Photo Gallery

The two large salt flats of the Bolivian Altiplano, the Salares of Coipasa (pictured) and Uyuni, are the remnants of a vast Ice Age freshwater lake, Lago Minchin. Due to low rainfall, the absence of tributaries and the extreme dryness of the air, the former freshwater lakes have evaporated into shallow lagoons and salt flats, their shores lined with deposits of common salt. Cut into blocks, the snow-white salt – considered to be of exceptional purity – is transported by lorry to the areas where it is used. - Book: Picture 159 - Chile - 1976

Penitential snow is a phenomenon associated with the high mountains of the subtropical and tropical dry zones of the Old and New Worlds. Snow cover that has formed during the wet season is subject to selective melting processes during sunny summer and autumn weather; these are governed by irregularities on the original snow surface and sculpt out closely spaced yet completely isolated firn spikes, which resemble a procession of figures in white penitential robes (penitentes). The photograph was taken at an altitude of 4,900 metres on the Huaitiquina Pass, which leads from Salta (Argentina) to San Pedro de Atacama (Chile). - Book: Picture 8 - Chile - 1975

The Chilean Puna de Atacama, situated between San Pedro de Atacama and the Tatio geysers, is a monotonous high plateau formed from rhyolitic lava. The bitter cold of the night covers the small streams of the Puna with a thin layer of ice, which had not yet melted in the early morning when the photograph was taken. - Book: Picture 160 - Chile - 1976

As a high-altitude, cold desert, the Puna de Atacama is one of the most inhospitable regions on Earth. Bare rock and sand, lava flows and volcanoes characterise this forbidding yet impressive landscape. - Book: Picture 161 - Chile - 1976

The photograph shows a section of the old, unpaved tracks on the plateau east of Calama, between the famous oasis of San Pedro de Atacama and the historic Atacameño village of San Francisco de Chiu Chiu, which was a strategically important stop on the Inca Trail (Camino del Inca), as the river, with its flowing water, represents one of the few lifelines in the midst of the utterly inhospitable, grey Atacama Desert. – Chile – 1976

The Río San Pedro de Inacaliri (often simply called the Río San Pedro) has carved this canyon into the high plateau of the Chilean Puna. The striking, block-like cliffs consist of thick ignimbrite deposits (volcanic pyroclastic flow sediments). In the background rises the Palpana volcano. It is a massive stratovolcano, approximately 6,040 metres high, in the Chilean Andes near the border with Bolivia. – Chile – 1976

Typical landscape along the unpaved gravel road linking the oasis town of San Pedro de Atacama with the El Tatio geysers in northern Chile. This route takes you to an extreme altitude of over 4,000 metres. Vegetation is almost entirely non-existent due to the extreme aridity of the Atacama Desert and the cold. In the background, you can see the volcanic Andean Cordillera, which stretches along the Chilean-Bolivian border, including the striking, partly still active Putana volcano (5,890 m), which rises directly behind the El Tatio geyser field. Cerro Tatio (5,208 m) gives the region its name. In the ancient Kunza language, the word means ‘The Weeping Grandfather’. Or the mighty Tocorpuri volcanic complex (5,808 m) right on the border, whose slopes you pass by whilst driving. – Chile – 1976

In the vicinity of the world-famous El Tatio geyser field in the Chilean Andes. The typical mineral crusts and outflows resulting from geothermal activity can be seen, set against the backdrop of the cold, barren Altiplano plateau, which is surrounded by volcanoes and mountains. – Chile – 1976

The El Tatio geyser field in the Atacama Desert in northern Chile, situated at an altitude of around 4,200 metres. It is one of the highest geyser fields in the world. Activity is at its peak in the early morning (between 6.00 and 8.00 am), as this is when the temperature differences are greatest and the steam from the geysers rises most vigorously. The volcano in the background is the dormant stratovolcano Tatio (5,198 m). It lies directly on the border between Chile and Bolivia and forms part of the larger Tocorpuri volcanic complex. The name Tatio comes from the ancient Kunza language (Tata-iu) and translates as ‘the weeping grandfather’. It refers to the shape of the mountain range, which, from a distance, resembles the profile of an elderly man lying down. – Chile – 1976

An active geyser with a large fountain of steam in the El Tatio geothermal area in the Chilean Andes, at an altitude of around 4,280 metres in the Antofagasta Region. The best time to visit is early in the morning, when the fountains and steam are particularly impressive in the cold early-morning temperatures. – Chile – 1976

The rhyolite lava flows in the Chilean Puna de Atacama are associated with major tectonic fault lines striking in a north-south direction. The Tatio geysers, whose hot water vapour condenses in the cold high-altitude air, provide evidence that magmatic flow is present at shallow depths. It is rainwater that has seeped into the ground, heated up at depth and, due to the resulting pressure, is ejected either continuously or at regular intervals. - Book: Picture 162 - Chile - 1976

The impressive El Tatio geyser field is one of the highest and largest in the world, featuring numerous hot springs, fumaroles and rising columns of steam. Due to the extreme altitude (4,280 m) and the cold mountain air, the temperature difference between the hot water and the surrounding environment is particularly evident in the large clouds of steam in the morning. – Chile – 1976

The photograph shows the El Tatio geothermal field in the Andes in northern Chile, which lies at an altitude of around 4,280 metres and is one of the highest in the world. It is situated approximately 80 km north of San Pedro de Atacama. Over 80 active geysers spout large clouds of steam into the cold desert air, particularly in the early hours of the morning. – Chile – 1976

Chuquicamata is the world’s largest open-cast copper mine and is situated in the heart of the Atacama Desert in northern Chile. The mine’s enormous pit is more than 4 kilometres long, 3 kilometres wide and over 1,000 metres deep. – The photograph shows the extracted ore being smelted at extremely high temperatures and processed into pure copper at the adjacent Chuquicamata copper smelter (Fundición). – Chile – 1976

The photograph shows a vast, arid plain with sparse desert vegetation and a barren mountain range in the background, across which a freight train is travelling in the Atacama Desert in northern Chile. – South of Copiapó – Chile – 1975

The 2,661-metre-high volcanic cone of Osorno rises above the clear waters of Lake Llanquihue in ‘Chilean Switzerland’. In terms of its shape and location, this most beautiful of the Andean volcanoes is reminiscent of Mount Fuji. Ancient lava flows have separated Lake Llanquihue from Lake Todos los Santos, which is also known as Lake Esmeralda due to its emerald-green colour. - Book: Picture 199 - Chile - 1975

From the Argentine city of Salta, an old mule track – now a poorly maintained track – leads over the Huaitiquina Pass to San Pedro de Atacama in Chile. In the past, herds of cattle were driven over this pass to supply the Chilean port city of Antofagasta with Argentine beef. When the dreaded Viento Blanco – the ‘white wind’ – blows, the plateau, situated at an altitude of 5,000 metres, is covered within a few hours by a metre-thick blanket of snow, and it was not uncommon for people and animals to perish in such ‘blizzards’. This is evidenced by the sun-bleached cattle skeletons in this desolate wasteland with its salt lakes, dominated by the towering cone of the Lascar volcano. - Book: Picture 157 - Argentina - 1975

A historic photograph! It shows a historic train in the barren high desert of the Argentine Puna in the province of Jujuy. This narrow-gauge line once ran through the spectacular Quebrada de Humahuaca, up onto the plateau and on to the Bolivian border at La Quiaca. The tracks around the high-altitude station of Tres Cruces lie at an altitude of over 3,600 metres and are largely a historical relic of the former link between Argentina and Bolivia. – Argentina – 1973

Landscape near Tres Cruces in the northwest of the Jujuy Province. - 1973

The photograph shows the impressive Cuesta de Lipán in the province of Jujuy in north-western Argentina, on the road from Purmamarca up to the Salinas Grandes. The barren, spectacular high-mountain landscape is characterised by hairpin bends, eroded mountain ranges and distinctive candelabra cacti (cardones) lining the roadside. – Argentina – 1975

The archaeological site of Santa Rosa de Tastil in the province of Salta, Argentina, features the well-preserved, pre-Inca stone foundations of one of the country’s largest pre-Hispanic settlements. The complex consists of compact stone houses without windows and narrow alleys. The ruins cover 17 hectares in the Quebrada del Toro gorge at an altitude of around 3,200 metres and form part of the Qhapaq Ñan (Inca road system), which is protected as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The settlement is thought to have been inhabited between the 14th and 15th centuries, prior to the full-scale Inca expansion, and could have accommodated up to 3,000 inhabitants. – Argentina – 1975

A striking eroded landscape with the moon along the Quebrada de Humahuaca in the region between Purmamarca and Tilcara in the province of Jujuy in north-western Argentina. These gullies, known as cárcavas (badlands), form in arid climates when infrequent but heavy rainfall deeply cuts into the unprotected, soft sedimentary layers. – Argentina – 1973

Aconcagua, situated in the Argentine Andes in the province of Mendoza, is the highest mountain on the American continent at 6,961 metres. The mountain is a popular destination for mountaineers from all over the world; it was first climbed in 1897 by Matthias Zurbriggen. – Argentina – 1975

Aconcagua, the highest mountain on the American double continent, is not among the most impressive mountain formations in South America, despite its height of 6,959 metres. It is not a volcano and therefore lacks the elegant curves of its slopes. Extreme dryness and strong winds prevent the formation of an ice cap on the summit, though small slope glaciers flow down from five cirques. The mountain, situated in the Argentine-Chilean border region of the High Cordillera, was first climbed in 1897 by the Swiss mountaineer M. Zurbriggen. - Book: Picture 201 - Argentina - 1975

The Andes Cordillera is the backbone of the South American continent, forming at certain points an impassable barrier. It establishes the natural border between the eastern, low-lying areas and the Pacific coastline, which extends westwards for thousands of kilometres. The Aconcagua (approx. 7,000 metres), dear to Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, is the highest peak in the Andes mountain range. It rises majestically between Argentina and Chile. It is usually covered with clouds. Its ascent has tempted many andinists - the name given to mountaineers. However, it presents serious dangers. - 1973

The photograph shows the Argentine side of the famous ‘Los Caracoles’ mountain pass at the Paso Internacional Los Libertadores in the Andes, on the border between Chile and Argentina. The winding mountain pass snakes through the barren high-mountain landscape of the Andes and leads up to the old border tunnel and the statue of Christ, Cristo Redentor de los Andes, at an altitude of over 3,800 metres. – Argentina – 1975

A view of Lake Nahuel Huapi in the Patagonian region of Argentina, surrounded by dense forest and snow-capped Andean peaks in the background. The landscape is situated within Nahuel Huapi National Park, near the towns of San Carlos de Bariloche and Villa La Angostura. Typical of this region are the lush forests of southern beech (coihues) and myrtle trees (arrayanes). The lake is of glacial-tectonic origin and is fed by the surrounding glaciers and mountains. – Argentina – 1975

Lake Nahuel Huapi (Araucanian for ‘Lake of Tiger Island’), which is comparable in size (529 km²) to Lake Constance, is a vast glacial trough into which several glacial streams converged. This explains its intricate network of fjord-like branches. It is known as the ‘Lake Lucerne’ of Argentina, whilst the surrounding mountain landscape, including the skiing paradise at Cerro Catedral (2,388 m), is referred to as the ‘Argentine Switzerland’. - Book: Picture 196 - Argentina - 1973

62 kilometres away from San Carlos de Bariloche, on the banks of the Limay River, lies Valle Encantado, a place with a special magic. Surrounded by mountains and rock formations that, letting the imagination run wild, come to life in the eyes of the beholder. - Neuquén Province - 1973

View from the 1,314-metre-high Paso Puyehue on the Argentine-Chilean border towards the isolated, towering peak of Pico Pantojo. - Book: Picture 197 - Argentina - 1975

Alongside the various species of southern beech (Nothofagus), the mighty araucaria trees (Araucaria imbricata) make up a significant proportion of the Southern Cordillera’s forests. The oil-rich seeds of these conifers once formed an essential part of the subsistence diet of the Pehuénche, who practised a foraging economy. Their name means ‘people of the araucaria forests’ (pehuén = the araucaria). - Book: Picture 198 - Argentina - 1975

The photograph shows the majestic Lanín volcano (3,776 m), a stratovolcano in the Andes on the border between Argentina and Chile. The snow-capped volcano rises from the Andean Cordillera and lies within the Lanín National Park (Argentina) and the Villarrica National Park (Chile). In the foreground and on the slopes, one can see the typical forest of Chilean araucarias (also known as pehuén) and sub-Antarctic grass and shrub vegetation. – Argentina – 1975

The Chilean araucaria (Araucaria araucana), also known as the Andean fir or monkey tree, in its natural South American Andean or volcanic landscape. These distinctive conifers have a straight, columnar trunk and an umbrella-shaped crown with stiff, scaly branches. They often grow on barren, volcanic soils in the mountains of Chile and Argentina and are extremely hardy. The species is regarded as a living fossil and is protected due to habitat loss and past deforestation. – Lanín National Park – Argentina – 1975

Mount Fitz Roy (3,375 m) was named in honour of the captain of the Beagle. It was under his command in 1834, following a sixteen-day boat journey on the Río Santa Cruz – in which Charles Darwin also took part – that this peak was first sighted. Towering some 1,600 metres above the surrounding plateau, it resembles a cluster of pillars and spires, whose vertical walls are separated by gorges a thousand metres deep. The Fitz Roy is rightly regarded as the most beautiful peak in the Andes. - Book: Picture 200 - Argentina - 1973

On the Estancia Santa Margarita. In the background the Fitz Roy massif. - Santa Cruz Province - 1973

Disused wheels on the edge of the Río La Leona - in the background Cerro Fortalezza 722m - Calafate Region - Santa Cruz Province - 1973

These traditional windmills are essential for supplying water to livestock farms in the extremely remote and arid regions of Patagonia. As surface water is scarce, these windmills pump groundwater directly into water tanks or livestock troughs. The vast farms (estancias) are not connected to the electricity grid as they are often located far from the nearest town. Patagonia is one of the windiest regions on earth. The design of these windmills, with their many rotor blades, allows them to start turning even in a very light breeze, whilst protecting themselves from destruction during the notorious Patagonian storms thanks to an automatic flag control system. – Estancia “Las Toscas” in the province of Santa Cruz – Argentina – 1975

The western part of Patagonia is formed by the Andean Cordillera, which in certain sections presents an insurmountable barrier. The winds blow in from the Pacific in an almost constant direction. The clouds they carry gather over the high mountain peaks and bring heavy rainfall. This explains why, despite the relatively low altitude, glaciers – some of which are of immense proportions – stretch across the eastern flank of the Andes. In Los Glaciares National Park (Santa Cruz Province) lies Lago Argentino, the ‘Silver Lake’, one of the most beautiful lakes in this southern region. The town of Calafate on its southern shore is attracting ever more tourists. Several glaciers can be seen in the immediate vicinity. One is called Uppsala and is 40 kilometres long. Pictured here is the equally famous Perito Moreno. – Argentina – 1973

As the eastern tongue of the great Patagonian ice field, the 17-kilometre-long Moreno Glacier stretches down to the southern arm of Lago Argentino, where it ends in a 70-metre-high ice wall. Its scientific discoverer, R. Hauthal, had named it the ‘Bismarck Glacier’ in 1899; it was given its current name in honour of the Argentine naturalist F. P. Moreno. Even in Hauthal’s day, clear signs of irregular advances were evident, whilst the other Southern Andes glaciers were already retreating. Since then, the Canal de los Témpanos has been completely blocked on several occasions, leading to a build-up of water in the southern part of the lake and catastrophic flooding, prompting attempts – in vain – to blast the ice wall with bombs. It was only after a transverse crevasse had formed in the 2 to 2.5-kilometre-wide glacier tongue that the floodwaters drained away. Today, the ‘Canal de los Témpanos’ is open again. - Book: Picture 205 - Argentina - 1973

The western part of Patagonia is formed by the Andes Cordillera, which represents an insurmountable barrier in some sections. The winds blow from the Pacific in an almost unchanging direction. The clouds they bring accumulate above the high mountain peaks and cause abundant precipitation. This explains why, despite their low altitude, glaciers of sometimes enormous dimensions extend along the eastern flank of the Andes. In the Los Glaciares National Park (Santa Cruz Province) lies the Argentino, the Silver Lake, one of the most beautiful lakes in this southern region. The town of Calafate on its southern shore is visited by more and more tourists. Several glaciers can be seen nearby. One is called Uppsala and is 40 kilometres long. An equally famous one is called Perito Moreno. Navigation on the Silver Lake is dangerous, if only because of the wind and the storms that are frequent in the Cordillera. Nature, preserved in its authenticity, attracts many scientists who can devote themselves to their studies here. - 1973

As the eastern tongue of the great Patagonian ice field, the 17-kilometre-long Moreno Glacier stretches down to the southern arm of Lago Argentino, where it ends in a 70-metre-high ice wall. Its scientific discoverer, R. Hauthal, had named it the ‘Bismarck Glacier’ in 1899; it was given its current name in honour of the Argentine naturalist F. P. Moreno. Even in Hauthal’s day, clear signs of irregular advances were evident, whilst the other Southern Andes glaciers were already retreating. Since then, the Canal de los Témpanos has been completely blocked on several occasions, leading to a build-up of water in the southern part of the lake and catastrophic flooding, prompting attempts – in vain – to blast the ice wall with bombs. It was only after a transverse crevasse had formed in the 2 to 2.5-kilometre-wide glacier tongue that the floodwaters drained away. Today, the ‘Canal de los Témpanos’ is open again. - Book: Picture 204 - Argentina - 1973

The western part of Patagonia is formed by the Andes Cordillera, which represents an insurmountable barrier in some sections. The winds blow from the Pacific in an almost unchanging direction. The clouds they bring accumulate above the high mountain peaks and cause abundant precipitation. This explains why, despite their low altitude, glaciers of sometimes enormous dimensions extend along the eastern flank of the Andes. In the Los Glaciares National Park (Santa Cruz Province) lies the Argentino, the Silver Lake, one of the most beautiful lakes in this southern region. The town of Calafate on its southern shore is visited by more and more tourists. Several glaciers can be seen nearby. One is called Uppsala and is 40 kilometres long. An equally famous one is called Perito Moreno. Navigation on the Silver Lake is dangerous, if only because of the wind and the storms that are frequent in the Cordillera. Nature, preserved in its authenticity, attracts many scientists who can devote themselves to their studies here. - 1973

As the eastern tongue of the great Patagonian ice field, the 17-kilometre-long Moreno Glacier stretches down to the southern arm of Lago Argentino, where it ends in a 70-metre-high ice wall. Its scientific discoverer, R. Hauthal, had named it the ‘Bismarck Glacier’ in 1899; it was given its current name in honour of the Argentine naturalist F. P. Moreno. Even in Hauthal’s day, clear signs of irregular advances were evident, whilst the other Southern Andes glaciers were already retreating. Since then, the Canal de los Témpanos has been completely blocked on several occasions, leading to a build-up of water in the southern part of the lake and catastrophic flooding, prompting attempts – in vain – to blast the ice wall with bombs. It was only after a transverse crevasse had formed in the 2 to 2.5-kilometre-wide glacier tongue that the floodwaters drained away. Today, the ‘Canal de los Témpanos’ is open again. - Book: Picture 203 - Argentina - 1973

The Perito Moreno Glacier (Spanish: Glaciar Perito Moreno) is one of the best-known and most spectacular glaciers on Earth. It is situated in Los Glaciares National Park in the Argentine province of Santa Cruz, in south-western Patagonia. The glacier stretches for around 30 kilometres and is 5 kilometres wide. The impressive ice front rises, on average, 55 to 75 metres above the surface of Lago Argentino. Underwater, the ice extends a further 100 metres or so into the depths. Unlike most glaciers worldwide, which are shrinking due to global warming, the Perito Moreno Glacier is in a relatively stable equilibrium. It advances by up to 2 metres every day. As a result of this continuous movement, chunks of ice as tall as houses regularly break off from the front. This phenomenon is accompanied by a thunderous crash and a deep rumble that can be heard for kilometres. As it advances, the glacier periodically blocks a side arm of Lago Argentino (Brazo Rico). The dammed-up water builds up enormous pressure until the barrier finally collapses in a spectacular process lasting several days. – Argentina – 1973

As the eastern tongue of the great Patagonian ice field, the 17-kilometre-long Moreno Glacier stretches down to the southern arm of Lago Argentino, where it ends in a 70-metre-high ice wall. Its scientific discoverer, R. Hauthal, had named it the ‘Bismarck Glacier’ in 1899; it was given its current name in honour of the Argentine naturalist F. P. Moreno. Even in Hauthal’s day, clear signs of irregular advances were evident, whilst the other Southern Andes glaciers were already retreating. Since then, the Canal de los Témpanos has been completely blocked on several occasions, leading to a build-up of water in the southern part of the lake and catastrophic flooding, prompting attempts – in vain – to blast the ice wall with bombs. It was only after a transverse crevasse had formed in the 2 to 2.5-kilometre-wide glacier tongue that the floodwaters drained away. Today, the ‘Canal de los Témpanos’ is open again. - Book: Picture 202 - Argentina - 1973

Spring in Patagonia! A vast meadow dotted with white wildflowers. In the background rise the snow-capped peaks and striking granite cliffs of the Cuernos del Paine in Torres del Paine National Park. – Chile – 1975

Laguna Amarga (meaning ‘Bitter Lagoon’ in English), surrounded by the typical Patagonian steppe landscape with reddish ground cover and low shrubs in the foreground. The name derives from the bitter taste of the water. As it is a landlocked body of water, the water evaporates continuously. As a result, the dissolved salts and minerals from the subsoil become extremely concentrated, giving the water a very high pH value. The lake is one of the most famous vantage points in Torres del Paine National Park, as on clear, windless days the three famous granite spires are perfectly reflected on the water’s surface. – Chile – 1975

The massive granodiorite batholith of the Southern Andes is dominated in the Chilean province of Magallanes by the Cordillera del Paine (2,460 m), which extends into Argentine territory. The towering rock spires, the Torres del Paine, consist of remnants of Cretaceous overlying strata that once covered the intrusive body that had risen from the depths. Contact metamorphism has greatly hardened the rock, making it particularly resistant to erosion. In the foreground is Laguna Amarga. The photograph was taken during the southern summer, on 10 January at 11 pm. - Book: Picture 5 - Argentina - 1975

The area surrounding the magnificent massifs, pinnacles and towers of the Cordillera del Paine has been a protected nature reserve for some time. The national park is one of the last refuges for guanacos still living in the wild. - Book: Picture 208 - Argentina - 1975

The area surrounding the magnificent massifs, pinnacles and towers of the Cordillera del Paine has been a protected nature reserve for some time. The small mountain lakes in Chile’s Torres del Paine National Park, such as Lago Nordenskjöld, owe their formation to the erosive action of Ice Age glaciers. - Book: Picture 207 - Argentina - 1975

A vast steppe with low vegetation (such as matahambre shrubs) tinged with autumnal red in the foreground, and the striking Cordillera del Paine mountain range with its snow-capped peaks in the background. We are in the Torres del Paine National Park in Chile. The turquoise lake is Lago Nordenskjöld, named after the Swedish geologist and polar explorer Otto Nordenskjöld, who conducted scientific research in the region at the end of the 19th century. – Chile – 1975

In southern Patagonia, and particularly in Tierra del Fuego and southern Chile, the climate and vegetation allow only sheep farming. The flocks graze scattered across thousands of hectares of stony wasteland. They are rounded up for just three occasions: disinfection baths, shearing and the slaughterhouse. But then the ovejeros, the shepherd gauchos, are often on the move for days on end with their powerful dogs, keeping in contact with one another via bonfires and smoke signals. – Torres del Paine National Park – Chile – 1975

A typical landscape of the Tierra del Fuego region near Ushuaia in Argentina, set amongst the rugged, unspoilt peat and grassland terrain characteristic of the valleys outside Ushuaia. – Argentina – 1973

The town of Ushuaia, situated in a sheltered bay on the northern shore of the Beagle Channel, grew out of a Protestant mission station in 1868. In 1884, when it had a population of just under 150, it became the capital of the Argentine territory of Tierra del Fuego; two years later, it became a penal colony. The prisoners were put to work in forestry, and for a long time timber shipping formed the economic basis of the settlement. Since the Second World War, Ushuaia – which now has a population of around 4,000 – has served as a base for Argentina’s Antarctic expeditions. One- and two-storey wooden houses still characterise the town as an unfinished pioneer settlement. In 1953, Ushuaia had to cede the title of ‘the southernmost city in the world’ to the Chilean military base of Puerto Williams on Navarino Island. - Book: Picture 209 - Argentina - 1973

The photograph shows a historic panoramic view (1973) of the Argentine city of Ushuaia, the capital of the province of Tierra del Fuego (Fireland). The town is picturesquely situated on a sheltered bay on the northern shore of the Beagle Channel. The image captures the town’s former, still predominantly rural character, with simple wooden houses and tin roofs. On the right-hand edge of the picture, near the coast, the historic Iglesia de Nuestra Señora de la Merced (the old parish church) stands out with its striking tower. – Argentina – 1973

A view of the Argentine city of Ushuaia on the island of Tierra del Fuego, framed by the coastline of the Beagle Channel and the striking, snow-capped mountain range, with the distinctive Monte Olivia in the background. The port of Ushuaia is a major hub for trade and fishing, as well as a starting point for Antarctic expedition cruises. – Argentina – 1973

The Tierra del Fuego National Park is the southernmost national park on Earth. Winter storms have washed up bleached driftwood on the shores of the lakes. The gentle slopes of the peaks towering above them – such as Montaña El Cóndor here – with their forests and heathland, represent a slice of Tierra del Fuego’s unspoilt natural landscape, which has already been largely altered by sheep farmers in other parts of this southernmost region of Argentina. - Book: Picture 211 - Argentina - 1973

The Parque Nacional de Tierra del Fuego is the southernmost national park on Earth. Although the lakes situated in complete isolation, such as Lago Roca – on whose shores winter storms have washed up bleached driftwood – lack the magnificent mountainous backdrop of the Southern Andes lakes, with their forests and heathland they represent a slice of Tierra del Fuego’s unspoilt natural landscape. - Book: Picture 210 - Argentina - 1973

The picture shows Monte San Valentín in the Chilean Southern Andes from a bird’s-eye view. At a height of approximately 4,058 metres, it is the highest mountain in the Patagonia region. On the left-hand side of the picture, one can see the extensive fjord and seawater area of the Pacific catchment, which is typical of the rugged coastal landscape of southern Chile. – Chile – 1975

Set against the backdrop of the Darwin Range in Chilean Tierra del Fuego, which rises to a height of 2,300 metres, a large valley glacier flows into the Admiralty Fjord. Two central moraines, formed by the confluence of tributary glaciers, appear as dark stripes. Icebergs drift from the pack ice field in front of the calving glacier tongue into the fjord, which flows into the Strait of Magellan. - Book: Picture 10 - Argentina - 1975

At Cape Horn, at 56° S and 67° 15' W, South America reaches its southernmost point. The cape lies on the 8-kilometre-long Horn Island, which belongs to Chile; the island consists of igneous rock and drops away into the sea on its western side as a 425-metre-high cliff. The island and the cape were discovered on 29 January 1616 by the Dutch navigators W. C. Schouten and Le Maire and named after Schouten’s birthplace, Hoorn in Holland. The name commonly used in Spanish, Cabo de Hornos (horno = oven), is a phonetic adaptation that makes little sense. Cape Hoorn, where the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans meet, was feared in the age of sailing ships because of its cliffs and severe winter storms. Since the opening of the Panama Canal (1914), it has played only a modest role in local coastal and tourist shipping. - Book: Picture 212 - Argentina - 1975