Montes Universales
Montes Universales is a 32 km (20 mi) long mountain range in the southeastern end of the Iberian System. Its highest point is the 1,935 m high summit known as Caimodorro. The 1,830 m high Muela de San Juan is another important peak.
Administratively, the Montes Universales belong to the Sierra de Albarracín comarca of Aragon, therefore there are often confused with the geographical Sierra de Albarracín mountain range.[1]
Geography
The range, which is aligned in a NW - SE direction, is not as high as neighboring ranges. It is, however, very significant from the hydrographic point of view, for important rivers of the Iberian Peninsula have their source in these mountains, which divide the Atlantic from the Mediterranean watershed. Among the Iberian rivers that originate in the Montes Universales, the most important are the Tagus on the western slopes, and the Túria, Cabriel and Xúquer on the eastern.
The Montes Universales are bordered by the paleozoic massifs of Caimodorro and Loma Alta in the northeast, by the Serranía de Cuenca in the southeast, and by the Sierra de Jabalón and the Túria Valley in the east.
Flora and fauna
These mountains are covered with, mostly not very dense, clumps of pine, oak and Iberian juniper forest.
Radiocarbon samples from Ojos del Tremedal show that birches, now almost absent from these mountains, were very common in the Montes Universales during the ice age around 9,600 years ago. Signs of human interference with the vegetation have been detected beginning about 3,500 years Before Present.[2]
Zapater's ringlet (Erebia zapateri), is an endemic butterfly of these mountains.[3]
Features
- Villar del Cobo village under the Montes Universales during a winter snowstorm
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- Tagus River source
See also
References
External links
- Rama aragonesa del Sistema Ibérico[permanent dead link]
- Ruta amb bicicleta a Frías de Albarracín, Montes Universales
- Plantas de los Montes Universales
- Avifauna
- v
- t
- e
- Sierra de la Demanda
- Sierra de Neila
- Mesa de Cebollera
- Picos de Urbión
- Sierra de Alcarama
- Sierra de Peñalmonte
- Sierra de Moncalvillo
- Moncayo
- Sierra de Nava Alta
- Sierra de Perdices
- Sierra Ministra
- Sierra de Caldereros
- Sierra de Pardos
- Sierra de Miñana
- Sierra de Solorio
- Sierra de Selas
- Parameras de Molina
& Southeastern
- Serranía de Cuenca
- Sierra Menera
- Sierra de Albarracín
- Montes de Picaza
- Montes Universales
- Sierra de Mira
- Sierra de Javalambre
- Sierra del Toro
- Sierra de la Virgen
- Sierra de Vicort
- Sierra de Algairén
- Sierra de Santa Cruz
- Sierra de Cucalón
- Sierra de Herrera
- Sierra de San Just
- Sierra de Lidón
- Sierra Palomera
- Sierra de Gúdar
- Sierra de Mayabona
- Sierra de Camarena
- Sierra de Sollavientos
- Sierra del Rayo
- Sierra de Pina
- Maestrat (Maestrazgo)
- Penyagolosa Massif
- Sierra de la Lastra
- Sierra de los Caballos
- Sierra de Garrocha
- Sierra de la Cañada
- Sierra Carrascosa
- Ports de Morella
- Serra de la Creu
- Serra d'En Segures
- Serra d'en Galceran
- Serra d'Esparreguera
- Serra de Vallivana
- Serra d'En Celler
- Serra del Turmell
- Serra de l'Espadella
- Moles de Xert
- Talaies d'Alcalà
- Serra de la Vall d'Àngel
- Cervera Mountains
- Serra de Sant Pere
- Serra Calderona
- Serra d'Espadà
- Ports de Tortosa-Beseit
- Benifassà Mountains
- Serra de Paüls
- Serra de l'Espina
- Moncayo
- Monte San Lorenzo
- Pico de Urbión
- Javalambre
- Peñarroya
- Peña Isasa
- Peñalmonte
- Tetas de Viana
- Caimodorro
- Cerro Calderón
- Monte Gatún
- Monte Serradero
- Mont Caro
- Castell de l'Airosa
- La Moleta
- Montegordo
- Penyagalera
- Roques de Benet
- Santa Bàrbara
- Alto del Buitre
- Tossal d'Orenga
- Tossal dels Tres Reis