About Aconcagua

Aconcagua

The Aconcagua is the center and main motive of the Aconcagua Provincial Park , one of the most spectacular protected areas of the Republic of Argentina . The 71000 hectares are located in the Province of Mendoza , a few kilometers East of the borderline with the Republic of Chile . All its waters flow towards the interior of Mendoza , through the Horcones, Vacas and Cuevas river basins.

The Aconcagua is the highest mountain of the Southern and Occidental Hemisphere and the highest peak of the American Continent. It is one of the icons of the appraised Seven Summit circuit. It is also important for introducing yourself to high altitude, due to its elevations, geographical and climatic conditions, it constitutes the ideal stage for moderate demands, also to prepare yourself for one of the most important athletic feats the 8000 m peaks of the Himalaya demand.

The "Colossus of America" is the goal of climbers of all latitudes and the athletic aspiration of thousands of annual lvisitors, who cherish this unique and exclusive experience, the one this magnificent mountain offers.

Aconcagua Provincial Park

The park is located at the Main Mountain Range or the Limiting Mountain Range, approximately at 180 km towards the West of the City of Mendoza , in the department of Las Heras. It was declared a natural reserve in 1983. It include 71000 hectares, protecting an important sector of the Central Andes , where the maximum peak is the Aconcagua hill (6959 m). The glaciers stand out in this area, as sweet water reservoirs and archeological findings. The name Aconcagua derives from the quechua language: Akun= summit, ka= another, agua= admired or feared; translated as another feared or admired peak. The Forest Ranger post is Horcones, placed at the entrance of the Horcones stream and lagoon.

Geologic and morphologic aspects

The Aconcagua represents the highest expression of the Andes. The altitude reached is not due to the construction of a volcanic structure like the Tupungato and Maipo hills, but it depended on the general elevation of the Mountain Range.

The main Mountain Range is of 70 km in width, south of the Diamante River and it thins out towards the north, up to 30 km close to the park region. On the other hand, the altitudes descend from north to south, from 6000 m down to approximately 3500 m.

The scenery is determined by the structure, piles of different types of rocks. Geologically, this region of the Main Mountain Range is a creased and sliced band, due to the process suffered at different levels (creased and sliced from their original position). The rock fracture is also important, added to the high altitude climatic characteristics and the presence of a plant covering of scarce magnitude, that has provided the marked physical alteration, especially due to the action of ice and low temperatures. The ice had a determinant part on the modeling of the landscape.

The freezing of the Main Mountain Range did not reach the level of the freezing of the Patagonia due to the arid conditions. The glaciers mainly occupied the valleys, forming high altitude caps only united to the higher elevations, like the Aconcagua , Plomo and Juncal.

Comparatively, the deposits the glaciers left throughout their advances and posterior backward movement, (moronic deposits) do not reach large dimensions and are restricted to the main valleys and surroundings of the present time glaciers. In general, the glaciers present include: exposed glaciers, glaciers made only of ice, glacier covered in detritus, which are glaciers that have suffered a thin out and the inside remainders remain on the surface, covering it. This covering layer acts like an active layer, meaning it can suffer independent movements and the last glaciers that are mostly made of rock.

The rocks in the region of the Aconcagua can be divided in 3 groups: one very deformed group of more than 300 millions years, another group of marine sediments from the Mesozoic era and finally, volcanic rocks (andesites) of the Tertiary period, of the Aconcagua volcanic complex. The quaternary material has a limited extension, where you can find deposits originated in the glacier era, of mass lagoon, fluvial and mixed mass removal processes, among others.

In the Aconcagua area, the Inferior Horcones glacier stands out and originates at the base of the Aconcagua hill, the Superior Horcones glacier, the Polish glacier or the Relinchos, a known access route to the summit and the Gussfeldt. In the past, a series of important glaciers developed. In the Confluence area, enormous ice masses of many kilometers in length, converged, its origin lies in the Inferior Horcones and Tolosa streams.

Wild life on the high mountain

The reserve is in the phytogeographic High Andean province. Because it is an ecosystem of extreme elevation and low precepitations, turning the weather rigurous, the biodiversity is low. However, the animal and plant species are interesting, showing a remarkable adaptation to high altitude life and concentrating themselves towards the lower areas of the park.

The predominante vegetation are open pastures of huecú and coirones with limited areas of low trees, such as yellow leña, yareta and goat horn. In general, the vegetation adapts to endure low temperatures, poor soils and snow and wind storms, almost disappearing over 4000 m All this is what gives it its stocky look. There are flatter areas where water accumulates and you see other kinds of vegetation, that endures long periods of soil freezing.

The typical animal species are the condor, the eagle, mountain mice and the red fox, there is a frog species that stands out and a lizard, both of them typical mountain species. The flat lands and the streams are visited by special bird species, such as chorlos, churrines and torrente ducks. There are large herds of llamas, followed by pumas, the main predator. The european hares are abundant, an exotic animal in the region.

As an adaptation to cold weather, the animal species are, in general, big, avoiding the loss of their body heat. The mammals posess soft and thick fur, that keeps them warm. Other species, such as the guanacos (llamas), pumas or foxes have the capacity to emigrate to the lower regions when the weather is too cold, this is the case of the condor and the eagle. The mountain mice can not move very far, so they take refuge in their caverns during the winter.

Archeology and present Park uses

There is no record of permanent native settlements, only temporary ones, of natives that ascended during summer, searching for guanacos. The remainders of incaic culture that rendured cult to the Aconcagua , burying their noble inhabitants in sites close to the summit. These burial sites have been studied by archeologists who have analyzed well conserved mummies, because of the cold weather. It has also been a witness to the colonization and the crossing of the Liberating Army ot General San Martin. In present time, the Andean Corridor passes by its border, bonding the commercial interchange of the Mercosur with the ports of the Pacific Ocean.

The present uses of the reservation are centered around the highest point in the occidental world, attracting mountain climbers and tourists from all over the world. In the last season, more than 6000 visitors entered the Park, most of them trying to reach the highest point In America.

Climate

The peak of the Aconcagua can be a sweet pleasing woman if Febo shines and Eolo sleeps, but when the fury of the wind god unfastens and the cloud dragons devour the sky, the peak turns into a terrible and freezing witch. Only when you have met both faces, so opposite, of this mountain and its particular climate, you learn to love her and understand her completely.

The Central Andes , and particularly the Aconcagua , receive the humidity from the winds, originated in the anticyclonic centers of the Pacific Ocean . The climatic phenomenon denominated Zonda wind is similar to the Fohn in Europe.

The Pacific anticyclon emits humid winds that blow towards the East, meaning, West Winds. These winds elevate, crash against the mountain mass, cool and precipitate their humidity in the form of snow on the high peaks. After this, the air masses, already dry, descend on the oriental sides of the mountain range, progressively warming up.

This air movement originated in the Pacific, is the main caus of snow and wind storms that unchain over the Aconcagua . But there are other electic storms that also exist, formed by the microclimate of the area, particularly strong. These electrical storms are exclusively produced during summer and must not be underestimated. The north west side of the mountain is exposed to electric sparks (lightning), also the peaks and crests. Due to the size of this mountain there is also a particular phenomenon. On occasions, the strong winds of the West blow, at high altitude, affecting the higher areas of the mountain (from 5500 up) forming a huge "mushroom" or lenticle. Even when there is a good climate, in Plaza de Mulas, the presence of the "Mushroom" is a definite sign of strong winds and precipitations in high altitude. Going into this "mushroom" can be fatal. Once you see one forming, you must abandon the higher areas of the mountains.

Regarding temperatures in summer, you must consider that the nights (even in good weather), over 5.000 m, -20ºC is common. On the summit, it is frequent to see -30ºC. During periods of bad weather or in the presence of masses of air coming from the South, at Plaza de Mulas it is frequent to find -18ºC, while at the top of the mountain -25ºC is common.

During most of the days and nights, the temperatures are not very rigorous. You can wear a bathing suit, at mid day at base camp (4200 m) or be on the peak, at the same time, only wearing a thick shirt and a light anorak. These large thermal variations force the climber to always be prepared.

During winter, the area is covered with snow, the winds are always violent and constant, while the temperatures rarely go over 0ºC. In shady areas, the temperature is below zero. Ascending the Aconcagua in winter is a huge psychophysical performance test and you need a lot of experience and high quality equipment.