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Cerro Chaltén, also known as Cerro Fitzroy, is a mountain located in the Los Glaciares National Park of Patagonia, near the El Chaltén village, on the border between Argentina and Chile. It has been agreed by the two countries that the international border detours eastwards to pass over the main summit[1], but a large part of the border to the south of the summit, as far as Cerro Murallón remains undefined [2].
The name Chaltén comes from a Tehuelche (Ahonikenk) word meaning "smoking mountain," due to a cloud that usually forms in the top of the mountain, and it was considered sacred by them. The mountain is the symbol of the Santa Cruz Province, who has it represented in its coat of arms.
It was Perito Francisco Moreno who named it Fitzroy in 1877, after the Beagle's captain Robert Fitzroy. It was first climbed in 1952 by French alpinists Lionel Terray and Guido Magnone.
The mountain has a reputation of being "ultimate", despite its average height (although being the highest peak in the Los Glaciares park, it is less than half the Himalayan giants), because the sheer granite faces present large sheets of very technical climbing. It also attracts many photographers thanks to its otherworldly shape.
The area, while being more accessible than, say, Denali's in Alaska, was very isolated until the recent development of El Chalten village and El Calafate international airport. The mountain climb, however, remains extremely difficult and is the preserve of very experienced climbers. Today, when a hundred people can summit Mount Everest in a single day, Cerro Chaltén may only be successfully ascended once in a year.
References
- ^ 1998 "Border agreement between Chile and Argentina". Retrieved 2006-08-07.
{{cite web}}: Check|url=value (help) - ^ "Map showing border between Chile and Argentina (partly undefined)". Retrieved 2006-08-07.
- Kearney, Alan, 1993. Mountaineering in Patagonia. Seattle USA: Cloudcap.
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