Cerro Murallón facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Cerro Murallón
Cerro Murallón Location in Southern Patagonia
Highest point
Elevation	2,656 m (8,714 ft)
Geography
Location	Argentina and Chile
Parent range	Andes

Cerro Murallón is a large, icy mountain in the Andes mountain range. It is found in Patagonia, a beautiful region shared by Argentina and Chile. This mountain sits on the eastern side of a massive ice area called the Southern Patagonian Ice Field. It is located southwest of Lake Viedma, right on the border between the two countries.

On the Argentine side, Cerro Murallón has been part of the Los Glaciares National Park since 1937. This park is in the Santa Cruz Province and was named a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1981. On the Chilean side, the mountain is part of the Bernardo O'Higgins National Park since 1969. This park is in the Magallanes and Chilean Antarctica Region. The exact height of Cerro Murallón is debated. Some sources say it is 2,656 meters (8,714 feet) tall, while others claim it is 2,831 meters (9,288 feet) high.

What's in a Name?

Cerro Murallón gets its name from its impressive shape. "Murallón" means "big wall" in Spanish. This name perfectly describes the huge granite rock face of the mountain.

The first time Cerro Murallón was photographed was in 1949. This was done by a Salesian missionary named Alberto María de Agostini.

First Climbs

The first people to successfully climb Cerro Murallón reached its summit on January 24, 1961. This brave team included Eduardo García, Cedomir Marangunic, Eric Shipton, and Jack Ewer. They climbed the mountain's west face.

Later, in 1984, another group of climbers made history. The Italians Carlo Alde, Casimiro Ferrari, and Paolo Vitali were the first to climb the challenging northeast wall of the mountain.