The Aconcacua hill reaches 6,900 meters in height. Reaching the top is one of the activities sought by foreign tourists.
Source: Tur News Agency
The Aconcagua is the highest mountain in all of America. Also known as El Centinela de Piedra is one of the most sought after destinations in Mendoza, in which Argentina, due to its majestic landscapes.
The province of Mendoza is known for its ski slopes, hot springs, wineries and picturesque cities such as Malargüe or San Rafael, and, for foreign visitors who like extreme challenges, is the Aconcagua Provincial Park, on the border with Chile.
It is a protected area since 1983 with the aim of safeguarding its natural and cultural values. It extends along some 71 thousand hectares on the Cordillera de los Andes and shelters in its interior invaluable heritage riches.
Within the park, the site chosen by thousands of climbers is Mount Aconcagua, better known as «roof of America», which gives its name to the reserve and represents the highest mountain in the West with 6962 meters. To retrace the route through different routes is the objective of those who choose this alternative where it is possible to observe a particular animal and plant life due to the climatic conditions. There you can do high demanding tours, circuits for those who have a better workout. According to specialists, more than the body, you have to prepare your mind and take the challenge with absolute peace of mind.
According to the international mountaineering experts who have climbed in the Himalayas, the almost 7,000 meters of the Aconcagua represent several hundred meters physiologically and physiologically. This phenomenon is due to the fact that in the Himalayas there is vegetation up to 5,000 meters, in the Central Andes mountain range only up to 3,500-4,000 meters. The ambient relative humidity is very scarce and the thickness of the layers of the atmosphere, in this area of the globe, have particularities that determine these effects.
In the area grew a lot of companies providing services to alleviate the walks, and in the camps it is possible to hire bathrooms, lodgings and food in domes. The equipment will be of vital importance for this adventure, while the itinerary is freely chosen, but always respecting the basic conditions and giving notice of entry and exit for any emergency that may arise. The postcards will be unique and back the perception of the world totally different.
FOOTPRINTS OF THE PAST
The challenging adventure of conquering the «roof of America»
The word Aconcagua, according to the Quechua language, means «Stone Sentinel», but in Aymara it could be interpreted as «Snow Mountain». In the area were found outstanding archaeological findings and is that these roads also traveled hundreds of years ago various aboriginal communities.
The Park constitutes one of the final parts of the extensive Camino del Inca, which was born in Colombia, passes through Chile and crosses seven Argentine provinces. A group of expeditionaries found in the Pyramid area a funerary bundle of Inca origin of a child with associated offerings.
THE ADVERSITIES OF THE CLIMATE
In the first areas of the Park, located about 180 kilometers from the capital city, the traveler will find that the air is cold and dry throughout the year, with temperatures below zero at night although they can reach 30 degrees on summer days.
The access season begins in mid-November and extends until March, but for fans there are also restricted outings in winter when the minimum when the sun goes down can reach -15 degrees after a day with just 10 to 2800 meters.
As you go up the grades go down, and the winds are usually very strong.
ETERNAL INHABITANTS
Despite these rigorous conditions, there is a wide variety of plant and animal life throughout the area. During the summer season, in the valleys yellow brushstrokes emerge and the bushes are rather squat. Strikingly, among the rocks and at a very important height, perennial herbs such as the quirquincho’s tail and the rosette are still visible.
Among the fauna you can find guanacos, pumas and foxes. Bird species are diverse, from very small as the Andean hummingbird to others of greater scope such as hawks or the Andean condor. Passing the 4 thousand meters the stage is absolutely rocky and will generate a sense of open-air immensity.
CÓMO LLEGAR.
Desde Buenos Aires es posible llegar por RN 7 directamente al Parque Provincial Aconcagua. En los 180 kilómetros de distancia de la ciudad capital, pasa por Potrerillos, Uspallata, Polvaredas, Punta de Vacas, Penitentes y Puente del Inca. En avión, hay vuelos diarios al Aeropuerto Internacional de Mendoza, en la ciudad de Las Heras.
