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BOLIVIA

15 Mountain Summits with Prominence of 1,500 meters or greater

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Compiled 2005 by Jonathan de Ferranti with assistance from John Biggar and Aaron Maizlish.


This is one of eight lists that cover the known ultra-prominences for South America.   This project represents original research into accurate elevations and prominence of the world's major summits, employing both new data sources and published topographic materials.


Please note that the four border summits on the list below also appear on the Peru list or Argentina/Chile North list.


January 2011: Prominence-oriented climber Adam Helman organized a six man expedition to Bolivia and Chile. His GPS-based comments are included.


Revised April 18, 2011
Rank
Summit Name
Country
Elevation
Prominence
Saddle
Latitude
Longitude
ID
Code
Elev.
(ft.)
Prom.
(ft.)
Notes

1 Nevado Illimani Bolivia 6438 2451 3987 16º38'00"S 067º47'27"W SA084 21122 8041
2 Nevado Sajama Bolivia 6542 2428 4114 18º06'30"S 068º53'00"W SA029 21463 7966
3 Cerro Parinacota Bolivia/Chile 6342 1989 4353 18º09'57"S 069º08'30"W SA068 20807 6526
4 Ancohuma Bolivia 6427 1957 4470 15º51'12"S 068º32'27"W SA025 21086 6421
5 Cerro Gigante Bolivia 5748 1768 3980 16º58'39"S 067º20'57"W SA113 18858 5800
6
Alto Toroni (Cerro Sillajguay) Bolivia/Chile
5995
1733
4262
19º45'12"S 068º41'48"W SA118
19668
5686

7
Volcan Ollague
Bolivia/Chile
5868
1686
4182
21º18'09"S 068º10'45"W SA131
19252
5531

8
Cumbre Salto del Fraile Bolivia 4480 1660 2820 16º44'30"S 066º53'18"W SA137 14698 5446
9
Cerro Tunupa Bolivia 5321 1601 3720 19º49'57"S 067º38'45"W SA154 17457 5253
10
Cerros de Cañapa (Callejón Cañapa) Bolivia
5900
1595
4305
21º26'54"S 068º04'15"W SA171
19357
5233
[10]
11
Cerro Tomasamil Bolivia
5830
1590
4240
21º17'33"S 067º58'03"W SA162
19127
5216
[11]
12
Cerro Carabaya (Cibaray) Bolivia
5869 1589
4280
19º08'45"S 068º41'54"W SA161
19255
5213

13
Cerro Chorolque Bolivia 5520 1542 3978 20º55'06"S 066º02'09"W SA181 18110 5059 [13]
14
Chaupi Orco
Bolivia/Peru
6044
1537
4507
14º39'12"S 069º13'42"W SA194
19829
5043

15
Cerro Photulo Punta Bolivia 4284 1519 2765 19º32'30"S 064º39'36"W SA203 14055 4984

FOOTNOTES

Adam Helman and his team report a general inconsistency, without a systematic deviation, between topographic chart and GPS-based summit elevations. In some cases summit readings exceed the chart's elevation by 40-60 meters (Cerro Wila Chanca at WGS84 (18.42023° S, 66.93949° W)); in other cases GPS-based elevations are less than the chart by a similar amount (Cerro Rico at WGS84 (19.61869° S, 65.74982° W)).

Importantly, at the flat Salar de Uyuni team member Petter Bjørstad writes, "We walked around and took some GPS measurements. The elevation readings from our GPS units did not seem to correlate well with the Bolivian maps. No systematic deviation, sometimes higher sometimes lower. My GPS unit read 3674 meter, in general agreement with the other units, but about 20 meter high relative to the elevation given by other sources."

For the Salar de Uyuni, SRTM3 provides 3,658 meters, suggesting a roughly 16 meter discrepancy in assumed vertical datum between our GPS units and the dataset. These observations should be taken into account by any party visiting and using their own GPS units.

Another suggested resource is John Biggar's climbing guide "The Andes" and website.

[10]  Cerros de Cañapa:   Helman reports that the peak called elsewhere "Callejón Cañapa" is named "Cerros de Cañapa" on the 50,000:1 topographic chart. Expedition member Rob Woodall measured 5,904 meters at the summit.

[11]  Cerro Tomasamil:   Helman reports a 5,890 meter spot elevation and a 4,220-4,240 meter key saddle on the 50,000:1 topographic chart - so making a 1,660 meter interpolated prominence. At the summit they measured 5,855 meters (Helman), 5,854 meters (Petter Bjørstad) and 5,855 meters (Rob Woodall).

However their GPS units may have read 16 meters too "high" at Salar de Uyuni; and by extension for all southwest Bolivia locations as the geoid deviation varies slowly over Earth's surface. The resulting 5,836 meter summit elevation yields a 1,606 meter interpolated prominence - and possibly raises Tomasamil's rank in the Bolivia prominence list.

[13]  Cerro Chorolque:   Helman reports that both Petter Bjørstad and Rob Woodall measured 5,571 meters at the summit. Rob comments, "Our GPSs gave elevations around 5570m, in comparison with the expected 5520m and a Lonely Planet guide figure of 5604m." Of this 51 meter discrepancy, roughly 16 meters is explicable from the observed deviation at Salar de Uyuni. The remaining 35 meters yields a 5,555 meter summit and a 1,577 meter prominence.

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