Pacha Qullu

{{short description|Mountain in Bolivia}}

{{About||the mountain in the Sajama Province, Oruro Department, Bolivia|Kimsa Misa}}

{{Infobox mountain

| name = Pacha Qullu|other_name=Kimsa Misa

| photo = Huachacalla.JPG

| photo_caption = The village of Huachacalla with the eastern slopes of Pacha Qullu in the background

| elevation_m = 4702

| elevation_ref =

| prominence_m =

| prominence_ref=

| location = Bolivia
Oruro Department

| range = Andes

| map = Bolivia

| range_coordinates =

| label_position = right

| map_size = 200

| coordinates = {{coord|18|47|44|S|68|18|22|W|type:mountain_region:BO_scale:100000|format=dms|display=inline,title}}

| coordinates_ref=

| type =

| age =

| last_eruption =

| first_ascent =

| easiest_route =

}}

Pacha Qullu (Aymara pacha world; time, qullu mountain, Hispanicized spellings Pacha Kkollu, Pacha Kollu, also Pacha Kkollu Quimsa Misa) or Kimsa Misa (Aymara kimsa three, misa offering also spelled Quimsa Misa) is a {{convert|4702|m|ft|adj=mid|-high}} mountain in the Andes of Bolivia. It is located in the Oruro Department, Litoral Province, Huachacalla Municipality, west of Huachacalla (Wachaqalla). Pacha Qullu lies northwest of Inka Qhamachu. The plain at {{Coord|18|42|44.86|S|68|34|25.21|W}} northwest of Pacha Qullu is named Kimsa Misa Pampa (Quimsa Misa Pampa).

The mountain is a volcano. While the date of the last eruption is not known, the degree of erosion suggests an age of about 8.3 million years. Originally the mountain was about {{convert|89|m}} higher and had a volume of {{convert|37.4|km3}}.{{Cite journal|last1=Karátson|first1=D.|last2=Telbisz|first2=T.|last3=Wörner|first3=G.|date=2012-02-15|title=Erosion rates and erosion patterns of Neogene to Quaternary stratovolcanoes in the Western Cordillera of the Central Andes: An SRTM DEM based analysis|journal=Geomorphology|volume=139–140|pages=122–135|doi=10.1016/j.geomorph.2011.10.010}} Pacha Qullu is a Pliocene age volcano. Its slopes range 11–16°, formed by lava flows and pyroclastic material. Erosion has carved radial gullies into its flanks, at whose ends alluvial fans have formed.{{cite journal|last1=Rossi|first1=Matti J.|last2=Kesseli|first2=Risto|last3=Liuha|first3=Petri|last4=Meneses|first4=Jédu Sagárnaga|last5=Bustamante|first5=Jonny|title=A preliminary archaeological and environmental study of pre-Columbian burial towers at Huachacalla, Bolivian Altiplano|journal=Geoarchaeology|date=October 2002|volume=17|issue=7|pages=633–648|doi=10.1002/gea.10032}} The volcano has suffered a sector collapse, resulting in the formation of a {{convert|2.4|km}} wide and {{convert|4.7|km|mi|adj=mid|-long}} breach.{{Cite journal|last1=Francis|first1=P. W.|last2=Wells|first2=G. L.|date=1988-07-01|title=Landsat Thematic Mapper observations of debris avalanche deposits in the Central Andes|journal=Bulletin of Volcanology|volume=50|issue=4|page=261|doi=10.1007/BF01047488|s2cid=128824938|issn=0258-8900}}

Temperatures in the closely located city of Oruro range {{convert|4|-|12|C}}, and precipitation is {{convert|400|-|100|mm}}. The area is very windy. This climate has led to a xerophytic vegetation, including shrubs and tussock grass.