Bolivia Ultra-Prominences

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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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