In the Cordillera de los Andes -in the province of Mendoza- is the Aconcagua hill, the highest elevation in America. Framed by a spectacular natural environment, it integrates one of the most beautiful landscapes in Argentina. In the geological constitution of this Andean sector, it is recognized: a pre-Jurassic basement, formed between 320 and 205 million years; Mesozoic sequences made up of marine and continental rocks, aged between 170 and 80 million years; Neogene sediments and volcanoes formed between 20 and 8 million years ago, and a cover of recent sediments. The geological evolution of the Aconcagüina region is a magnificent example of mountain-generating processes, which began in a marine basin in the Jurassic and reached the formation of a massif that reaches 7 kilometers in height today. South of Aconcagua, the Cuevas River valley has been a crossing point for the Andes since pre-Columbian times, and that is why there are historical remains from different eras scattered throughout the area. Currently, Aconcagua is a privileged tourist destination, especially for lovers of mountain sports.
Cerro Aconcagua is a mountain in the Cordillera de los Andes, located in the province of Mendoza, 185 km. from its capital and 15 kilometers from the border with Chile, in the Department of Las Heras. With an altitude of 6,962 meters above sea level, it is the highest peak in America.
On February 28, 2017, the MSI sensor on board the Sentinel-2A satellite obtained an image of Cerro Aconcagua with a spatial resolution of 10 meters. Aconcagua 360 Route
In the image in natural color combination, the surface covered by eternal snow and the numerous glaciers such as the Polacos on the northeastern slope can be identified in white, which contrasts with the brown of the bare soil and exposed rocks of the environment. In this high-altitude area, the climate is cold, dry and windy, so no development of vegetation is seen in the image.
This hill is located within the Aconcagua Provincial Park, declared a Provincial Park in 1983 with 71,000 hectares. This protected area has one of the most valuable natural resources on the planet, fresh water, which is contained mainly in glaciers. Likewise, it houses an important animal and plant diversity adapted to adverse environmental conditions (low temperatures and great aridity), characteristics of the high Andean phytogeographic region. How to Climb Aconcagua
Cerro Aconcagua, which gives its name to the reserve, is its main tourist attraction, capturing the attention of climbers and hikers from the most diverse places in the world. Aconcagua Guided Climb
The most recognized conception of the word “Aconcagua” comes from the Quechua language Akon – Kahuak which means “Stone Sentinel”. In the Aymara language, the words Kon – Kawa can be translated as “Monte Nevado”.