Mount Abuna Yosef

The Abuna Yosef massif is home to Ethiopian wolves, Gelada baboons,Eshete, G., Marino, J., & Sillero‐Zubiri, C. (2018). [https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/aje.12465 Ethiopian wolves conflict with pastoralists in small Afroalpine relicts. African Journal of Ecology, 56(2), 368-374.] Erica arborea, Lobelia and other afro-alpine vegetation.Jacob, M., Frankl, A., Beeckman, H., Mesfin, G., Hendrickx, M., Guyassa, E., & Nyssen, J. (2015). [https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/ldr.2320 North Ethiopian afro‐alpine tree line dynamics and forest‐cover change since the early 20th century. Land Degradation & Development, 26(7), 654-664.]

The Abuna Yosef Community Conservation Area covers about 70 km{{sup|2}} of the Abuna Yosef massif.[http://www.ethiopianwolf.org/publications/EWCP-Annual-Report-April-2013.pdf Annual report] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140907095053/http://www.ethiopianwolf.org/publications/EWCP-Annual-Report-April-2013.pdf |date=2014-09-07 }}. Ethiopian Wolf Conservation Programme. 2013. p. 9. Retrieved 24 May 2014.

At the eastern part of the mountain range, the town of Wandatch (on the Kobo - Lalibela road) is the main entry point to the Abuna Yosef afro-alpine massif.Nyssen, J., Frankl, A., Munro, R. N., Billi, P., & Haile, M. (2010). [https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/14702541.2010.527856 Digital photographic archives for environmental and historical studies: an example from Ethiopia. Scottish Geographical Journal, 126(3), 185-207.]Hendrickx, H., Jacob, M., Frankl, A., Guyassa, E., & Nyssen, J. (2015). [https://www.schweizerbart.net/papers/zfg/detail/59/84674/Quaternary_glacial_and_periglacial_processes_in_the_Ethiopian_Highlands_in_relation_to_the_current_afro_alpine_vegetation?l=EN Quaternary glacial and periglacial processes in the Ethiopian Highlands in relation to the current afro-alpine vegetation. Zeitschrift für Geomorphologie, 37-57.] At 3500 m above sea level, it is one of the most elevated towns in Ethiopia.

The towns of Muja, Kulmesq and Lalibela are located on the footslopes of the massif.

A notable landmark on this mountain is the Church of Gennete Maryam, a monolithic church which tradition reports was excavated during the reign of Yekuno Amlak.Philip Briggs, Ethiopia: The Bradt Travel Guide, 5th edition (Chalfont St Peters: Bradt, 2009), p. 368 Also notable are four free-standing churches build inside caves in the mountain, the oldest and most famous being Yemrehana Krestos Church, built by the Zagwe king of the same name. The other three are Emakina Medhane Alem (probably built by Yekuno Amlak in the late 13th century), Lideta Maryam, and Zammadu Maryam (probably 15th century).{{cite web|last=Gervers|first=Michael|title=An Architectural Survey of the Church of Emakina Madhane Alam (Lasta, Ethiopia)|url=http://ethiopia.deeds.utoronto.ca/pubs/Rocznik.1_2006.pdf|accessdate=17 March 2014}} The churches of Lalibela lie in its foothills.

Due to the mountain being having the 6th highest elevation in the country it makes it one of the coldest locations and in winter months temperatures nightfall temperatures are typically below freezing. However, due to the dry season also being during the months where temperature fall below freezing this causes a lack of snow on the mountain even though it occurs multiple times yearly.

{{Weather box

|metric first=yes

|single line=yes

|location = Abuna Yosef

|Jan high F = 31.2

|Feb high F = 31.9

|Mar high F = 36.2

|Apr high F = 39.9

|May high F = 43.8

|Jun high F = 48.4

|Jul high F = 49.7

|Aug high F = 48.9

|Sep high F = 44.8

|Oct high F = 42.7

|Nov high F = 38.6

|Dec high F = 33.9

|Jan low F = 27.8

|Feb low F = 28.4

|Mar low F = 30.2

|Apr low F = 33.7

|May low F = 37.3

|Jun low F = 41.3

|Jul low F = 43.9

|Aug low F = 43.5

|Sep low F = 39.9

|Oct low F = 35.9

|Nov low F = 31.8

|Dec low F = 29.5

|source 1 = Climate Data

|date=December 2018}}

• List of Ultras of Africa (ultra prominent peaks)

{{reflist}}

• [https://web.archive.org/web/20140317194658/http://www.ub.edu/crba/publicacions/etiopia/abune.pdf The Abune Yosef Massif: Birds and Mammals of a Hidden Jewel of Ethiopia]. Universitat de Barcelona. 2009.

Abuna Yosef

Category:Amhara Region