Aconcagua is the highest mountain outside of Asia, being the tallest in both the Southern and Western Hemispheres with a summit elevation of 6,960.8 metres (22,837 ft). It is located in the Principal Cordillera of the Andes mountain range, in the Mendoza Province, Argentina, and lies 112 km (70 mi) northwest of its capital.The mountain and its surroundings are part of the Aconcagua Provincial Park.

The first recorded ascent was in 1897 by a European expedition led by the British mountaineer Edward FitzGerald. FitzGerald failed to reach the summit himself over eight attempts between December 1896 and February 1897, but the (Swiss) guide of the expedition, Matthias Zurbriggen reached the summit on January 14.