Potosí mountain range
| Potosí mountain range | |
|---|---|
|
Looking north west from the Khari Khari range, the northern part of the Potosí mountain range, across the Khari Khari Lakes towards Potosí in the background | |
| Highest point | |
| Peak | Khunurana |
| Elevation | 16,637 ft (5,071 m) |
| Coordinates | 19°41′S 65°38′W / 19.683°S 65.633°WCoordinates: 19°41′S 65°38′W / 19.683°S 65.633°W |
| Geography | |
| Country | Bolivia |
| Parent range | Andes |
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The Potosí mountain range is situated in Bolivia east and south east of the city of Potosí. It is at least 25 km long stretching from north to south. Its highest mountain is Khunurana (Anaruyu) rising up to 5,071 m (16,637 ft).[1] The features of the range are considered to be the product of volcanic activity known as the Khari Khari caldera (19º43'S; 65º38'W). The caldera is about 40 km long and 25 km at its widest point.[2]
The range was named Cordillera de Potosí by the German alpinist Henry Hoek in 1903 who also collected information about it like the local names and published several papers about it. The inhabitants of the area, however, use the names Khari Khari for the northern part and Anta Q'awa for the southern one. The two sections are separated by a depression, the Jach'a Molino Pampa.
Highest summits
The Khari Khari range contains a number of mountains which are more than 4,900 m high, the highest elevation being Khari Khari (5,040 m). Other prominent peaks are:[3][4][5][6]
- Cerro de Potosí, 4,824 metres (15,827 ft) (west of the main range)
- Cerro del Abra*, 4,960 metres (16,273 ft)
- Cóndor Negro*, 5,000 metres (16,404 ft)
- Illimani, 5,030 metres (16,503 ft)
- Jatun Q'asa, 5,023 metres (16,480 ft)
- Juqhuni, 4,920 metres (16,142 ft)
- Kimsa Kunturiri group, 5,020 metres (16,470 ft), 4,980 metres (16,339 ft), 4,960 metres (16,273 ft)
- Kimsa Waylla, 4,980 metres (16,339 ft)
- Masuni, 4,980 metres (16,339 ft)
- Mawk'a Tampu, 4,940 metres (16,207 ft)
- Puka Punta*, 5,020 metres (16,470 ft)
- Q'illu Urqu, 4,960 metres (16,273 ft)
- Q'illu Q'asa, 4,960 metres (16,273 ft)
- Sip'uruni*, 4,966 metres (16,293 ft)
- Suchu Suchu Punta, 4,960 metres (16,273 ft)
- Tani Tani, 4,465 metres (14,649 ft)
- Uma Jalanta, 4,760 metres (15,617 ft)
- Wak'ani
- Yana Punta*, 4,920 metres (16,142 ft)
- Yuraq Yuraq, 4,920 metres (16,142 ft)
South of Jach'a Molino Pampa, in the Anta Q'awa range, there are:
- Cerro de la Mina*, 4,940 metres (16,207 ft)
- Ch'aki Qucha, 4,628 metres (15,184 ft)
- Hembra de Anta Q'awa, 4,980 metres (16,339 ft)
- Hundimiento, 5,002 metres (16,411 ft)
- Jatun Kunturiri, 5,008 metres (16,430 ft)
- Khunurana (Anaruyu), 5,071 metres (16,637 ft)
- Kuntur Ikiña, 4,661 metres (15,292 ft)
- Kuntur Sayana, 4,322 metres (14,180 ft)
- Kunturiri, 4,867 metres (15,968 ft)
- Macho, 5,042 metres (16,542 ft)
- P'ukru, 4,768 metres (15,643 ft)
- Q'umir Qucha, 5,020 metres (16,470 ft)
- Warawara ridge, 4,900 metres (16,076 ft)
- Yana Mayu, 4,797 metres (15,738 ft)
- Yana Urqu group, 4,860 metres (15,945 ft)
- Satari, 4,588 metres (15,052 ft)
Lakes
During the colonial epoch artificial lakes were built in the Khari Khari range, finally up to 32 lakes. The main purpose was to produce hydroelectric power to run the smelters of the mines. Some of these lakes are still used today for the water supply of the city. Today there are 22 lakes of the Khari Khari range belonging to six systems:
- the Pati Pati system with 3 lakes: Atucha, Santa Lucía, Candelaria
- the San José system with 7 lakes: Llama Mikhu, San José I, San José II, Buena Ventura, Llama Kunka, Wak'ani, Providencia
- the Suras or Calderón system with 1 lake: Calderón
- the San Ildefonso system with 3 lakes: Khari Khari Lakes (San Ildefonso, San Pablo, now integrated into San Ildefonso), San Fernando
- the San Sebastián system with 6 lakes: Muñisa, Masuni, Criciza, San Lázaro, San Sebastián, Planilla (now integrated into San Sebastián)
- the Challwiri system with 2 lakes: Illimani, Tawaqu Ñuñu or Challwiri.
South of Jach'a Molino Pampa there are two more systems:
- the Lakha Ch'akha system with one lake: Lakha Ch'akha
- the Ch'alluma system with Ch'alluma (I and II) and Turina.
Other notable lakes are T'ala Qucha and Q'umir Qucha.
See also
Notes
- Names with a star (*) stand for mountain names by Evelio Echevarría used in a paper about his expeditions to the range because the original local names were not availale
References
- ↑ ii.uib.no Cerro Cunurana, photo and description (GPS on the summit)
- ↑ volcano.oregonstate.edu
- ↑ Bolivian IGM map 1:50,000 6435-II-1 Potosí (Este)
- ↑ Bolivian IGM map 1:50,000 6434-I Puna
- ↑ "South America Maps" (PDF). Joint Operations Graphic. Retrieved October 5, 2014.
- ↑ Evelio Echevarría, Cordillera de Potosí, Bolivia, The Alpine Journal, 1995
- apemin.eu Rene Joaquino Cabrera, Aporte al plan de desarollo municipal de Potosí 2007-2011