The highest mountain in Argentina. The highest mountain in Argentina What is the highest mountain in Argentina

Argentina is famous throughout the world for its mountain ranges, because the entire eastern part of this picturesque South American state is dotted with the majestic Andes mountain system. As for the exact characteristics of the highest mountain in Argentina, its height is as much as 6961 meters, which allows it to be included in the famous list of the Seven Summits of the World.

The name of the highest mountain in Argentina is Anoncagua, and it is this peak that has the most impressive dimensions among all the mountains in the world found outside the largest part of the world - Asia. At the same time, there are many more mountain peaks in the Andes, which are only slightly short of the size of the highest point in Argentina. The highest mountain and its height occupy the second position in the famous list of the Seven Summits located in different parts of the world on the globe, second only to the Asian giant Chomolungma, better known as Everest, with a peak height of 8 thousand 848 meters. And if the first place in this ranking goes to the Nepalese “beauty”, and the second to the Andean Anoncagua, then the North American peak Denali, whose height is as much as 6190 meters above sea level, rightfully deserves bronze. The remaining four places are shared by such giants from different parts of the world as the African Kilimanjaro (5895 meters), the European Elbrus (5642 meters), the Vinson Massif in Antarctica (4892 meters), as well as Jaya, located in Australia and Oceania (4884 meters).

As for the answer to the question about what is the highest mountain in Argentina, we should not forget that Anoncagua is only the first, but not the last, in the list of giants of the Andean mountain system. And not much lower than it are such mountain peaks of Argentina as Ojos del Salado (6 kilometers 893 meters), Monte Pissis (6 kilometers 793 meters), Cerro Bonete (6 kilometers 759 meters) and many other peaks of impressive size. Anoncagua itself is located in one of the 23 Argentine provinces of Mendoza, which is fifteen kilometers from another state on the South American continent of Chile. It is noteworthy that today no one can say for sure where the name of this majestic peak came from. Thus, some claim that the name of this mountain is translated from Mapuche (the Araucano language) as “coming from the other side,” while others attribute it to the language of the Quechua Indian tribes, literally translating Aconcagua as “white guardian.” Speculation about the origin of the name of the highest Argentine mountain peak does not end there, because local residents and historians also cite such translation options as “white stream”, “snowy mountain” and “looking at its own sands”, but which one is most accurate, continues to remain an unsolved mystery.

This peak is the main asset of the National Park of the same name and the easiest way to get to these picturesque places is along the famous Pan-American Highway, the length of which exceeds 30 thousand kilometers, focusing on the small place of the Inca Bridge. It is noteworthy that this majestic peak is surrounded on all sides by high mountain ranges, having a mass of glaciers, the largest of which are considered to be the Polish and Eastern formations. The history of the origin of Aconcagua also raises many questions among geologists, because numerous studies show that it could only have arisen from the collision of two huge plates of the lithosphere (we are talking about Nazca from the eastern part of the Pacific waters and the South American plate, which holds the entire continent, as well as an impressive part southwestern waters of the Atlantic Ocean). This means that the foundation of this highest mountain dates back to before the Jurassic period, which is truly amazing.

Surprisingly, being of volcanic origin, the highest point of the Andean ridge in Argentina is not a volcano, so local residents are not in danger of an eruption. Today, an avalanche is also considered unlikely, for the simple reason that Aconcagua is surrounded by mountain ranges. Naturally, this majestic peak has haunted mountain lovers for quite some time, as a result of which there have been repeated attempts to conquer it since 1883, when the famous German climber Paul Gussfeldt led an expedition for this purpose. Unfortunately, both attempts by the ambitious climber ended in failure, although on his first ascent he managed to reach the supreme river and reach the entire northwestern ridge, leaving as much as 6,560 meters below.

13 years later, another climber named Edward Fitzgerald, who arrived in Argentina from America, also decided to try his luck in conquering the inaccessible peak, having previously studied to the smallest detail the unsuccessful climbing experience of the previous expedition and enlisted the support of one of the best mountain guides of those times, the Swiss Matthias Zurbriggen . This time, it was decided to conquer Aconcagua from its southern side, but during the ascent the expedition happened to reach the eastern part of the mountain, which forced its participants to retreat back and continue fruitless attempts to conquer the peak over the next six weeks. Surprisingly, when only a few hundred meters remained to the summit, it became obvious to the climbers that further ascent was impossible and only Zurbriggen took the risk, as a result of which he successfully conquered the peak of Aconcagua on January 14, 1897.

All members of the expedition had the opportunity to repeat the experience of the Swiss mountain guide, except for its inspirer Fitzgerald, who, a few hundred meters before the summit, rapidly developed mountain sickness with all its negative symptoms.

Of all the wonders that Argentina has, one of the most impressive is the peak of Mount Aconcagua, which is called the Stone Guardian. Its height is 6962 meters above sea level, and this allows it to bear the title of the highest mountain in South America.

Looking at the earth from the top of Argentina, you involuntarily think about how small man is in comparison with the greatness of nature. It seems that the frozen peaks of the Andes do not at all want thousands of climbers to conquer them, but the mountains do not understand that only reaching the peak makes one feel real freedom.

The small village of Puente del Inca is ready to shelter everyone who wants to feel that same freedom after the much-desired conquest of the most famous volcano of the Andes (or before it). It is located 3 kilometers from the peak, and there you can stay in a hotel, explore the Inca Bridge - an amazing natural formation, and also buy souvenirs at a fair of local craftsmen.

For those who are still in search of freedom, the Stone Guardian is the most suitable place.

Glaciers

• Los Glaciares
  A national park located in Patagonia (South America), in the Argentine province of Santa Cruz. The area of ​​the park is 4459 km². In 1981 it was included in the World Heritage List. Founded in 1937, Los Glaciares is Argentina's second largest national park.
• Perito Moreno
  Glacier located in the Los Glaciares National Park, in the southeast of the Argentine province of Santa Cruz. It is one of the most interesting tourist sites in the Argentine part of Patagonia. The glacier is located 78 km from the village of El Calafate, which can be reached by plane. Perito Moreno has an area of ​​250 km² and is one of 48 glaciers fed by the southern part of the Patagonian Glacier, located in the Andes on the border of Argentina and Chile. This ice plateau is the third largest reservoir of fresh water in the world.

Passes

• Bermejo
  A pass in the Main Cordillera of the Southern Andes, through which the Pan-American Highway passes. Since colonial times, it has been used as the shortest route between Buenos Aires, located on the Atlantic coast, and the Pacific port of Valparaiso. Separates the valleys of the Juncal and Las Cuevas rivers.

Mountains

• Aconcagua
  Mountain in Argentina, the world's highest batholith. Height 6962 m. It is the highest point of the American continent, South America, the western and southern hemispheres. The origin of the name of the mountain is unknown; existing ones derive it from the Araucanian language (“from the other side of the Aconcagua River”) or from Ackon Cahuak, which means “Stone Guardian” in the Quechua language. The mountain was created by the collision of the Nazca and South American tectonic plates.
• Andes
  The longest (9000 km) and one of the highest (Mount Aconcagua, 6962 m) mountain systems on Earth, bordering all of South America from the north and west; southern part of the Cordillera. In some places, the Andes reach a width of over 500 km (the greatest width is up to 750 km in the Central Andes). The average altitude is about 4000 m. The Andes are a large interoceanic watershed; To the east of the Andes flow the rivers of the Atlantic Ocean basin (the Amazon itself and many of its large tributaries, as well as the tributaries of the Orinoco, Paraguay, Parana, Magdalena River and Patagonia River originate in the Andes), to the west - the Pacific Ocean basin (mostly short ones).
• Antofalya
  Volcano in the province of Catamarca, in the north-west of Argentina. Located on the edge of Puna de Atacama, a desert plateau in the east of the Atacama Desert. The volcano has three large peaks, stretching from west to east at a distance of about three kilometers. The western peaks, higher and exposed to moist winds from the Pacific Ocean, are constantly covered with a layer of snow. The highest point is Nevado de Antofalla, with a peak height of 6440 meters.
• Arakar
  Volcano. Located in the province of Salta, Argentina. Arakara is a stratovolcano with a height of 6082 meters. It is located in the Central Andean highlands of northeastern Argentina, near the border with Chile. The volcano has a well-preserved summit crater; the slopes of the volcano are uneven and steep. The volcano was formed in 3 stages, starting from the Pliocene era. The volcano is composed mainly of andesites and dacites. Frozen lava flows can be traced at a distance of 10 km from the volcano and are found at an altitude of 4500 meters.
• Volcán de los Patos
  Volcano on the border of Chile and Argentina near the San Francisco Pass. In 1936, the remains of Incas were found on the slopes of the mountain, which were probably sacrificed. This makes it possible to assume that Volcán de los Patos was climbed even in pre-Columbian times. The first reliably known conquest of the peak was carried out in 1937 by a Polish expedition consisting of S. Osietsky, I. Voyashnich, V. Pariski, I. Szczepansky.
• Home Cordillera
  The watershed ridge on the border of Chile and Argentina. In the northern part of the ridge, peaks rise above 6000 m, but to the south of the southern latitude the heights do not exceed 4000 m. To the south, on the western slope of the ridge there are many active volcanoes; Earthquakes often occur. The main Cordillera is composed mainly of sedimentary and volcanic rocks of the Mesozoic with intrusions.
• Incahuasi
  Volcano in the province of Catamarca, in the north-west of Argentina. It is located in the east of the Atacama Desert. This volcano has two major peaks. The volcano has a 3.5 km wide caldera. Four pyroclastic cones are located 7 km to the northeast.
• Cordillera
  The largest mountain system in the world, stretching along the western edges of North and South America. The cordillera formed at the junction of two lithospheric plates, in a compression zone of the earth's crust. This strip is crossed here by many faults that start from the ocean floor and end on land. The mountain-building process here is not yet complete, as evidenced by strong earthquakes and volcanic eruptions (for example, Orizaba and Popocatepetl in the Mexican Highlands). The entire Cordillera system is divided into 2 parts - the Cordillera of North America and the Cordillera of South America, or the Andes. Length - more than 18 thousand km, width - up to 1600 km in North America and up to 900 km in South America. Located in Canada, the USA, Mexico, Central America, Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Argentina and Chile.
• Lanin
  Cone-shaped stratovolcano on the border of Argentina and Chile. It is part of two national parks: Lanin in Argentina and Villarrica in Chile. It is the symbol of the Argentine province of Neuquén, being part of its flag and mentioned in its anthem. Although the date of its last eruption is unknown, it is estimated that it took place within the last 10,000 years. After the 1906 Valparaiso earthquake, local newspapers reported that the volcano had allegedly erupted, but this news was questioned. Lanin lies on the Atlantic-Pacific divide of the Andes. According to the border treaty of 1881, the state border between Argentina and Chile runs along the mountain.
• Mercedario
  The highest peak of the Cordillera de la Ramada and the eighth highest mountain in the Andes. In Chile it is known as La Liga. Located 100 km north of Aconcagua, in the Argentine province of San Juan. The first ascent of the mountain was made in 1934 by Adam Karpinski and Viktor Ostrovski, members of a Polish expedition.
• Monte Pissis
  An extinct volcano in the province of La Rioja, Argentina, located approximately 550 km north of Aconcagua. Due to its location in the Atacama Desert, snow is only available at its peak during the winter. It was named after Pedro José Amadeo Piz in 1885, a French geologist who worked for the Chilean government.
• Nevado Tres Cruces
  A volcanic massif in South America, it belongs to the Andes mountain range, located on the border of Argentina and Chile. It is eight to twelve kilometers long from north to south and consists of four main peaks. The two highest peaks are Tras Cruces Sur with an altitude of 6749 m and Tras Cruces Central, 6629 m. The Nevado Tres Cruces National Park in Chile is named after the mountain.
• Ojos del Salado
  The highest volcano on Earth and the second highest peak in South America - after Mount Aconcagua. Located on the border between Argentina and Chile, the summit is on Argentine territory. The height is 6,893 meters. To the west of the volcano and to the Pacific coast extends the Atacama Desert. On the eastern slope in the crater of the volcano there is the highest lake in the world at an altitude of 6390 meters.
• Pampino Sierras
  Mountainous, including ridges of submeridional extent between the Andes and Pampa. The prevailing height is 1500–2000 m, the maximum is 5550 m. The mountains are composed of ancient crystalline rocks. The tops are flat. The western slopes are steep, the eastern slopes are gentle. Cacti grow on the western slopes, and dry forests, woodlands and shrubs grow on the eastern slopes. At the tops there are mountain steppes. The eastern frame forms the Sierras de Cordoba ridge.
• Patagonian Andes
  The southern part of the Andes mountain belt, south of 39° south latitude, in the territory of Chile and Argentina. The highest point is Mount San Valentin (4058 m). The northern part is characterized by strong seismicity and active volcanism (Lanin, Osorno, Corcovado volcanoes). The climate is temperate, very humid: up to 5000 mm of precipitation per year or more. South of 46°30′ south latitude there are two large Patagonian glacial plateaus: Northern and Southern. At the eastern foothills there are large glacial lakes. In the northern part there are coniferous and deciduous evergreen forests, in the southern part there are mixed deciduous evergreen and coniferous forests. There are many national parks located in the mountains.
• Sapaleri
  An extinct volcano in the Andes. Height – 5653 m above sea level. The mountain is famous for being the border junction of Argentina (Jujuy province), Bolivia (Potosi department) and Chile (Antofagasta region). Sapaleri has two peaks, southern and northern, and a small lake in the crater. The areas adjacent to the mountain are protected. In Bolivia, this is the Eduardo Avaroa Natural Park.
• Cerro Bonete
  A mountain in the north of the province of La Rioja, Argentina, near the border with the province of Catamarca. The height of its peak is 6759 m above sea level, which makes it the fifth highest mountain in America (after Aconcagua, Ojos del Salado, Monte Pissis and Huascaran).
• Cerro Galan
  Supervolcano in the Argentine province of Catamarca. On the plateau there is one of the world's largest calderas (up to 100 km in cross section), which arose 2.2 million years ago.
• Cerro Torre
  A peak in Patagonia, South America, located on the border of Argentina and Chile. This unusually beautiful and difficult-to-reach peak was first seen in 1953 by French climbers Leonel Terrai and Guido Magnoni, who were climbing the nearby Fitzroy peak. The area is characterized by bad weather. Due to the proximity of the Pacific Ocean, there are strong winds here. The summit is often covered with frozen ice, making movement on it very dangerous.
• Cerro El Condor
  Stratovolcano in Catamarca. Located in the Western Cordillera, close to the Chilean border. The height is, according to various estimates, 6300, 6414 or 6532 m.
• Cerro El Muerto
  A mountain in South America, it belongs to the Andes mountain range, located on the border of Argentina and Chile, its height is 6488 meters. The first successful ascent to the summit was made in 1950. Cerro El Muerto is a stratovolcano, currently considered extinct.
• Socompa
  Stratovolcano on the border of the Chilean region of Antofagasta and Salta. The volcano is a large complex known for its displacement deposits, which is the best preserved example of such deposits. The volcano is quite difficult to reach, which, however, is possible both from the north, from the Miscanti Pass, and from the west, from the Escondido copper mine.
• Sierras de Cordoba
  Submeridional mountain range of the Pampinsky Sierras (Argentina). The length of the ridge reaches 500 km, the highest point is Mount Champaki (2884 m). The ridge is composed mainly of crystalline and metamorphic rocks. The eastern slope is gentle, the western slope is steep and short. Shrubs and cacti grow up to an altitude of 1500–1700 m. In wetter places there is a forest of quebracho. Above the bushes is the steppe. Mountain resorts are located here. Beryllium and tungsten are being mined. At the eastern foot is the city of Cordoba.
• Tupungatito
  Active volcano. Height 6000 m. Located in the central part of the Andes (Main Cordillera) in Argentina. Bounded by the mountain ranges of the Valle de las Vacas to the north and east and the Valle de los Orcones Inferior to the south and west. Tupungatito was created by the collision of the Nazca and South American tectonic plates. It is located on the border of Chile and Argentina, east of Santiago, approximately 50 km south of Aconcagua in the province of Mendoza.
• Tupungato
  Active volcano. Height 6,800 m. The mountain arose during the collision of the Nazca and South American tectonic plates, on the border of Chile and Argentina, east of the city of Santiago. Located in the central part of the Andes (Main Cordillera) in Argentina. Bounded by the mountain ranges of the Valle de las Vacas to the north and east and the Valle de los Orcones Inferior to the south and west.
• Fitzroy
  A peak located in Patagonia in the border region between Argentina and Chile. Height 3405 meters.
• Central Andian Highlands
  The widest (up to 750 km) part of the Andes, located between 15° and 28° south latitude in Peru, Bolivia, Chile and Argentina. The large, eastern part of the highlands, located within Bolivia, is called the Bolivian Highlands. The central part of the highlands is occupied by the internal Puna plateau, the average height of which is 3700–4100 m (individual ridges reach 6000 m) and the lowered Altiplano plateau.
• Chilean-Argentine Andes
  A section of the Andes, located in Chile and Argentina. It is here that the Andes reach their maximum height, and mountain building processes continue with the greatest activity. In the west of this area, along the coast of the Pacific Ocean, stretches the low ridge of the Cordillera de la Costa (Coastal Cordillera), which is a continuation of the Coastal Range of the Central Andes. The average height of this ridge is 800 m, individual peaks rise up to 2000 m. Deep river valleys divide it into plateaus that drop steeply to the Pacific Ocean.
• El Libertador
  Mountain peak in Argentina. The mountain is located in the Argentine province of Salta. Covered with eternal snow. The altitude is 6380 m above sea level; above the plateau the mountain rises to 2146 m.
• Cerro El Plomo
  A mountain in the Andes, located east of the city of Santiago. The mountain climbing season is from January to March; in the spring there is a large amount of snow on the mountain, which makes climbing difficult. Before the arrival of the Spaniards, the mountain was a ceremonial site for the Incas.
• Nevado-San Francisco
  Volcano in the north-west of Argentina. It is located southeast of San Francisco Pass. The height of the peak is 6061 meters.
• Llullaillaco
  An active volcano in the Western Cordillera range of the Peruvian Andes, on the border of Chile and Argentina. Located in Puna de Acatama, a region of very high volcanoes on the high plateau of the Atacama Desert, one of the driest places in the world. It has an absolute height of 6739 m, a relative height of almost 2.5 km. At the top there is eternal glaciation. The last explosive eruption dates back to 1877, and the volcano is currently in the solfataric stage. Llullaillaco is the tallest active volcano on the planet, the fifth highest volcano in the world and the seventh highest peak in the Western Hemisphere. The snow line on the western slope exceeds 6.5 thousand meters (the highest position of the snow line on earth).
• Marmolejo
  Volcano on the border between Argentina (Mendoza province) and Chile (Santiago region). Height – 6109 m. Located north of the younger active volcano San Jose. It has a caldera 4 km wide. Its northwestern part was destroyed, which at one time caused a massive landslide.

The mountains of Argentina fit surprisingly brightly into the local landscapes, aptly diluting the exotic landscape designs with sharp peaks of chiseled massifs.

The contrasting beauty of the hills is complemented by their distinctive uniqueness, nuances of climate and geological factors.

That is why the peaks have always attracted the attention of numerous scientists who want to get to know the Argentine giants better. The rocky massifs of the Andes are not only considered the longest mountain system on the planet, but also shock many tourists with their extreme elevation (the average height of the mountains exceeds 4 km above sea level).

Graceful heights stretch picturesquely across the lands of seven countries, the continent is literally covered by sharp peaks. They are also the central climate barrier for South America, protecting them from the weather effects of the Pacific Ocean.

The tallest representative of the legendary one is Aconcagua, whose “height” reaches 7,000 meters, is located in flashy Argentina, being one of the national symbols of the country.

Geological structure and relief, memorable facts

The Argentine peaks belong to the class of revived mountains, erected by new uplifts on the site of the Andean fold belt. The Andes mountain ranges are a remarkable system of alpine folding, the formation of which dates back to the distant Jurassic period.
The design naturally has a large number of so-called troughs, which have the appearance of a standard recess with a trough-shaped transverse profile, a spacious bottom and steeply concave sides. Subsequently, the deep valleys were completely filled with thick layers of sedimentary and volcanogenic rocks.

Minerals of the mountains of Argentina

The arsenal of ores surprises with a vast number of elements. The Andes are rich in many rocks, including:
Vanadium is a plastic silver-colored object;
tungsten is a durable steel-colored element;
bismuth - a shiny silvery object;
zinc is a brittle metal with a bluish tint;
Arsenic is a greenish semimetal.
Oil and gas are also produced in the forward troughs of the Argentine mountainous areas. In the weathering crusts it is easy to detect entire deposits of bauxite, the most important aluminum ore, which is the basis of almost the entire world industry of creating objects from the “winged metal”.

Orography, climatic nuances of the southern Andes

The following area of ​​mountain peaks is officially divided into two parts - northern and southern. If the first component of the Andes belongs to the Chilean-Argentinean, then the second – Patagonian, which also connects the two states.
The climate is subtropical; sloping surfaces are moistened by winter cyclones. Moving south, large amounts of precipitation increase furiously on the slopes of the western side of the mountains.

Summer on the territory of the bright peaks is dry, without particularly large amounts of precipitation; winter, on the contrary, is quite wet. Seasonal air temperatures and continental climate change with distance from the ocean depths.

When moving to the southern side of the peaks, the previous climate gently gives way to the humid oceanic environment of temperate latitudes. Precipitation amounts are increasing (up to 6,000 mm per year), almost the whole year the south is shrouded in heavy rains, the coasts are always covered with a dense veil of fog, and the sea is steadily raging.

The eastern slopes have drier areas of residence, the average temperature in summer is no more than 16C, in winter – 2-8C. Tierra del Fuego has a humid climate, formed due to powerful westerly winds.
Flora, altitudinal zone

The diverse magic of the plant component of the mountain ranges is amazing, because in the Andes you can easily find many colorful representatives of the flora and interesting variations of the soil. This fact is due to the height of the mountains, due to which the degree of moisture on the slopes changes.

The Argentine peaks are home to cinchona, tobacco, coca and many other useful plants, often susceptible to exploitation by inhabitants around the globe. Also, on the lands of the picturesque Andes, the beloved potato and tomato was discovered for the first time.
The altitude zones surprise with their precise clarity; experts distinguish only three zones:
Tierra caliente.
Tierra Fria.
Tierra Helada.
“Tiera” is translated from Spanish as “earth,” “caliente” means “warm,” “fria” means “cold,” and “elada” means “frosty.” The richness of the language quite clearly emphasized the climatic conditions of each section of the mountains.

The lower layer of the mountain ranges is generously covered with equatorial jungles and forests. They are characterized by many amazing palm trees, ficus trees, and bananas. Also in the tropical forests there is quite a lot of bamboo, large-scale subspecies of tree-like fern.

Slightly taller trees are replaced by shorter representatives of the class, neat shrubs. Literally at every step there are epiphytes, vines, and oaks.
At the very top the vegetation is predominantly xerophytic. This kind of flora is prone to frequent droughts and easily tolerates the lack of saving moisture. Mossy swamps are also common, and the steep slopes have a lifeless landscape of rocky spaces.

Fauna and wildlife of the Argentine mountains

Among the animals inhabiting the proud peaks there are amazing representatives of the animal world, bearing names unusual for Europeans:
Spectacled Bear;
Pudu deer;
blue fox;
vicuna.
The mountains are also home to charming alpacas, fluffy chinchillas, and charming sloths. Nimble hummingbirds, known for their tiny size, flutter through the bamboo thickets, and monkeys rest imposingly on the vines.
In total, there are about 550 different breeds of mammals, over 1,500 subtypes of birds and 300 species of freshwater fish in the Andes. The numbers are inaccurate, because it is impossible to fully study all the wonders of tropical forests; even the most meticulous botanists are not able to familiarize themselves with all the representatives of the flora of mysterious lands.

Information about some mountains of Argentina

It is obvious that many representatives of the Argentinean hills require special attention, because each mountain has its own impeccable structural nuances. In addition, it is in Argentina that the highest components of the magical Andes are located.
Among the world-famous representatives of the Argentinean heights are the following peaks:
Monte Pissis - 6,793 m;
Cerro Bonete – 6,761 m;
Mercedario – 6,722 m;
Tupungato - 6,568 m;
Cerro Solo – 6,203 m.
And this is not a complete list of the various mountains and volcanoes located on the territory of the exotic country of Argentina.

Aconcagua is a member of the Seven Summits Club

The height of this beauty exceeds 6,960 m above sea level. The mountain is located in the provincial town of Mendoza, which is located just 15 kilometers from the border with the neighboring state of Chile.

A proud member of the Seven Summits Club, occupying the second position in the leadership top of the world giants, it is located in the central part of the Andes. The mountain arose due to a sharp collision of two lithospheric plates. Aconcagua has volcanic roots, although it is not itself a volcano.
Climbers call the mountain quite easy from the technical side of climbing if you choose the northern slope of the peak as the route. However, the destructive influence of altitude is felt; extreme sports enthusiasts often stop climbing due to severe symptoms of altitude sickness.

Ojos del Salado – volcanic record holder

There are several variations of translations of the name of the highest volcano on Earth; according to the first, the name of the Argentine giant means “salty eyes,” another theory calls the extinct volcano “eyes of the desert.”
The height of the stratovolcano reaches 6,893 m, the desert landscapes of hot Atakma stretch to the west, and on the eastern slope in the depths of the crater there is a lake. Since 1993, Ojos del Salado has not shown any signs of activity, with only a few sulfur emissions observed.

The first ascent was made by a brave duo of Polish climbers, who also discovered the remains of sacrificial altars at the top. Experts suggest that the Incas considered the mountain sacred.
It is possible to conquer the sharp peak of the old volcano even with the help of a car. This fact was proven in 2007 by a Chilean athlete who managed to climb a steep slope using a modified Suzuki SJ.

Llullaillaco is the highest active volcano

The complex name, which is almost impossible to pronounce the first time, is not the only characteristic feature of the high mountain. The sharp, icy peak is located in the Atacama Desert, the driest place in the world.

There are several assumptions explaining the history of the volcano's name, both related to the subtleties of ancient languages. The mysterious word lullu for the Quechua people was translated as “water that cannot be found.” For the Aymara people, the expression meant "a soft substance that will later harden."

The painstaking process of formation took place in 2 evolutionary stages; initially a wide cone was formed, the upper part of which collapsed about 170 thousand years ago. The second stage meant the natural birth of a new small cone, on the territory of which there were numerous “domes”.
The fame of the old volcano was provoked by another interesting fact: in 1999, mummified bodies were discovered at the top. Experts believe that the children (two girls, one boy) were part of an act of sacrifice carried out by the Incas about 500 years ago.