Sierra Nevada de Lagunas Bravas


Sierra Nevada, also known as Sierra Nevada de Lagunas Bravas, is a major ignimbrite-lava dome complex which lies in both Chile and Argentina in one of the most remote parts of the Central Andes. Activity in the complex started in Argentina and formed two stratovolcanoes. Later, 12 or more vents formed, some with craters up to wide. Lava flows up to long with flow ridges are also found. It covers a total area of 225 km². Radiometric dating has yielded ages of 1.7 ± 0.4 to 0.431 ± 0.012 million years ago. Together with Cerro el Condor and Peinado it forms the Culampaja line, a line of volcanoes that reaches Cerro Blanco. Strong seismic attenuation is observed beneath Sierra Nevada. Hydrothermally altered rocks in Sierra Nevada may be the source of sulfate and in the Juncalito and Negro rivers.
Sierra Nevada is a remote peak on the Chile-Argentina border. As such it was probably the second last 6000m+ peak in the Andes to be climbed, the first recorded ascent being in December 2000. The snowline in the area lies at altitude at Cumbre del Laudo.
Although the Chilean/Argentinean border in this region was supposed to run along the highest summits, the border Summit is not the highest one. The highest one is located 2.45km west and is probably 6137m. This summit was first reached by Eduardo Olivier in 2013.