Tupungato

Tupungato
Tupungato
	Aerial view of Tupungato volcano from Argentina.
Highest point
Elevation	6,570 m (21,560 ft)
Prominence	2,765 m (9,072 ft)
Listing	Ultra
Coordinates	33°21′30″S 69°46′12″W / 33.35833°S 69.77000°W
Geography
	Tupungato Location on the Argentina–Chile border
Location	Mendoza Province, Argentina – Metropolitan Region, Chile
Parent range	Principal Cordillera, Andes
Geology
Rock age	Pleistocene
Mountain type	Lava dome
Volcanic arc/belt	South Volcanic Zone
Last eruption	0.8 million years ago.
Climbing
First ascent	1897 by Matthias Zurbriggen and Stuart Vines

Tupungato, one of the highest mountains in the Americas, is a massive Andean lava dome dating to Pleistocene times.^[2] It lies on the Argentina–Chile border, between the Chilean Metropolitan Region (near a major international highway about 80 km (50 mi) east of Santiago) and the Argentine province of Mendoza, about 100 km (62 mi) south of Aconcagua, the highest peak of both the Southern and Western hemispheres. Immediately to its southwest is the active Tupungatito volcano (literally, little Tupungato), which last erupted in 1987.

Tupungato Department, an important Argentine wine-producing region in Mendoza province, is named for the volcano. Recent Chilean mapping indicates it has a height of 6635m.^[4]

1947 plane crash

On 2 August 1947, the airliner Star Dust, an Avro Lancastrian carrying six passengers and five crew over the Andes range, crashed into a steep glacier high on the Argentine side of Tupungato. The plane was quickly buried in the resulting avalanche and heavy snowfall that was taking place at the time. The plane lay undetected deep beneath the snow and glacial ice for over 50 years. Its remnants finally re-emerged at the glacier terminus in 2000. Shortly thereafter, an Argentine army expedition discovered the scattered debris and wreckage, collecting some of the evidence for investigation.

Aerial view of Tupungato (center-left) and Tupungatito.

Tupungato volcano seen from Punta de Vacas, Argentina.

Notes

^ The given elevation of 6,570 m (21,560 ft) comes from Chilean 1:50.000 topographic mapping and is in accordance with SRTM data; the frequently given elevation of 6,800 m (22,300 ft) is incorrect.

References

Citations

^ ^a ^b "Argentina and Chile, Central Ultra Prominences". Peaklist.
^ ^a ^b ^c González Díaz, Emilio F. (1961). "Contribución al Conocimiento de la Petrografía del Cerro Tupungato (Provincia de Mendoza) y de otras Rocas Efusivas de la Región". Dirección Nacional de Geología y Minería (in Spanish). Retrieved 2 August 2022.
^ "Tupungato". Global Volcanism Program. Smithsonian Institution.
^ Biggar, John (2020). The Andes – A Guide for Climbers and Skiers (5th ed.). Andes. p. 265. ISBN 978-0-9536087-6-8.

Bibliography

Biggar, John (2020). The Andes: A Guide for Climbers and Skiers (5th ed.). Andes Publishing (Scotland). ISBN 978-0-9536087-6-8.

External links

Andeshandbook: complete description, history, place name and routes of Tupungato
Pictures of Mount Tupungato
"Tupungato". Peakware.com. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016.
"Cerro Tupungato, Argentina/Chile" on Peakbagger
Star Dust Plane Crash Mystery
Andes Mountains (Spanish)

[1] The given elevation of 6,570 m (21,560 ft) comes from Chilean 1:50.000 topographic mapping and is in accordance with SRTM data; the frequently given elevation of 6,800 m (22,300 ft) is incorrect.

[peaklist-2] "Argentina and Chile, Central Ultra Prominences". Peaklist.

[González_1961-3] González Díaz, Emilio F. (1961). "Contribución al Conocimiento de la Petrografía del Cerro Tupungato (Provincia de Mendoza) y de otras Rocas Efusivas de la Región". Dirección Nacional de Geología y Minería (in Spanish). Retrieved 2 August 2022.

[4] "Tupungato". Global Volcanism Program. Smithsonian Institution.

[5] Biggar, John (2020). The Andes – A Guide for Climbers and Skiers (5th ed.). Andes. p. 265. ISBN 978-0-9536087-6-8.

[A]

[1]

[2]

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[4]

v t e Andean volcanoes
Northern Volcanic Zone (6° N – 3° S)	Paipa-Iza Romeral Cerro Bravo Nevado del Ruiz Nevado del Tolima Nevado del Huila Puracé Doña Juana Galeras Azufral Chiles Cayambe Reventador Pichincha Antisana Aliso Soche Illiniza Cotopaxi Quilotoa Chimborazo Tungurahua Licto volcanic field Sangay
Central Volcanic Zone (14°–27° S)	Quimsachata Auquihuato Firura Sara Sara Solimana Coropuna Hualca Hualca Sabancaya Huambo volcanic field Ampato Andagua volcanic field Chachani Misti Ubinas Pichu Pichu Huaynaputina Ticsani Tutupaca Yucamane Purupuruni Casiri Tacora Taapaca Parinacota Lauca Guallatiri Tata Sabaya Isluga Irruputuncu Olca-Paruma Aucanquilcha‎ Azufre Zapaleri Sairecabur Licancabur Purico complex Pacana Aguas Calientes Lascar Chiliques Aracar Socompa Llullaillaco Lastarria Lazufre Cordón del Azufre Galán Peinado San Francisco Cueros de Purulla Incahuasi Ojos del Salado
Southern Volcanic Zone (33°–46° S)	Tupungato Tupungatito Maipo Calabozos Descabezado Grande Cerro Azul Nevado de Longaví Nevados de Chillán Antuco Copahue Callaqui Lonquimay Llaima Sollipulli Villarrica Quetrupillán Lanín Mocho-Choshuenco Carrán-Los Venados Puyehue-Cordón Caulle Casablanca Osorno Calbuco Hornopirén Huequi Michinmahuida Chaitén Corcovado Mentolat Cay Macá Mate Grande Hudson
Austral Volcanic Zone (49°–55° S)	Lautaro Viedma Aguilera Reclus Burney Fueguino
Note: volcanoes are ordered by latitude from north to south

Authority control databases
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