Mik'aya, Mountain summit in La Paz Department, Bolivia
Mik'aya is a 5,342-metre mountain in the Cordillera Real of the Andes in Bolivia, on the border of La Paz Municipality and Yanacachi Municipality. It lies north-east of La Paz, south-east of Ch'uñawi and Wak'ani, and north of Jathi Qullu and Sirk'i Qullu. A small lake and a stream share its name.
The mountain has been a water source since before Spanish arrival, with glacial melt flowing into high plateaus and valleys to supply local settlements. Over the centuries, this flow of water shaped how people lived and used the land in the region.
Mik'aya is Aymara for 'abyss in the water', also written Mikhaya. The same name is used for a small lake near the mountain and for a stream west of it, which flows west past the lake Qhunqhu Wiqara and then turns south-west.
Climbers need specialized high-altitude equipment and should start their expedition from La Paz, traveling through Yanacachi Municipality to reach the route. The journey requires good physical fitness and experience with climbing at extreme elevations.
A small glacial lake sits beside the mountain at 5,342 meters elevation, feeding a stream that flows first westward and then turns southwest. This hidden lake is often overlooked by visitors even though it plays an important role in the water system of the surrounding region.
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