[Geysers] Puentebello, Peru

[TSBryan at aol.com]

In a message dated 12/22/2005 9:49:10 PM Pacific Standard Time,  
caverns at gmail.com writes:

a small geyser field known as Puentebello. This location @ 4370m altitude  is 
somewhat remote and known primarily to local travelers. The primary road  
visible on Google Earth at this site is a dirt highway between Puno and  Arequipa 
used for freight and locals. The primary tourist route is from  Juliaca to 
Arequipa, over 100k NW. 
 
The road crosses the river here on a natural bridge where the river flows  
through a cave from N to S about 120m long. Within the cave are numerous  ho
tsprings and small geysers shooting in all  directions.



 
Thanks, Alan. Some interesting stuff here. I've long had the info about the  
'geysers" (if that's what they really are) within the cavern, but had always  
thought it was a cave, not a bridge open at both ends. But I realize now  that 
the name translates as "Beautiful Bridge." And many years ago I was told  
that the larger feature outside the cave (shown in the photo below) is  
intermittent, though with very short intervals of about 10 seconds.
 
Here we are told that the locality is within Puno, which I have had as fact  
for a long time. However, in a Peruvian Geological Congress publication dated  
2002, the location is said to be within Moquegua. In any case, Puentebello 
(in  this publication, "Puente Bello") is a prominent feature within the 
proposed  _Monumento Natural de Puente Ccollo o Puente Bello_. (Two items on that: 
the  "Ccollo" is not a misprint but I presume is a native Indian word [I've  
encountered it previously], and secondly I wonder the status of this and other  
proposed natural monuments.)
 
I'll look forward to further info. And also if Alan's contact has info  about 
any of the other Peruvian localities.
 
Scott Bryan
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