Illimani
Illimani is a prominent mountain in Bolivia’s Cordillera Real, southeast of La Paz. Its several summits rise above 6,000 metres.
Cordillera Real: A high mountain range in the Bolivian Andes, east of the Altiplano. Illimani is one of this range’s highest and most recognizable peaks.
Mountaineering: The sport and practice of climbing mountains, often involving technical terrain and high altitude. Illimani is a major mountaineering objective near La Paz.
Illimani North Peak: The northern summit of Illimani, one of the mountain’s principal high points. It is among the distinct summits that define Illimani’s broad massif.
Tropical glaciers: Glaciers located in Earth’s tropical latitudes, especially in the high Andes and mountains of East Africa. Illimani’s ice belongs to a climate-sensitive class of high tropical glaciers.
Andes: The world’s longest continental mountain range, extending along western South America. The Cordillera Real and Illimani form part of the Bolivian Andes.
High-altitude mountaineering: Mountain climbing at elevations where reduced oxygen can cause severe physiological stress. Illimani’s summits above 6,000 metres make altitude a central climbing challenge.
Illimani South Peak: The southern summit of Illimani, one of the mountain’s principal high points. Its separate summit illustrates why Illimani is not a single-point peak.
Glacier retreat: The long-term reduction in a glacier’s length or mass when ice loss exceeds accumulation. Retreat of Illimani’s glaciers reflects warming and affects high-mountain ice reserves.
La Paz: Bolivia’s administrative capital, situated in a deep valley of the Altiplano. Illimani rises southeast of the city and dominates views from it.
Ice climbing: The ascent of frozen waterfalls, icefalls, or steep alpine ice using specialized equipment. Glaciated slopes on Illimani can require ice-climbing skills.