Mount Pico, Dormant stratovolcano in Pico Island, Azores, Portugal
Mount Pico rises to 2,351 meters above sea level, featuring a crater 500 meters wide and a small volcanic cone called Piquinho at its summit.
The volcano demonstrated its power through multiple eruptions between 1562 and 1720, with the final eruption affecting mainly its eastern slopes during summer and winter months.
Portuguese authorities established the mountain as a nature reserve in 1972, reflecting their commitment to protecting this geological formation for future generations.
The ascent from Casa da Montanha follows 47 numbered markers along the trail, requiring a reservation system that limits access to 160 hikers per day.
The PICO-NARE observatory near the summit studies air currents and particles from across the North Atlantic. The station operates at this remote altitude and collects data on air quality and climate patterns over more than two decades.
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