Chicoma Mountain
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| Chicoma Mountain | |
|---|---|
| Elevation | 11,561 feet (3,524 metres) |
| Location | New Mexico, USA |
| Range | Jemez Mountains |
| Prominence | 4,281 feet (1,305 meters) |
| Coordinates | |
| Easiest route | Hike |
Chicoma Mountain (also spelled Tschicoma or Tchicoma, pronounced /tʃɨˈkoʊmə/), elevation 11,561 feet (3,524 meters), is the highest point in the Jemez Mountains, a prominent mountain range in New Mexico, United States. Tree line in this area is exceptionally high, and the mountain is forested almost all the way to its summit, which is conspicuous from the towns of Los Alamos, Santa Fe, and Española, and other areas in the valley of the Rio Grande in northern New Mexico. Like the rest of the Jemez, it is of volcanic origin; it lies on the northeast rim of the Valles Caldera, one of the best examples of a caldera in the United States.
The mountain is sacred to many of the Pueblo people of New Mexico, who traditionally regarded it as the "center of all." Much of it lies within the territory of the Santa Clara Pueblo near Española. Access by hikers, hunters, etc., is correspondingly limited, although the summit can be reached via public lands on the north side. The Puye Cliff Dwellings are an archaeological site of some significance in Santa Clara Canyon, on the pueblo's land on the east side of the mountain, and are sometimes open to the public (fee).
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