Aconcagua Expeditions – A Little Information About the Stone Sentinel

Mount Aconcagua is a mountain located in western Mendoza, in the middle of the Andes Mountains. It is part of the Frontal Mountain Range, parallel to the Main Mountain Range. It has a total altitude of 6,962 meters above sea level, thus constituting the highest peak in the entire Western Hemisphere, forming part of the Seven Summits Circuit.It is located in the Aconcagua Provincial Park; a Protected Natural Area created in 1983 to preserve the patrimonial riches that it houses, such as, and in addition to Aconcagua, numerous glaciers and important archaeological sites. It is one of the ten Reserves that are part of the Protected Natural Areas of the province and one of the three protected areas of Alta Montaña together with the Tupungato Volcano and the Diamante Lagoon.Cerro Aconcagua is ascended annually by climbers from all over the world, with around 7000 visitors per season. The optimal period for climbing is between December and March, in the warm seasons. Due to the difficulty of climbing, more stringent measures have been taken in recent years to ensure safety. Contracts, permits, and sponsors must climb, plus all the proper equipment and a fully trained guide.The geological creation of Aconcagua Argentina is relatively recent, dating from about 200 to 280 million years ago. The origin of its name is not defined. It is still debated whether it comes from the Araucanian or Mapudungun Aconca-Hue or from the Quechua Ackon Cahuak. This last quechua name means “Stone Sentinel,” which is quite significant.Cerro Aconcagua is a mountain located in western Mendoza, in the middle of the Andes Mountains. It is part of the Frontal Mountain Range, parallel to the Main Mountain Range. It has a total altitude of 6,962 meters above sea level, thus constituting the highest peak in the entire Western Hemisphere, forming part of the Seven Summits Circuit.It is located in the Aconcagua Provincial Park, a Protected Natural Area created in 1983 to preserve the patrimonial riches that it houses, such as, for example, and in addition to Aconcagua, many glaciers and important archaeological sites. It is one of the ten Reserves that are part of the Protected Natural Areas of the province and one of the three protected areas of Alta Montaña together with the Tupungato Volcano and the Diamante Lagoon.Aconcagua is annually ascended by climbers from all over the world, with around 7000 visitors per season. The optimal period to climb is between December and March, in the warm seasons. Due to the difficulty in ascending, more stringent measures have been taken to ensure safety in recent years. Contracts, permits, and sponsors are required to climb, in addition to all the appropriate equipment and a fully trained guide.