Peñalara

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Peñalara and its reflection in a glacier lake.

Peñalara is the highest mountain peak in the Sierra de Guadarrama mountain range, a subsection of Spain's larger Sistema Central mountain chain which lies at the center and divides the Iberian Peninsula. Straddling the provinces of Madrid and Segovia, Peñalara reaches a height of 2,430 meters above sea level. Consequently, it is one of the most emblematic and important peaks of the Guadarramas.

The eastern section of the mountain lies in the municipality of Rascafría in the province of Madrid, belonging to the Vale of Lozoya, and its western section is located in the Vale of Valsaín in the province of Segovia. The peak's summit is a designated nature reserve known as the Parque Natural de Peñalara, which features several small lakes, a small glacier and some steep escarpments.

The summit of Peñalara at 2,430 meters.

The outline of Peñalara is rounded, displaying few underhangs. The hillsides of this mountain are covered with different types of vegetation, depending on the elevation. Largely undisturbed oak tree groves are found at an elevation of 1,000 to 1,300 meters. From 1,100 meters to 2,000 meters, the slopes are dominated by wild pine forests. From 2,000 meters up to the summit, the vegetation consists of more sparsely distributed, low-lying bushes particular to high elevations. The animal habitation of the mountain is made up of small mammals, a large variety of insects and various bird species such as eagles and vultures.

[edit] References

Peñalara. From the Spanish-language Wikipedia. Retrieved May 6, 2006.
Parque Natural de Peñalara. From the Spanish-language Wikipedia. Retrieved May 6, 2006.