El Nevado del Ruiz
Towering mountains shaped by millions of year of glacial activity.
Incredible and hypnotic places, worlds of mist, mystery, and fire, haunted landscapes forever cloaked in fog and secrets.
El Nevado del Ruiz, (Nevado means “snow-covered” in Spanish), or Kumanday in the language of the local pre-Columbian indigenous people, is now part of Parque Nacional Natural Los Nevados and one of Colombia’s highest peaks at 5,321 m.
The summit of Nevado del Ruiz is covered by glaciers, which formed over many thousands of years.
Above the tree line, in the Páramo zone, the view is dominated by plants such as the Frailejones or Espeletia(part of the sunflower family), covering the landscape of these highlands for hundreds of years.
The Espeletias are significant contributors to the world water sustainability by capturing water vapor from passing clouds in its spongy trunk and releasing it through the roots into the soil.
My favorite time to photograph these landspaces is before sunrise, just when the light starts filtering through the mist and clouds. The day before, I always try to do some scouting and pick a few places that I like.
Here, a tripod or a stable platform is a must for low light, long exposure photography, and a coat as well, since temperatures can go below freezing point in the morning hours.
And when you are sitting there, with your camera, waiting for that light. “As we used to say in the mountains, “Breathe. Breathe again. With every breath, you are alive.”
Chris Jimenez – TakeMeToTheWild
Towering mountains shaped by millions of year of glacial activity.
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GEAR
The photography gear used in this story. Click on the items for more details.
LOCATION
Take to the road from Manizales, to Parque Nacional Nevado del Ruiz