Cerro Las Tetas

Cerro Las Tetas, nicknamed Las Tetas de Cayey but officially Las Piedras del Collado,[2][3] are two mountain peaks located in the municipality of Salinas, Puerto Rico,[1] north of the city of Salinas proper. Since September 1, 2000, the peaks have become part of the Las Piedras del Collado Nature Reserve and are protected by law.[3] Their height is 2,762 feet (842 m) above sea level.[1]

Cerro Las Tetas
Las Piedras del Collado
Cerro Las Tetas as seen from the PR-52 northbound rest area at km 49.0.
Highest point
Elevation2,762 ft (842 m)[1]
Prominence761 ft (232 m)
Coordinates18°05′36″N 66°13′53″W[1]
Geography
Cerro Las Tetas is located in Puerto Rico
Cerro Las Tetas
Cerro Las Tetas
Parent rangeSierra de Cayey

Source of the name

The peaks are so named for their resemblance to a woman's breasts. The word "tetas" is colloquial for "breasts" in Spanish, much like the English word "tits".[4]

Location

A common misconception is that Las Tetas are located in the municipality of Cayey. Las Tetas are actually located the municipality of Salinas, in Barrio Palmas, a barrio on the northwestern part of the municipality of Salinas.[5] They are located close to—but not in—the municipality of Cayey, thus the "de Cayey" (English "of Cayey") in its name. They are located about 500 metres (1,600 ft) southwest of the intersection of PR-1 and PR-162. Topological maps readily show this.[5][6][7]

Confusion regarding its location

The Las Tetas peaks are part of the "Cayey Mountain Range" (Spanish: Sierra de Cayey).[8] The La Sierra de Cayey mountain range, just like the Cordillera Central and Sierra de Luquillo mountain ranges, extends over several municipalities, not just Cayey.[9] The name of the mountain range where Las Tetas are located (Sierra de Cayey) may be a possible source of confusion regarding the location of the Las Tetas peaks themselves.[10] A little-known fact is that the town of Cayey derives its name from Sierra de Cayey, and not the other way around.[11]

Another possible source of confusion may lie on the fact that the road to reach the Las Tetas peaks starts off from within the municipality of Cayey, albeit just meters from its border with the municipality of Salinas. A third possible source of confusion about the municipality where the mountains are located may be the fact that the peaks are located closer to downtown Cayey than to downtown Salinas.[12] Cayey is also a land-locked and mostly mountainous municipality, whereas Salinas, as a municipality on the southern coastal plain, consists mostly of flatlands. This may be a fourth reason yet why many people believe Las Tetas mountain peaks are located in Cayey, and not in Salinas. Another reason yet for the confusion may be that in order to locate Las Tetas in the official USGS map, the map for the Cayey Quadrangle is used.[7]

In the mid-2000s the town of Salinas took the town of Cayey to court over the location of "Las Tetas" and won the case. The matter involved land development and the Puerto Rico Planning Board. The result was a vindication of the claim that the "Las Tetas" location as being in the municipality of Cayey was incorrect. Las Tetas, the Court agreed, are actually "Las Tetas de Salinas" for they are actually located within the municipality of Salinas, not in Cayey.[13] They have also been called Las Tetas de Salinas.[14] Even so, the name of the mountains are so embedded in Puerto Rican tradition that they continue to be called "Las Tetas de Cayey".

Viewing location

The Las Tetas peaks can be easily viewed from the rest area on Puerto Rico Highway 52, located at kilometer post 49.0 of that highway. The rest area is colocated with the Monumento al Jíbaro Puertorriqueño statue and monument, in the municipality of Salinas. The two peaks can be seen in the northwestern horizon when viewing from the rest area.[15]

Hiking, mountain climbing, and camping at Cerro Las Tetas can be arranged by local tour companies.[16]

Height

The peaks are contoured at 841 metres (2,759 ft) high. However, the western Teta is actually 20 meters higher than its eastern twin.[5]

Views
  • Cerro Las Tetas (to the left) from farther in the mountain range
    Cerro Las Tetas (to the left) from farther in the mountain range
  • Las Tetas as seen from the south coast of Puerto Rico in the municipality of Coamo
    Las Tetas as seen from the south coast of Puerto Rico in the municipality of Coamo
  • Close-up of Las Tetas from PR-52
    Close-up of Las Tetas from PR-52
  • Las Tetas de Cayey
    Las Tetas de Cayey

See also

References
  1. "Las Tetas". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior. Retrieved 25 January 2015.
  2. Plan de Uso de Terrenos de Puerto Rico: Perfil Regional - Region Sur. (Borrador Preliminar.) Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico. Junta de Planificacion. Oficina del Plan de Uso de Terrenos. San Juan, Puerto Rico. February 2006. Page 22. Retrieved 2 December 2011.
  3. "Salinas, su gente y sus cosas" (in Spanish). Las Piedras del Collado. 18 February 2008. Archived from the original on 24 January 2011. Retrieved 18 November 2010.
  4. Mark, Jason (18 Jan 2018). "Puerto Ricans Still Lack Power Months After Hurricane Maria". Sierra Club. Retrieved 18 Apr 2018.
  5. "General Purpose Population Data, Census 2000". Maptest. Government of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. Archived from the original on 18 February 2010. Retrieved 24 February 2010 – via Unidad de Sistemas de Información Geográfica, Área de Tecnología de Información Gubernamental, Oficina de Gerencia y Presupuesto. Gobierno de Puerto Rico.
  6. Patillas Topo Map at Lat 18.1078°N Long -66.0331°W Zoom 15 S Size. Map Styles: Map and Shaded. Trails.com. From: United States Geological Survey. Topo Map. Projection: NAD83/WGS84. Retrieved November 18, 2010.
  7. "Salinas County, Puerto Rico, Mountain Peaks & Summits". Mountainzone.com. Archived from the original on 28 September 2012. Retrieved November 18, 2010.
  8. "Salinas". Puerto Rico Encyclopedia. Archived from the original on 22 November 2010. Retrieved 18 November 2010.
  9. "Geography of Puerto Rico". Sol Boricua. Archived from the original on 10 December 2010. Retrieved 18 November 2010.
  10. Puerto Rico Geological Formations Map. U.S. Geological Survey. Accessed November 18, 2010.
  11. Cayey...Ciudad de las Brumas. Accessed November 18, 2010.
  12. Hombres Ilustres. Archived 2016-03-04 at the Wayback Machine Manual de Informacion sobre Cayey: La mejor ciudad de Las Americas. Government of Puerto Rico. p.9. Undated. Retrieved 26 February 2014.
  13. Aibonito pide teta izquierda. Archived 2011-07-15 at the Wayback Machine Primera Hora. Alex David. May 7, 2005.
  14. Lo importante no es de quién son la Tetas, sino qué hacer con ellas. Archived 2011-07-15 at the Wayback Machine Alex David. Primera Hora. 10 May 2005.
  15. "Las 'Tetas' son del Gobierno: Las emblemáticas montañas fueron adquiridos ayer por el DRNA". El Nuevo Dia. 20 February 2009. Archived from the original on 18 September 2012. Retrieved 18 November 2010.
  16. "Las Piedras del Collado (Cerro Las Tetas)". Discover Puerto Rico. Retrieved 23 June 2020.
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