These are the famous Torres del Paine (Paine Towers), which gave their name to the National Park where Hotel Salto Chico is located. They are part of the Patagonian Andes, the southernmost section of the Andes Mountains that run the length of South America. These mountains were formed 12 million years ago as a result of tectonic uplift which revealed enormous blocks of rocks that were millions of years old. The three monumental towers of granite and magma are around 3,000 meters (10,000 feet) high.
