The world around us is full of colorful wonders, each of which in turn brings many charms. Some of these attractions may be historical, cultural, recreational or natural. One of the most amazing geological features in the world is the Ausangate Mountain in the Andes Mountains in Peru. This mountain is also known as Rainbow Mountain. These mountains are painted with beautiful colors in a natural and striped way, and there are all kinds of colors from turquoise to light purple to tan and gold. This mountain is obviously very difficult to find; You will need several days of mountaineering to reach the summit, and you will also need to know that to reach the mountain you will have to travel via Cusco. Those who are interested in mountaineering can be sure that they will enjoy buying a plane ticket to Peru and a trip to the Rainbow Mountain. The Asungate route is one of the most popular mountaineering routes for people traveling to this country.
While mountaineering on this route, you can enjoy other natural beauties, because on this route you will encounter hot springs, local villages, animals such as llamas and alpacas, and you will also be able to see and enjoy very spectacular views of the Asugante Glacier. You can be sure that for mountaineering lovers, nothing else will be as enjoyable to visit this colorful and breathtaking mountain as about a week of mountaineering.
This colorful mountain is considered sacred and the local people of Peru believe that this mountain is the god of Cusco. It is a place of daily worship for the indigenous people of Peru as well as a place where they offer offerings. Thousands of Quechua pilgrims visit the mountain each year for the Snow Star Festival. This festival is held one week before the Corpus Christi celebration.
Peru’s Rainbow Mountain is 6,384 meters high, about 100 kilometers southeast of Cusco. This local area is very rich in geology and has huge and high cliffs and glaciers that have eroded the large valleys and limestone forests that are located near this area.
The Andes Mountains are a complex mountain range that extends to the western edge of the North American continent. The subduction of the thin layer beneath the South American layer in the Earth’s crust has led to the formation of mountain ranges and the formation of the Andes Mountains. This phenomenon has given rise to special volcanic activity and has created rare and various minerals in the Andes Mountains.
The reason why we see this mountain in the form of a rainbow of different colors depends to a large extent on the climate and the mineral rocks in this mountain. The existence of different colors in this mountain is due to different environmental conditions and different minerals that have been created when minerals and sediments accumulate and their constant change and evolution. The red color of sedimentary layers is often due to the presence of iron oxide and mineral rust. Just as a nail oxidizes and rusts in the presence of oxygen in the air and turns red, so do sedimentary rocks that contain large amounts of iron oxidize in the presence of oxygen and water and turn red.
The presence of mineral iron oxide or oxidized limestone will give the sandstones a brownish color. Light yellow color can be porous due to the presence of iron sulfide as the main mineral in cement. In addition, the presence of chlorite will often change the color of the sediment to shades of green, which will change depending on the date of inoculation and the concentration of sediment in an area.
When you visit the rainbow mountains of Peru, just as your eyes are scanning the layers of the colorful mountains of Peru, you are watching the result of millions of years of history and change within the rocks of these mountains. Understanding the geological and environmental conditions that gave rise to rocks is one of the key elements in geology and allows us to better understand our world long before humans came into being.
According to the locals, this area was covered with snow and recently its snow has melted and the view of the rainbow mountain has been revealed. The reason for the melting of this snow is the sudden warming of the earth.
Since the discovery of the area, tourism has grown there rapidly, with the influx of cash through tourism, giving many people living in the area hope for the future. Due to the need for guidance in the area, many villagers who had previously left, returned.
As tourism on the Rainbow Mountain has increased, about 500 locals have come to the area as guides. They give their horses to tourists to use to climb the mountain. The natives have also formed groups to acquaint tourists with the local culture of this area.
It should be noted that climate change will make a big difference in this area, and as a result will make your travel experience different. It is better to adjust your travel time so that the weather in this area is not snowy or rainy. Because in this case, you will have trouble climbing the mountain and the colors will not be very clear. On very sunny days, on the other hand, the photos you take at noon are not clear due to the extra light. The best time to see this beautiful place is after sunrise and before sunset.
Since it is almost impossible to travel to the rainbow mountain without a guide who is familiar with the routes, it is necessary to have a guide on this route. Even those who have a history of mountaineering in this mountain, sometimes find it difficult to find their way. In addition, the road that leads to the mountain is difficult and without a guide, there is a high probability of making a mistake on this road. Therefore, tourists are advised to take advantage of the guide to go to this unique mountain.
Geology and mountaineering enthusiasts should not miss the opportunity to buy a plane ticket to Peru to visit its rainbow mountains, as visiting these colorful mountains will be an unforgettable memory for them.
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