What do the colors on the contour map of Popocatepetl (5426m) mean?

The contour map uses a hypsometric color scale where green represents lower elevations, yellow and orange indicate mid-range altitudes, and white marks the highest zones near the summit. Thicker contour lines (index contours) are drawn at wider intervals to help you quickly estimate elevation.

What is the contour interval for Popocatepetl (5426m)?

The contour map of Popocatepetl (5426m) uses a 100m contour interval. This means each line represents a 100m change in elevation. Closely spaced contours indicate steeper terrain, while widely spaced contours show gentler slopes.

What does the elevation profile of Popocatepetl (5426m) show?

The elevation profile is a cross-section through Popocatepetl (5426m) from west to east, passing through the summit at 5,426m. It reveals the mountain's shape, steepness, and relative height compared to the surrounding terrain. The horizontal axis shows distance in kilometers from the peak.

What is the snow line on Popocatepetl (5426m)?

At Popocatepetl (5426m)'s latitude (19°), the estimated permanent snow line is approximately 4,800m. Since Popocatepetl (5426m) reaches 5,426m, about 626m of the mountain extends above the snow line. This is shown as a dashed blue line on the elevation profile.

Why does Popocatepetl (5426m) have a crater?

As a stratovolcano, Popocatepetl (5426m) was built by alternating layers of lava and ash. The summit crater is visible on the contour map as a small depression within the tightly spaced concentric contours near the peak.

Popocatepetl (5426m)

Popocatepetl stands at 5426 meters in Mexico, part of the Sierra Madre, North America. This peak is classified as a Stratovolcano.

Elevation

5426 m

Prominence

— m

Coordinates

19.023333, -98.628333

Type

stratovolcano

Elevation Comparison

Volcanic

About This Mountain

Popocatepetl (5426m) is a stratovolcano in the Sierra Madre, Mexico. Grade 4/5: technical ascent requiring mountaineering skills and equipment. This stratovolcano rises steeply from the surrounding terrain with a classic conical profile.

Routes

Ventorrillo Route (historic) (Popocatepetl) 4

12.00 km · 12.0h

Seasonal Conditions

Topographic Analysis

Contour Map

The topographic contour map of Popocatepetl (5426m) in the Sierra Madre shows near-circular, closely spaced contours indicating steep conical slopes. Contour lines are drawn at 100m intervals, with index contours (thicker lines) every 500m. The hypsometric color scale ranges from green (lower elevations) through yellow and orange to white (highest elevations near the 5,426m summit). Above 4,800m, the estimated snow line at this latitude, contours transition to cooler tones indicating permanent snow and ice.

Elevation Profile

The east–west elevation profile of Popocatepetl (5426m) in the Sierra Madre shows the terrain cross-section through the summit at 5,426m. The color gradient transitions from green (valley floor) to white (summit zone), with the red summit marker indicating the peak. The dashed blue snow line at 4,800m marks the approximate elevation above which permanent snow persists year-round.