Cerro Maravilla
Cerro Maravilla is Puerto Rico's fourth highest peak[2] at 1,205 meters (3,953 ft). It is located on the northern edge Barrio Anón in Ponce,[3][4] close to the border with the municipality Jayuya,[5] and is part of the Cordillera Central (Central Mountain Range). It is known as El Cerro de los Mártires ("Mountain of the Martyrs") and characterized as the most infamous peak in Puerto Rico, due to the 1978 Cerro Maravilla murders which took place here.[6]
| Cerro Maravilla | |
|---|---|
  Cerro Maravilla | |
| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 3,953 ft (1,205 m) [1] |
| Coordinates | 18°09′11″N 66°33′15″W |
| Geography | |
| Location | Barrio Anón Ponce, Puerto Rico |
| Parent range | Cordillera Central |
| Climbing | |
| Easiest route | PR-143 (km 21.9) at PR-577 Barrio Anón Ponce, Puerto Rico |
Location and access
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The peak is located at the end of the 0.5 km-long Puerto Rico Highway 577, which is accessible via Puerto Rico Highway 143, traveling either westbound or eastbound. PR-143 is a secondary two-way, two-lane mountainous road that is relatively well traveled. The peak's coordinates are: 18°9′8.34″N 66°33′17.63″W.
The height of the mountain makes for some interesting sights. For example, on clear days both the northern and southern coasts of the island can be appreciated simultaneously. In the winter season, the air is crisp and the temperature at night will usually fluctuate between the 40s and 60s degrees Fahrenheit. The chirping of the familiar "coquies" is prominent after nightfall.
Cerro Maravilla incident
The peak might be best known for being the place where two Puerto Rico independence activists were slain on 25 July 1978 in a police ambush (see Cerro Maravilla murders.) This controversy has since turned the mountain into a meeting point for supporters of the independence of the Puerto Rican Commonwealth to gather annually to remember the murdered activists and condemn the current colonial status.
Climate
The following table charts the climate at Cerro Marravilla throughout the year.
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Record high °F (°C) | 85 (29) |
87 (31) |
90 (32) |
82 (28) |
94 (34) |
90 (32) |
87 (31) |
94 (34) |
98 (37) |
85 (29) |
88 (31) |
92 (33) |
98 (37) |
| Average high °F (°C) | 61.6 (16.4) |
64.8 (18.2) |
66.6 (19.2) |
67.2 (19.6) |
68.0 (20.0) |
70.4 (21.3) |
75.6 (24.2) |
75.4 (24.1) |
75.1 (23.9) |
70.6 (21.4) |
68.7 (20.4) |
66.0 (18.9) |
65.6 (18.7) |
| Average low °F (°C) | 49.0 (9.4) |
47.7 (8.7) |
55.4 (13.0) |
57.9 (14.4) |
59.8 (15.4) |
62.0 (16.7) |
64.3 (17.9) |
65.4 (18.6) |
61.8 (16.6) |
61.7 (16.5) |
59.3 (15.2) |
52.6 (11.4) |
57.4 (14.1) |
| Record low °F (°C) | 30 (−1) |
34 (1) |
32 (0) |
41 (5) |
41 (5) |
45 (7) |
50 (10) |
50 (10) |
42 (6) |
42 (6) |
41 (5) |
39 (4) |
40 (4) |
| Average precipitation inches (mm) | 3.81 (97) |
3.64 (92) |
5.12 (130) |
8.57 (218) |
12.14 (308) |
7.06 (179) |
6.09 (155) |
10.39 (264) |
13.68 (347) |
15.66 (398) |
9.03 (229) |
4.13 (105) |
99.32 (2,523) |
| Average rainy days | 15 | 5 | 3 | 11 | 25 | 19 | 21 | 25 | 25 | 23 | 26 | 21 | 219 |
| Average relative humidity (%) | 75 | 55 | 52 | 69 | 80 | 65 | 70 | 77 | 77 | 78 | 82 | 75 | 71 |
| Source 1: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration [7] | |||||||||||||
| Source 2: Southeast Regional Climate Center [8] | |||||||||||||
Cerro Maravilla experienced severe flooding after 24 hours of rainfall on October 6–7, 1985.[9]
See also
References
- "Elevations and Distances in the United States". U.S Geological Survey. 29 April 2005. Retrieved 9 November 2006.
- Puerto Rico's Forest Reserves and Wildlife Sanctuaries: Mountain Forests. El Yunque.com It is Puerto Rico's 4th highest peak. Retrieved 17 November 2009.
- Historia de Nuestros Barrios: Barrio Anón, Ponce. Archived 2011-07-10 at the Wayback Machine Rafael Torrech San Inocencio. El Sur a la Vista. Ponce, Puerto Rico. 18 October 2010. Retrieved 2 September 2011.
- Topographic Map of Barrio Anon, Ponce, PR. US Geological Survey. Lat/Long: 18.1523°N 66.5549°W. Elevation: 3,891 feet (1,186 meters). Drg Name: r18066b5. Drg Source Scale: 1:20,000. Projection: NAD83/WGS84. Retrieved 2 August 2013.
- US Geological Survey
- Cerro Maravillas. Stephen Keeling. The Rough Guide to Puerto Rico. Page 337. Retrieved 2 August 2013.
- "DATOS CONTENIDOS EN LA BASE DE DATOS CLIMATOLOGICA". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Archived from the original on 30 December 2011. Retrieved 8 February 2012.
- "www.sercc.com/cgi-bin/sercc/cliMAIN.pl?pr2336". Southeast Regional Climate Center. Retrieved 8 February 2012.
- Charles A. Perry; Byron Neil Aldridge; H. C. Ross (2001). Summary of Significant Floods in the United States, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands, 1970 Through 1989. U.S. Department of the Interior, U.S. Geological Survey. pp. 196–.
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