Monte Pissis

Monte Pissis
Monte Pissis from the northeast
Elevation	6,793 m (22,287 ft)
Prominence	2,138 m (7,014 ft)
Listing	Ultra
Location
Location	La Rioja Province, Argentina
Range	Andes
Coordinates	27°45′16.6588″S 68°47′55.8749″W
Geology
Type	Stratovolcano
Climbing
Easiest route	Hike

Monte Pissis is an extinct volcano in La Rioja Province, Argentina. The mountain is the third-highest in the Western Hemisphere, and is located about 550 km north of Aconcagua. Monte Pissis is named after Pedro José Amadeo Pissis, a French geologist who worked for the Chilean government. Due to its location in the Atacama Desert, the mountain has very dry conditions but there is an extensive glacier (with crevasses, this is unique in the region) on the North face.

Elevation dispute

In 1994 it was claimed by Argentine authorities that an advanced GPS survey had determined that the elevation of Monte Pissis was 6,882 m, and higher than Ojos del Salado, but SRTM data and several modern GPS surveys have proved that this widely reproduced and repeated claim is incorrect.

In 2005, an Austrian performed a precise DGPS survey of Pissis' summit and found the elevation to be 6793m. This was later confirmed by a Chilean-European expedition, which surveyed both Ojos del Salado and Monte Pissis. It has provisionally found the former to be 6,891 m and the latter 6,793 m.

Normal route

The mountain is very high and remote, a long approach is required but the ascent is easy and does not require any specific climbing skill. Nevertheless, good climbing equipment, warm clothing and good shoes are required as temperature during the night can drop as low as -30 degrees C and winds can be very strong.

From the base of the mountains (4,500 m) several days of hike are required. The mountain is usually summitted directly from an high camp at 5,900 m at the edge of the glacier.

See also

• Volcanic Seven Summits

External links

• Pissis on Summitpost
• Pissis Jan-2008 climb on Distantpeak