Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta
Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta | |
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Pico Cristobal Colon | |
Elevation | 5,710 m (18,730 ft) |
Coordinates | 10°52′00″N 73°43′12″W / 10.86667°N 73.72000°W |
Dimensions | |
Length | 162 km (101 mi) |
Geography | |
Country | Colombia |
PNN Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta | |
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Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta National Natural Park | |
Nearest city | Santa Marta, Colombia |
Area | 3,830 km2 (1,480 sq mi) |
Established | 1964 |
Governing body | SINAP |
The Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta (English: Snow-Covered Mountain Range of Saint Martha) is an isolated mountain range in northern Colombia, separate from the Andes range that runs through the north of the country. Reaching an elevation of 5,700 m (18,700 ft) just 42 km (26 mi) from the Caribbean coast, the Sierra Nevada is the highest coastal range in the tropics, and one of the highest coastal ranges in the world, being 250 metres (820 ft) shorter than the Saint Elias Mountains in Canada. The Sierra Nevada encompasses about 17,000 km2 (6,600 sq mi) and serves as the source of 36 rivers. The range is in the Departments of Magdalena, Cesar and La Guajira.
The highest point of the Sierra Nevada group (and Colombia in general) may be either
The Sierra Nevada is a compact group, relatively small in area, and completely surrounded by lands with elevations below 200 m (660 ft). Although it is associated with the Tropical Andes,[citation needed] the main backbone of the Andes cannot be reached from the Sierra Nevada without dropping below this level. This makes its highest point the world's fifth most prominent summit.
Several peaks in the Sierra Nevada are intervisible with Cerro Paramillo, a 3,730 m (12,240 ft) peak [1] in Antioquia Department. This implies a theoretical direct line of sight of just over 500 km (310 mi), reported to be the longest between any two points on the surface of the Earth.[2]
Climate
It is calculated that the yearly average rainfall is 4,000 mm (157.5 in) at elevations of 500 to 1,500 m (1,640 to 4,921 ft).[3] The temperature varies between 0 and 27 °C (32 and 81 °F).[4]
Biodiversity
The tropical rainforest is made up of perennial trees, with a canopy reaching between 30 and 40 m (98 and 131 ft). There is a great variety and large populations of epiphytes and lianas,[3] and more than 3,000 species of vascular plants are found in the area.[5] The indigenous peoples made an alcoholic beverage from fruits of the palm Attalea maripa found at the lower elevations.[3]
Of Colombia's 340 endemic species, 44 are found in the park, for example seven species of endemic hummingbirds. Of the 3,057 endangered species, 44 are found here.
The Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta is home to a number of ecoregions, which vary with elevation.
The Guajira–Barranquilla xeric scrub region lies near the Caribbean seacoast to the north of the range. The Sinú Valley dry forests cover the range's lower slopes, up to an elevation of 500 m (1,640 ft).
The
The
National Natural Park
The Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta National Natural Park (Spanish: Parque Nacional Natural Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta) is Colombia's second oldest national park, established in 1964.[7] It is located in the Cordillera Oriental range, between the departments of La Guajira, Magdalena and Cesar, in the mountain range of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta. It is a sanctuary as well as a tourist attraction, because it offers different climate, terrain, flora and fauna environments, ranging from beaches to snowy mountain peaks. Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta National Natural Park is considered a unique place in the world, due to its isolation from the Andes, and its highest peak (5,700 metres (18,701 ft) above sea level) is located just 42 kilometres (26 mi) away from the sea.
All the water courses that originate in the national park drain to the Caribbean sea whether directly (e. g. rivers Ranchería, Don Diego, Palomino, Buritaca, Guachaca, Cañas, etc.) or through the
Geology
It is composed of
Fauna
Three species of reptiles which are native to the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta are named after it: Anolis santamartae, a lizard; Atractus sanctaemartae, a snake; and Lepidoblepharis sanctaemartae, a lizard.[11]
The range is home to about 20 endemic bird species.
Inhabitants
The Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta is home to the remnants of the
Recent access problems
For the last ten years,[when?] access to the highest summits has been very difficult, and this situation continues, [1] although there is a documented ascent of Pico Cristóbal Colón in December 2015.[12] This was due to opposition from locals in the southern side of the mountain to aid and allow climbers to explore the place. Their aid and permission is important for success in the summit. Armed turmoil has also proven to hinder access to the place, notwithstanding the peace process carried on since 2016.[13] The only safe and relatively straight forward access is from Santa Marta city to Cuchillo de San Lorenzo, but that is only to 2,800 m (9,200 ft) (although it provides excellent views of the peaks).
See also
- Ciudad Perdida
- Tayrona
- Juan Mayr
- Pico Cristobal Colon
- Pico Simon Bolivar
References
- ^ "Cerro Paramillo - Peakbagger.com". www.peakbagger.com. Retrieved 8 April 2018.
- ^ "Panoramas". www.viewfinderpanoramas.org. Retrieved 8 April 2018.
- ^ a b c d Villegas & Sesana 2007, p. 381
- ^ a b c "Parque Nacional Natural Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta". Archived from the original on 2011-07-22.
- ^ a b "Colombia: places we protect, Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta".
- ^ a b c "Nature and Science". Parques Nacionales Naturales de Colombia. Archived from the original on 22 July 2011. Retrieved 11 July 2010.
- ^ a b IUCN 1982, p. 127
- ^ "Biosphere Reserve Information, Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta". UNESCO. Retrieved 11 July 2010.
- IUCN. Retrieved 21 November 2013.
- ^ "Caribbean Coast: Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta Coast". US Geological Survey. Retrieved 24 August 2007.
- ISBN 978-1-4214-0135-5. ("St. Marta", p. 255).
- ^ Bjørstad, Petter. "Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta Trip Report, December 3rd. 2015 - December 16th. 2015". Mountains I have climbed and remember. Retrieved January 25, 2017.
- ^ "La nueva guerra criminal por el control de la Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta". Semana. Semana. Retrieved 11 June 2022.
External links
- http://www.colombia.com/colombiainfo/parquesnaturales/sierranevada.asp
- ISBN 978-0-907567-62-2.
- Villegas, Benjamin; Sesana, Laura (2007), Colombia Natural Parks, Villegas Asociados, ISBN 978-958-8156-87-3.
- "Santa Marta montane forests". Terrestrial Ecoregions. World Wildlife Fund.
- "Santa Marta Páramo". Terrestrial Ecoregions. World Wildlife Fund.
- "Sinú Valley dry forests". Terrestrial Ecoregions. World Wildlife Fund.
- Case study by Fundación Pró-Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta
- The Guardian.com: "The Lure of Colombia's Lost City" (2009)]
- Royal Geography Society − Hidden Journeys project: "Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta − Sampling the food cultures of northern Colombia with hungry cyclist Tom Kevill-Davies" — audio slideshow.