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Brought to you from the forthcoming book by renowned historian
Dr. Lennox Honychurch.
Trois Pitons, Morne (F)
The second highest mountain on Dominica rising to 4,600 feet. It was named by the French for its three prominent peaks, which are best seen from the sea off the west coast. In fact, the summit is made up of several other lesser peaks all of which are the remains of individual volcanic cones that together comprise the entire massif. Recent volcanic assessment has suggested that Morne Micotrin (Macaque), to the south, may also be part of the Trois Pitons volcanic system. It is one of the seven live volcanic centers on Dominica. In 1918 there was a dispute between visiting British geographers over an altitude reading that Trois Pitons was in fact the island's highest mountain, but the traditional recorded height continued to be accepted. The massif is made up mainly of pyroclastic deposits and fragments of collapsed domes. It is an area of extremely high rainfall and is largely covered by elfin woodland and montane forest, with some rainforest at lower elevations. In 1975 the mountain formed the centrepiece of the Morne Trois Pitons National Park, which was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1997.
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