There are several mountains in South America that are some of the highest in the world. Likewise, the longest mountain chain is located on the continent. Mount Aconcagua happens to be the tallest or the highest mountain in South America. In this article, we have included everything you need to know about the country with the highest mountain in South America, a study about the mountain, and more related things.
Make sure you read till the end of this article to know more!
Which country has the highest mountain in South America?
In South America, the tallest mountain is Aconcagua, located in the Principal Cordillera of the Andes mountain range in Mendoza Province, Argentina. The mountain is situated very close to Chile. While it is still a debate as to whether or not this mountain is of the height that has been claimed for it, but it remains the tallest mountain in the Western Hemisphere and Southern Hemisphere.
The exact height of Aconcagua is still a question to all, but it has been estimated to be between the height of 6,706 meters (22,000 feet) and 6,961 meters (22,838 ft) above sea level. This mountain is 112 kilometers (70 miles) to the northwest of the city of Mendoza. Moreover, Aconcagua is also one of the seven summits in the world.
Highest Mountain in Argentina, South America
Argentina is the country with the highest mountain in South America. The mountain, Aconcagua, is not only tallest in the Northern Hemisphere but also in the Southern Hemisphere. Aconcagua is one of the tallest mountains among the seven summits in the world and has been estimated to be about 6,961 meters (22,838 ft) tall.
The South American Plate collapsed beneath the Nazca Plate, which led to the formation of the peak. From the Late Cretaceous or Early Paleocene through the Miocene, Aconcagua was an active stratovolcano built with several volcanic complexes on the outer edge of a basin with a shallow sea. The rocks that are found in Aconcagua have a history with breccias, lava, and pyroclastics. The marine basin formed before Aconcagua even became a volcano. The carbonates, limestones, turbidites, and evaporates filling the basin in Aconcagua are bright greenish, bluish, and grey deposits in the Horcones Valley and south of Puente Del Inca. Similarly, the bright red-colored rocks in the mountain further show evidence of the volcanic origins of the mountain.
The origin of the highest mountain in South America, Aconcagua, is still a mystery. It has, however, a lot to do with the word Mapudungun Aconca-Hue which means “comes from the other side,” the Quechua Ackon Cahuak, which means “Sentinel of Stone,” the Quechua Anco Cahuac, which refers to “White Sentinel,” or the Aymara Janq’u Q’awa, which means “White Ravine.”
The first attempt to climb the mountain was made by German geologist and explorer Paul Güssfeldt. He bribed the porters and took a route that has now become the most standard route for the mountaineers to climb Aconcagua. British mountaineer Edward FitzGerald led an expedition in 1897 which has been recorded as the first ascent of the mountain. Likewise, in 2013, Tyler Armstrong from California became the youngest person to summit the peak. Tyler was only nine years old when he made the expedition. Furthermore, Kaamya Karthikeyan from India became the youngest girl to ever climb the mountain at the age of 12. An 87-year-old mountaineer Scott Lewis became the oldest person to climb Aconcagua in 2007.
Climbing the highest mountain in the country in South America
Climbing the highest mountain in the country in South America, which happens to be in Argentina, is not the most difficult task for you if you are a trained mountaineer. When you take the normal route or the northern route, the climb is fairly easy, even for beginners. One of the best reasons why climbing Aconcagua is easy is because it is one of the most non-technical mountains in the world. This means that you won’t need any equipment, such as ropes, axes, etc. when you are on your way up to the summit.
Some of the biggest risks of climbing this mountain are that you will have to come through the risk of suffering from altitude sickness. However, this is not common as it is almost not prevalent among the mountain climbers in Aconcagua to take artificial oxygen to the climb as they won’t necessarily need it. But, your chances of suffocating during the time of your climb also depend upon the time taken for acclimatization. The more acclimatization, the better and easier it is for the climbers.
Similarly, South America’s tallest mountain really does not favor climbers to the extent that there is no fatality. In the January of the year 2009, there were 5 mountaineers who passed away during the time of the climb. Injuries in the mountain are also very common.
Dangers of the highest mountain in South America
There are several dangers associated with the highest mountain in South America. Some of them are it is the highest mountain outside of Asia. This mountain also has been given the nickname “ Mountain of Death,” as it has the highest recorded death of 3 people every year. Over 100 people have died in the mountain to this day.
One of the biggest dangers or back draws of climbing Aconcagua is that the mountaineers in the area dispose of their waste in the mountain, and only some part of the waste in the peak has yet been disposed from the mountain. Moreover, the mountain does not really facilitate all the climbers to use the toilet service. As a result, many mountaineers defecate in the open in the mountain. This has proven to have a negative effect on the sanitation and the health of the human beings as well as animals in the mountain.
There is also waste that human beings have spread in the mountain, which has proven to be fatal to the wildlife in the mountain. And, while only those with an expedition pass are allowed to use the toilets in the area, many climbers are forced to pay from around $5 to $10 a day to a whopping amount of $100.
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