Did You Know the Andes, The Backbone of South America, Extend All the Way to Antarctica?

"The Andes are the highest elevation peaks outside of Asia. Aconcagua is the highest mountain on the continent, rising to an impressive 22,838 feet (6,961 meters) above sea level. The range also separates the dry and wet sides of South America by blocking and forcing all the moisture to drop off during incoming storms. This results in the world's driest desert, the Atacama, on one side and one of the world's wettest places, the Amazon rainforest, on the other."

"The Andes are also a part of the American Cordillera, an almost continuous chain of mountains starting in Alaska and creating a spine all the way through North America, through Central America, and finally all the way down to Antarctica by way of the Andes. By way of this mountain chain, Aconcagua, is actually the parent mountain of the highest peak in North America, Denali."

"From there, they then submerge into the Atlantic Ocean, becoming what is known as the Antarctandes by many geologists. The Antarctandes submerge into the Atlantic Ocean just to the east of Tierra del Fuego, forming the underwater Scotia Arc mountain range. They then resurface periodically in the South Orkney Islands, Shag Rocks, South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, and South Shetland Islands, before finally resurfacing on the northern Antarctic Peninsula."

"The range then continues on, becoming the highest range on the continent, the Ellsworth Mountains. Mt. Vinson, the highest peak in Antarctica, reaches an astounding height of 16,050 feet in"

The Andes are the highest elevation peaks outside Asia, with Aconcagua reaching 22,838 feet above sea level. The range blocks incoming storms and forces moisture to drop, creating the Atacama Desert on one side and the Amazon rainforest on the other. The Andes belong to the American Cordillera, a near-continuous mountain chain from Alaska through North and Central America and down to Antarctica via the Andes. Aconcagua is described as the parent mountain of Denali. The Andes continue through Patagonia, including mountaineering destinations such as Cerro Torre, then submerge into the Atlantic Ocean as the Antarctandes. They form the Scotia Arc underwater, resurface in several island groups, and finally reemerge on the northern Antarctic Peninsula, continuing as the Ellsworth Mountains.

Read at SnowBrains