metres (20,321 feet)
    * Climb: Yes, but it's a technical climb and not without dangers

Mount McKinley is the highest mountain in North America and is situated in the central part of Alaska. It's the showpiece of the Denali National Park, one of the most popular national parks in this northern state.

Although Mount Everest is the highest mountain above sea level, Mount McKinley has the highest rise from its base at about 5,500 metres up to the summit, compared to Mount Everest's rise of about 3,700 metres from its base which is already 5,200 metres above sea level. While Mount McKinley is not as high as the ones in the Himalaya or even Andes Mountains, it's a very tough climb. Only about half of the expeditions made it to the top and over 100 lives have been taken by it. It is a technical climb but the main drawbacks are the cold weather at the top and the lack of oxygen - so much lower compared to a mountain of similar height at the equator (almost 50% less!). Both the temperatures and lack of oxygen are a direct result of its latitude.

For non-climbers, the view of the mountain when there is clear weather in Denali National Park is fantastic already, especially in late winter and early spring when most of the mountain is still covered in snow and conditions are good with blue skies and less rain (or snow).
Mount Rainier
Mount Rainier
Mount Rainier

© All Rights Reserved RMatheron

    * Location: Washington, USA
    * Elevation: 14,409 feet (4,392 metres)
    * Climb: Yes, but experience is needed

Mount Rainier is an active Volcano in the state of Washington, 87 kilometres southeast of Seattle. It is the highest peak of the Cascade Range with 4,392 metres. Mount Rainier and the surrounding area were declared a national park which is known under the name: the Mount Rainier National Park. With 26 major glaciers Mount Rainier is the most heavily glaciated peak in the USA, if you would exclude Alaska. In the past large scaled mudflows caused devastation in the area of the volcano. The last major eruption was in 1854. A trip to the top of the mountain can only be made by people that have experience is climbing on glaciers and snowfields. The ascent takes two to three days. On clear days the mountain can be seen from as far as Portland and Seattle.
Mount Rushmore
Mt. Rushmore, S.D.
Mt. Rushmore, S.D.

© All Rights Reserved vegasmike6

    * Location: South Dakota, USA
    * Elevation: 5,725 feet (1,745 metres)
    * Climb: Technically possible, but not done!

Mount Rushmore is the iconic monument to US political history that is carved into the side of a solid granite mountain. It consists of the faces of four famous US presidents. They are George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln. In fact the statue is a compromise as the original design also included the upper bodies of the presidents. The design is by Gutzon Borglum, who also was the supervisor on the project, but it was his son Lincoln Borglum, who finished the project in 1941, which is also the year in which his father died. There is a visitor center, named after Lincoln Borglum near the mountain, where more information about the construction of the monument can be found. In the evening Mount Rushmore is illuminated for two hours after sunset.
Mount St. Helens
IMG_4672
IMG_4672

© All Rights Reserved sdg2001in

    * Location: Skamania County, Washington, USA
    * Elevation: 8,366 feet (2,550 metres)
    * Climb: Yes, with a permit

Mount St. Helens is best known for its catastrophic eruption on May 18, 1980, which caused 57 deaths and many homes, roads, bridges and railroads were destroyed. This volcanic event also caused the summit to shrink by no less than 400 metres. After that eruption, the summit has been replaced by a 1,500-metre-wide volcanic crater. The mountain is located between the cities of Seattle and Portland.

Mount St. Helens is located on the Cascade Range (of which Mount Rainier at 4,392 metres is the highest), which is part of the Pacific Ring of Fire - the most volcanic active part of the world. The volcano is well known for its ash explosions and pyroclastic flows.
Mount Thor

    * Location: Baffin Island, Canada
    * Elevation: 1,675 metres
    * Climb: Yes, but experience is required and conditions are tough

Mount Thor might be very unknown to regular travellers, it is a very popular mountain among experienced climbers. The main feature and the claim for being famous is the fact that is has the greatest purely vertical drop at 1,250 metres. The average angle of the drop is 105 degrees. Thor Mountain is located in the Auyuittuq National Park, on Baffin Island, Canada. It's part of the Baffin Mountains, which is again part of the Arctic Cordillera.

Pangnirtung is the nearest settlement, 46 kilometres away and with about 1,300 inhabitants. It can be reached by plane from Iqaluit, the capital and largest town on Baffin Island, reached in turn from other Canadian cities like Montreal and Ottawa.
Popocatépetl
Popocatepetl volcano in activity
Popocatepetl volcano in activity

© All Rights Reserved marianojf

    * Location: Central Mexico, near Mexico City
    * Elevation: 5,426 metres
    * Climb: Yes, but some experience is needed

Popocatépetl is an active volcano located in the heart of Mexico, about 70 kilometres southeast of the capital Mexico City. The mountain has been climbed since a long time ago. The Tecuanipas tribe is said to have climbed it in 1289, followed by the Spanish in the 16th century. Literally meaning the 'smoking mountain', it is the second highest peak in the country and on one of those rare clear days it can be seen from the higher parts of Mexico City.

Popocatépetl has had over 20 eruptions in modern history, with the eruptions of 1994, 1996, 2004 and 2005 (still continuing as at 2009) [1] being the most recent ones. In the 1996 eruption, tens of thousands of people were evacuated by the government based on the warnings of scientists. The volcano then experienced its worst eruption in thousands of years.

Popocatépetl is one of the only three mountains in Mexico that has glaciers near the summit.

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Oceania
Uluru
Sunset at Uluru
Sunset at Uluru

© All Rights Reserved Sander

    * Location: Northern Territory, Australia
    * Elevation: 863 metres (although from the ground it's only 348 metres)
    * Climb: Yes, but the Anangu prefer you don't.[2]

Uluru, also known as Ayers Rock, is one of the landmarks of Australia, and has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is visited by around 400,000 visitors every year. The mountain and the surrounding area, including the rock formations Kata Tjuta (Mount Olga) have been declared as the Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park.

Admission to the national park is AUD$25 for adults, while those aged 16 and below can enter for free.

Uluru has a huge spiritual meaning for the indigenous Anunga people. They do not climb the mountain, and ask visitors to do the same. Despite this request many people climb the mountain, and not without dangers. Due to the location in the desert, conditions are extreme, and you need to be in good condition to reach the top. A nearby visitors/cultural centre can give you more information about the mountain.
Mount Cook
Sunset at Mount Cook
Sunset at Mount Cook

© All Rights Reserved Marie-Jose

    * Location: South Island, New Zealand
    * Elevation: 3,754 metres
    * Climb: Yes, but it is a technical one

Mount Cook, or Aoraki (cloud piercer), was first climbed in 1894 by New Zealand climbers George Graham, Tom Fyffe and Jack Clarke. It is part of the Southern Alps of New Zealand and is the highest mountain in New Zealand. The mountain is situated between the Westland and Mount Cook national parks (together forming a UNESCO World Heritage Site) to the south of Franz Josef and Fox Glaciers. The Tasman Glacier and Hooker Glacier flow down the southern and eastern slopes of the mountain. Mount Cook Village has a visitor centre which provides detailed information on the area and there are numerous walks of varying difficulty starting from here. You can either choose to walk or climb the mountain but in the latter case, be prepared and better: take a guide.
Mount Ngauruhoe
Mount Ngauruhoe - Tongariro Crossing nr Taupo
Mount Ngauruhoe - Tongariro Crossing nr Taupo

© All Rights Reserved phileas

    * Location: North Island, New Zealand
    * Elevation: 2,291 metres
    * Climb: Yes

Mount Ngauruhoe would not have made this list had it not been for Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings trilogy, in which the active volcano became famous as Mount Doom, the fictional name in the movie. Mount Ngauruhoe is situated between Mount Tongariro and Mount Ruapehu on North Island, New Zealand. Many people hike up it on the Tongariro Crossing, which is considered one of the ten best walks in the world. The first ascent of the volcano was made in 1839 by John C. Bidwill.

Along with Mt Ruapehu and Mt Tongariro, Mt Ngaurohoe is part of a line of volcanoes known as the Pacific Ring of Fire, stretching across the Pacific Ocean. Although the volcano erupts on average every 9 years, the last major eruption was in 1975.
Mount Taranaki / Mount Egmont
Beautiful sunny Mount taranaki
Beautiful sunny Mount taranaki

© All Rights Reserved Marie-Jose

    * Location: Taranaki, North Island, New Zealand
    * Elevation: 2,518 metres
    * Climb: Yes

The Mount Taranaki is the second highest mountain on the North Island of New Zealand. It's an active volcano, but not as active as others. The last major eruption was around 1655, although a piece of the top of the mountain came down in 1855/1856. A second volcano crater has been forming at the southern flank of the mountain. Whilst from the other side it looks like an almost perfect symmetrical mountain. Due to the similarity to Mount Fuji, it was used as a backdrop in the film the Last Samurai. Since 1881 the mountain and the surrounding forest are a national park.

You don't need to be an experienced climber to reach the summit in summer, but prepare the trip well and be prepared for the changing weather conditions of the mountain. The climb from the Stratfort Plateau and return are about 9-10 hours of walking and climbing.
Mauna Kea
Mauna Kea Cinder Cones
Mauna Kea Cinder Cones

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    * Location: Hawaii Island, Hawaii, USA
    * Elevation: 4,207 metres
    * Climb: Yes, and very easy indeed!

Mauna Kea is by some measures the tallest mountain in the world. It is located in the state of Hawaii on the Big Island. When measured from the base of the mountain on the floor of the Pacific Ocean, it rises 10,203 metres to its peak, taller than Mount Everest if using the same measurement. It is a dormant volcano, with its last eruption dating back to about 2,500 BC.

In the Hawaiian language, Mauna Kea means "white mountain", so named because its summit is regularly covered with snow in winter. The mountain's summit is one of the best astronomical sites in the world and several leading observatories can be found there as a result.

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South America
Aconcagua
2008-02-19 Aconcagua
2008-02-19 Aconcagua

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    * Location: The province of Mendoza, Argentina
    * Elevation: 6,962 metres
    * Climb: Yes, but some experience needed

The Aconcagua is the highest mountain of the Andes, and the highest mountain outside of Asia, making it the highest peak on the Western and Southern Hemisphere. There is some debate whether the ancient Inca's have climbed the mountain or not. Remains of a guanaco were found on a ridge between the south and north summit, and it seems unlikely that the animal got up the mountain that far on it's own. It is however proven that the Inca's climbed other mountains in the same region. The first modern successful climb of the mountain was done in 1897 by the Swiss Matthias Zurbriggen. For climbers the altitude of the mountain is the biggest opponent as the climb itself is not as technical as those on other mountains.
Cotopaxi
Cotopaxi Krater ...
Cotopaxi Krater ...

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    * Location: Near Quito, the capital of Ecuador
    * Elevation: 5,897 metres
    * Climb: Yes, but experience is needed

The Cotopaxi volcano in the Andes mountains is located just 75 kilometres from Quito and on a clear day you can see the mountain from the capital. It is part of the chain of volcanoes around the Pacific plate known as the Pacific Ring of Fire. It is the second highest mountain of Ecuador and although it claims to be the tallest active volcano in the world, actually Llullaillaco volcano, on the border of Chile and Argentina is considerably taller at over 6,700 metres and is considered active as well. Nevertheless, the Cotopaxi is much more famous and active with over 50 eruptions during the last 370 years or so. Cotopaxi has an almost symmetrical cone and also has one of few equatorial glaciers in the world, at about 5,000 metres and up.
Monte Fitz Roy
IMG_5034
IMG_5034

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    * Location: Patagonia, on the border between Chile and Argentina
    * Elevation: 3,375 metres
    * Climb: Yes, but only very experienced climbers, and they need to be lucky.

Monte Fitz Roy (Cerro Fitz Roy) lies on the border of Chile and Argentina, near the town of El Calafate. Francisco Moreno named the mountain in his book Viaje a la Patagonia Austral in honour of Robert FitzRoy, the captain of HMS Beagle, who sailed up the Santa Cruz River in 1834 and surveyed large parts of the Patagonian coast. The mountain is also sometimes known as Cerro Chaltén, which means smoking mountain, because of the clouds that often form around the peak.

The first recorded climb was achived by French duo Lionel Terray and Guido Magnone. Despite the average height of the mountain, it is listed as one of the most technical climbs in the world because of the almost vertical granite faces. There are years that not a single successful ascent was recorded due to the extremely difficult climb.
References

   1. 1 Eruptive History – Popocatépetl – Global Volcanism Program. Natural Museum of Natural History. Smothsonian Institute. Retrieved on 2009–08–02.
   2. 2 We do not climb Uluru. Department of Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts. Australian Government. Retrieved on 2009–07–19.

Beautiful Mountain : Mount Ararat

This article is about the tallest mountain in Turkey. For the biblical toponym, see Mountains of Ararat.
Mount Ararat (see below details on names) is a snow-capped, dormant volcanic cone in Turkey. It has two peaks: Greater Ararat (the tallest peak in Turkey, and the entire Armenian plateau with an elevation of 5,137 m/16,854 ft) and Lesser Ararat (with an elevation of 3,896 m/12,782 ft).

The Ararat massif is about 40 km (25 mi) in diameter. The Iran-Turkey boundary skirts east of Lesser Ararat, the lower peak of the Ararat massif. It was in this area that by the Tehran Convention of 1932 a border change was made in Turkey's favor, permitting her to occupy the eastern flank of the massif.[5]

Mount Ararat in Judeo-Christian tradition is associated with the "Mountains of Ararat" where according to the book of Genesis, Noah's ark came to rest. It also plays a significant role in Armenian nationalism and irredentis
Names and etymology
    * Ararat - The Bible says that Noah's ark landed on the mountains of Ararat. This does not refer to any specific mountain or peak, but rather a mountain range within the region of Ararat, which was the name of an ancient proto-Armenian kingdom also known as Urartu.[6] Nonetheless, one particular tradition identifies the mountain as Mount Masis, the highest peak in the Armenian Highland, which is therefore called Mount Ararat.[6] (As opposed to the Armenian and European tradition, Semitic tradition identifies the mountain as Judi Dagh located in Turkey near Cizre.)[note 1] According to the medieval Armenian historian Moses of Khoren in his History of Armenia, the plain of Ayrarat (directly north of the mountain) got its name after King Ara the Handsome[7] (the great grandson of Amasya). Here the Assyrian Queen Semiramis is said to have lingered for a few days after the death of Ara.[7] According to Thomson, the mountain is called Ararat (Armenian: Արարատ) corresponding to Ayrarat, the name of the province.[note 2][note 3]
    * Masis (Armenian: Մասիս) - is the Armenian name for the peak of Ararat, the plural Masikʿ (Armenian: Մասիք) may refer to both peaks.[7] The History of Armenia derives the name from a king Amasya, the great-grandson of the Armenian patriarch Hayk, who is said to have called the mountain Masis after his own name.[7]
    * Çiyayê Agirî (Fiery Mountain), Çiyayê Alavhat and Grîdax (Kurdish): This entire tree name referred a volcanic characteristic of Mount Ararat. It is the only name to have a clear, descriptive etymology while also indicating the preservation of folk memory.[8]
    * Ağrı Dağı (Mountain of Ağrı) - The Ottoman Turkish name was Aghur Dagh اغـر طﺎﻍ [note 4] means heavy mountain. Since Ağrı literally means "pain" in Turkic languages such as Azeri and Turkish, the toponym has been popularly rendered as "Painful Mountain". It is almost certainly, however, a borrowing of the Kurdish toponym. Ağrı is also a province in the Eastern Anatolian Region of Turkey, which derived its name from the mountain in 1949.[9] During the Ottoman Empire era the Ağrı village was originally called Karakilise (black church).[8]
    * Kuh-e-Nuh (Noah's Mountain): (Persian: کوه نوح, IPA: [ˈkuːhe ˈnuːx], Kuh-e Nuh) , also influenced by the flood story, this time via the Islamic view of Noah.[8]

Geography

Mount Ararat is located in the Eastern Anatolia Region of Turkey between Doğubayazıt and Iğdır, near the border with Iran, Armenia and Nakhchivan exclave of Azerbaijan, between the Aras and Murat Rivers.[1] Its summit is located some 16 km (10 mi) west of the Iran and 32 km (20 mi) south of the Armenian border. The Ararat plain runs along its northwest to western side.
Geology
Ararat is a stratovolcano, formed of lava flows and pyroclastic ejecta, with no volcanic crater. Above the height of 4,100 m (13,451 ft), the mountain mostly consists of igneous rocks covered by an ice cap.[10] A smaller 3,896 m (12,782 ft) cone, Little Ararat, rises from the same base, southeast of the main peak. The lava plateau stretches out between the two pinnacles. The bases of these two mountains is approximately 1,000 km2 (386 sq mi).[11] The formation of Ararat is hard to retrieve geologically, but the type of vulcanism and the position of the volcano raise the idea that subduction relation vulcanism occurred when the Tethys Ocean closed during the Neogene.[12]
Elevation

An elevation of 5,165 m (16,946 ft) for Mount Ararat is still given by some authorities. However, a number of other sources, such as public domain and verifiable SRTM data[13] and a 2007 GPS measurement show that the alternatively widespread figure of 5,137 m (16,854 ft) is probably more accurate, and that the true elevation may be even lower due to the thick layer of snow-covered ice cap which permanently remains on the top of the mountain. 5,137 m is also supported by numerous topographic maps.[14]
Activity

It is not known when the last eruption of Ararat occurred; there are no historic or recent observations of large-scale activity recorded. It seems that Ararat was active in the 3rd millennium BC; under the pyroclastic flows, artifacts from the early Bronze Age and remains of human bodies have been found.[3]

However, it is known that Ararat was shaken by a large earthquake in July 1840, the effects of which were largest in the neighborhood of the Ahora Gorge (a northeast trending chasm that drops 1,825 metres (5,988 ft) from the top of the mountain). An unstable part of the northern slope collapsed and a chapel, a monastery, and a village were covered by rubble. According to some sources, Ararat erupted then as well, albeit under the ground water level.[3]
Climbing Mount Ararat
First recorded ascent in modern times
Dr. Friedrich Parrot, with the help of Khachatur Abovian, was the first explorer in modern times to reach the summit of Mount Ararat, subsequent to the onset of Russian rule in 1829.[4] Abovian and Parrot crossed the Aras River and headed to the Armenian village of Agori situated on the northern slope of Ararat 4,000 feet above sea level. Following the advice of Harutiun Alamdarian of Tbilisi, they set up a base camp at the Monastery of Saint Jacob some 2,400 feet higher, at an elevation of 6,375 feet. Abovian was one of the last travelers to visit Agori and the monastery before a disastrous earthquake completely buried both in May 1840. Their first attempt to climb the mountain, using the northeastern slope, failed as a result of lack of warm clothing.

Six days later, on the advice of Stepan Khojiants, the village chief of Agori, the ascent was attempted from the northwestern side. After reaching an elevation of 16,028 feet they turned back because they did not reach the summit before sundown. They reached the summit on their third attempt at 3:15 p.m. on October 9, 1829. Abovian dug a hole in the ice and erected a wooden cross facing north. Abovian also picked up a chunk of ice from the summit and carried it down with him in a bottle, considering the water holy. On November 8, Parrot and Abovian climbed up Lesser Ararat. Impressed with Abovian's thirst for knowledge, Parrot arranged for a Russian state scholarship for Abovian to study at the University of Dorpat in 1830. In 1845, the German mineralogist Otto Wilhelm Hermann von Abich climbed Ararat with Abovian. Abovian's third and last ascent to Ararat was with the Englishman Henry Danby Seymour in 1846.

Between June and July 2008, the Guatemalan climber Jaime Viñals in a special issue "bonded" Mount Ararat with the Mount Teide (Spain), in an ascent to each of these two peaks in a span of less than a month. Conquering the first summit of Ararat on June 24 and immediately after coming to Tenerife to climb Mount Teide crowning on 8 July. With the conquest of these summits, peaks was 21 achieved the international list of "50 most prominent summits in the world".[15][16]
Later ascents
Date     Person(s) climbed     Comment
October 9, 1829     Johann Jacob Friedrich Wilhelm Parrot and Khachatur Abovian     First ascent of the summit of Mount Ararat[4] Started from the monastery of St. Jacob (Surb Hakob) and made the ascent by the north-western slope.
August 5, 1834     Kozma Spassky-Avtonomov     Climbed Ararat from Akori, to prove that the stars could be seen at noon and used ice from the summit to baptize his son[17]
August 8–9, 1835     Karl Behrens[17]     Imperial Russian Georgraphical Society attested to the expedition.
July 29, 1845     Otto Wilhelm Hermann von Abich     Armenian guide led him up the southeastern face from Sardar Bulak, a Cossack station with a well, located in the middle of the wide semicircular valley or sloping plain between Greater and Lesser Ararat. Abich I & II Glaciers named after him.[17] Climbed western and eastern summit.[4] They climbed from Sardar Bulak.
1846     Henry Danby Seymour     With 2 Armenians and a Cossack officer[17] Climbed from New Akori.
August 1–9, 1850     Iosif Khodko (Иосиф Ходько), P.H. Moritz, N. V. Khanikov and many others     Ascended from Sardar Bulak. Six days were spent on top of Mt. Ararat[17]
June 29, 1856     English Major Robert Stuart     With major Alick J. Fraser, Reverend Walter Thursby, James Theobald, John Evans of Darley Abbey. They climbed from Bayazid.
August 31, 1876     James Bryce     He was alone. And he founded a timber at 3965 m (13,500 ft)[17] He climbed from Sardar Bulak.
1878     G. P. Baker     He climbed from Sardar Bulak.
1882     Sivoloboff    
August 13, 1888     Yevgeniy Markov     With Ivan Kovalewski and Mosokevich (young lady)[17] They climbed from Saradar Bulak.
1888     Semenoff    
1889     Raphalovich and others     He climbed from Sardar Bulak.
July 4, 1891     Thomas Gaskell Allen, Jr. and William Lewis Sachtleben [4]     First American ascent of the summit of Mount Ararat [4] He climbed from Bayazid.
1893     Postukhoff     He climbed from Sardar Bulak.
October 1893     H. F. B. Lynch     With Rudolph Taugwalder[17] and H. B. Lynch
1897     Herr A. Oswald[17] Eine Besteigung des Ararat, Alpenclub, Berne, 1899–1900, vol. XXXV. pp. 157–183    
September 5, 2009     Erik Weihenmayer, Edwin Albert Weihenmayer, Gökmen Önay, Bahar Ganjavi, Behrouz Khabbaz Beheshti, Seyed Hassan Moghimi [18]     Erik Weihenmayer is first known blind person to reach the summit of Mount Ararat. Group guided by Gökmen Önay from Turkey. Hassan Moghimi Iran, born without one hand and he is professional cyclist.[18]
Climbing routes

The climb is long, but there is a fairly easy route from the south in late summer for climbers who are familiar with the use of axe and crampons. Snow covers the last 400 m (¼ mile) year-round.[citation needed] There are two possible campsites on the mountain, and the glacier begins around 4,800 m (15,750 ft)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Beautiful Mountain:Vinson Antartica

Vinson Massif – Facts
Discovered      1957, after being sighted by US Navy aircraft.
Height     4897m (16,067ft). It is also 13km (8 miles) wide
Location      78°35’S, 85°25’W. Part of the Sentinel Range and 1200km (746 miles) from the South Pole.
History     Vinson Massif was named after Carl G. Vinson, a US congressman who persuaded the US Government to pledge support for exploration of Antarctica in the 20th century. The mountain was first climbed by a US expedition team sponsored by the American Alpine Club. They reached the summit at 11.30am on 18 December 1966 – the first of many climbing teams who would come to conquer Antarctica’s highest peak.

Adventure Network International first arranged a climb of Vinson Massif in 1984. The expedition was unsuccessful due to weather and engine problems, but in 1985, Adventure Network International organised and completed three successful expeditions. Since the inception of the Vinson Massif climbing program, Adventure Network International has taken over 500 clients to the top of this coveted Seventh Summit.

Adventure Network was aquired by Antarctic Logistics who continued the services, up til beginning of 2005 about 950 people have summited Mt Vinson.

Antarctica Facts:

    * Antarctica is the Earth's 5th largest continent, measuring 14 million square kilometres (5.4 million square miles).
    * The ice sheet that covers almost all of Antarctica is the largest body of fresh water on earth, containing about 90% of the world's ice and 68% of the fresh water.
    * If Antarctica's ice sheet were to melt, it would raise the level of the world's oceans about 60 metres (200 feet).
    * The thickest part of the ice sheet extends about 4,800km (2980nm) (15,700 feet) into submerged basins in the rock.
    * Antarctica has the greatest average elevation of any continent at 1,860 metres (6,100 feet). The average elevation of North America is 720 metres (2,300 feet).
    * The highest mountain on the continent is Vinson Massif,4,897 metres (16,067 feet), situated in the Ellsworth Mountains (see the waypoints page for details about variation of the measurements).
    * The snow fall in Antarctica is so minimal that the continent has been called "the world's coldest desert". The interior receives less than 3 cm (1 inch) of precipitation a year, making it the driest continent on Earth.
    * The Antarctic dry valleys in Victoria Land are among the driest places on Earth. Some scientists believe that no rain has fallen there for two million years. Astronauts have visited the dry valleys because of their similarity to lunar landscapes.
    * Mean temperatures in the inland during the coldest month from -40 F to -94 F and in the warmest month from 5 F to -31 F. At the coasts, the temperature ranges between 5 F to -22 F in winter and about 32 F in summer. On July 21, 1983, the Soviet station, Vostok, reported a record-breaking 128.6 F below freezing.
    * During winter months, low temperatures cause much of the seas around Antarctica to freeze. At maximum sea ice covers an area larger than the continent itself.
    * The South Pole experiences a six month period of darkness in winter and a six month period of sunlight in summer.
    * Antarctica is the only continent in the world with no permanent or indigenous human inhabitants. Larger than the United States, the frozen land is populated by approximately 2,500 people during the summer and fewer than 1,000 in the winter.
from: 7summits.com