Pieter Both (mountain)

Pieter Both, sometimes referred to as Peter Botte Mountain, is the second highest mountain of Mauritius, at 820 metres (2,690 ft) tall.[1] The mountain is shorter than Piton de la Petite Rivière Noire by eight metres. It is named after Pieter Both, the first Governor-General of the Dutch East Indies. It is located in the Moka Range.

Pieter Both
Peter Botte Mountain
Pieter Both Mountain in 2009
Highest point
Elevation820 m (2,690 ft)
Prominence820 m (2,690 ft)
ListingCountry high point
Coordinates20.1923°S 57.5552°E / -20.1923; 57.5552
Geography
Pieter Both
Location of Pieter Both in Mauritius
LocationMauritius, East Africa
Climbing
First ascent7 September 1832 by

The notable feature of this mountain is the gigantic rock formation at the very top of it, which resembles a human head. The palm species Hyophorbe amaricaulis, famous for being the world's rarest palm today, was once a common sight on this mountain.

The first ascent of Pieter Both was by Captain Lloyd, Lieutenant Phillpotts, of the 29th Reg., Lieutenant Keppel, R.N., and Lieutenant Taylor on 7 September 1832.[2]

To climb the mountain following the main ridge takes about an hour, and is mildly difficult. It is mainly a scramble, and being exposed, a rope is advised. The dramatic boulder on the pinnacle is about nine metres in diameter, and has several iron spikes fixed to it to aid climbing to the top. The top is flat and about two metres across.

References

  1. "Review of Pieter Both mountain, Mauritius". TripAdvisor. Retrieved 27 February 2012.
  2. "Account of the Ascent of the Peter Botte Mountain, Mauritius, on the 7th September, 1832 - Lieutenant Taylor". The Journal of the Royal Geographical Society of London - JSTOR. Published by: Wiley on behalf of The Royal Geographical Society (with the Institute of British Geographers). Vol. 3 (1833), pp. 99-104 (8 pages). JSTOR 1797600. Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
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