Monte Pissis

Monte Pissis is an extinct volcano in La Rioja Province that rises to 6,792 meters above sea level. Its multiple summits show gray volcanic rock layers covered with patches of snow even in this dry desert landscape.

Polish mountaineers Stefan Osiecki and Jan Alfred Szczepański made the first recorded climb to the main summit in 1937 during their Andes expedition. Later ascents in the 1960s confirmed the exact elevation through new surveying techniques.

Local people in the region know this peak as part of the Seismara range that runs along the Argentine-Chilean border. The name honors French geographer Pierre Joseph Aimé Pissis, who mapped much of South America during the 19th century.

The climb usually takes place between December and March when weather conditions are most stable. Most expeditions start from Fiambalá and establish several high camps on the way to the summit.

A large glacier system sits at around 5,900 meters elevation and feeds several small meltwater streams during summer. These ice fields are among the highest permanent ice masses in the Atacama Desert.

Location: La Rioja Province

Elevation above the sea: 6,795 m

Part of: Seven Third Summits

GPS coordinates: -27.75518,-68.79921

Latest update: December 5, 2025 22:27