Bounded approximately by the Laguna del Monte,
Guaminí at its northwestern end and the
Atlantic Ocean to its southwest, the Sierra de la Ventana lies on a
precambrian base formed around 2.2 billion years ago, and is interspersed with
granite,
granodiorite, and
amphibole deposits. Characterized by its
escarpments, this orography prevented the deposit of significant amounts of
loess, and made the area the least propitious for
agriculture within the Pampas;
sunflower fields are common along the foot of the range. Its soils feature an A-AC-C
horizonation, not unlike those found along the
Appalachian range. Its climate is somewhat colder and drier than that prevailing in the surrounding
Humid Pampas, though the range receives more rainfall than the
Semi-arid Pampas located to the west. Sizable extensions of
lacebark pines grow along the range, possibly introduced from
Asia. Peppered by caves and grottoes, the range is relatively modest in height and extension, and exceeds 1000 m (3280 ft) at only six points. These peaks are: • Cura Malal Chico (1000 m) • Cura Malal Grande (1037 m) • Napostá Grande (1108 m) • La Ventana (1184 m) • Destierro Primero (1172 m) • Tres Picos (1239 m) British naturalist
Charles Darwin described his ascent of the Sierra de la Ventana range in the sixth chapter of his work
The Voyage of the Beagle. The region's breezes and mild climate made it a tourist attraction beginning in the early part of the 20th century, and its principal early promoter was
Ernesto Tornquist, a prominent rancher, banker and developer. The extension of the
Buenos Aires Great Southern Railway past the area led to the construction of the
Club Hotel de la Ventana, a luxury casino and hotel, and the outpost of Villa Ventana, a resort community developed by the Sociedad de Compañías de Tierras y Hoteles de Sierra de la Ventana. The hotel closed after President
Hipólito Yrigoyen's 1918 edict banning
gambling, and development of the area's tourism resources remained below their potential in subsequent decades. Cerro_Tres_Picos.jpg|Aerial view of
Cerro Tres Picos. Cnel_Suaréz,_Buenos_Aires,_Argentina_-_panoramio_(3).jpg|Surroundings of
Coronel Suárez. Sierra de la ventana nevada . - panoramio.jpg|"La Ventana" (The Window) landmark. Pque_Torquinst_-_Entrana_cerro_ventana.JPG|
Ernesto Tornquist Provincial Park ==References==