The highest peaks of the Andes, and in fact the entire western hemisphere, are located in the central Andes region. Located between the cities of Santiago in Chile and Mendoza in Argentina, and stretching north and south from there, these peaks are high, barren, and rugged.

My experience in the area is limited, as I've only done one trek there, near Aconcagua; but I did spend a winter there once, based in a ski town called Las Leñas. You can see more ski and snowboard photos from Las Leñas here.