Mt. Tzafachot, Mountain summit in Southern District, Israel.
Mt. Tzafachot is a mountain summit in southern Israel's desert region that rises prominently from the flat landscape and offers views across the surrounding terrain. The peak stands near the point where the Israeli and Egyptian borders meet, defining the skyline of this remote area.
The British geologist Leonard Lloyd Williams studied the mountain's rock composition for the ceramics industry during World War II, and the trails to the summit were cut as part of that work. The mountain lies at the southern end of the Eilat mountains, and the Israel National Trail passes over it, ending at the Egyptian border on its western slope.
The Hebrew name Zafachot means "sheets", yet the mountain is built of gneiss, not schist. Its metamorphic rock and intrusion veins are among the oldest in the Eilat mountains. British geologist Leonard Lloyd Williams studied the rock during World War II for the ceramics industry, and the trails to the summit were cut during that work.
Hiking to the summit requires carrying at least 3 liters of water per person, as the desert remains hot year-round with little shade available. Visitors should start early in the morning and wear sturdy shoes and sun protection to stay safe.
Despite its name, which means "quarry mountain", Mt. Tzafachot is not made of schist but of gneiss, with metamorphic rock and intrusive veins among the oldest in the Eilat mountains. The British geologist Leonard Lloyd Williams studied its rock composition for the ceramics industry during World War II, and the trails to the summit were cut as part of that work.
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