Matterhorn/Cervino (Alps), Mountain Peak : ITALY/ SWITZERLAND

Matterhorn/Cervino (Alps), Mountain Peak : ITALY/ SWITZERLAND


The Matterhorn/Cervino is perhaps the most familiar mountain in the European Alps. On the border between Switzerland and Italy, it towers over the Swiss village of Zermatt and the Italian village Breuil-Cervinia in the Val Tournanche. The mountain has four faces, facing the four compass points, respectively, with the north and south faces meeting to form a short east-west summit ridge. The faces are steep, and only small patches of snow and ice cling to them; regular avalanches send the snow down to accumulate on the glaciers at the base of each face The Matterhorn (German), Cervino (Italian) or Cervin (French), is a mountain in the Pennine Alps. With its 4,478 metres (14,692 ft) high summit, lying on the border between Switzerland and Italy, it is one of the highest peaks in the Alps and its 1,200 metres (3,937 ft) north face is one of the Great north faces of the Alps. It is also one of the deadliest peaks in the Alps: from 1865 – when it was first climbed – to 1995, over 500 alpinists have died on it. The mountain overlooks the town of Zermatt in the canton of Valais to north-east and Cervinia in the Aosta Valley to the south.Although not the highest mountain in Switzerland, the Matterhorn is considered to be an iconic emblem of the Swiss Alps in particular and the Alps in general. The Matterhorn has a pyramidal shape with four faces facing the four compass points: the north and east faces overlook, respectively, the Zmutt valley and Gornergrat ridge in Switzerland, the south face (the only one south of the Swiss-Italian border) fronts the resort town of Breuil-Cervinia, and the west face looks towards the mountain of Dent d'Hérens which straddles the border. The north and south faces meet at the summit to form a short east-west ridge.








The Matterhorn's faces are steep, and only small patches of snow and ice cling to them; regular avalanches send the snow down to accumulate on the glaciers at the base of each face, the largest of which is the Zmutt Glacier to the west. The Hörnli ridge of the northeast (the central ridge in the view from Zermatt) is the usual climbing route. The most well-known faces are the east and north ones, both visible from Zermatt. The east face is 1,000 metres high and, because it is "a long, monotonous slope of rotten rocks",[6] presents a high risk of rockfall, making its ascent dangerous. The north face is 1,200 metres high and is one of the most dangerous north faces in the Alps, in particular for its risk of rockfall and storms. The south face is 1,350 metres high and offers many different routes. Finally, the west face, the highest at 1,400 metres, has the fewest routes of ascent. The four main ridges separating the four faces are also the main climbing routes. The least difficult technical climb, the Hörnli ridge (Hörnligrat), lies between the east and north faces, facing the town of Zermatt. To its west lies the Zmutt ridge (Zmuttgrat), between the north and west faces; this is, according to Collomb, "the classic route up the mountain, its longest ridge, also the most disjointed." The Lion ridge (Cresta del Leone), lying between the south and west faces is the Italian normal route and goes across Pic Tyndall; Collomb comments, "A superb rock ridge, the shortest on the mountain, now draped with many fixed ropes, but a far superior climb compared with the Hörnli."[6] Finally the south side is separated from the east side by the Furggen ridge (Furggengrat), according to Collomb "the hardest of the ridges [...] the ridge still has an awesome reputation but is not too difficult in good conditions by the indirect finish"








The story of the formation of the Matterhorn as well as the whole Alpine range started with the break-up of the Pangaea continent approximatively 200 million years ago into Laurasia (containing the actual Europe) and Gondwana (containing the actual Africa). While the rocks constituting the nearby Monte Rosa remained in Laurasia, the rocks constituting the Matterhorn found themselves in Gondwana, separated by the newly formed Tethys Ocean. 100 million years ago the extension of the Tethys Ocean stopped and the Apulian plate broke away from Gondwana and moved toward the European continent. This resulted in the closure of the western Tethys by subduction under the Apulian plate (with the Piemont-Liguria Ocean first and Valais Ocean later). The subduction of the oceanic crust left traces still visible today at the base of the Matterhorn (accretionary prism). The orogeny itself began after the end of the oceanic subduction when the European continental crust collided with the Apulian continent, resulting in the formation of nappes. The Matterhorn acquired its characteristic pyramidal shape in much more recent times as it was caused by natural erosion over the past million years. At the beginning of alpine orogeny, the Matterhorn was only a rounded mountain like a hill. Because its height is above the snowline, its flanks are covered by ice, resulting from the accumulation and compaction of snow. During the warmer period of summer, part of the ice melts and seeps into the bedrock. When it freezes again, it fractures pieces of rock because of its dilatation (Freeze Thaw), forming a cirque. Four cirques led to the actual shape of the mountain.

Marrah Mountains : SUDAN Travel Tourism World Heritage Hotel

Marrah Mountains : SUDAN

The Marrah Mountains are a range of volcanic peaks created by a massif that rises up to 3,000 m. It is located in the center of the Darfur region of Sudan. The highest point is Deriba Crater. The upper reaches of the massif is a small area of temperate climate with high rainfall and permanent springs of water. The Marrah Mountains (Jebel Marra, bad mountains) is a range of volcanic peaks created by a massif that rises up to 3,000 m. It is located in the center of the Darfur region of Sudan, specifically within Dar Zagahawa and neighboring areas. The highest point is Deriba Crater. The upper reaches of the massif is a small area of temperate climate with high rainfall and permanent springs of water.. The Daju, inhabitants of Jebel Marra, appear to have been the dominant group in Darfur in the earliest period recorded. How long they ruled is uncertain, little being known of them save a list of kings. According to tradition the Daju dynasty was displaced, and Islam introduced, about the 14th century, by the Tunjur (of uncertain, possibly Arab origins[1]), who reached Darfur by way of Bornu and Wadai. The first Tunjur king is said to have been Ahmed el-Makur, who married the daughter of the last Daju monarch. Ahmed reduced many chiefs to submission, and under him the country prospered. His great-grandson, the sultan Dali, a celebrated figure in Darfur histories, was on his mother's side a Fur, and thus brought the dynasty closer to the people it ruled. Dali divided the country into provinces, and established a penal code, which, under the title of Kitab Dali or Dali's Book, is still preserved, and differs in some respects from Quranic law. His grandson Soleiman (usually distinguished by the Fur epithet Solon, the Arab or the Red) reigned from c.1596 to c.1637, and was a great warrior and a devoted Muslim; he is considered as the founder of the Keira dynasty.








Soleiman's grandson, Ahmed Bahr (c.1682-c.1722), made Islam the religion of the state, and increased the prosperity of the country by encouraging immigration from Bornu and Bagirmi. His rule extended east of the Nile as far as the banks of the Atbara. The death of Bukr initiated a long running conflict over the succession. On his death bed Bakr stated that each of his many sons should rule in turn. Once on the throne each of his sons instead hoped to make their own son heir, leading to an intermittent civil war that lasted until 1785/6 (AH 1200) Due to these internal divisions Darfur declined in importance engaged in wars with Sennar and Wadai.One of the most capable of the monarchs during this period was Sultan Mohammed Terab, one of Ahmad Bukr's sons. He led a number of successful campaigns. In 1785/6 (AH 1200) he led an army against the Funj, but got no further than Omdurman. Here he was stopped by the Nile, and found no means of getting his army across the river. Unwilling to give up his project, Terab remained at Omdurman for months and the army began to grow disaffected. According to some stories Tayrab was poisoned by his wife at the instigation of disaffected chiefs, and the army returned to Darfur. While he tried to have his son succeed him, the throne instead went to his brother Abd al-Rahman. Abd-er-Rahman, surnamed el-Rashid or the Just. It was during his reign that Napoleon Bonaparte was campaigning in Egypt; and in 1799 Abd-er-Rahman wrote to congratulate the French general on his defeat of the Mamluks. To this Bonaparte replied by asking the sultan to send him by the next caravan 2000 black slaves upwards of sixteen years old, strong and vigorous. Abd-er-Rahman also established a new capital at Al Fashir, the royal township, which he established as capital in 1791/2. The capital had formerly been at a place called Kobb.







Mohammed-el-Fadhl, his son, was for some time under the control of an energetic eunuch, Mohammed Kurra, but he ultimately made himself independent, and his reign lasted till 1838, when he died of leprosy. He devoted himself largely to the subjection of the semi-independent Arab tribes who lived in the country, notably the Rizeigat, thousands of whom he slew. In 1821 he lost the province of Kordofan, which in that year was conquered by the Egyptians ordered to conquer the Sudan by Mehemet Ali. The Keira dispatched an army but it was routed by the Egyptians near Bara on August 19, 1821. The Egyptians had been intending to conquer the entirety of Darfur, but their difficulties consolidating their hold on the Nile region forced them to abandon these plans. Al-Fadl died in 1838 and of his forty sons, the third, Mohammed Hassan, was appointed his successor. Hassan is described as a religious but avaricious man. In 1856 he went blind and for the rest of his reign his sister Zamzam, the iiry bassi, was the de facto ruler of the sultanate. Beginning in 1856 a Khartoum businessman al-Zubayr Rahma began to set up operations in the land south of Darfur. He set up a network of trading posts defended by well-armed forces and soon had a sprawling state under his rule. This area known as the Bahr el Ghazal had long been the source of the goods that Darfur would trade to Egypt and North Africa, especially slaves and ivory. The natives of Bahr el Ghazal paid tribute to Darfur, and these were the chief articles of merchandise sold by the Darfurians to the Egyptian traders along the road to Asyut. Al-Zubayr redirected this flow of goods to Khartoum and the Nile. Hassan died in 1873 and the succession passed to his youngest son Ibrahim, who soon found himself engaged in a conflict with al-Zubayr. Al-Zubayr, after earlier conflicts with the Egyptians, had become their ally and in cooperation with them agreed to conquer Darfur. The war resulted in the destruction of the kingdom. Ibrahim was slain in battle in the autumn of 1874, and his uncle Hassab Alla, who sought to maintain the independence of his country, was captured in 1875 by the troops of the khedive, and removed to Cairo with his family.

Table Mountain : SOUTH AFRICA Travel Tourism World Heritage Hotel

Table Mountain : SOUTH AFRICA


The upper part of the mountain mesa consists of Ordovician quartzitic sandstone, commonly referred to as Table Mountain Sandstone (TMS), which is highly resistant to erosion and forms characteristic steep grey crags. Below the sandstone is a layer of micaceous basal shale, which weathers quite readily and is therefore not readily visible. The basement consists of heavily folded and altered late precambrian Malmesbury shale, which has been intruded by Cape Granite. The basement rocks are not nearly as resistant to weathering as the TMS but significant outcrops of the Cape Granite are visible on the western side of Lion's Head.







Table Mountain is a flat-topped mountain forming a prominent landmark. It is next to the city of Cape Town in South Africa. Table Mountain is a important tourist attraction, with many visitors using the cableway to take a ride to the top. The mountain forms part of the Table Mountain National Park. Table Mountain is a flat-topped mountain forming a prominent landmark overlooking the city of Cape Town in South Africa, and is featured in the flag of Cape Town and other local government insignia. It is a significant tourist attraction, with many visitors using the cableway or hiking to the top. The mountain forms part of the Table Mountain National Park. The most common animal on the mountain is the dassie, or rock hyrax. They especially cluster around the upper cable station, near areas where tourists may discard or (illegally) supply food. There are also porcupines, mongooses, snakes and tortoises. The last lion in the area was shot circa 1802. Leopards persisted on the mountain until perhaps the 1920s but are now extinct locally. Two smaller, secretive, nocturnal carnivores, the rooikat (caracal) and the vaalboskat (also called the vaalkat or African Wild Cat) were once common on the mountain. The rooikat continues to be seen on rare occasions by mountaineers but the status of the vaalboskat is uncertain. Himalayan tahrs, fugitive descendants of tahrs that escaped from Groote Schuur zoo in 1936, used to be common on the less accessible upper parts of the mountain. As an exotic species, they were almost eradicated through a culling programme initiated by the South African National Parks to make way for the reintroduction of indigenous klipspringers. Until recently there were also small numbers of fallow deer of European origin and sambar deer from southeast Asia. These were mainly in the Rhodes Memorial area but during the 1960s they could be found as far afield as Signal Hill. The animals may by now have been eliminated or relocated.








The main feature of Table Mountain is a level plateau approximately 3 kilometres (2 mi) from side to side, surrounded by steep cliffs. The plateau, flanked by Devil's Peak to the east and by Lion's Head to the west, forms a dramatic backdrop to Cape Town and its Table Bay harbour, and together with Signal Hill form the natural amphitheatre of the City Bowl. The highest point on Table Mountain is towards the eastern end of the plateau and is marked by Maclear's Beacon, a stone cairn built in 1865 by Sir Thomas Maclear for trigonometrical survey. It is 1,086 metres (3,563 ft) above sea level, about 19 metres (62 ft) higher than the cable station at the western end of the plateau. The cliffs of the main plateau are split by Platteklip Gorge ("Flat Stone Gorge"), which provides an easy and direct ascent to the summit and was the route taken by António de Saldanha on the first recorded ascent of the mountain in 1503. The flat top of the mountain is often covered by orographic clouds, formed when a south-easterly wind is directed up the mountain's slopes into colder air, where the moisture condenses to form the so-called "table cloth" of cloud. Legend attributes this phenomenon to a smoking contest between the Devil and a local pirate called Van Hunks. When the table cloth is seen, it symbolizes the contest. Table Mountain is at the northern end of a sandstone mountain range that forms the spine of the Cape Peninsula. To the south of the main plateau is a lower part of the range called the Back Table. On the Atlantic coast of the peninsula, the range is known as the Twelve Apostles. The range continues southwards to Cape Point. The main vegetation of the mountain is the unique and rich Cape fynbos, which forms part of the Cape Floral Region protected areas. These protected areas are a World Heritage Site, and an estimated 2,200 species of plants are found on the mountain alone. Amongst these species are many kinds of proteas. Remnant patches of indigenous forest persist in a few of the wetter ravines but not on the more exposed face above the city, where conditions are too dry and harsh for forests. The mountain has also suffered serious invasions of alien plants for well over a century, with perhaps the worst invader being the cluster pine. Considerable efforts have been made to eliminate these alien plants.





The original name given to the mountain by the first Khoi inhabitants was Hoeri 'kwaggo ("sea mountain"). Prehistoric people first left evidence here more than 600,000 years ago. Evidence tools of these Early Stone Age hunter-gatherers were found in a depression near the Cape of Good Hope. The Middle Stone Age inhabitants (dating from 200,000 to 40,000 years ago) also left evidence of their life on the Peninsula. Fossils from around 8000 BC indicate that by that period the inhabitants of the region had developed bows and arrows which they used to hunt. San (or Bushmen) hunter-gatherers relied on the seashore for most of their food. This resulted in the Dutch naming, Strandlopers (beach combers). About 2000 years ago the Khoikhoi migrated from the north, displacing the San, bringing with them their herds of cattle and sheep. It was the Khoikhoi who were the dominant tribe when the Europeans sailed into Table Bay.[7] António de Saldanha was the first European to land in Table Bay. He climbed the mighty mountain in 1503 and named it 'Table Mountain'. The great cross that the Portuguese navigator carved in the rock of Lion's Head is still traceable. In 1796, during the British occupation of the Cape, Major-General Sir James Craig ordered three blockhouses to be build on Table Mountain: the King's blockhouse, Duke of York blockhouse (later renamed Queen's blockhouse) and the Prince of Wales blockhouse. Two of these are in ruins today, but the King's blockhouse is still in good condition.[8][9][10] and easily accessible from the Rhodes Memorial. Between 1896 and 1907, five dams, the Woodhead, Hely-Hutchinson, De Villiers, Alexandria and Victoria reservoirs, were opened on the Back Table to supply Cape Town's water needs. A ropeway ascending from Camps Bay via Kasteelspoort ravine was used to ferry materials and manpower (the anchor points at the old top station can still be seen). There is a well-preserved steam locomotive from this period housed in the Waterworks Museum at the top of the mountain near the Hely-Hutchinson dam. It had been used to haul materials for the dam across the flat top of the mountain. Cape Town's water requirements have since far outpaced the capacity of the dams and they are no longer an important part of the water supply.

Mount Nyangani : ZIMBABWE Travel Tourism World Heritage Hotel

Mount Nyangani : ZIMBABWE



Mount Nyangani is the highest mountain in Zimbabwe, at 2,592 m. The mountain is located in the Nyanga District, about 275 km southeast of Harare. The mountain vegetation is largely composed of heath around the summit plateau with evergreen forest along the wetter eastern slopes and grassland to the western side. Annual rainfall totals are high (around 2,200 mm), but long spells of dry weather occur during the winter period of May to August. Due to its relatively low altitude and tropical location, snow falls at most once a century. Mount Nyangani (formerly Mount Inyangani) is the highest mountain in Zimbabwe at 2,592 m (8,504 ft). The mountain is located within Nyanga National Park in Nyanga District, is about 275 km (170 miles) south east of Harare. The mountain vegetation is largely composed of heath around the summit plateau with evergereen forest along the wetter eastern slopes and grassland to the western side. Annual rainfall totals are high (around 2200 mm) but long spells of dry weather occur during the winter period of May to August. Due to its relatively low altitude and tropical location, snow falls at most once a century, last recorded in August 1935








The mountain is composed of an upper sill of dolerite and sandstone, with the harder dolerite forming cliffs and ridges. The dolerite sill and the sediments underlying it are probably part of the Umkondo Group . The Umkondo Group dolerite sill north of Nyangani, on the Kwaraguza Road, has been dated at 1099 Ma eat it Nyangani is unusual in that the summit lies atop a small outcrop of rock around 40m above the surrounding area. The remainder of the peak is a broad moor of mainly rolling hills and plateau with an area of about 8 km2. The edges of this plateau then fall steeply to the east and west sides. The mountain can be accessed from four base points within Nyanga National Park: The official car park, at the base of the Tourist Route. This is reached from Circular Drive. The Mountain Club of Zimbabwe hut, on the Kwaraguza Road, accessed via Circular Drive. Nyazengu Substation of Nyanga National Park, accessed via a road which goes south from just before the official car park. Gleneagles Substation of Nyanga National Park, accessed via the Circular Drive, Kwaraguza Road and the Gleneagles road or from Troutbeck via Nyafaru.









The peak can be reached within 1–3 hours by anyone of average fitness. This ascent brings the hiker to an altitude of about 2200m and the remainder is mostly walking across the gentler gradients of the summit plateau. The hazards here are produced by bewilderingly fast weather changes that can switch from sunny skies to thick fog, and under these conditions several fatalities have occurred due to hikers losing their way and falling down ravines. There are three ascents that follow paths: The main access to the mountain is a Tourist Path from the west. This ascends along the edge of the upper Nyamuziwa river and crosses onto the main plateau north of the summit. From there it heads south across the plateau to the summit. A second path runs from the Mountain Club of Zimbabwe hut. This paths follows the east side of the northern ridge, before joining the Tourist Path on the main plateau . A third path runs from Nyazengu, southwest of the mountain on the old road to the Pungwe River causeway (Pungwe Drift). It branches from the Nyazengu Trail and ascends to the base of Tucker's Gap, which has a spectacular view of the montane rainforest to the southeast of the mountain (on the few days when the cloud does not cover the Gap). It is possible to ascend the north side of the gap (marked path) and then walk northwards across a boulder field to the main plateau, apporoaching the summit from the south. However, this last stretch has no path or markings.

Gangkhar Puensum : BHUTAN Travel Tourism World Heritage Hotel

Gangkhar Puensum : BHUTAN

Gangkhar Puensum is the highest mountain in Bhutan and the highest unclimbed mountain in the world, with an elevation of 7,570 m and a prominence of over 2,990 m. The book of the 1986 British expedition gives the mountain's height as 24,770 feet and states that Gangkhar Puensum is completely inside Bhutan, whereas the nearby Kula Kangri is completely inside Tibet. Gangkhar Puensum is the highest mountain in Bhutan and a strong candidate for the highest unclimbed mountain in the world with an elevation of 7570 metres and a prominence of over 2990 metres[1]. It lies on the border with Tibet[2] (however, see below for disputes about its exact location). After Bhutan was opened for mountaineering in 1983 there were four expeditions that made failed summit attempts in 1985 and 1986. However, in 1998, a team successfully climbed a subsidiary peak of the mountain from Tibet. Gangkhar Puensum, alternative transliteration Gangkar Punsum or Gankar Punzum (meaning 3 mountain siblings"), had its altitude first measured in 1922 but, until recent years, maps of the region were not at all accurate and the mountain had been shown in different locations and with markedly different heights. Indeed, because of inadequate mapping, the first team to attempt the summit was unable to find the mountain at all. The book of the 1986 British expedition gives the mountain's height as 24,770 feet and states that Gangkhar Puensum is completely inside Bhutan, whereas the nearby Kula Kangri is completely inside Tibet. Kula Kangri, 7554 metres, is a separate mountain 30 km to the northeast which was first climbed in 1986. It is variously mapped and described as being in Tibet or Bhutan. Since 1994 climbing of mountains in Bhutan higher than 6000 metres has been prohibited out of respect for local spiritual beliefs and since 2003 mountaineering has been forbidden completely. Gangkhar Puensum may keep its unique status for some time: Any higher unclimbed peaks in the world are likely to be subsidiary tops, not separate mountains.








Gangkhar Puensum had its altitude first measured in 1922 but, until recent years, maps of the region were not at all accurate and the mountain had been shown in different locations and with markedly different heights. Indeed, because of inadequate mapping, the first team to attempt the summit was unable to find the mountain at all. The book of the 1986 British expedition gives the mountain's height as 24,770 feet and states that Gangkhar Puensum is completely inside Bhutan, whereas the nearby Kula Kangri is completely inside Tibet. Kula Kangri, 7554 metres, is a separate mountain 30 km to the northeast which was first climbed in 1986. It is variously mapped and described as being in Tibet or Bhutan. Since 1994 climbing of mountains in Bhutan higher than 6000 metres has been prohibited out of respect for local spiritual beliefs and since 2003 mountaineering has been forbidden completely. Gangkhar Puensum may keep its unique status for some time: Any higher unclimbed peaks in the world are likely to be subsidiary tops, not separate mountains. In 1998 a Japanese expedition secured permission from the Chinese Mountaineering Association to climb the mountain, but permission was withdrawn because of a political issue with Bhutan. Instead, in 1999, the team set off from Tibet and successfully climbed the 7535 meter subsidiary peak, Liankang Kangri. Unlike most maps, the expedition's report shows this summit as being in Tibet and the Tibet-Bhutan border is shown crossing the summit of Gangkhar Puensum, described as "the highest peak in Bhutan," at 7570 meters. This elevation is supported by Japanese sources, in turn based on Chinese sources. It has not been surveyed by Bhutan.







Gangkhar Puensum lies on the border of Bhutan and Tibet, although the exact boundary line is disputed. Chinese maps put the peak squarely on the border whereas other sources put it wholly in Bhutan. The mountain was first mapped and surveyed in 1922. Subsequent surveys have placed the mountain in different places with differing heights. Bhutan itself has not surveyed the peak. Gangkhar Puensum was attempted by four expeditions in 1985 and 1986 after Bhutan opened its mountains for mountaineering in 1983. In 1994, however, climbing mountains higher than 6,000 meters was prohibited out of respect for spiritual beliefs and customs. In 2004, all mountaineering was banned in Bhutan so Gangkhar Puensum will likely remain unclimbed for the foreseeable future. In 1998, a Japanese expedition was granted permission by the Chinese Mountaineering Association to climb Gangkhar Puensum north of Bhutan from the Tibetan side. Due to a border dispute with Bhutan, however, the permit was revoked, so in 1999 the expedition climbed Liankang Kangri or Gangkhar Puensum North, a previously unclimbed 24,413-foot subsidiary peak of Gangkhar Puensum in Tibet. The Japanese Liankang Kangri Expedition described Gangkhar Puensum from the summit of Liankang Kangri in an expedition report: “In front, the glorious Gankarpunzum, remaining as the highest unclimbed peak but now a forbidding mountain because of a political barrier pertaining to a border problem, was glittering immaculate. The eastern face precipitously falls down to a glacier. A climbing route from Liankang Kangri to Gankarpunzum seemed viable although difficult knife-edged ridge with unstable snow and ice continued and finally spiky pinnacles guarded the summit. Unless the border problem took place, the party could have traced the ridge toward the summit.”

Vlašić : BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA Travel Tourism World Heritage Hotel

Vlašić : BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA

Vlašić is a mountain in the very center of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Its peak is called Paljenik and has an elevation of 1,943 m above sea level. The mountain is a major center for winter tourism thanks to its excellent accommodation for skiing, snowboarding and other winter sports. It is also a popular destination for summer visitors and eco-tourists, with many hiking trails and undisturbed wilderness areas. Blanka Vlašić [ˈblanka ˈʋlaʃitɕ] (born 8 November 1983) is a Croatian athlete who specialises in the high jump. She is the current Croatian record holder in the event, and also the current World Champion both indoors and outdoors. Her personal best jump of 2.07 m was set on 7 August 2007 and is the joint third highest height cleared in the history of the event. She is six feet and four inches (1.93 m) tall, taller than most male high jumpers. The daughter of Croation record holder, Joško Vlašic, she was a talented junior athlete and attended her first Olympic Games in 2000 Sydney at the age of sixteen. She won the World Junior Championships in Athletics in both 2000 and 2002. Vlašić broke her national record in 2004 and also won her first world senior medal at the World Indoor Championships that year. A hyperthyroid condition marred her second Olympic appearance in Athens and spent the 2005 season recuperating from surgery. She returned in 2006, taking the silver at the World Indoor Championships. In the 2007–08 seasons she won gold medals at both the indoor and outdoor World Championships, the World Athletics Final, and won a silver medal at the Beijing Olympics. She ranks third in the all-time high jump rankings, behind Kajsa Bergqvist and Stefka Kostadinova.







Accordingly, she had an early start in international competition: she competed at the inaugural World Youth Championships, finishing eighth,[6] and represented her country for the first time at the 2000 Sydney Olympics. Although the Olympics showed that she was not ready to compete at the senior level, she proved herself to be more than proficient at the junior level by winning the 2000 World Junior Championships with a jump of 1.91 m.[7] She was a regular competitor at senior athletics meetings and was steadily improving, qualifying for further top-level senior events. Vlašić finished sixth at the 2001 World Championships in Edmonton with a mark of 1.94 m, a result which led the IAAF's Ed Gordon to mark her out as a future star in the event.[8] She rounded off the year by winning her first senior gold medal at an international tournament, taking first place at the 2001 Mediterranean Games.[9] The results of Vlašić's final year as a junior showed further development as a high jumper. She set a new indoor best of 1.92 m at the 2002 European Indoor Championships and was the favourite to win the 2002 World Juniors.[1][5] She won the competition by a margin of nine centimetres, setting a new personal best of 1.96 m and attempting the symbolic two metres height. She failed to pass the bar but remained pleased with her achievements: "This was the first time I tried the 2-metre mark. That would have been a bonus. Today what matters is the gold. I am very happy I retained my world junior title".[10] At the final major event of the season, the European Championships, she could not repeat her previous form and finished in fifth place.[5] Nevertheless, at the end of the year she was ranked in the top ten high jumpers in the world for the season








Vikendica "Mia" smještena je na najatraktivnijem mjestu sportsko-rekreativnog centra "Babanovac". Njen idealan položaj omogucava da se gost skijaš odmah iz objekta spusti skijama do glavnog ski-lifta a nakon završetka skijanja da se sa staze zaustavite ispred objekta , bez potrebe da skidate ili nosite skije. Vikendica "Mia" se sastoji iz prizemlja i tri etaže. U prizemlju su dvije prostorije.Jedna služi za odlaganje ski opreme. U njoj se nalazi i veliki dio naše opreme za sankanje i skijanje koje smo spremni ustupiti gostima uz odredenu naknadu. Sanke i drugi djeciji rekviziti stoje Vam besplatno na raspolaganju. U drugoj prostoriji je kuhinja sa kompletnim sadrzajem. U kuhinji se nalazi i norveška pec na drva ili brikete, koji su složeni u prostoriji za skije. Sve je na dohvat ruke. Dvije peci na drva opslužuju cio objekat veoma uspješno,stvaraju prijatnu i udobnu atmosferu i u najhladnijim danima. Prva etaža je lovacko-planinska soba za dnevni boravak sa ležajem za dvoje kao i mini prirucna kuhinja.U dnevnom boravku je i mali TV-SAT i HI-FI. Na istoj etaži, na sjevernoj strani objekta je jedan WC i tuš. Na drugoj etaži je spavaona sa francuskim lezajem (180x200), mornarskim ležajem (140x200) i jednim krevetom(90x200). Treca etaža je samo potkrovlje sa madracem 140x200cm. Vikendica "Mia" je tokom cijeloga dana izložena suncu. Ispred vikendice nalazi se veliki drveni sto sa dvije velike klupe. Iskoristite ga za suncanje, roštiljanje...itd. Vikendica se izdaje kompletna i stoji Vam cijela na raspolaganju. Vikendica je izuzetno pogodna za zimovanje dvije porodice sa po dvoje ili troje djece. Od Travnika ste za 30 minuta u srcu SRC Babanovac.Putevi su prohodni u svako doba godine a snijeg cesto doceka i april mjesec.Nedaleko od vikendice nalazi se ureden parking koji se naplacuje. Ovdje se diše cist zrak i dobro se jede. E pa, dobro dosli na Vlašić planinu,u SRC Babanovac i Vikendicu "Mia".

Kanuku Mountains : FRENCH GUIANA Travel Tourism World Heritage Hotel

Kanuku Mountains : FRENCH GUIANA

The Kanuku Mountains are a group of mountains in Guyana, located in the Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo region. The name means 'rich forest' in the Macushi language, a reference to the rich diversity of wildlife found there. Some 150 mammal species, or 80% of all mammals found in Guyana, live in the Kanuku Mountains. Prominent species include the giant otter, the Harpy eagle and the Arapaima. The Kunuku Mountains rise up almost 3,000 ft. The Kanuku Mountains are a group of mountains in Guyana, located in the Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo region. The name means 'rich forest' in the Macushi language, a reference to the rich diversity of wildlife found there. The lowland forests sustain 60% of all the known bird species in Guyana. 150 mammal species, or 80% of all mammals found in Guyana, live in the Kanuku Mountains. Prominent species include the Giant otter, the Harpy eagle and the Arapaima. The Kunuku Mountains almost rise up to 3,000 ft. A Georgetown city tour highlights the unique architecture - excellent examples of old colonial homes and buildings, constructed of tropical hardwoods. The famous Stabroek Market, once described as a bizarre bazaar, contains every conceivable item from household goods to gold jewellery. The Botanical Gardens and zoo house one of the most extensive collections of tropical flora in the Caribbean and over 100 species of Guyanese wildlife, including jaguar, river otter, birds, snakes and other reptiles . Today continue the boat journey and travel down the Rupununi River through occasional rapids and into the Kanuku Mountains to Crabwood Creek. This area is uninhabited apart from a few traditional farmers from Sand Creek. The voyage enters the Kanuku Mountains - recognised by Conservation International as being one of the few remaining pristine Amazonian habitats. Visit an Amerindian Farm. Tonight camp in a hammock camp on the river bank. Continue down the Rupununi River with the opportunity to see Black and Spectacled Caiman, Puma, Tapir, Giant Rivers Otters and Turtles. Turn into the Maparri River, a tributary of the Rupununi River, and travel six miles to the Maparri Wilderness Camp set on the river bank overlooking a small waterfall. The area is rich in bird life and the river water is crystal clear. Overnight at Maparri Wilderness Camp.







In the local Macushi language, Kanuku means 'rich forest', and the Kanuku Mountains, rising out of the Rapununi savanna, are home to a very rich slice of all Guyana's wildlife species. Around 70% of the country's astonishing bird species make their roosts in Kanuku, along with jaguars and giant otters, anteaters and monkeys. The Kanuku Mountains in Southwestern Guyana rise out of the grasslands to form a stunning backdrop to the Rupununi savannah. With wind-sculpted crowns rising to just below cloud level, the range is notable for its exceptionally diverse bird and mammal species--approximately 80% of the known species of mammals in Guyana are found here. The Kanukus are bisected by the Rupununi River, one of the primary tributaries of the Essequibo. The Kanuku Mountains in southwestern Guyana rise out of the grasslands and form a backdrop to the Rupununi savannahs. Their wild sculptured crowns peaking just below the level where the clouds would touch the mountain tops. The range, divided by the Rupununi River, is noted for it's high diversity of bird and animal species, with approximately 80% of the known mammal species of Guyana being recorded. With little or no human settlement on the eastern range, the area is still pristine and is perfect for the nature and adventure traveller to experience the diversity of the tropical ecosystems. After flying to Lethem we will take an open backed jeep across the savannah to Dadanawa Ranch for some horse back riding or working cattle with the vacqueros. The real, adventure begins by boat travelling downstream on the Rupununi River, spending the first night near the Amerindian village of Sand Creek. From here the voyage enters the Kanuku Mountains- recognised by Conservation International as being one of the few remaining pristine Amazonian habitats. We enter the Maparri River, a tributary of the Rupununi River, to reach the Maparri Wilderness Camp set on the banks of the river looking straight on to a set of falls. The area is rich in bird life and the river water is crystal clear. Early risers will have the opportunity of searching for rarely seen Tayra or even a Black Jaguar. Our exploration continues on foot, trekking through the forest on steep trails and exploring the seemingly endless series of small waterfalls that are fed by the steep mountain slopes. From this remote and beautiful location our journey continues on to Karanambu Ranch to search for Giant River Otters and to enjoy the best inland fishing in Guyana.








Kojo Nnamdi, Washington, DC famous Guyanese radio & television personality is our guide to the Kanuku Mountains and their surrounding Rupununi savannahs. The Kanuku Mountains lie at the heart of Guyana. They are part of a vast pristine wilderness area that stretches across the Guayana Shield, the oldest land formation in South America. Like a giant island beaming with life, the Kanukus are one of Guyana’s richest and most diverse regions. Kojo Nnamdi, Washington, DC famous Guyanese radio & television personality is our guide to the Kanuku Mountains and their surrounding Rupununi savannahs. While the journey reveals some of the amazing beauty of the region it also records the testimonies of the people who live there. “We have a close link to the Kanuku Mountains. There are special spiritual beliefs that we all share. We look at the mountains as our mother because there, we can get almost anything we want,” claims Cedric Buckley the head master of the village of Schulinab. The region is home to the Wapishana and the Macushi Amerindians who have watched over the mountains for many generations. Because of the biological importance of the Kanukus, many efforts have recently taken place, both by the local people and the government of Guyana, to ensure that this natural heritage can be well protected.

Mud Volcanoes : AZERBAIJAN Travel Tourism World Heritage Hotel

Mud Volcanoes : AZERBAIJAN


The term mud volcano or mud dome is used to refer to formations created by geo-excreted liquids and gases, although there are several different processes which may cause such activity. It is estimated that 300 of the planet's estimated 700 mud volcanoes are found in Gobustan, Azerbaijan and the Caspian Sea. In Azerbaijan, eruptions are driven from a deep mud reservoir which is connected to the surface even during dormant periods, when seeping water still shows a deep origin. Seeps have temperatures up to 2–3 °C above the ambient temperature. In 2001, one mud volcano 15 kilometers from Baku made world headlines when it suddenly started spewing flames 15 m high. The term mud volcano or mud dome is used to refer to formations created by geo-excreted liquids and gases, although there are several different processes which may cause such activity. Temperatures are much cooler than igneous processes. The largest structures are 10 km in diameter and reach 700 metres in height. About 86% of released gases are methane, with much less carbon dioxide and nitrogen emitted. Ejected materials often are a slurry of fine solids suspended in liquids which may include water (frequently acidic or salty) and hydrocarbon fluids.







A mud volcano may be the result of a piercement structure created by a pressurized mud diapir which breaches the Earth's surface or ocean bottom. Temperatures may be as low as the freezing point of ejected materials, particularly when venting is associated with the creation of hydrocarbon clathrate hydrate deposits. Mud volcanoes are often associated with petroleum deposits and tectonic subduction zones and orogenic belts; hydrocarbon gases are often erupted. They are also often associated with lava volcanoes; in the case of such close proximity, mud volcanoes emit incombustible gases including helium, whereas lone mud volcanoes are more likely to emit methane. In Azerbaijan, eruptions are driven from a deep mud reservoir which is connected to the surface even during dormant periods, when seeping water still shows a deep origin. Seeps have temperatures up to 2–3 °C above the ambient temperature.[1] Approximately 1,100 mud volcanoes have been identified on land and in shallow water. It has been estimated that well over 10,000 may exist on continental slopes and abyssal plains. Mud volcanoes are frequently associated with earthquake zones. Many scientists suggest monitoring gas emissions and activity of mud volcanoes, because they can be suitable to predict strong earthquakes







Mud volcanoes are generally few in Europe, but dozens can be found on the Taman Peninsula of Russia and the Kerch Peninsula of southeastern Ukraine. In Italy, they are common in the northern front of the Apennines and in Sicily. Another relatively accessible place where mud volcanoes can be found in Europe are the Berca Mud Volcanoes near Berca in Buzău County, Romania, close to the Carpathian Mountains. Many mud volcanoes exist on the shores of the Black Sea and Caspian Sea. Tectonic forces and large sedimentary deposits around the latter have created several fields of mud volcanoes, many of them emitting methane and other hydrocarbons. Features over 200 meters high exist in Azerbaijan, with large eruptions sometimes producing flames of similar scale (see below). Iran and Pakistan also possess mud volcanoes in the Makran range of mountains in the south of the two countries. China has a number of mud volcanoes in Xinjiang province. There are also mud volcanoes at the Arakan Coast in Myanmar. There are two active mud volcanoes in South Taiwan, and several inactive ones. The island of Baratang, part of the Great Andaman archipelago in the Andaman Islands, Indian Ocean, has several sites of mud volcanic activity. There was a significant eruption event in 2003. A drilling accident offshore of Brunei in 1979 caused a mud volcano which took 20 relief wells and nearly 30 years to stop the eruption. Drilling or an earthquake may have resulted in the Sidoarjo mud flow on May 29, 2006, in the Porong subdistrict of East Java province, Indonesia. The mud covered about 440 hectares, or 1,087 acres (4.40 km2), and inundated four villages, homes, roads, rice fields, and factories and displaced about 24,000 people, killing 14. The gas exploration company was operated by PT Lapindo Brantas. In 2008, it was termed the world's largest mud volcano and is beginning to show signs of catastrophic collapse, according to geologists who have been monitoring it and the surrounding area. A catastrophic collapse could sag the vent and surrounding area by up to 150 meters in the next decade. In March 2008, the scientists observed drops of up to 3 meters in one night. Most of the subsidence in the area around the volcano is more gradual, at around 0.1 cm per day. Now named Lusi, the mud volcano appears to be a hydrocarbon/hydrothermal hybrid. Lusi is actually a contraction of Lumpur Sidoarjo, where lumpur is the Indonesian word for "mud".

Pico Basilé : EQUATORIAL GUINEA Travel Tourism World Heritage Hotel

Pico Basilé : EQUATORIAL GUINEA

Pico Basilé is the highest mountain on the island of Bioko, which is part of Equatorial Guinea. With an altitude of 3,011 m, it is the summit of the largest and highest of three overlapping basaltic shield volcanoes which form the island. Pico Basilé lies close to the capital of Equatorial Guinea, Malabo. Pico Basilé (formerly Pico de Santa Isabel) is the highest mountain on the island of Bioko, which is part of Equatorial Guinea. With an altitude of 9,878 ft (3,011 m), it is the summit of the largest and highest of three overlapping basaltic shield volcanoes which form the island. From the summit, Mt. Cameroon can be seen to the northeast. Pico Basilé lies close to the city of Malabo. Bioko was formed along the Cameroon line, a major northeast-trending geologic fault that runs from the Atlantic Ocean into Cameroon. This line includes other volcanic islands in the Gulf of Guinea such as Annobón, Príncipe and São Tomé, along with the massive stratovolcano of Mount Cameroon.









Far larger than any mountain in the Eastern United States, the dormant volcano of Pico Basile towers over Malabo at 3011 m. Its virgin rainforest is home to hundreds of species of birds, mammals, reptiles and plants. Rising directly from the ocean, it offers visitors the chance to explore four different ecosystems. Lowland rainforest runs from sea level to 800m, giving way to montane rainforest to 1400m, then Schefflera forest and finally heath and grassland from 2600m to the top. Temperatures at the top can fall as low as 4 degrees C (39 F). Bioko Island's endemic bird species, the Fernando Po Speirops (Speirops brunneus) can be seen here, as can the Great Blue Turaco (Corythaeola cristata). Also present are the rare Mountain Saw-wing (Psalidoprocne fuliginosa), Fernando Po Oliveback (Nesocharis shelleyi) and Ursula’s Sunbird (Cinnyris ursulae). Due to its proximity to the capital, monkeys have been largely hunted out of this area, although it is still possible to see an endangered Preuss's Guenon near the summit or the common Red-Eared Guenon on the way up. Thanks to a fairly well-paved road to the summit, Pico Basile can be explored as a day trip from the capital. From "El Pico," as it is known, you can often see its mainland sister Mt. Cameroon (4100m), an active volcano. These two mountains are part of volcanic chain that extends diagonally across the Atlantic from the British island of St. Helena (Napoleon's final exile) to Lake Chad in Cameroon. Pico Basile and Mt. Cameroon form the only habitat for many threatened species.

Baekdu Mountain : CHINA/ KOREA (NORTH)

Baekdu Mountain : CHINA/ KOREA (NORTH)

Baekdu Mountain is a volcanic mountain on the border between North Korea and China. It is the highest mountain of the Changbai mountain range to the north and the Baekdudaegan mountain range to the south. Baekdu Mountain is also the highest mountain in Korea.One of the highest crater lakes in the world, Heaven Lake, is at the top of the mountain. Baekdu Mountain, also known locally as Changbai Mountain in China, is a volcanic mountain on the border between North Korea and China, located at 42°00′24″N 128°03′18″E. At 2,744 m, it is the highest mountain of the Changbai mountain range to the north and Baekdudaegan mountain range to the south. It is also the highest mountain on the Korean peninsula and Manchuria. The Korean name, Baekdu-san (백두산, 白頭山), means "white-headed mountain". The Chinese name, Changbai Shan (長白山/长白山) and the Manchu name, Golmin Šanggiyan Alin mean "perpetually white mountain". English-language volcanology resources often refer to the mountain as Baitoushan from the Chinese pinyin rendering of the Korean Hanja 白頭山. Other alternative names include Paektu-san and Bai Yun Feng. There are five known species of plants in the lake on the peak, and some 168 were counted along its shores. The area is a known habitat for tigers, bears, leopards, wolves, and wild boars. Deer in the mountain forests, which cover the mountain up to about 2000 metres, are of the Paekdusan roe deer kind. Many wild birds such as black grouse, owls, and woodpecker are known to inhabit the area. The forest on the Chinese side is ancient and almost unaltered by humans. Birch predominates near the tree line, and pine lower down, mixed with other species. In recent decades, significant climate warming has resulted in changes in the structure of the ancient forests on the upper slopes, with a change over from birch to more pine, and a thickening of the forest canopy. There has been extensive deforestation on the lower slopes on the North Korean side of the mountain.







Baekdu Mountain is stratovolcano whose cone is truncated by a large caldera, about 5 km (3.1 miles) wide and 850 m (2,789 ft) deep, partially filled by the waters of Heaven Lake.[1] The caldera was created by a major eruption in 969 AD (± 20 years).[2] Volcanic ash from this eruption has been found as far away as the southern part of Hokkaidō of Japan. The lake has a circumference of 12 to 14 kilometres (7.5-8.7 miles), with an average depth of 213 m (699 ft) and maximum depth of 384 m (1,260 ft). From mid-October to mid-June, the lake is typically covered with ice. The central section of the mountain rises about 3 mm every year, due to rising levels of magma below the central part of the mountain. Sixteen peaks exceeding 2,500 m (8,200 ft) line the caldera rim surrounding Heaven Lake. The highest peak, called Janggun Peak, is covered in snow about eight months of the year. The slope is relatively gentle until about 1,800 metres (5,905 ft). Water flows north out of the lake, and near the outlet there is a 70 metre (230 ft) waterfall. The mountain is the source of the Songhua, Tumen (Duman) and Yalu (Amnok) rivers. The weather on the mountain can be very erratic. The annual average temperature at the peak is about -8.3 degrees Celsius (17 degrees Fahrenheit). During summer, temperatures of about 18 degrees Celsius can be reached, and during winter temperatures can drop to -48 degrees Celsius (-54 degrees Fahrenheit). Average temperature is -24 degrees Celsius (-11 degrees Fahrenheit) in January, 10 degrees Celsius (50 degrees Fahrenheit) in July, remaining below freezing for eight months of the year. Average wind speed is 11.7 metres per second, reaching an average of 17.6 m/s in December. Relative humidity averages 74%. In recent decades, there has been significant climate warming on the mountain. Summer snow cover on the peak has reduced dramatically during that time.







Baekdu Mountain is stratovolcano whose cone is truncated by a large caldera, about 5 km (3.1 miles) wide and 850 m (2,789 ft) deep, partially filled by the waters of Heaven Lake. The caldera was created by a major eruption in 969 AD (± 20 years). Volcanic ash from this eruption has been found as far away as the southern part of Hokkaido of Japan. The lake has a circumference of 12 to 14 kilometres (7.5-8.7 miles), with an average depth of 213 m (699 ft) and maximum depth of 384 m (1,260 ft). From mid-October to mid-June, the lake is typically covered with ice. The central section of the mountain rises about 3 mm every year, due to rising levels of magma below the central part of the mountain. Sixteen peaks exceeding 2,500 m (8,200 ft) line the caldera rim surrounding Heaven Lake. The highest peak, called Janggun Peak, is covered in snow about eight months of the year. The slope is relatively gentle until about 1,800 metres (5,905 ft). Water flows north out of the lake, and near the outlet there is a 70 meter (230 ft) waterfall. The mountain is the source of the Songhua, Tumen (Duman) and Yalu (Amnok) rivers. Korea has had a long history. Part of this included foreign invasions, occupation by the Japanese, and division of the country after the Second World War. Korean children are extremely aware of their history and are very knowledgeable of current issues and conflicts. Not to discredit Canadian students back home, but try asking a handful of students what year Canada became a country and they will give you a confused look. Try it out! Once important issue that lies deep inside the hearts of Koreans is Baekdu Mountain, which lies on the border between North Korea and China. Known as Changbai Mountain to the Chinese, there has been a long history of disputes over the regional history of the mountain. China and North Korea agreed to share the mountain in the 1960s, but today there has been a rash of events that has reignited the controversy.