Rainbow Mountain in Peru is unlike anything ever seen.
Vinicunca, also known as Montaa de Siete Colores (Seven Colored Mountain), is a part of Peru’s unique natural topography. It is situated in the Peruvian Andes, near Cusco, at an elevation of 17,100 feet.
The mountain is made up of 14 colorful minerals that give the mountain a remarkable rainbow-like appearance.*
Visitors who want to visit Vinicunca complete a five-mile round trip hike. High elevations can be taxing on the body; the hike requires athleticism and acclimatization. The mountain lies at an altitude of more than half of Mount Everest (29,000 ft.). Weather can be unpredictable: Temperatures often drop below-0. In the course of only an hour, weather can change from sun to rain or snow.
How did this come to be?
During the Tertiary and Quaternary periods (66 and 2,588 million years ago) the soil minerals eroded, then transported by huge water masses. Through several geological time periods, these minerals piled up, forming different colored layers arranged according to the weight of each mineral. For a long time, these colorful stratigraphic layers remained hidden, protected under the snow of the Peruvian Andes glacier. Climate change has caused the glaciers to melt, revealing Vinicunca.
While tourism boosts the economy of the region, alarming changes can already be seen. A wetland that had been the home of migrating ducks was destroyed in order to build a parking lot for tourists. The hiking trail has been severely damaged by human presence. Mining companies took the initiative to conduct metallic mining in the area, despite protests by locals in the Cusco region.
Do we ever learn?
* The red and pink colors are caused by red clay (iron), whereas the whitish coloring is caused by quartz, sandstone, and marls. Green and turquoise hues are caused by phyllites and clays rich in ferro magnesian. Brown and yellow hues are caused by fanglomerate and sulphurous sandstones.
