Aconcagua

About

Aconcagua (Spanish pronunciation: [akoŋˈkaɣwa]) is a mountain in the Principal Cordillera of the Andes range, located in Mendoza Province, Argentina. With a summit elevation of 6,967.15 metres (22,858.1 feet), it is the highest mountain in the Americas, the highest outside Asia, and the highest peak in both the Western and Southern Hemispheres. It is the second-most topographically prominent peak in the world and one of the Seven Summits, the highest mountains on each of the seven continents.

The mountain lies 112 kilometres (70 mi) northwest of Mendoza, approximately 15 kilometres (9.3 mi) from the Argentine–Chilean border. It is bounded by the Vacas Valley to the north and east and the Horcones Inferior Valley to the west and south, and is protected within Aconcagua Provincial Park. Several glaciers descend its flanks, the largest being the Horcones Inferior glacier (Ventisquero Horcones Inferior), at roughly 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) long.

Aconcagua was formed by the subduction of the Nazca Plate beneath the South American Plate and was once an active stratovolcano, before tectonic shifts during the Miocene halted volcanic activity. The first recorded ascent was made on 14 January 1897 by Swiss guide Matthias Zurbriggen, as part of a British expedition led by Edward FitzGerald.

From the north via the normal route, Aconcagua is considered technically straightforward and is often described as the highest non-technical mountain in the world, requiring no ropes or specialized equipment. Nevertheless, the extreme altitude—where atmospheric pressure is roughly 40% of sea level—means altitude sickness affects most climbers, and the mountain records approximately three deaths per year, earning it the nickname "Mountain of Death." Summit success rates are estimated at 30–40%.

Adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA)。Photography via Wikimedia Commons.