Nevado del Ruiz

The Nevado del Ruiz, also known as La Mesa de Herveo, is a volcano in Colombia that is located on the border between the departments of Caldas and Tolima, about 129 kilometers (80 miles) west of Bogotá. It is a stratovolcano with many layers of lava sandwiched between hardened volcanic ash and other pyroclastic rocks. Since the Early Pleistocene or Late Pliocene, volcanic activity at Nevado del Ruiz has lasted about two million years, with three major eruptive periods. During the current eruptive period, which began 150,000 years ago, the current volcanic cone was formed.

For a mountain of its altitude, Ruiz is a relatively easy climb. The weather around the volcano is also very bad for the majority of the year, so be prepared for bad weather and changing visibility. Nevado del Ruiz has not erupted in a major eruption since 1985, but the mountain could erupt at any time and has already erupted several times. When the eruption danger is perceived to be greater than usual, the volcano is closed to climbing.

Location: Caldas and Tolima, Colombia

Height: 5,321 m (17,457 feet)

Range: Central Ranges, Andes