Mount Chimborazo is Actually the Highest Point on Earth - Condé Nast Traveler Mount Chimborazo is Actually the Highest Point on Earth Share via Pinterest Despite misconceptions, Mount Chimborazo is higher than Mount Everest. If there’s one thing everyone knows about mountains—and given the state of geography education today, that may be a pretty accurate estimate—it’s that Mount Everest, in the Himalayas, is the Earth’s highest point. But what if it wasn’t? What if Everest, with its famous 29,029-foot peak, was actually dwarfed by a mountain you’ve probably never even heard of, an Ecuadorian volcano called Chimborazo? View Mount Chimborazo in a larger map Mount Chimborazo is an Andean stratovolcano in central Ecuador, looming so impressively over the country that, on a clear day, you can see it all the way from the large port city of Guayaquil, 90 miles away. Chimborazo is Ecuador’s highest point, but in terms of elevation, it’s far from the highest peak in the Andes.

In fact, there are almost 40 more impressive mountains in South America, many of which (like Aconcagua, the continent’s highest peak) are located farther south, near the Chile-Argentina border. So how is the 30-somethingth highest mountain in the Andes simultaneously the highest point on Earth? The central problem here is that Pythagoras, Columbus, and your elementary school teachers were all wrong: Earth isn’t really round. Well, it’s round-ish, but it’s not a sphere. The combined effects of gravity and rotational centrifugal force have pushed the Earth’s mass outward around its middle. Imagine hula-hooping for a few hours after a big Thanksgiving dinner and you’ll get the idea. The resulting shape is often called an “oblate ellipsoid”: slightly flatter at the poles and bulgier at the equator than you’d expect. This bulge isn’t huge—a deviation of about one part in 300 from a perfect sphere—but it’s enough to mess with cartography. Chimborazo tops out at 20,702 feet, almost two miles lower than Everest. But that’s only compared to sea level.

If we take the equatorial bulge into account—in other words, if we measure what peak is farthest from the center of the Earth—Chimborazo sticks more than 7,000 feet farther into space than any of the Himalayas do, since they’re located thousands of miles north of the Equator. So, to quote Obi-Wan Kenobi, “what I told you was true—from a certain point of view.” Hawaiians are quick to point out that Mauna Kea, the volcano that forms the peak of the state’s big island, is also taller than Everest—if you measure from its base. Everest only rises about 13,000 feet above its base, less than half of Mauna Kea’s 33,000-foot rise. The problem, of course, is that the Hawaiian mountain’s “base camp” sleeps with the fishes at the bottom of the Pacific Ocean. Give Mauna Kea a fair start by moving it to the Himalayas, and it would be by far the highest peak on Earth.

Facts About Chimborazo — Highest Mountain in Ecuador Elevation: 20,561 feet (6,267 meters) Prominence: 13,527 feet (4,123 meters) Location: Cordillera Occidental, Andes Mountains, Ecuador. Coordinates: 1° 28' S / 78° 49' W First Ascent: Edward Whymper, Louis Carrel, and Jean-Antoine Carrel, 1880. Fast Facts: Chimborazo, with an elevation rise of 13,527 feet (4,123 meters), is the 16th most prominent mountain in the world and the highest mountain in Ecuador . It’s the highest mountain north of Peru in South America and the highest mountain in the Americas north of Peru. Denali, North America's highest mountain, is 241 feet lower than Chimborazo. Chimborazo is a dormant stratovolcano that last erupted around 640 AD (+/-500 years), or about 1,400 years ago.

At least seven eruptions have occurred over the last 8,000 years. The volcano had a major collapse about 35,000 years ago, with major debris avalanches sweeping down the mountain and damming the Rio Chambo and forming a temporary lake. Chimborazo has a circumference of 78 miles and a diameter of 30 miles. Its crater is 820 feet deep and has a surface diameter of 1,600 feet. Chimborazo has four major summits—20,561-foot (6,267-meter) Veintemilla; 20,702-foot (6,310-meter) Whymper, the highest point; 19,094-foot (5,820 meters) Politecnica; and 18,274-foot (5,570-meter) Nicolas Martínez, named for the father of Ecuadorian mountaineering. continue reading below our video What Size Bike Should I Buy?

While the summit of Mount Everest is the highest point on the Earth above sea level, the summit of Chimborazo is the farthest place on the surface of the Earth from its exact center, a distance of 3,968 miles (6,384.4 kilometers). It’s important to remember that the Earth is not a perfect sphere but instead bulges out at its equator. Chimborazo is only one degree south of the equator, while Mount Everest is 28 degrees north. Chimborazo’s summit is 2.1 kilometers farther from the Earth’s center than Everest. Chimborazo’s upper elevations are covered with glaciers . The glaciers have slowly decreased in size over the last fifty years due to global warming and falling ash from the active volcano Tungurahua, which falls on the glaciers, warms in sunlight, and melts the snow. The glaciers, providing water for Ecuadorans, are also mined for ice which is sold in markets. The exact origin of Chimborazo’s name is murky.

Some linguists say it combines schingbu, which means “women” in the Cayapa language, with razo, which is Quichua or “snow,” resulting in “Women of Snow.” Local natives call it Urcorazo or “Mountain of Ice,” combining the Quichua urco, meaning “mountain,” with razo, meaning “snow” or “ice.” SAETA Flight 232, a Vickers Viscount carrying four crew and 55 passengers, disappeared on a Quito to Cuenca flight in August, 1976. The crashed plane was found 26 years later in October, 2002 at 18,000 feet (5,400 meters) by a team of Ecuadorian climbers on the Integral route up Chimborazo’s east side. The bodies of the 59 people were recovered.

Explorer Baron Alexander von Humboldt , Aime Goujaud AKA Bonpland, and Carlos Montufar made the first known attempt to climb Chimborazo in 1802, reaching a high point of 19,286 feet (5,878 meters) before turning around at an “insurmountable cleft” with altitude sickness. Edward Whymper , who made the first ascent of The Matterhorn , made the first ascent of Chimborazo with Italian guides Louis and Jean-Antoine Carrel up the Southwest Ridge in 1880. They were the first Europeans to summit a mountain higher than 20,000 feet. After his ascent was disputed, Whymper returned with David Beltran and Francisco Javier Campaña and climbed a new route to the summit that same year. The worst accident in Ecuadoran mountaineering history occurred on November 10, 1993 on Chimborazo’s upper slopes.

Three parties, two descending and one ascending, were on the steep snow slopes below the Veintemilla summit when the slope avalanched , sweeping and burying ten climbers—six French, two Ecuadorans, one Swiss, and one Chilean—into a crevasse at 18,700 feet. Over 20 mountain guides searched Chimbo for 10 days to recover the bodies. Climbing Chimborazo Chimborazo is heavily glaciated and subject to severe weather and avalanches . Most parties that attempt the mountain turn around because of heavy snow and avalanche danger. Conditions vary on the mountain depending on snow conditions. If little snow has fallen, expect sections of hard snow and ice that require frontpointing with your crampons . Heavy snow increases avalanche danger. El Castillo Route The El Castillo Route (Grade II/PD) is the standard normal route used by most climbers to ascend Chimborazo. The route ascends 4,250 feet (1,300 meters) up the west side of the mountain. Normal ascent time is between eight and 12 hours to the Whymper summit. Descent takes three to five hours. Route trip time is 12 to 16 hours.

Start at night so most of the climbing is done before sunrise when the snow warms up and begins avalanching and rockfall danger increases. The route is usually climbed December to February and June to September. Whymper Hut to Veintimilla The route begins at the Whymper Hut and climbs northwest up scree and then rocky mixed terrain to a saddle above El Castillo, a prominent castle-shaped rock outcrop. This section has rockfall danger. From the saddle, climb a glacial ridge northeast and east to the Veintimilla summit. Much of the ridge is steep (30 to 40 degrees) with crevasses. This section can be very dangerous with new and soft snow on it. On to Whymper Summit Many climbers turn around atop Veintimilla. It is 0.6 mile (1 kilometer) from Veintimilla Summit to Whymper Summit with an elevation loss of 165 feet. It takes 30 minutes to an hour to cross the wide snow-filled basin between the two peaks, depending on snow conditions. Deep snow usually blankets the basin, which becomes a nightmare of thigh-deep slogging in the afternoon or after snowfall.

Plan on doing this section early in the day when its surface is crusted. Climbing Guides to Chimborazo Ecuador Climbing and Hiking Guide by Rob Rachowiecki and Mark Thurber. Ecuador: A Climbing Guide by Yossi Brain. Chimborazo : Climbing, Hiking & Mountaineering : SummitPost Chimborazo Southwest Face. Boriss Andean The Normal route sees many attempts all year long and is considered a class 4 climb with route finding and crevasses crossing. There are two refuges on the mountain, Carrel refuge at 4,800 m (15,744 ft.) and Whymper refuge at 5,000 m (16,400 ft.) where most of the parties do their summit bid from. It is a 6-9 hours climb with slopes up to 60 degrees. People usually start their climb one or two hours before midnight and return to the hut a couple hours before noon in order to avoid rock fall danger caused by sun hit at the glacier entrance known as “El Corredor”. There is some discussion about the actual height of the summit: There is some debate on the actual height of the mountain.

In 1993 members of the School of Military Survey in Newbury, United Kingdom measured Chimborazo's altitude with the use of a differencial GPS and got a measurement of 6,268 m. It is claimed they reached Cumbre Veintimilla (under foggy conditions) or the second highest summit which actually has that altitude. In a clear day Cumbre Whymper or Maxima is located in the back of it (visible from Cumbre Veintimilla only) and it can be reached after descending and traversing a couple hundred meters in east direction. However, at the moment, the most accepted official height is 6268M. Getting There From the new Terminal de buses Quitumbe located at the south of Quito, take any of the southbound buses to Riobamba (USD. 3,75 – 3:30 hours). From Terminal Terrestre de Riobamba take one of the several buses that go to Guaranda, but ask the driver to drop you off at Chimborazo entrance (there's a signed turnoff for the Chimborazo refuges). It is located 30 minutes after passing the town of San Juan.

Chimborazo and its five summits josef-ecuador La Reserva de Producción Faunistíca Chimborazo gets its name for the hundreds of vicuñas that can be seen poking around in the area. They were imported from Chile in 1980 and are a protected specie of the Andes You can also hire a taxi cab (USD 20,00) for the drive to the trailhead, 1/2 hour away from the Whymper Hut. Starting your trip from Ambato (1 hour before Riobamba) is not advisable. You will have to take a bus to Guaranda and stop at “El Arenal” where buses passing by the trailhead aren’t too frequent and the risk of getting robbed is high. There’ve been reports of robbery lately in this area. Once at the entrance of the park it is a matter of luck how fast/ for how much $$ you can get to the lower hut. In high season there might be pick up trucks/buses going up to pick other trekkers/climbers. Note: As January 2012, the terminal in Riobamba is under construction and the improvised terminal is a little bit of a mess.

None of the buses are letting passengers off at the park entrance, including the Flota Bolivar that goes to Guaranda. However, it's possible to take a bus and get dropped off at the Reserve entrance if you don't mention it before buying your ticket to Guaranda. Taxis from Riobamba cost USD. 35.00 one way. Thanks Socorro for the updates! Chimborazo summit. Bob Dawson Red Tape  Starting Nov.12 2012 nobody is allowed to climb any glaciated mountain in Ecuador without hiring an accredited mountain guide. This restriction was issued by Ecuadorian Goverment after the last fatal accidents that happened in 2012 in Illiniza Sur and Norte.  There are not fees to enter Chimborazo Reserve.  No parking fees High Camp beyond El Castillo. andre hangaard Chimborazo summit. Boriss Andean Chimborazo is climbable year round however, the best climbing months are June and July and December through early January. February through May is known for bad weather, especially in the month of April.

Make sure you start before midnight so you'll be back before 10 am at the latest, for two reasons: First, rock fall hazard. The part of the route along The Castle, a large rock wall about one hour from the Refugio Whymper, gets dangerous around that time. Lots of small and large rocks start to fall down then from this high wall due to warming temperatures. Passing this area (El Corredor) later in the afternoon is really running between falling rocks. Secondly, clouds will most often roll in early in the afternoon, making route finding very difficult. As there are big areas of crevasses on both sides of the normal route, losing track can be very dangerous. Camping Refugio Whymper (5000m) on the Chimborazo normal route. Boriss Andean IMPORTANT UPDATE: **** AS MARCH 2016 WHYMPER AND CARREL REFUGES ARE CURRENTLY OPEN TO VISITORS AND CLIMBERS AFTER A YEAR OF REMODELING. **** As I said earlier, most parties climb directly from the Whymper refuge (5,000 m / 16,400 ft.).

It provides bunk-beds (4 dozens), brand new mattresses, toilets, cold water, basic food supplies, stencils, gas stove, fireplace and ... cable TV (just kidding!) . At the moment overnight costs in Whymper refuge is USD. 15.00 a night for a bed and USD. 30.00 with meals. The refuge is partially open You can find the same facilities and costs in the Carrel refuge (4,800 m / 15,744 ft.) as well. This refuge is completely open with 52 beds. Your climb will have to start an hour earlier, though. What else do you need? Camping is also allowed anywhere on the mountain and some parties make a high camp to cut the summit push in two days which, I think, increases your chances to make it to the summit. The most recommendable are: El Castillo high camp, lays in the hollow of a bowl, just a few meters beyond the rock outcrop and at the left side (north) of the Southwest ridge (the normal route). Not advisable if there’s fresh snow accumulation on the first dome.

This camp can get pummeled at least by the windblast of avalanches coming from above. Moraine camp, located 10 minutes away from Whymper refuge at 5,050 m. There’s a wide flat field in this area. Make sure you set camp away from the moraines and the Thielman glacier. More information about the refuges here Climbing Routes V J. Anhalzer, R. Cardenas, R. Navarrete 1983 The hardest route put up so far. The first 2/3 of the route is entirely rock. Requires 2 days. 3300 Feet. Ascent History The following is a brief overview of the history of Chimborazo ascents. I have tried to hit the highlights. 1802-French climber Aime Bonpland and German climber Alexander von Humbolt reach a height of 19,300ft before being stopped by an "insurmountable cleft". 1880-The first ascent of the mountain by Italian J.A Carrel and British climber E. Whymper via the South West Ridge.

1968-An American/German team summited the technically challenging North Ridge via the Abraspungo Glacier. 1980-In celebration of the 100th anniversary of the first ascent, a large hut was opened below the South West Ridge close to the foot of the Thielmann Glacier. This hut named Refugio Whymper is now used by a lot of ascent parties as "base camp". 1993-One of the worst accidents in the history of climbing in Ecuador occured on the upper slopes of the mountain. 13 people were caught in an avalanche high on the mountain resulting in 10 deaths. Farthest from the Earths Center??? As stated in the Overview, Chimborazo's summit is the farthest point one can get from the center of the Earth and still be on land. It is about 2160m farther from the center than Everest's summit. This is only possible because the Earth is in the shape of an oblate spheroid, i.e., it is flattened (squashed) at the poles and bulging at the equator. Here is a diagram (based on Klenke 's Excel spreadsheet).

His spreadsheet can calculate the distance from the center of the earth for any point on the Earth's surface (of known elevation above sea level). If you are really into math ... here is a link to show you how this is all done: CLICK HERE Ecuador Mountains: Don't Miss the Ten Highest If you are checking out the capital city see Things to Do and See in Quito . 3. Cayambe Located in located in the Cordillera Oriental, a branch of the Ecuadorian Andes, it is only a short distance from Quito. Its permanent snow cap is divided by the equator making it both the highest location that intersects the equator as well as the only place covered by snow. Travelers here revel knowing it's also the only place on earth where both temperature and latitude reach zero degrees. 4. Antisana Antisana is considered a feat to accomplish due to its unique surface conditions. The glaciers on the East are bigger and longer than most due to the weather from the Amazon basin, creating steep slopes and many crevasses that can be difficult to climb. It is considered to be one of the most technically challenging climbs in Ecuador and not for beginners. 5.

El Altar Once the largest volcano in the world, Inca legends suggest after an eruption in 1460 the volcano collapsed. The dramatic ring of nine peaks and mountain slopes signal this to be true. Reflecting its great size, the Quichua name is Capac Urcu, translated as magnificent mountain. However, Spanish settlers renamed it El Altar for its resemblance to two nuns and four friars listening to a bishop around a church altar. Image ©Jo Simon. Image ©Jo Simon 6. Iliniza Sur Iliniza Sur and Norte are often discussed together and known as the twin mountains, are only a kilometer apart. However, the geography of the two are not identical. Ilinizas Sur is permanently covered in snow and its glacier makes it one of the more difficult climbs and can be steep. The glacier has been receeding dramatically due to a warmer climate and less rainfall and it's feared that the glacier will disappear in 15-20 years. 7. Sangay The most vocal of the group, Sangay was once erupting every ten minutes but slowed down after an earthquake in 1987 to every half hour, dispersing thick ash clouds.

Although it is the most active, it is very isolated. It takes 7 days of trekking through the rainforest to reach it and only one night to reach the summit. It is located in Sangay National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site along with El Altar and Tungurahua. Learn more about Ecuador's rainforest . 8. Iliniza Norte Considered the easier climb of the twin mountains, hikers often use it to acclimatize in preparation for Cotopaxi, Chimborazo and Cayambe. While Iliniza Sur is considered only for experienced climbers, Iliniza Norte is suitable for those with less experience. However as guide is recommended as the mountain is changing and can be difficult when it occasionally gets snow and ice, Image ©Marriedwithluggage. Image ©Marriedwithluggage 9. Tungurahua Meaning Throat of Fire in Quichua, Tungurahua has been quite active in recent years, including a major eruption in April 2011. Located just outside Baños, it has been a favorite for adventure seekers but due to recent activity climbers have been advised not to ascend the volcano.

Prior to the eruptions Tungurahua was a volcano of contradictions as some said it was very difficult and others very easy. The truth is that it is a combination of both. While the beginning is a very comfortable hike, its snow covered summit can be difficult with sporadic snowstorms and often requiring crampons and ice picks. Learn more about Baños . 10. Carihuairazo The smallest of the big ten, Carihuairazo often gets overlooked because it's so close to Chimborazo. An inactive volcano, its last eruptions destroyed the peak and left a large caldera. The summit is usually covered with ice and makes a great acclimization climb for its bigger brothers as it's an easy climb to become comfortable with glacier equipment. It's glacier has suffered from global warming and ash coverage from the recent eruptions of Tungurahua. Horseback riding is also a popular activity on the mountain at the lower altitudes.

South America Highpoints : Climbing, Hiking & Mountaineering : SummitPost South America Highpoints Object Title: South America Highpoints Created/Edited: Feb 3, 2012 / Apr 5, 2013 Object ID: 774753 Page Score: 86.85% - 23 Votes Loading... Tweet Well...here we have some great mountains of South America. This continent has a lot to show you and believe me, you can be amazed by its fantastic landescapes and high mountains. Some mountains are not listed here because there is no page on SummitPost for them yet, but as soon as someone does it, I'll update the page so we can enjoy a complete page with a complete list. Summits Table ARGENTINA 01 - Cerro Aconcágua - 6.962 m. (22.841 ft) Aconcagua is the highest mountain in the Western hemisphere, located in western Argentina, near the Chile border. There are about 3,500 climbers trying the summit each year (info from 2002).

The 'Normal Route' is non-technical - a walk-up, following the Northwest Ridge. It is the altitude that poses the most problem. That and the sense that this is an easy climb. Every year people die because they underestimate the task at hand...Keep reading about it on the mountain page on SP . One of the most popular climbs in the owrld. WORK IN PROGRESS CHILE 02 - Ojos Del Salado volcano - 6.893 m. (22.615 ft) The highest volcano on earth is also the highest point in Chile and second in South America. As the volcanic activity is quite recent, it´s classified as a neovolcano and there are still minor activity on the peak. Larger amounts of sulfuric gases and vapor were seen as late as 1994, but normally a faint smell och sulfur is the only sign of volcanic activity on the peak. Ojos del Salado is a border mountain and can be climbed from both Argetina and Chile. If you don´t like red tape, a hefty peak fee and bureaucracy, Argentina is the place to go for.

If you rather pay a bit, prefer to travel high on the mountain in a jeep...Keep reading about it on the mountain page on SP . Not very popular yet, and that is a good thing. PERU 03 - Huascaran Sur - 6.746 m. (22.132 ft) Together with Chopicalqui, the twin summits of Huascarán form the Huascarán massif. Huascarán Sur is the highest mountain in the Cordillera Blanca as well as in the whole of Peru, and consequently quite popular. The south summit is 91 meters higher than its (much less frequented) northern twin. The saddle between them, Garganta, lies at 6010m...Keep reading about it on the mountain page on SP . Dangerous mountain, often climbed. BOLIVIA 04 - Sajama volcano - 6.542 m. (21.463 ft) Sajama is Bolivia's highest mountain (by about 100m) - an extinct volcano situated in the eponymous Sajama National Park, on Bolivia's South-Western border with Chile.

The volcano has been (fortunately!) extinct for the past 10,000 years. The summit is covered by a permanent ice cap hiding all trace of any volcanic crater...Keep reading about it on the mountain page on SP . Very, very cold mountain. Reports of 40°C below zero at worst case scenario. ECUADOR 05 - Chimborazo volcano - 6.310 m. (20.702 ft) Longtime considered as the highest mountain on the planet, Chimborazo was dethroned by the Himalayan and Peruvian peaks. Nevertheless, considering the geometry of the Earth, this summit is known as the farthest point from its center (see section below for full explanation). This huge mountain is the highest point in Ecuador. It has five summits, the highest culminating at 6,310 meters (20,702 ft.). There are many routes up its slopes. The normal route runs up the Southwest flank and is a variation of the original Whymper route...Keep reading about it on the mountain page on SP . Also often climbed, very popular mountain in South America and "most wanted" in Ecuador along with Cotopaxi volcano.

COLOMBIA The highest Peak in Colombia is in debate. Cristobal Colon Peak, forbidden to climb as a sacred mountain. Or maybe Simón Bolivar Peak, also forbidden to climb for the very same reason. 06 - Cristobal Colon has 5.775 meters high (18.497 ft), and it doesn't have a mountain page here on SP. 06 - Simón Bolivar has 5.775 meters high (18.497 ft), and it doesn't have a mountain page here on SP. Both altitudes are questionable since no one (not even locals) have climbed these mountains for over 20 years. To read more, an article I wrote here on summitpost: VENEZUELA The highest point of Venezuela is Bolivar Peak. In fact, there was a mountain page online here at SP but I can't find it, maybe the owner deleted it. 07 - It has 4.981 meters high (16.342 ft), and it doesn't have a mountain page here on SP.

Altough, there is still a route page for the north face of Bolivar Peak available here on SP, check it on: BRAZIL 08 - Neblina Peak - 2.994 m. (9.823 ft) Pico da Neblina (Fog Peak) is the highest mountain in Brazil, 2.994 meters above sea level, in the Imeri mountain range (Serra do Imeri), a section of the Guiana Highlands on the Brazil-Venezuela border. As determined by a border survey expedition in 1962, its summit lies barely within Brazilian territory, at a horizontal distance of a mere 687 m from the Venezuelan border at Pico 31 de Março. The latter peak is only 21 metres lower and Brazil's second highest mountain. The word neblina means "fog" in Portuguese; so, the peak's name (meaning "Peak of the Mists") reflects that it is shrouded in dense clouds most of the time. It was first ascended in 1965 by members of a Brazilian Army expedition...Keep reading about it on the mountain page on SP .

Its Park is currently closed for visitors. Every now and then people get stuck at indians's hands, dangerous to try it without a guide. GUYANA 09 - Mount Roraima - 2.810 m. (9.219 ft) Roraima is an interesting mountain located in the Guiana Highlands. The peak actually shares the border with Venezuela, Brazil, and Guyana, but the mountain is almost always approached from the Venezuela side. The Brazil and Guyana sides are much more difficult. The Guiana Highlands is a very unusual mountain range covering parts of Venezuela, Brazil, Guyana, Suriname and French Guiana. The highlands are made of ancient sedimentary rock that is over two billion years old and are some of the oldest sedimentary rocks on the planet...Keep reading about it on the mountain page on SP . Often hiked by hundreds and maybe thousands of people every year, but you can't do it alone, travel agency service is demanded. SURINAME The highest point of Suriname is Juliana Hill (aka Juliana top).

10 - It has 1.280 meters high (4.199 ft), and it doesn't have a mountain page here on SP. Rob (SPer RGG) did a small research on this particular mountain, and here's some thoughts of his: The research taught me that Julianatop is located in the Wilhelmina mountains. The source of these two names is obvious: Wilhelmina was queen of The Netherlands from 1990 until 1948, when she was succeeded by her daughter Juliana who reigned until 1980. Perhaps the mountain had received a name by the indigenous population before the Dutch colonized it, but if it did, I didn'tfind it. The Wilhelmina mountains lie deep in the jungle in the middle of the country and the summits are still covered by dense jungle. Google terrain view places the summit of Julianatop at 3.683°N / 56.535°W. The jungle makes it very hard to get there and consequently the mountain sees very few attempts. Several sources claim that the summit is 1230m high, not 1280m.

A very short article in Wikipedia.nl states 1280m (retrieved on 6 February 2012), but as source it refers to the "Wereld Bosatlas", a popular Dutch atlas, but notoriously unreliable for elevations. For example, my copy of the Bosatlas (from 1997) states that La Neblina is 3100m, and Illimani 6882m! So, forget Wikipedia. Google Maps shows a contour of 1220m around the summit, but that's not decisive. Small and pointy summits are not captured very well by the SRTM data on which Google Maps is primarily based, and I don't know how steep it really is, so it could still be 1280m high. A bit more research, or perhaps an email to the appropriate Surinam institute, might resolve this. Some useful references I found were Julianatop on Peakbagger, a very short trip report (in Dutch), and a longer and well written article (also in Dutch) claiming the first ascent as late as 2011! Their GPS measured 1257m on the summit.

I have some doubts as to whether it this was indeed the first ascent, meaning that all others before climbed the wrong peak, but I can imagine how this could happen. The range being covered by jungle makes it difficult to see anything from the summits. These days, we are blessed with GPS, altimeters and Google maps to help us out, but before that, I imagine it would be hard to know an exact location in the jungle, and from any of the other summits it would have been very difficult to know if it was the highest or not. FRENCH GUYANA The highest point of French Guyana is Bellevue de l'Inini. 11 - It has 851 meters high (2.792 ft), and it doesn't have a mountain page here on SP. PS: French Guyana is not listed as a country in SP. PARAGUAY The highest point of Paraguay Cerro Tres Kandu. 12 - It has 842 meters high (2.762 ft), and it doesn't have a mountain page here on SP. URUGUAI 13 - Cerro Catedral - 514 m.

(1.686 ft) Cerro Catedral is the country highpoint of Uruguay. The nation officially named the República Oriental del Uruguay is not known for its mountains. In fact, Cerro Catedral is the lowest country highpoint in South America. Uruguay is perhaps best known for itsgaucho culture, the asado, and yerba mate. The gaucho is essentially the South American version of a cowboy. An asado is simply a barbeque, generally involving good quality local meat and wine. Keep reading about it on the mountain page on SP . External Links A brazilian website to get mountains info, including gps files to download: My youtube channel: - Now with 250+ videos online! The biggest brazilian website about climbing and mountaineering, for which I'm a columnist: Additions and Corrections Highest volcanoes are in South America. Why? About Highest volcanoes are in South America. Why? Ole Nielsen wrote an interesting post about the world’s highest volcanoes. There are several candidates. Nevados Ojos del Salado and Llullaillaco being the most serious contenders depending on whether we count all of them or only the historically active ones.

Which volcano claims the title is not of paramount importance to me. What is interesting is that they are all located in South America. This is nice to know that they are there but so what? The Andes in Chile. It is considered to be the longest mountain range on Earth (7000 km). Image: Wikipedia. This is just a mere fact that gives us no further understanding of the mechanisms that allow these volcanoes to become so high. I thought that maybe there are some easy answers in the web but as it usually happens, there are tons of descriptions and trivial facts but very little really useful insight. So I just tried to collect my pieces of thoughts together and come up with some ideas. I know that the highest point on the surface of the Earth is the tip of Chimborazo volcano in Ecuador. Some of you may protest that at least yesterday Mt. Everest was higher. Yes, it most likely still is but Chimborazo is the highest point if measured from the center of the Earth. This is so because the Earth’s equatorial radius is longer than its polar radius (the difference is 22 kilometers).

Chimborazo is definitely not the highest mountain if measured from the mean sea level (even not in South America) but it is nicely located almost at the equator. Its height from the mean sea level is 6268 meters. How does that help us answer the question? Well, I just thought that if the volcano is farther away from the center of the Earth, then gravity should be weaker there which makes it easier for the volcano to grow little bit higher. Highest volcano in the Solar System is Olympus Mons. Its height (measured from the base) is 25 kilometers and it is located on Mars where gravity is much weaker that it is here. We also have to consider the effect of centrifugal force because our Earth is rotating. This force gets stronger as we move higher. So it also helps to counteract the gravitational pull. The value of gravitational acceleration (which takes into account both factors described above) is 9.78 (m/s2) at the equator and 9.83 at the poles. The difference is there but only about 0.5%. It means that we (and mountains) would weigh about 0.5% more at the poles than at the Equator.

That is clearly not enough to explain why the volcanoes in the Andes are so high. Maybe we have to blame the climate? Atacama desert that is right there next to the highest volcanoes is very dry. Perhaps weathering and erosion are not keeping pace with the uplift as successfully as it is doing in other, more humid regions? I think it might be one part of the answer. The Andes are on the one hand compressional orogene that is situated at the border of Nazca and South American plates but on the other hand it is also a volcanic range that sits on top of the subduction zone. The highest peaks there are volcanic edifices. Perhaps they are so high because they sit on top of the orogenic belt. Perhaps the subduction and mountain building in this region is particularly intense which allows the volcanoes to become so high? I don’t have good data for that but the sea floor spreading is very fast in the Southern Pacific, so the subduction should be intense as well. Sea floor subducting beneath the Andes is young and the spreading in the East Pacific Rise very fast. Image: NOAA. Maybe the fact that the subduction angle there is very small helps to push the mountain range higher.

It is small because the subducting slab is relatively young and therefore more buoyant than older slabs. Last but not least, Earth’s surface is pushed higher in the regions where the crust is thicker. The crust beneath the Andes is very thick (even 60 kilometers) which is definitely one of the contributing factors. Earth’s crust beneath the Andes is very thick. Image: USGS. So I found seven possible contributing factors: 1. Equatorial bulge Global Volcanism Program | Chimborazo 2,325,666 Geological Summary Glacier-clad, 6310-m-high Chimborazo, Ecuador's highest volcano, anchors the southern end of the country's "Avenue of Volcanoes" 30 km NW of the city of Riobamba. The dominantly andesitic-to-dacitic structure is mostly of Pliocene-to-Pleistocene age. The volcano collapsed about 35,000 years ago, producing a major debris avalanche, whose deposits underlie Riobamba and temporarily dammed the Río Chambo, producing an ephemeral lake.

Subsequent eruptions have been dominantly andesitic and constructed three edifices along an east-west line, the youngest and westernmost of which forms the current summit of Chimborazo. Although activity was at one time thought to have ceased during the very latest Pleistocene, recent work indicates that it erupted more than a half dozen times during the Holocene, producing pyroclastic surges that reached down to 3800 m elevation. References The following references have all been used during the compilation of data for this volcano, it is not a comprehensive bibliography. Barba D, 2004. (pers. comm.). Barba D, Robin C, Samaniego P, Eissen J-P, 2008. Holocene recurrent explosive activity at Chimborazo volcano (Ecuador). J Volc Geotherm Res, 176: 27-35. Beate B, Salgado R, 2005. Geothermal country update for Ecuador, 2000-2005. Proc World Geotherm Cong 2005, Antalya, Turkey, 24-29 April 2005, 5 p.

Beate B, von Hillebrandt-M C G, Hall M L, 1990. Mapa de los peligros volcanicos potenciales asociados con el volcan Chimborazo. Inst Geof Escuela Politecnica Nac Ecuador, 1:50,000 map and text. Bernard B, van Wyk de Vries B, Barba D, Leyrit H, Robin C, Alcaraz S, Samaniego P, 2008. The Chimborazo sector collapse and debris avalanche: deposit characteristics as evidence of emplacment mechanisms. J Volc Geotherm Res, 176: 36-43. Clapperton C M, 1990. Glacial and volcanic geomorphology of the Chimborazo-Carihuairazo massif, Ecuadorian Andes. Trans Roy Soc Edinburgh: Earth Sci, 81: 91-116. Eissen J-P, Barba D, Bernard B, 2006. Chimborazo volcano: late Pleistocene and Holocene activity.

Cities on Volcanoes 4, Quito, Ecuador, 23-27 Jan, 2006, Field trip A2: 1-23. Hall M L, 1977. El Volcanismo en El Ecuador. Quito: Biblioteca Ecuador, 120 p. Hall M L, Wood C A, 1985. Volcano-tectonic segmentation of the northern Andes. Geology 13:203-207. IAVCEI, 1973-80. Post-Miocene Volcanoes of the World. IAVCEI Data Sheets, Rome: Internatl Assoc Volc Chemistry Earth's Interior.. Kilian R, Pichler H, 1987. El Chimborazo de Humboldt y el desarrollo de otros volcanes grandes en el Ecuador. In: {Investigaciones Alemanas Recientes en America Latina}, Bonn: Geol Deut Ferschungsgemeinschaft, p 25-34.

Samaniego P, Eissen J-P, Le Pennec J-L, Hall M L, Monzier M, Mothes P, Ramon P, Robin C, Egred J, Molina I, Yepes H, 2003. Los peligros volcanicos asociados con el Tungurahua. Inst Geofis Escuela Politecnica Nac, Inst Recherche Devel, 1: 1-108. Eruptive History Summary of Holocene eruption dates and Volcanic Explosivity Indices (VEI). Start Date The Global Volcanism Program has no synonyms or subfeatures listed for Chimborazo. Photo Gallery Clouds drape glacier-clad, 6310-m-high Chimborazo, Ecuador's highest volcano. Chimborazo anchors the southern end of the country's "Avenue of Volcanoes" 30 km NW of the city of Riobamba. The volcano is mostly of Pliocene-to-Pleistocene age, but recent work has shown that it remained active into the Holocene.

The volcano is composed of three edifices along an east-west line, the youngest and westernmost of which forms the current summit of Chimborazo. Photo by Lee Siebert, 1978 (Smithsonian Insitution). Glacier-clad, 6310-m-high Chimborazo is Ecuador's highest volcano. It is seen here from the NE with Carihuairazo volcano forming the lower, mostly snow-free peak to the left. The youngest and westernmost of three edifices constructed along an E-W line forms the current summit of Chimborazo. Although activity was once thought to have ceased during the very latest Pleistocene, recent work indicates that Chimborazo erupted several times during the Holocene. Photo by Patricio Ramon, 2004 (Instituto Geofisca, Escuela Politecnica Nacional). An erosional unconformity cutting diagonally across the center of the photo due to a glacial advance about 20,000-18,000 years ago separates two sequences of late-Pleistocene tephra layers from Ecuador's Chimborazo volcano.

A less prominent unconformity below the light-colored tephra layer at the top of the sequence marks a 16,000-14,000 year old glacial advance. This ~12-m-thick exposure lies on the SW flank of Chimborazo, Ecuador's highest volcano. Photo by Lee Siebert, 2006 (Smithsonian Institution). Smithsonian Sample Collections Database There are no samples for Chimborazo in the Smithsonian's NMNH Department of Mineral Sciences Rock and Ore collection . Affiliated Sites

Question: In which South American country is Mount Chimborazo the highest mountain ?
Answer: ECUADOR