Andes mountains - their height, coordinates and beautiful photos. Andes (mountains)
one of the highest mountain systems on Earth, which is located in the north-west of South America, with a very large number of active volcanoes that make up the Andean volcanic belt, with frequent earthquakes, large glaciers, rich natural resources in the form of gas, oil, non-ferrous metals
Definition of the Andes, geography of the Andes, northern Andes, central Andes, southern Andes, peaks of the Andes, people of the Andes, parks in the Andes, climate of the Andes, vegetation and soils of the Andes, animal life of the Andes, ecology of the Andes, industry of the Andes, mining of the Andes, agriculture of the Andes , interesting in the Andes
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Andes - this is the definition
The Andes are the longest mountain and also one of the highest mountain systems throughout the world, from the system of which the rivers of the basin flow to the east Atlantic Ocean, and to the west flow the rivers of the basin Pacific Ocean, these are mountains where formations have not yet ended and continue, so it is possible to find many active volcanoes here, and there are also frequent here, the Andes mountain system runs through the territory of 7 countries of America (South), it should be noted that in the Andes they sound like “Copper mountains".
The Andes are mountains that serve as the most important climatic barrier, isolating the territories to the west of the Main Cordillera from the influence of the Atlantic Ocean, and to the east from the influence of the Pacific Ocean.
The Andes are mountains that lie at 5 climatic zones(equatorial, subequatorial, tropical, subtropical and temperate) and are distinguished (especially in the central part) by sharp contrasts in the moisture content of the eastern (leeward) and western (windward) slopes.
The Andes are revived mountains, erected by recent uplifts on the site of the so-called Andean (Cordilleran) folded geosynclinal belt; The Andes are one of the largest systems of alpine folding on the planet (on the Paleozoic and partly Baikal folded basement).
The Andes are the longest mountain range in the world, it is still growing.
Andes, what is it? the longest and one of the highest mountain systems on Earth.
Andes, what is it? burn where plates collide earth's crust, volcanoes are active, mountains are rising.
Andes where it is along South America a giant chain, there are many rocky peaks and fire-breathing mountains.
Geography of the Andes
The Andes are revived mountains, erected by new uplifts on the site of the so-called Andean (Cordilleran) folded geosynclinal belt; The Andes are one of the largest systems of alpine folding on the planet (on the Paleozoic and partly Baikal folded basement). The beginning of the formation of the Andes dates back to Jurassic time.
The Andean mountain system is characterized by triasetrogs formed into rocks, subsequently filled with layers of sedimentary and volcanic rocks of considerable thickness. Large massifs of the Main Cordillera and the coast, the Coastal Cordillera, are granitoid intrusions of Cretaceous age.
Intermountain and marginal troughs (Altiplano, Maracaibo, etc.) were formed in Paleogene and Neogene times. Tectonic movements, accompanied by seismic and volcanic activity, continue in our time. This is due to the fact that a subduction zone runs along the Pacific coast of South America: the Nazca and Antarctic plates go under the South American plate, which contributes to the processes of mountain building.
The southernmost part of South America, Tierra del Fuego, is separated by a transform fault from the small Scotia plate. Beyond the Drake Passage, the Andes continue the mountains of the Antarctic Peninsula.
The Andes are rich in ores mainly (vanadium, tungsten, bismuth, molybdenum, arsenic, antimony, etc.); the deposits are confined mainly to the Paleozoic structures of the eastern Andes and the vents of ancient volcanoes; There are large copper deposits on the territory of Chile. In the foredeep and foothill troughs there is oil and gas (in the foothills of the Andes within the Republic of Peru, Argentina), and in the weathering crusts there is bauxite.
The volcano was conquered in 1937 by Polish climbers Justin Wojżnys and Jan Szczepanski. On the way to the summit, which only experienced climbers can reach, researchers discovered traces of Inca sacrificial altars.
Apparently, the Ojos del Salado volcano was revered by the Indians as a sacred mountain. On April 21, 2007, the Chilean athlete Gonzalo Bravo managed to climb the slope of Ojos del Salado to a height of 6,688 meters on a modified Suzuki Samurai (Suzuki SJ), thus setting a world climb record for.
Climbing the highest volcano on the planet, Ojos del Salado
Summit of Monte Pissis (height 6793 m)
Monte Pissis - dormant volcano in the province of La Rioja, Argentina, located approximately 550 km north of Aconcagua. Due to its location in the Atacama Desert, snow is only available at its peak during the winter. It was named after Pedro José Amadeo Piz in 1885, a French geologist who worked for the Chilean government. The first ascent to the top of the mountain was carried out by Polish climbers Stefan Osiecki and Jan Szczepanski on February 7, 1937.
Monte Pissis
Mount Huascaran (height 6768 m)
Huascaran is a mountain in the Andes with a height of 6768 m, the highest point in the Republic of Peru and the fourth highest mountain in South America. Huascaran is located in the national park of the same name and is part of the Cordillera Blanca massif.
In addition to the main peak of Huascaran Sur, the mountain has two more - Chopicalqui and Huascaran Norte. The first ascent was made in 1932 by a group of German and Austrian climbers. American Annie Smith-Peck was the first to climb the Huascaran Norte peak in 1908. Mount Huascaran is known for catastrophic events.
On December 13, 1941, a burst of Lake Palcochocha caused a mudflow that destroyed the city of Huaraz, killing 5,000 people. On January 10, 1962, a glacier that fell from Mount Huascaran generated a mudflow with a volume of 13 million cubic meters, which killed 4,000 people.
On May 31, 1970, due to an earthquake, a large ice collapse occurred on the northern slope, which caused a mudflow that buried a Czechoslovak mountaineering group, the city of Yungay and the surrounding valley, killing 20,000 people. It turned out that on Mount Huascaran the acceleration value is free fall is the lowest on Earth - 9.7639 m/s².
Summit of Cerro Bonete (height 6759 m)
Cerro Bonete is a mountain in the north of the province of La Rioja, Argentina, near the border with the province of Catamarca. The height of its peak is 6759 m above sea level (SRTM data), which makes it the fifth highest mountain in America (after Aconcagua, Ojos del Salado, Monte Pissis and Huascaran).
Cerro Bonete
Summit of Mercedario (height 6720 m)
Mercedario is the highest peak of the Cordillera de la Ramada (English)Russian. and the eighth highest mountain in the Andes. In Chile it is known as La Liga (Spanish: La Ligua). Located 100 km north of Aconcagua, in the Argentine province. The first ascent of the mountain was made in 1934 by Adam Karpinski and Viktor Ostrovski, members of a Polish expedition.
Volcanic massif Nevado Tres Cruces (heights 6749 m and 6629 m)
Nevado Tres Cruces is a volcanic massif in South America, belonging to the Andes mountain range, located on the border of Argentina and Chile. Its length ranges from eight to twelve kilometers from north to south and consists of four main peaks. The two highest peaks are Tras Cruces Sur with a height of 6749 m and Tras Cruces Central, 6629 m. The mountain is named after national park Nevado Tres Cruces in Chile.
Volcano Llullaillaco (height 6739 m)
Llullaillaco is an active volcano in the Western Cordillera range of the Peruvian Andes, on the border of Chile and Argentina. It is located in an area of very high volcanoes on the Puna de Atacama plateau in the Atacama Desert, one of the driest places in the world. It has an absolute height of 6739 m, a relative height of almost 2.5 km. At the top there is eternal glaciation. The last explosive eruption dates back to 1877, and the volcano is currently in the solfataric stage. Llullaillaco is the tallest active volcano on the planet, the second highest volcano in the world and the seventh highest peak in the Western Hemisphere. The snow line on the western slope exceeds 6.5 thousand meters ( highest position snow line on the ground).
Mount Incahuasi (height 6621 m)
Incahuasi is a volcano in the province of Catamarca, in the north-west of the country of Argentina. It is located in the east of the Atacama Desert. This volcano has two large peaks. The volcano has a 3.5 km wide caldera. Four pyroclastic cones are located 7 km to the northeast.
Population of the Andes
Modern population The interior plateaus of the Andes consist mainly of Quechua Indians, whose ancestors formed the basis of the Incan state. The Quechua practice irrigated agriculture and domesticate and breed llamas.
On the shores of Lake Titicaca live the Aymara people, who fish and make various products from the reeds that grow along the low shores of the lake.
Parks in the Andes
They found traces of the cultivation of peanuts, pumpkins, and other crops in the Andes. These plants do not grow wild near their location, and therefore were domesticated elsewhere. Development Agriculture testifies to the sedentary life of ancient people, their transition from primitive communal methods of food production, less dependence on nature, as well as the creation of the foundations for the development of inequality and the state.
Accidents in the Andes
Accident - destruction of structures and (or) technical devices used at a hazardous production facility, uncontrolled explosion and (or) release of hazardous substances.
Passenger bus accident in the Andes
The bus went off the road and fell into the abyss; only eight people were saved. On Thursday morning, a passenger bus for unknown reasons went off the road in the Peruvian Andes and fell into a gorge. Only eight people, who were seriously injured, were saved. Rescuers found the rest already dead.
“The bus is completely destroyed at the bottom of the plain, and the worst thing is that we are isolated here, there is no connection, like many cities in Peru,” RIA Novosti quotes the words of Mayor Velil, who, together with local residents, helped the victims.
A bus fell off a cliff in Peru
"Miracle in the Andes" involving cannibalism
On October 13, 1972, a plane carrying a junior rugby team from Montevideo crashed in the Andes. On the eleventh day, they heard that rescuers from three countries had stopped searching for them. To survive, the survivors were forced to eat their dead comrades.
What happened to the Uruguayan rugby team was later called the “miracle in the Andes.” In fact, the plane with five crew members and forty passengers on board took off on October 12. It was a charter flight carrying Uruguayan junior rugby players, as well as their relatives and coaches, from Carrasco to Santiago.
Due to bad weather conditions, the plane was forced to land at the airport in the Argentine city of Mendoza. On October 13, bad weather did not allow us to fly directly to Santiago, so we were taken to another Chilean city - Curico. Having passed it, the pilots received the air traffic controller's command to descend to Santiago, but because of the cyclone they had to do it blindly, which was the fatal mistake of the crew.
Coming out of the cyclone, the plane found itself directly in front of the mountainside. Despite all the efforts of the pilots, they were unable to avoid the collision. The car, having struck the mountain, lost its tail and wings, and then the fuselage rushed at breakneck speed down the slope and crashed into a huge snowdrift. During the crash, 12 people out of 45 flying died, five more were missing.
The next day they will be found dead. A day later, another plane crash victim dies. Two weeks later, an avalanche will cover the survivors, and eight more passengers will be lost. Three would die from wounds and frostbite in the following days. Of the 45 passengers, only 16 will survive.
Chile and Argentina searched for the plane for eight days. But since the fuselage was white, it merged with the snow, which made the search difficult. On the ninth day the search was stopped. When the first shock passed, the surviving passengers began to inspect the things scattered during the disaster. So we managed to find several bottles of wine, crackers and chocolate bars. Water was obtained by melting snow in the sun. To do this, they threw it over the metal parts of the collapsed plane. No one had warm clothes. That's why they slept leaning against each other.
When the food ran out, the question arose of what to do next. Considering that there was nowhere to wait for salvation, the living decided to eat the dead. It didn't come easy for everyone. After all, many of the dead were someone’s relatives or close friends. And yet, hunger forced the rugby players to become cannibals.
Moreover, one of the survivors will say later that if it had not been for the avalanche, everyone would have died. The snow not only sheltered the broken fuselage from the winds, but, horribly, it also gave the survivors eight more bodies. Even then it was obvious that they would have to save themselves, that is, the transition through the Andes was inevitable. The surviving pilot claimed that the green valleys from the crash site were not that far away. But winter was in full swing, so even determined rugby players were afraid to hit the road.
Stay alive
Finally, when waiting any longer would have been tantamount to death, the passengers of the crashed charter took the plunge. The four of us were going to go, but one of the athletes died from blood poisoning. Three set off - Nando Parrado, Roberto Canessa and Antonio Visintin. Almost immediately they came across the back of the plane, where they found some food, clothes and cigarettes. And also - rechargeable batteries.
On the very first night, the weather worsened sharply, and the trio almost froze to death. We had to go back to the fuselage and sew together from pieces of material obtained from the tail, sleeping bag. The batteries were of no use. At first they wanted to use them to transmit a distress signal, but nothing worked out. Batteries were given out D.C., but a variable was needed.
Trapped in the Andes
And again the three brave ones set out in search of saving valleys. But on the third day they realized that it would take a long time to walk, so Parrado and Canessa sent Vizintin back to the camp, and they themselves, taking his supplies of human meat, moved on. Only on the ninth day of the journey did they meet a Chilean farmer to whom they explained the situation. He fed them and called the rescuers.
Parrado himself, being stronger, became the guide. The next day, helicopters arrive at the crash site. The rescuers couldn't believe their eyes. 72 days after the disappearance of Flight 571, they saw living passengers. Unfortunately, not all of them. Those rescued were provided with medical assistance. They were treated for altitude sickness and dehydration, scurvy and malnutrition.
Married, has two children. He is interested in racing. 
No one survived the plane crash in the Andes
Rescuers carefully examined the crash site of the Venezuelan ATR42 aircraft and the command issued a final report on the search operation. The conclusions drawn are very disappointing.
All 46 people on board the plane were killed. “The circumstances of the disaster do not allow us to hope that any of the passengers or crew members could survive,” the head said civil aviation Venezuelan General Ramon Vinas. It was previously reported that the plane crashed into a mountain and broke into small pieces upon impact.
The general added that a search operation is ongoing at the site of the plane crash. Rescuers are transported to the scene of an emergency by helicopter, and then they have to descend along mountain terraces to the place where the airliner crashed into the mountain. Fragments of the plane are scattered over a large area, which also complicates the operation, FOX News reports.
Let us recall that the twin-engine ATR42 aircraft, owned by the Venezuelan airline, was flying from Merida to Caracas. Shortly after takeoff, the plane disappeared from radar screens. It was later discovered that he crashed into a mountain.
Plane carrying football team that disappeared in 1961 found in the Andes
Santiago, February 12. In the Andes, at an altitude of more than three thousand meters, climbers discovered the wreckage of a plane that crashed in 1961, reports MIR 24. Eight Green Cross football teams were on board, all of them died.
The site of the plane crash is about three hundred kilometers south of the capital of Chile, Santiago.
Three people died in a helicopter crash in the Andes
Three people died in a helicopter crash in the Chilean Andes, including former ambassador Chile in . The accident occurred on Saturday morning 570 kilometers away south of the capital Chile Santiago. As reported by RIA Novosti with reference to the France-Presse agency, there were four people on board, one of them managed to escape by jumping from the helicopter before it fell. He was taken to hospital after a rescue team arrived at the crash site. The bodies of the victims were recovered from the scene of the accident several hours later.
If there are uninteresting mountains in the world, then these are definitely not the Andean Cordillera. Standard tourist routes can be on foot or on horseback, one-day or long, but they all make you feel the differences between the two cultures colliding in the mountains. Small colonial towns built by Europeans arriving on the mainland and old forts contrast themselves with stone palaces and temples that remember the times when there was no trace of Amerigo or Christopher.
Since the mountain range passes through seven countries, the diversity of cultures is truly impressive. The distant descendants of the indigenous population of the mainland mixed in the most bizarre way with European conquerors and brought slaves, and therefore the traditional beliefs of the local residents are very different from the Catholicism that exists in everything else civilized world. For tourists, perhaps the most interesting cities in the region are La Paz and Cusco.
Moreover, everyone who comes will be happy - the local flavor is unique, so lovers of souvenirs and national cuisine will have a special pleasure wandering around very cheap, in a European opinion, local establishments. The only danger facing visitors is to initially experience a certain discomfort due to the fact that La Paz is located at an altitude of more than 3.5 thousand km above sea level.
All lovers of active recreation should pay attention to the walking routes that run through all the places that are more or less of interest to modern spoiled tourists. One of the most remarkable areas of the mountain range where the Andes Mountains pass is the territory of the modern Peruvian Republic.
Dormant volcano El MistiThe next must-see place is Lake Titicaca, which is the highest and most navigable body of water. In order to see it, you don’t need to travel far; the address is the border of Bolivia and the Republic of Peru, Central Highlands.
Many people are probably familiar with the Grand Canyon, which native and non-native Americans are so proud of, but the Colca Canyon (Peruvian Republic) surpasses it by an order of magnitude, having a depth of more than 4 thousand km.
Equatorial evergreen forests with an abundance of exotic plants - bamboo, myrtle and tree ferns - give the impression of absolute primitiveness, and on your first walk n It leaves you with the feeling of traveling back to prehistoric times, when huge lizards still roamed the earth.
Crossing the 3 thousand km mark above sea level, the traveler sees a radically changed landscape, in which the main place is now occupied by lichens, cacti and dwarf shrubs.
When planning a trip to South America, it is worth considering that it is impossible to see all the places where the Andes are located, because even on the map the mountains are too large, and the variety of architectural and historical monuments, natural areas and landscapes, tourist routes and cultural events makes them completely immense.
Horseback crossing of the Andes
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I have always been in awe of the sight of mountain peaks propping up the sky, washed by sunlight. Powerful, monumental, unshakable Atlanteans, breathing calm. And if I am faced with a choice between the sea, the forest and the huge rock masses, I will choose the latter without hesitation. The only things better than mountains are mountains!
And there are few places on the planet where I felt such inspiration as next to the majestic Andes. As part of the Cordillera mountain system that bisects the planet from the northernmost tips of Canada almost to Antarctica, the Andes proudly bear the responsibility of keeping the waters of the Pacific and Atlantic oceans in the southern hemisphere from mixing. The highest, longest, youngest mountains in the world. Rising to a height of almost 7,000 meters, dotted with dormant and waking volcanoes, this huge prehistoric creature stretches for 9,000 kilometers and plunges its southern edge into stormy waters, forming a complex pattern of straits and glaciers where ships have been lost for many centuries. The Andes keep many secrets, mysteries and dangers: somewhere the Incan gold is hidden, somewhere planes crashed.
This is where I come back every time an airline like Iberia, Lufthansa or Turkish Airways announces a sale.
Northern Andes
In the north, the Andes rise above the tropical rainforests of Venezuela, Colombia and Ecuador; their character is difficult: the height of 4500-6000 meters and changeable weather require special skills from tourists. But you can choose a simpler option: rent a car and drive around the foothills of volcanoes and lakes, or take a ride on the longest cable car in the world (almost 2 kilometers) Teleferico de Merida in Venezuela.
Central Andes
In Peru and Bolivia, the Andes contain in their depths vast and fertile plateaus on which the Incas once built cities. But for me, the main treasures of these places are the high-mountain lakes, deep like Titicaca and turned into salt marshes like. You can spend a stunning few days exploring the customs of the people of Taquile Island on Titicaca, where men knit from colored wool. Or spending the night on the reed-woven islands of Uros under the huge and bright stars at an altitude of 3800 meters. Or sweeping with the breeze across a huge pit of salt. Or coming up with the most incredible compositions for photography in a place where there is no perspective. And, of course, enjoying the most memorable sunsets of your life.
Southern Andes, Carretera Austral
The long and narrow strip of land called Chile and the endless Argentine pampas stretch along the Andean ridges, to the tops of which clouds cling. And they cling in the literal sense: rain clouds driven by Pacific winds cannot overcome the mountain barrier and shed precious moisture on the southern Chilean side (northern Chile, with the world's driest Atacama Desert, is not so lucky). The famous road built in the mid-1970s under Pinochet, the Carretera Austral, or “southern road,” winds here. This is one of the most picturesque and interesting routes I have ever traveled; it provides an opportunity to fully enjoy the beauty of mountain peaks, wild rivers, azure lakes and proud pine trees over 1,240 kilometers.
It is better to travel in the summer months (December to February), since at other times of the year the ferry crossings do not operate and you will not be able to enjoy all the delights of the trip. Therefore, feel free to plan a big vacation for the January holidays and then, in addition to the famous South Road, you will be able to see the huge Perito Moreno glacier, breathe in the famous Patagonian winds and find out why Tierra del Fuego so called. By the way, the Northern and Central Andes are friendly to travelers all year round.
Where to start
The starting point of Carretera Austral is the Chilean city of Puerto Montt. This is a cute little village, imbued with a European spirit, from where tourists, after admiring the ancient mahogany cathedral, go to the Lake District, to the Villarrica volcano or to the island of Chiloe. Here you have to decide how you will conquer the Southern Road: the bravest ones hitchhike or ride bicycles, while the rest rent a car.
From Chiloe Island you can take a ferry to the town of Chaiten and head either north or south.
Another option is to start in the south, from the village of Villa O'Higgins, which can be reached by ferry from Argentina, which runs several times a week from November to March and takes only pedestrians or cyclists on board (costs about $60, or 40,000 pesos) , or by entrusting yourself to the care of a travel company. She will not only organize transportation to the ferry by bus, but will also offer to explore the glaciers on the lake “on the way” (the tour will cost from $130).
What to take with you
- Regardless of which method of travel you choose, you need to have a supply of provisions with you; you will find supermarkets only in relatively large settlements; in other settlements there are only village shops with a minimum set of products.
- Don't forget a set of medications and essential supplies you need (from bandages to toothpaste and repellents). Carretera Austral is not a place where you can take just a passport and a credit card.
- Comfortable clothes and shoes are a must as there are so many stunning, inviting places to explore!
- There is enough cash in local currency (Chilean pesos), you won't find ATMs until Coyahique, and cards are not accepted anywhere.
If you choose to travel on foot or by bike
Since the distances between populated areas and campsites are large, you will need:
- tent,
- sleeping bag (in the mountains, even in summer the nights are cold),
- gas-burner,
- pot and dishes,
- and other camping equipment.
You can rent everything you need, including a bicycle, in Puerto Montt (the choice is very limited and the prices are very high) or in Santiago, where it is open great amount rentals with good bikes. To do this you will need to present your passport and bank card to retain the deposit (depending on the rental period from $250). Rental prices start from $30 per day or $120 per week.
If you decide to travel by car
You can rent a car in Puerto Montt or, as I did, in Santiago (in this case, you will need to set aside a few days to drive almost 1000 kilometers along the magnificent highway, stopping at wineries and visiting national parks).
- Prepare, in addition to the usual rights, international law(some rental agencies will not issue a car without them) and, of course, a bank card with a sufficient amount in the account to block the deposit.
- Explore the websites of rental companies to choose the best one suitable option. Under no circumstances should you look at small cars, only four-wheel drive! If possible, refuse the options of cars that look like they just came out of the showroom; choose a car that has undergone a baptism of fire, because small stones will inevitably fly on gravel roads.
- To the south of Carretera Austral the Andes are filled with many magnificent landscapes, such as the famous Fitzroy Peak and the beauty of the Torres del Paine National Park. But, since some areas of the country are occupied by impassable mountains, part of the journey will have to be done through the territory of Argentina. To do this, you will need special documents for the car. Be sure to contact the rental agency in advance - documents for crossing the border take several days to prepare. And be prepared for the fact that you will be charged a fee of $200 for registration.
- You will rarely see gas stations along the way, so take advantage of every opportunity to replenish your gasoline supplies.
So, you've saddled up a four-wheeled beast (I, for example, got a red pickup truck, on the hood of which someone was playing tic-tac-toe with a nail) and are ready for adventure.
By sea
At the very beginning of the journey, three ferries will be waiting for you, which will circle the inaccessible mountain slopes covered with dense forest by the sea (see map below). The first ferry leaves from La Arena every hour and costs about $15 (10,000 pesos) per car. In half an hour you will reach the peninsula, which can only be reached by sea. The second ferry departs from the village of Ornopien (which has several shops and overnight stops), located at the southern end of the peninsula, twice a day - in the morning and in the afternoon. It is better to check the schedule in Puerto Montt. This ferry takes 5 hours, the ticket costs $54 (35,000 pesos), and this price includes the third ferry, which departs when all passengers on the second ferry have safely covered 10 kilometers of gravel road.
By land
As a result of all the sea voyages, during which majestic mountains, forests and waterfalls will float past, you will find yourself in the village of Caleto Gonzalo. From here, boldly head south, stopping at picturesque places and climbing deep into the mountains. You will travel at an average speed of 50 km/h, so you will not miss signs for recommended hiking trails to particularly beautiful and amazing natural treasures and numerous national parks.
Carretera Austral ends in a dead end in the village of Villa O'Higgins, from where you can cross to Argentina (only those traveling on foot or by bicycle are taken on the ferry), or return back if you are traveling by car.
Where to go
Along the entire Southern Road you will find several opportunities to cross the border with Argentina: near the village of Santa Lucia, near Lago las Torres park, the town of Coyaqui and before reaching Cochrane. I would highly recommend the latter option, as not only will you be able to see almost all of Carretera Austral, but you will also drive past a magnificent lake called Lago General Carrera in the Chilean part and Lago Buenos Aires in the Argentine part.
Tourist infrastructure
You can spend the night in campsites that are scattered throughout Carretera Austral, or in populated areas. Almost all locals rent rooms from $10 to $55 (8,000-35,000 pesos) per night for two and will be happy to feed you breakfast (not always for an additional fee). Free campsites are simply cleared sites. Those equipped with a toilet, hot shower and awnings will cost from $5 to $10 per night.
For example, on January 2, I stopped in the picturesque village of Via Cerro Castillo, where in the evening the entire large family of the hosts gathered for dinner. Despite my limited knowledge of Spanish, I was invited to share a meal with everyone and enjoy a wonderful evening. The men prepared a traditional dish - roasting a young lamb on a cross - a la cruz, and the women cut fresh vegetables and herbs. It was the most delicious lamb I've ever tasted in my life. And the glare of the fire on their open and friendly faces, songs accompanied by an accordion and majestic mountains under the shadow of the starry sky are forever etched in my memory.
Catering establishments are found only in the largest settlements: Ornopirene, Koyaki, Cochrane. In other places, the best you can hope for are small grocery stores. I usually tried to have a hearty breakfast and dinner where I spent the night (if the hosts didn’t cook, I asked permission to use the kitchen), and during the day, pre-prepared sandwiches helped me out.
Southern Andes, Patagonia and Tierra del Fuego
On the western edge of the Patagonian steppes rise the Southern Andes. They are no longer as high as in the north, but no less beautiful. Along the entire foothills of the mountains there are amazing nature reserves, the main pearls of which are the giant Perito Moreno glacier, one of only two on planet Earth that are not decreasing, but growing, and Torres del Paine Park, the harsh beauty of which attracts travelers from all over the world. What wonders Patagonia has in store and how to get to them is well written.
And further south, the red grass of Tierra del Fuego rustles in the wind, where, according to legend, giants lived, and the Andes descend their peak-studded tail into the ocean, from which glaciers slide down like caps. Here, as the last stronghold of the mountains, Cape Horn rises from the water, and landing on it is a matter of luck. Few ships and fierce cold currents travel between this outpost with a lonely lighthouse and Argentina.
The Andes are multifaceted and unpredictable, they fascinate and make you fall in love; once you see them, you will come back again and again. After all, the only thing better than the mountains is the Andes!
Many people are interested in where the Andes are located: on what continent, in what climatic zones, on the territory of which states. Also, some readers would like to know about the time of origin of these great mountains, their nature and population. All this will be discussed in this article.
Geographical position
The Andes are the longest mountain system in the world. It borders the north and west of South America and extends for 9000 km. The width of the mountains is no less impressive: on average about 500, and a maximum of 750 km.
The Andean Cordillera, as this mountain system is also called, is a natural barrier separating the territory of South America from the Atlantic. This is also a large watershed: the rivers of the Atlantic Ocean flow on the eastern side, and the Pacific on the western side. High in the mountains, the tributaries of the Amazon, Orinoco, Paraguay, Parana, as well as many waterways of Patagonia originate.
The Andes territory covers seven countries in South America: Venezuela, Peru, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Argentina, and Ecuador.
Weather
Due to their enormous extent, the ridges and spurs of these great mountains spread across several climatic zones.
The Northern Andes are dominated by subequatorial latitudes with a clear alternation of rainy and dry seasons.
The tropical zone is characterized by constant values of both temperature and humidity: there are no sharp changes here. These are the conditions in the Caribbean Andes. At the equator there is also no seasonality, but there are pronounced differences in climate by altitude: at the foot it is humid and hot, at the peaks there is snow.
The central part is characterized by separation along the slopes: precipitation from the west is an order of magnitude less than from the east. Here lies a zone of tropical deserts with frequent fog and dew. The average annual temperature on the Puna and Altiplano plateaus does not exceed 10°C, and the conditions here are harsh: sudden changes in weather and strong gusty winds are the norm.
In the south, in the Tierra del Fuego region, a humid oceanic climate prevails. The annual precipitation rate exceeds 3,000 mm. They fall mainly in the form of a nasty drizzling rain that does not stop most days a year.
How were they formed?
Any schoolchild can show where the Andes are located on a physical map of the world. The complex chain of parallel ridges took millions of years to form. According to scientists, the Andes mountain system, where the subduction zone is located, is being transformed and is still being transformed. The Antarctic tectonic plate and Nazca are gradually moving under the South American plate.
Geologists at the University of Bristol have established the approximate time when the mountains began to rise. They used a new modern method, which is based on the study of cosmogenic helium-3, which is formed in mineral layers under the influence of cosmic radiation.
British scientists analyzed stones at an altitude of about 2 km in the western part of the mountain range. After numerous studies, they came to the conclusion that the Andes, where these boulders are located, 15 million years ago were at approximately the same level as now. The slopes gradually rise due to the thickening of the earth's crust at the point of contact lithospheric plates.
The continent, where the Andes mountains are located, is still in constant motion. This is invisible to us, however, when powerful earthquakes and volcanic eruptions occur, the planet reminds us of the processes taking place in its womb.
Vegetable world
The flora of these places directly depends on the altitudinal zone. The Caribbean Andes are characterized by deciduous forests and shrubs. The eastern slopes are covered with impenetrable tropical jungle, while on the west there are deserts and dry cereal steppe regions. In the highlands of equatorial latitudes, meadows predominate.
The Andes, where the lands are so different in moisture and temperature, are considered the homeland of many cultivated plants, including potatoes, coca and cinchona, which have served as a powerful treatment for malaria since time immemorial.
Animal world
The fauna of mountainous areas is similar to the adjacent plains. Among the endemics, it is necessary to cancel the vicuña and guanaco, the spectacled bear, chinchillas, the Chilean opossum, Azar's fox, and Magellan's dog.
Home to 88 national parks, the Andes are home to many birds. In mountainous areas you can find condors, partridges, hummingbirds, several species of geese and ducks, flamingos and parrots.
Highest point
Aconcagua is the tallest extinct volcano in the world. This mountain peak, located in the central part of the Andes in the territory of modern Argentina, is the highest not only in its system, but also on the entire continent, as well as in the Southern and Western Hemispheres.
The name of the peak, according to one version, comes from ancient language Quechua and is translated as “stone guardian”.
From a mountaineering point of view, Aconcagua is a fairly easy peak to climb, especially its northern slope. The most a short time the time required to climb to the top (6962 m) was recorded in 1991 and amounted to 5 hours and 45 minutes.
The first person to climb aboard the Stone Guardian was the Swiss Matthias Zurbriggen. This happened on January 14, 1897 as part of the expedition of the Englishman Edward Fitzgerald.
Incas - ancient inhabitants of the mountains
The extinct Inca civilization lived in these mountainous areas many millennia ago. They gave the name to the Andes. Translated from their ancient language “anta” - “ copper mountains" And this name is not accidental: the largest belt with the richest deposits of this metal is located here.
Numerous tourists climb high into the Andes, where the cultural monuments of this mysterious civilization that have survived to this day are located.
The most famous cult place is a complex of buildings called Machu Picchu, lost among endless canyons and rocks. sacred monastery ancient people was erected on top of a ridge located at an altitude of 2.5 km above sea level. And although in translation its name sounds like “old peak,” the Incas called Machu Picchu “the city in the clouds.”
In 1532, when the Spaniards came to the lands belonging to the Incas, the city was mysteriously deserted. Where the inhabitants of Machu Picchu went is still unknown. According to one legend, the city was covered by a huge cloud, taking the Indians with it.
The Andes, not to be confused with the Cordillera (link to the article about the Cordillera), is the longest (9000 km) and one of the highest (Mount Aconcagua, 6962 m) mountain systems on Earth, bordering all of South America from the north and west; southern part of the Cordillera. In some places, the Andes reach a width of over 500 km (the greatest width - up to 750 km - in the Central Andes). The average height is about 4000 meters.
With glaciers on the limbs, active volcanoes along the ridge, chains of high snow-capped peaks, wet and dry tropical forests within, deserts and savanna in the lowlands and alpine tundra, the Andes is an extraordinary world of varied landscapes, extreme temperatures and diverse wildlife. Rising above the Pacific coast, this towering 5,000-mile mountain range spans seven countries, from Tierra del Fuego in the rugged south to the Caribbean coast in the north. It contains some of the highest, saltiest, wettest, and driest landscapes on the planet. Penguins, possums, hummingbirds, llamas, pumas, foxes, condors, spectacled bears, and many other species of wildlife inhabit these unlike worlds called the Andes.
Due to the considerable extent of the Andes, their individual landscape parts differ significantly from each other. Based on the nature of the relief and other natural differences, as a rule, three main regions are distinguished - Northern, Central and Southern Andes.
The name Andes is most often explained from the Inca word anta - "copper". This etymology is supported by the presence of a “copper belt” in the Andes, stretching for almost 4 thousand km, and the ability of the ancient Incas to smelt copper. According to another etymology of the Andes - from Quechua anti - “east”, which allegedly indicated the position of the mountains relative to Cusco, the ancient capital of the Incas.
The Andes are a major interoceanic divide; To the east of the Andes flow the rivers of the Atlantic Ocean basin (the Amazon itself and many of its large tributaries, as well as the tributaries of the Orinoco, Paraguay, Parana, the Magdalena River and the Patagonia River originate in the Andes), to the west - the Pacific Ocean basin (mostly short ones).
Considering the wide variety of different mountain peaks, both in height and in the level of difficulty of climbing, the Andes are the most popular place for trekking and mountaineering among non-professionals, and the five highest peaks of the Andes look like this:
6962 meters - Aconcagua, Argentina
6891 meters - Ojos del Salado, Chile
6792 meters - Monte Pissis, Argentina
6770 meters - Mercedario, Argentina
6768 meters - Huascaran, Peru
The highest volcano is Llullaillaco (Spanish Llullaillaco), its 6,723 meters, located simultaneously in Argentina and Chile. But it’s easier to climb Cotopaxi (Spanish: Cotopaxi), located in Ecuador and having 5897 meters.
Of the most affordable six-thousanders in terms of money and difficulty, I would highlight
The Andes Mountains are a unique mountain system stretching across almost the entire territory of South America. The Andes Mountains are the longest mountain system, its length is 9 thousand km. and also one of the highest, but still not the highest, but this is for now, because the mountains still continue to grow. We look at the famous Andes mountains. ( 11 photos)
The Andes Mountains completely circled South America from the north and west, positioned along the coast of the Atlantic Ocean. The Andes Mountains are relatively young; the history of their origin dates back to the Jurassic period. The Andes Mountains are one of the largest mountain systems formed during the last major epoch geological history Earth.
As a result of the collision of three lithospheric plates, the Nazca, Antarctic and South American, the first two sank under the larger South American, even in the history of the formation of mountains we see distinctive feature, usually the origin is the collision of no more than two plates. Surprisingly, seismic activity in the Andean pores continues to be traced to this day, that is, the mountains are actively growing. And their growth is more intense than all other mountain systems, which one way or another are increasing in size.
Thus, in a year the Andes grow by more than 10 cm, who knows, perhaps soon they will become the highest mountains in the world, but for now the leading position is occupied by. A height of the Andes mountains is 6962 meters, the peak of the Andes mountains is a peak called Aconcagua. The average width of the mountains is 400 km, the widest point reaches 750 km. The Andes Mountains are conventionally divided into three zones: Northern, Central and Southern Andes.
Among all the other advantages of such impressive mountains, one more thing can be attributed: the Andes mountains are a line of conventional division; they separate water collections. The Andes are also the source of many large rivers and lakes; it is here that the famous river takes its source, which then spreads over hundreds of kilometers. The Andes Mountains have their own small lakes located right between the slopes, which either dry up or refill, depending on the time of year and precipitation. Andes Mountains coordinates 32°39′10″ S w. 70°00′40″ W. d. (G) (O) (I)32°39′10″ S w. 70°00′40″ W. d.
Due to the different climatic conditions in which the Andes are located, the mountains have unequal and dissimilar structures. So in the northern part of the Andes is located a large number of volcanoes, some of them are still considered active, and the Central part is characterized by the sources of many rivers, the Southern part of the Andes is characterized by low peaks and large glacial massifs, spread over almost most of this mountain system, the ice here begins already at an altitude of 1,400 meters.
Due to its impressive size, the Andes are located in 5 climatic zones simultaneously: equatorial, subequatorial, tropical, subtropical and temperate. The Andes also penetrate 7 countries of South America; the Andes are located on the territory of: Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Chile and Argentina. Moreover, each country is proud of the location of one or another section of mountains on its territory.
Moreover, the Andes Mountains are also a rich reserve of various natural resources; in the Andes there are large deposits of non-ferrous metals: tin, lead, copper, zinc, etc. Active mining of iron and sodium nitrate is also carried out here, but gold deposits are of particular importance , silver, platinum and in some places precious stones(emeralds). The Andes also store oil and gas reserves. In general, the Andes are a real natural treasure trove for.
Today, in times of active tourism, when everyone can visit any corner of the planet if they wish, climbing the Andes is becoming widely popular. In some countries where the Andes are located, there are specialized centers that will prepare and guide you to admire the majestic slopes of the mountains. Of course, you won’t rise to a height of 6 km, but I think you don’t need such an unearthly height. To enjoy all the delights of the picturesque view, 1.5 km will be enough. It cannot be said that the Andes are particularly difficult to climb; some areas can be climbed without special climbing equipment.
Who would have thought that agricultural components could be grown in the mountains? Today at low mountain altitudes, up to 3.8 km. The following crops are actively grown and produced: coffee, tobacco, cotton, corn, wheat, potatoes, etc. Practice shows that on the moist and nutritious lands of the Andes, plants feel no worse than on the dry soil of the plains.
Throughout human history, people have associated mountains with something supernatural and powerful. Many writers have used mountains as inspiration. The Andes Mountains are a unique creation of nature, which is already known throughout the world, and to which thousands of tourists flock. We advise you to look at this miracle of nature. Stay tuned and enjoy your travels.