Rainmaker Mountain

Coordinates: 14°16′35″S 170°39′10″W / 14.27639°S 170.65278°W / -14.27639; -170.65278
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Rainmaker Mountain
Tutuila Island in American Samoa
Designated1972

Rainmaker Mountain (also known as Mount Pioa

Tutuila Island. Rainmaker Mountain traps rain clouds and gives Pago Pago the highest annual rainfall of any harbor. [3][4][5] The average annual rainfall on the mountain is around 200 inches (510 cm).[6] It has a three-pronged summit. Rainmaker Mountain and its base were designated a National Natural Landmark in 1972 due to the slopes’ tropical vegetation.[7][8]

Rainmaker Mountain is one of several giant volcanic mountains that created Tutuila Island. It dominates the scene from nearly every point in Pago Pago Harbor. It comprises three mountain peaks: North Pioa, South Pioa, and Sinapioa. The peaks range in elevation from 1,619 feet (493 m) to 1,718 feet (524 m). The 170-acre (69 ha) designated landmark area occurs above the 800-acre (320 ha) contour line. Several endemic species are present only here and on Matafao Peak, the highest point on Tutuila.[9]

Rainmaker Mountain, famous in Samoan legend and lore, is also geologically important as an example of a volcanic plug (quartz trachyte). The upper slopes are

montane rainforest and the crest is montane scrub. [10]

Rainmaker Mountain as seen from the former Rainmaker Hotel.

The mountain is a volcanic feature known as a trachyte plug, a volcanic intrusion made of extrusive igneous rocks having alkali feldspar and minor mafic minerals as the main components and a fine-grained, generally porphyritic texture.

A closeup of the mountain is visible up Rainmaker Pass.[11]

Rainmaker Hotel was a hotel at the port entrance under the mountain.[12]

See also

References

  1. ISBN 9781445239354
    .
  2. ISBN 9780864422255
    .
  3. ISBN 9781786572172
    .
  4. ^ Lonely Planet. "Rainmaker Mountain in Tutuila". Lonely Planet. Retrieved November 28, 2017.
  5. ^ "American Samoa Is The Empty Slice Of Bliss You've Been Craving". huffingtonpost.com. Retrieved November 28, 2017.
  6. ISBN 9780810867727
    .
  7. ^ "Rainmaker Mountain | American Samoa Attractions".
  8. ISBN 9780864422255
    .
  9. ISBN 9781573061117
    .
  10. ^ http://www.npshistory.com/publications/npsa/feasibility-study.pdf (Page 62)
  11. ^ "Rainmaker Mountain | Ma'oputasi | American Samoa | AFAR". 29 November 2018.
  12. ^ Fodor's Travel Guides (1991). Fodor’s South Pacific. Fodor's Travel Publications. Page 88.

External links


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