Piton des Neiges
Template:Short description Template:More citations needed Template:Infobox mountain
The Piton des Neiges (Snow Peak) is a Template:Convert<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> complex volcano on Réunion, one of the French volcanic islands in the Mascarene Archipelago in the southwestern Indian Ocean. It is located about Template:Convert east of Madagascar. Piton des Neiges is the highest point on Réunion and considered to be the highest point in the Indian Ocean. Piton des Neiges is ranked 82nd by prominence.
History and geologyEdit
Piton des Neiges was formed by the Réunion hotspot and emerged from the sea about two million years ago.Template:Citation needed The volcano has been inactive for 20,000 years. Réunion itself is considered to be about three million years old; the other two islands in the archipelago, Mauritius and Rodrigues, are 7.8 million and 1.5 million years old, respectively.Template:Citation needed
The Piton des Neiges forms the northwestern two-thirds of Réunion,<ref name=":0">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> with the very active Piton de la Fournaise comprising the rest. Additionally, it is surrounded by three massive crater valleys. As its name suggests, snow is occasionally seen on its summit in winter. Piton des Neiges is ranked 14th in the world by topographic isolation.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
The island possesses a high endemism of flowering plants (about 225); this has justified the creation of a biological reserve on the lower slopes of the Piton des Neiges.
HikingEdit
Three tracks lead up to the peak: one from the Cirque de Salazie, another from the Cirque de Cilaos, and the third from Plaine des Cafres. They meet at a staffed mountain hut about an hour's walk below the peak.
The hike starting from Cilaos spans 8.9 miles, typically taking an average of 8.5 hours to complete.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Although this is feasible in a single day, most hikers prefer to stay overnight at the mountain hut, Gîte de la Caverne Dufour. This hike is considered challenging due to the Template:Convert elevation gain.
The hike starting from la Plaine des Cafres is much longer, at 19.6 miles,<ref name=":0" /> and a similar elevation gain of Template:Convert.
Template:Stack Template:Wide image
See alsoEdit
- List of volcanoes in Réunion
- List of islands by highest point
- List of Ultras of Africa
- Piton des Neiges – Gros Morne Important Bird Area