Erta- Ale, is today the longest continually erupting volcano on the planet. It is pretty much a lake of lava that has been molten for over 100 years. These same volcanic forces are what created Ethiopia’s highlands. Seventy million years ago, Ethiopia’s land was just flat and deep terrestrial land. It wasn’t until molten lava rose from the Earth’s core and crated a huge dome of rock 500 miles wide: the roof of Africa. The summit is about three miles high and are home to some very remarkable mountaineers. Gelada baboons are unique to the land of Ethiopia. The cliffs were they sleep are for expert climbers only, and Geladas certainly have the right equipment because the have the strongest fingers of any primate and an utterly fearless
…show more content…
The Alpine foothills’ range at its center rises to three miles high and is crowned with permanent snows. The Matterhorn, its summit is too steep to hold a snowfield. Mont Blanc is the highest peak in Western Europe. Immense rivers of moving ice, laden with rock, grind their way down the mountains, gouging out deep valleys. They’re the most powerful erosive force on this planet. A moulin, a shaft in the ice opened by meltwater plunges into the depths of the glacier. Alpine glaciers may seem immense but they’re dwarfed by those in the great ranges that divide the Indian subcontinent from Tibet. Mountain K2 and her sister peaks have claimed more lives than any other mountain. One of the creatures that reside on the K2 mountains are the snow leopards. No hunter other than the snow leopard would have a chance of catching such agile prey. Golden eagles patrol the cliffs in search of weakened preys. Eagles hunt by sight and the the thickening veil of snow forces them to give up. On the other hand, for the leopard, the snow provides cover and creates opportunity to catch a prey. The snow leopard is an almost mythical creature, an icon of the wilderness, an animal few humans have ever
The Alpine foothills’ range at its center rises to three miles high and is crowned with permanent snows. The Matterhorn, its summit is too steep to hold a snowfield. Mont Blanc is the highest peak in Western Europe. Immense rivers of moving ice, laden with rock, grind their way down the mountains, gouging out deep valleys. They’re the most powerful erosive force on this planet. A moulin, a shaft in the ice opened by meltwater plunges into the depths of the glacier. Alpine glaciers may seem immense but they’re dwarfed by those in the great ranges that divide the Indian subcontinent from Tibet. Mountain K2 and her sister peaks have claimed more lives than any other mountain. One of the creatures that reside on the K2 mountains are the snow leopards. No hunter other than the snow leopard would have a chance of catching such agile prey. Golden eagles patrol the cliffs in search of weakened preys. Eagles hunt by sight and the the thickening veil of snow forces them to give up. On the other hand, for the leopard, the snow provides cover and creates opportunity to catch a prey. The snow leopard is an almost mythical creature, an icon of the wilderness, an animal few humans have ever