Volcano Type: Stratovolcano
Volcano Status: Historical
Last Known Eruption: 1877
Summit Elevation: 6739 m 22,109 feet
Latitude: 24.72°S 24°43’0″S
Longitude: 68.53°W 68°32’0″W
The world’s highest historically active volcano, 6739-m-high Llullaillaco, sits astride the Chile-Argentina border. The summit is formed by a smaller well-preserved cone that was constructed on an older Pleistocene edifice. A major debris-avalanche deposit produced by collapse of the older volcano about 150,000 years ago extends eastward into Argentina and diverges around the north and south sides of the older Cerro Rosado stratovolcano 17 km east of Llullaillaco. Construction of several lava domes and flows was associated with growth of the modern cone. The two most prominent flows contain distinct flow levees and ridges and extend down the northern and southern flanks. These two extremely youthful-looking dacitic flows were initially considered to be of Holocene age, but more recent Ar/Ar dating indicates that they are of late Pleistocene age (Richards and Villeneuve, 2001). Two explosive eruptions and another that may have included lava effusion were reported from Llullaillaco in the 19th century.
Peak of Llullaillaco
Llullaillaco is the sixth highest mountain in South America. It is the high peak in a large area of high volcanic land rising in the widest stretch of the Altacama desert. Its aridity and remoteness make it a difficult mountain to approach, but the ascent of its gently sloping cone is otherwise straightforward. A winter ascent is recommended because snow may be the only source of water.
Llullaillaco Volcano
Like many of the mountains in the area, its summit holds the ruins of several Incan shelters. Llullaillaco is also a well-known archaeological site; the mummified remains of three Inca children, ritually sacrificed 500 years ago, were discovered on the summit in 1999.
La Doncella
Originally posted 2010-08-19 04:18:59.
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