 | The north side of snow-capped Pico from Sao Jorge Island (photo by Eduardo Tereso) <click to enlarge> |
Pico
7713 ft (2351 m) . |
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| Location: | Island of Pico, Azores, North Atlantic (territory of Portugal) | ||
| Lat / Long: | 38.5° N, 28.4° W | ||
| Volcanic Type: | Stratovolcano | ||
| Volcanic Status: | Active, fumarolic, last eruption 1720 | ||
| First Ascent: | |||
| First Ski Descent: | |||
| Skiable Vertical: | perhaps 3000 ft (1000 m) | ||
| The spectacular cone of Pico towers above the island of the same name in the Azores, a group of nine volcanic islands which rise out of the Atlantic Ocean straddling the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Pico is by far the most famous landmark in the Azores, more than twice the height of any of the dozens of volcanic cones and calderas which dot the islands. A main road crosses the north slope of Pico near 2800 ft (850 m) and a well-marked trail leads up the west side of the peak starting from a trailhead at 4150 ft (1265 m), so this would probably provide the best access for any possible skiing. Pico can get snow down to about 4000 ft (1200 m) during the winter, although I'm not sure if the snowpack gets deep enough to ski except in the best of years. | |||
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More photos and info about routes, access, etc. may be added in the future ... |
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| Topographic map of Pico (1:200,000 scale) <click to enlarge> |
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