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LANÍN NATIONAL
PARK
Province of Neuquén
This
park was created in 1937 to preserve a good sample of the northern patagonian
Andes woods and forests, including here some species not found elsewhere
- the araucanian araucaria - and two southern beeches much sought for
the quality of their timber (raulí, N. alpína and the roble
pellín, N. obliqua). In a landscape of lakes and mountains, it
covers an area of 379,000 ha in SW Neuquén province.
ITS NATURAL
ASPECT
A land shaped by fire and ice. The park takes its name from the Lanín
volcano, a cone typical of such geological activity, covered in snow.
It rises to a height of 3777 metres above sea level, towering 1500 m above
the surrounding mountains, a landmark seen from all around. There are
24 lakes in the park, all of glacial origin. The northern part of the
park, between lakes Ñorquinco and Huechulafquen, is where the araucaria
monkey-puzzle trees grow, associated with lenga (Nothofagus pumilio) and
the Chusquea cane. Araucarias are primitive members of the pine family
whose columnar trunks rise to a height of up to 45m (150 feet), with a
parasolled crown. The more dense stands are at between 900 and 1800m above
sea level in cold damp habitats. Its pinyon seed is sought by many species
of the fauna and is still an important element in the diet of the local
Mapuches and settlers
In places where the precipitation exceeds 1500 mm annually there are patches
of the Valdivian forests. Here the coihue Nothofagus dombeyi reaches spectacular
proportions. The understorey is dominated by the Chusquea cane, a Berberis,
thorny and leafless Colletia. Forests of N. obliqua are found in the northern
and SW parts of the park, growing with the raulí.
Two tapaculos are typical of these forests, the chucao tapaculo and the
huet-huet. Hard to see, they live on the ground in thickets where their
loud and sonorous calls resound. Raptors include the peregrine falcon,
red-backed hawks and the black-chested buzzard-eagle.
In the denser forest lives the pudu, the smallest of all deer sporting
a single spiked tyne, low foreparts and a humped rump give it the best
shape for moving through thickets. The andean otter, peculiar to southern
Argentina and Chile is another threatened species protected by the park.
Of the waterfowl the most impressive member is the torrent duck. Found
on tumbling white-water streams and rivers it dives and sports in search
of stone-fly larvae, the main component of its diet. The ferruginous ruddy
duck and the spectacled duck are others in this line frequenting ponds.
On the lakes the great grebe calls its lament, flying steamer ducks "tishu"
and rattle their pairbonding communications, while on the edge swims and
dives the red-gartered coot, the largest of the three species which are
found all through Argentina. The introduced salmonids, though affording
opportunities for sport fishermen, have completely displaced and destroyed
the native fish fauna.
HOW TO
GET THERE
San
Martín de los Andes is reached along route 234. The Chapelco airport,
24 km from town, serves several daily internal flights. There are three
international road crossings to Chile: route 62 over the Carirriñe
pass, route 60 over the Tromen pass and Río Hua Hum pass along
route 48.
OF INTEREST
TO THE VISITOR
The main jumping-off
point for the park is San Martín de los Andes where Parks HQ is
located. All manner of services and lodging are to be found here. Camping
areas of various types from primitive up are to be found in the park.
Sport fishing for trout is to be had in the lakes and watercourses; permits
are issued by the National Park and the regulations issued yearly must
be consulted. Water sports are permitted on some of the lakes. The park
is served by a network of internal roads which permit access to points
of interest such as the Escorial - a lava flow from the Ayen Niyeu volcano
which erupted last century, the thermal baths at Lahuén-Co, lake
Tromen at the foot of Lanín, or lake Rucachorori.
There are many trails for hiking in this protected area. We recommend
you get more detailed information in the park from HQ or ranger stations.
Some of these are:
Huechulafquen area -
* El Bosque trail; 45 minutes, starting at Puerto Canoas - an interesting
short walk
* Trail up Cerro Chivo; three hours up starting from Bahía Cañicul
through a Chusquea canebrake and coihue woods
* Trail to El Saltito waterfall; 35 minutes departing from Piedra Mala.
Slightly rising
* Trail to Paimún; three hours out leaving from Piedra Mala
* Trail to the shelter on the south face of Lanín volcano at 2300
m above sea level. Seven hour hike leaving from Puerto Canoas - demanding
because of the steepness and dense vegetation.
* Trail to the Paimún shelter (1700m above sea level), a five hour
hike.
Tromen area -
* Lookout trail - to get a view of Tromen lake and Lanín volcano.
35-40 minutes up, easy.
* Trail to the international border and araucaria woods; from the ranger's
station it is three kilometres long through pure stands of araucaria pines
hundreds of years old - easy walk
* Trail to the headwaters of the Malleo river and Tromen lake; 4km to
the lake, easy.
The following are trails in the
Tromen area which are middling to tough which need prior knowledge of
the area or a duly authorised mountain guide.
* Trail to Quillén via Magdalenas valley - follows an old and unused
track across transition valleys, araucaria woods and upland bogs. 50 Km
- 2 to 3 days.
* Trail to Huechulafquen over the eastern slope of Lanín volcano
at about the 6000-foot level. It takes 2 days and arrives at Puerto Canoas
at the western end of Huechulafquen lake.
* Climb of Lanín volcano: the trail leaves from near the ranger's
station where the equipment will be checked and approved, a precondition
of a permit. Information from National Parks .
Villa Quila Quina area -
* Trail to the carbonated mineral water spring, from the pier along the
car track some 800m.
* Trail to the rapids on Arroyo Grande: departs from the entrance to the
Villa some 500m to the cascades. Along the stream and through the woods
of roble pellín, cypresses and coihues.
* El Cipresal interpretative trail - From the banks of Arroyo Grande near
its mouth it traverses ancient stands of cypresses with wayside panels
explaining the importance of the vegetation and its relationship to man;
some 800m.
Lacar/Queñi area
* Arrayán circuit. vehicular trail 22km long with lovely views
of the lake and surrounding mountains.
* Catritre beach: 4 km from San Martín de los Andes, arrives at
a campsite and place for watersports.
Thanks to APN - Administración
de Parques Nacionales
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