What is the highest mountain in South America?
Aconcagua in Argentina is the highest mountain in South America, at about 6,961 meters. It is the highest mountain outside Asia and in both the Western and Southern Hemispheres.
Aconcagua is in the Andes, in the province of Mendoza, near the border with Chile. Although it is not technically difficult by its normal route, its extreme altitude, cold and strong winds make it a serious challenge. Many climbers suffer from altitude sickness.
The first recorded ascent was in 1897 by Swiss mountaineer Matthias Zurbriggen, part of an expedition led by Edward FitzGerald. However, remains of an Inca mummy found on a nearby ridge show that the Inca climbed high on the mountain centuries earlier for religious ceremonies.
The Andes
The Andes is the world's longest continental mountain range, stretching about 7,000 kilometers along western South America. Other high peaks include Ojos del Salado, the world's highest active volcano, and Chimborazo in Ecuador, whose summit is the farthest point from Earth's center because of the planet's bulge at the equator.
Did You Know?
The name Aconcagua may come from Quechua words meaning stone sentinel, though its origin is debated.