Mount Aconcagua: Aconcagua Provincial Park (Argentina)

Mount Aconcagua: Aconcagua Provincial Park (Argentina)

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Aconcagua Provincial Park is a protected area in the Argentinean Andes, on the Chilean border. It is home to snow-capped Mount Aconcagua, South America’s tallest peak and the highest mountain in both the southern and western hemispheres.

Mount Aconcagua

Mount Aconcagua has two north and south summits, connected by a ridge (Cresta del Guanaco) about 1 km (.6 mi) long. With its northern summit at 6,962 m (22,840 ft), Aconcagua is the highest mountain in both the southern and western hemispheres. The southern summit has been measured at 6,930 m (22,736 ft).

Aconcagua is located in the Southern Andes and lies 15 km (9.3 mi) from the international border with Chile. Although its peak is in Argentina, its western flanks build up from the coastal lowlands of Chile, just north of Santiago.

It is bounded by the Valle de las Vacas to the north and east and the Valle de Los Horcones Inferior to the west and south. The mountain and its surroundings are part of the Aconcagua Provincial Park.

The mountain has several glaciers. The largest glacier is the Ventisquero Horcones Inferior, about 10 km (6.2 mi) long, which descends from the south face to about 3,600 m (11,800 ft) in altitude near the Confluencia camp.

Two other large glacier systems are the Ventisquero de las Vacas Sur and the Glaciar Este/Ventisquero Relinchos system, which is about 5 km (3 mi) long. The most well-known is the northeastern or Polish Glacier, as it is a standard ascent route.

Aconcagua Provincial Park

Aconcagua Provincial Park is a protected area in the Argentine Andes, on the Chilean border. It is located in western Mendoza Province, Cuyo region, approximately 185 km (115 mi) from the city of Mendoza. It is home to snow-capped Mount Aconcagua, South America's tallest peak.

A trail leads from the park's entrance to Los Horcones Lagoon and the Durazno Ravine. Andean condors thrive at high altitudes. Nearby is the Puente del Inca, where an orange rock formation makes a natural bridge over the Las Cuevas River.

Some of the more visited attractions that draw tourists all year long, besides Mount Aconcagua, are Horcones Lagoon and Plaza de Mulas or Plaza Francia.

Puente del Inca

Puente del Inca ("The Inca Bridge") is a natural arch that forms a bridge over the Las Cuevas River, a tributary of the Mendoza River. The area is located between the two trailheads for climbing Aconcagua.

The abandoned railway station has been turned into a mountaineering museum (the "Museo del Andinista"), founded by a group of mountain climbers to display the area's cultural history. The museum is open to the public during the summer.