By John Lindell
About the Tallest Mountain in South America
The tallest mountain in
South America is Mount Aconcagua, located on the westernmost border of Argentina. Part of the Andes Mountain range, the mountain is found about halfway down Argentina's western side near the border with Chile.
Significance
Mount Aconcagua is 22,841 feet high. This makes it the tallest mountain in the Western Hemisphere as well as the single tallest mountain outside of the Asian continent.
Seven Summits
Aconcagua is one of the Seven Summits of mountain climbing, which include the highest peaks on each continent. These mountains are Aconcagua, Mount McKinley in the U.S., Everest in Asia, Elbrus in Europe, Kosciuszko in Australia, Vinson Massif in Antarctica and Mount Kilimanjaro in Africa.
Aconcagua Provincial Park
The mountain is located within the boundaries of the Aconcagua Provincial Park. Established in 1983 as a protected area, the region contains several glaciers and archeological sites.
Ascent
The first party to successfully reach the summit of Mount Aconcagua was an expedition from Switzerland. In 1897, a group of men led by Matthias Zurbriggen made it to the very top on January 14th--the middle of the summer in that part of the world.
Polish Glacier
The Polish Glacier is a sheet of ice located on the northeastern side of the mountain. It takes its name from a Polish climbing expedition that was headed by Konstanty Narkiewicz-Jodko in 1934.
Resources
About the Author:
John Lindell has written articles for "The Greyhound Review" and various other online publications. A Connecticut native, his work specializes in sports, fishing and nature. Lindell worked in greyhound racing for 25 years.
Photo Credits:
www.mcms.opusd.k12.ca.us
