Geri Winkler
In the 1990s he ascended Popocatepetl in Mexico and Muztagh Ata (7546 m) in China. In the summer of 2001, he climbed Elbrus in Russia, the highest mountain in Europe. In the winter of 2002 and 2003, Winkler climbed Aconcagua in Argentina, the tallest mountain in South America.
Llullaillaco
Llullaillaco is located in the northwestern Argentine Andes, towards the southern end of the Puna. The border between Argentina (Salta Province) and Chile crosses the volcano. It lies in the Puna de Atacama, a region of very high volcanic peaks on a high plateau close to the Atacama Desert, one of the driest places in the world.
The volcano is an imposing mountain, rising by above the Salar de Punta Negra away. With a summit height of , or alternatively , it is the second highest active volcano in the world after Ojos del Salado (, ). The height of the mountain and the clear air in the region make Llullaillaco visible from Cerro Paranal, 189 km away as measured by Google Maps. The region is dry and located at high altitudes, making work in the area difficult.