Aconcagua Provincial Park
Aconcagua Provincial Park is a Provincial Park located in the Mendoza Province of the Andes Mountains in Argentina, which offers diverse mountaineering activities including hiking, skiing, and climbing. It was created primarily "to conserve the natural and cultural values of the area."[1]
This range plays an important place in the history of Latin America. In 1818, General Don Jose de San Martin crossed these mountains during war with the Spanish Empire, eventually securing independence for Chile by his daring raid.
The summit of the mountain Aconcagua, the tallest mountain in the Americas, was first summited on January 14, 1897, by Matthias Zurbriggen, a member of the FitzGerald expedition. It remains both popular with mountain climbers, but is also dangerous due to altitude sickness; a 33-year-old French mountaineer died suddenly in 2026.[2] Three out of every thousand climbers at Aconcagua Provincial Park die in the attempt to summit the high peak, most often due to trauma, and one fifth of those from high-altitude pulmonary edema.[3]
Some of the more visited attractions that draw tourists all year long are Horcones Lagoon (Laguna de Horcones),[4] and Plaza de Mulas or Plaza Francia.
See also
References
- ↑ "Aconcagua Provincial Park" (pdf). Mendoza Province (government). Retrieved 12 August 2026.
- ↑ "French mountaineer dies near summit of Mount Aconcagua: Guillaume Ferey, 33, collapsed and died at an altitude of 6,700 meters. Rescuers were unable to save him". Buenos Aires Herald. 20 January 2026. Retrieved 12 August 2026.
- ↑ Hutchinson, Alex (12 March 2025). "Why Climbers on Aconcagua Get Serious Altitude Illness: New data identifies two key risk factors for high-altitude pulmonary edema, a leading cause of death on the highest mountain in the Americas". Outside online. Retrieved 12 August 2026.
- ↑ Scatolón, Romina (30 September 2024). "The top 13 trails for trekking in Mendoza: From gentle walks to challenging summits, these routes invite you to take in the natural beauty of Mendoza from above". TimeOut. Retrieved 12 August 2026.
12. Tourist Circuit Laguna de Horcones in Aconcagua Provincial Park: This is a 2-hour walk along well-marked trails until you reach the Panoramic Viewpoint, from which you can see the Horcones Lagoon and the south face of Aconcagua. It's a low-difficulty trek, so no guide is required, and it's suitable for all ages.
32°45′50″S 69°47′45″W / 32.763889°S 69.795833°W