Chacaltaya
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Chacaltaya is a mountain in Bolivia 
with an elevation of 5421 m (17,785 feet). It is about 30 km from La Paz and is near Huayna Potosí.
[edit] Ski area
La Paz's closest snow field, a glacier on Chacaltaya is the only ski area in Bolivia. It is notable for being the world's highest lift-served ski area as well as the most equatorial. The rope tow (the first in South America) was built using an automobile engine; it is notoriously fast and difficult. The road to the base of the 200 m drop is reached by a road, built in the 1930s. It is actually too cold to ski in the winter, and operates only on weekends from November to March. The site was developed and still operated by the Club Andino Boliviano.
[edit] Observatory
Located at at 5220 m, the Chacaltaya Astrophysical Observatory (Observatorio de Física Cósmica) is operated in collaboration with other universities worldwide. It is an important site for gamma ray research and has also been used for high altitude medical research.[1]
[edit] References
- ^ Apex (Altitude Physiology EXpeditions) - High altitude medical research charity
