Mount Longonot is a stratovolcano located southeast of Lake Naivasha in the Great Rift Valley of Kenya, Africa. It is thought to have last erupted in the 1860s.[1] Its name is derived from the Maasai word Oloonong'ot, meaning "mountains of many spurs" or "steep ridges".
Mount Longonot is protected by Kenya Wildlife Service as part of Mount Longonot National Park. A 3.1 km trail runs from the park entrance up to the crater rim, and continues in a 7.2 km loop encircling the crater. The whole tour (gate-around the rim-gate) of 13.5 km takes about 4–5 hours allowing for necessary rest breaks - parts of the trail are heavily eroded and very steep. The gate elevation is around 2150 m and the peak at 2776 m but following the jagged rim involves substantially more than the 630 m vertical difference.
Mount Longonot is 60 kilometres northwest of Nairobi and may be reached from there by a tarmac road. A nearby town is also named Longonot. The Longonot satellite earth station is located south of the mountain.
Longonot is a stratovolcano which contains a large 8 x 12 km caldera formed by vast eruptions of trachytic lava some 21,000 years ago. The current summit cone was developed within the earlier caldera. This cone itself is capped by a 1.8 km crater. The mountain has several parasitic cones and effusive lava eruptions occur on the flanks and within the caldera floor.[1] Periodic geodetic activity recorded at Longonot in 2004–2006 demonstrated the presence of active magmatic systems beneath this volcano.[2]
As of 2018[update], geothermal projects struggle to explore the potential.[3]
Flora and faunaedit
A forest of small trees covers the crater floor, and small steam vents are found spaced around the walls of the crater. The mountain is home to various species of wildlife, notably plains zebra, giraffe, Thomson's gazelle, buffaloes and hartebeest.
Notable Eventsedit
On March 21, 2009 bush fires burned up the side of the mountain and descended into the crater, trapping wildlife and feeding on drought ravaged brush.[4]
^Biggs, J.; Anthony, E. Y.; Ebinger, C. J. (2009). "Multiple inflation and deflation events at Kenyan volcanoes, East African Rift". Geology. 37 (11): 979. doi:10.1130/G30133A.1.
^"National Bank chairman's geothermal vehicle misses steam well drilling target". Energy Siren. 11 September 2018. Retrieved 17 March 2019.
^"Kenyan forces deployed for fires". BBC News. March 24, 2009. Retrieved May 13, 2010.
External linksedit
Webcam pointed at Mt. Longonot from Kijabe
This Kenya location article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.
mount, longonot, stratovolcano, located, southeast, lake, naivasha, great, rift, valley, kenya, africa, thought, have, last, erupted, 1860s, name, derived, from, maasai, word, oloonong, meaning, mountains, many, spurs, steep, ridges, highest, pointelevation2, . Mount Longonot is a stratovolcano located southeast of Lake Naivasha in the Great Rift Valley of Kenya Africa It is thought to have last erupted in the 1860s 1 Its name is derived from the Maasai word Oloonong ot meaning mountains of many spurs or steep ridges Mount LongonotHighest pointElevation2 776 m 9 108 ft 1 ListingVolcanoes in KenyaCoordinates0 54 55 S 36 27 25 E 0 91528 S 36 45694 E 0 91528 36 45694NamingNative nameOloonong ot Masai GeographyMount LongonotGreat Rift Valley KenyaGeologyMountain typeStratovolcanoLast eruption1863 5 years 1 ClimbingEasiest routeScrambleMount Longonot is protected by Kenya Wildlife Service as part of Mount Longonot National Park A 3 1 km trail runs from the park entrance up to the crater rim and continues in a 7 2 km loop encircling the crater The whole tour gate around the rim gate of 13 5 km takes about 4 5 hours allowing for necessary rest breaks parts of the trail are heavily eroded and very steep The gate elevation is around 2150 m and the peak at 2776 m but following the jagged rim involves substantially more than the 630 m vertical difference Mount Longonot is 60 kilometres northwest of Nairobi and may be reached from there by a tarmac road A nearby town is also named Longonot The Longonot satellite earth station is located south of the mountain Contents 1 Geology 2 Flora and fauna 3 Notable Events 4 See also 5 References 6 External linksGeology editLongonot is a stratovolcano which contains a large 8 x 12 km caldera formed by vast eruptions of trachytic lava some 21 000 years ago The current summit cone was developed within the earlier caldera This cone itself is capped by a 1 8 km crater The mountain has several parasitic cones and effusive lava eruptions occur on the flanks and within the caldera floor 1 Periodic geodetic activity recorded at Longonot in 2004 2006 demonstrated the presence of active magmatic systems beneath this volcano 2 As of 2018 update geothermal projects struggle to explore the potential 3 Flora and fauna editA forest of small trees covers the crater floor and small steam vents are found spaced around the walls of the crater The mountain is home to various species of wildlife notably plains zebra giraffe Thomson s gazelle buffaloes and hartebeest Notable Events editOn March 21 2009 bush fires burned up the side of the mountain and descended into the crater trapping wildlife and feeding on drought ravaged brush 4 nbsp Longonot Earth Station 2010 nbsp Panoramic view of Mount Longonot craterSee also editMount SuswaReferences edit a b c d Longonot Global Volcanism Program Smithsonian Institution Retrieved 21 March 2021 Biggs J Anthony E Y Ebinger C J 2009 Multiple inflation and deflation events at Kenyan volcanoes East African Rift Geology 37 11 979 doi 10 1130 G30133A 1 National Bank chairman s geothermal vehicle misses steam well drilling target Energy Siren 11 September 2018 Retrieved 17 March 2019 Kenyan forces deployed for fires BBC News March 24 2009 Retrieved May 13 2010 External links editKenya Wildlife Service Mount Longonot National Park Webcam pointed at Mt Longonot from Kijabe nbsp This Kenya location article is a stub You can help Wikipedia by expanding it vte Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Mount Longonot amp oldid 1187293106, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
