Aconcagua
Aconcagua (), with a summit elevation of , is the highest mountain in both the Southern and Western Hemispheres. It is located in the Andes mountain range, in the Mendoza Province, Argentina, and lies northwest of its capital, the city of Mendoza, about from San Juan Province and from the international border with Chile. The mountain itself lies entirely within Argentina, immediately east of Argentina's border with Chile. Its nearest higher neighbor is Tirich Mir in the Hindu Kush, away. It is one of the Seven Summits.
Vernon Tejas
In 2010, Tejas set the world record for the fastest period in which a person has climbed all seven of the world's highest mountain summits, at 134 days. He is also the only person to have summited all seven on at least ten separate occasions, and has climbed all seven twice within a year. He had previously held the record in 2005 at 187 days. During the period of the new record, he also scaled the Carstensz Pyramid in New Guinea.Aconcagua, Cerro 6,959 m, 22,831 ft. Also known as the ""Sentinel of Stone,"" its original name in Quechua language. Aconcagua was conquered in 1897 by Swiss guide Matthias Zurbriggen. Located near the Argentinean-Chilean border, this is the world's highest mountain outside of the Himalayas, the South American highpoint. Although it is not a volcano, it is of volcanic origin. The summit ridge, between the north, or main peak, and the south peak, 6,930 m, 22,736 ft, is called the Cresta Guanaco. The normal route is located in the south and circles to the west side of the mountain, then ascends the northwest ridge; it is reached by a three-week-long trek through the lower Andes. It is a surprisingly easy climb, if one adapts quickly to high altitude: a strong climber, Vern Tejas, hauled a mountain bike up to the summit and proceeded to go down the mountain on this most unlikely equipage!In 2001, a nine-person team on the Return To The Top Of The World Expedition (RTOW2001) landed at Frigg Fjord. The group traversed the peninsula to the north, and made their way up the Syd Glacier, then crossed the Polkorridoren, and proceeded down the Nord Glacier. As the team crossed, five climbers: John Jancik, Joe Sears, Vernon Tejas, Ken Zerbst, and Steve Gardiner made the second ascent of Helvetia Tinde on 17 July 2001 via a new route up the east ridge. In 1969, the British Joint Services Expedition first climbed the 1920 meter summit of Helvetia Tinde. Helvetia Tinde is the highest peak in the most northerly mountain range on Earth, a mere 750 km from the geographic North Pole. On 18 July 2001, all nine team members: David Baker, Terri Baker, John Jancik, Jim McCrain, Jim Schaefer, Joe Sears, Vernon Tejas, Ken Zerbst, and Steve Gardiner made the first ascent of the highest as yet not climbed peak in the norther most mountain range on Earth. On reaching the north coast, the team recorded altitudes of summits, altitudes of saddles, and GPS readings for 14 peaks. On 23 July 2001, a team crossed the sea ice at Sands Fjord to make first ascents of several peaks on Cape Christian IV. On 25 July 2001, Sears, Tejas, and Gardiner climbed additional peaks in the area that included Peak 6. The whole team continued east along the coast to Cape Morris Jesup, and met up with their pilot and airplane to return to the United States. The team's data was submitted to the appropriate experts in Denmark and the United States. The results indicated that Peak 6, at 83°, 36.427' north, is the summit of the most northern mountain on Earth.