Patagonia Verde: A Geotourism Paradise
Overshadowed by the mysticism, culture and traditions of the charismatic island of Chiloé, the land located east of the archipelago is frequently overlooked. The peaks of the Patagonian Andes and a raging Pacific Ocean flank this area popularly known as “Chiloé Continental,” creating a unique geographical setting in which coastal communities feel a close affinity with the Chiloé culture, yet those that live nearer to the mountains identify moreso with gaucho culture.
Covering a land area of more than 20,000 km2 (7,722 square miles), the territory includes the areas of Cochamó, Hualaihué, Chaitén, Futaleufú and Palena. Pioneering settlers came to these little explored territories where ancient indigenous peoples such as the Chonos, Poyas and Tehuelches once inhabited. Today, its little more than 22,000 inhabitants live mainly from artisanal fishing, shore gathering and rearing livestock, where it is common for locals to share a mate drink, play music on guitars and accordions, and dance the chamamé.
Perhaps the most dominant feature of this territory, the thick evergreen forests, also explains its other name: Patagonia Verde, which translate as “Green Patagonia” in English. It is one of the five top tourist destinations in the Los Lagos Region. It’s deep, seemingly impenetrable, forests teeming with life emerged in an area of high annual rainfall. That starkly contrasts with the landscape of the eastern Patagonian Andes, which is an area with considerably less rainfall and much simpler vegetation.
In Patagonia Verde, the Andean mountain range is lower than it is in northern and central Chile, rising slightly just higher than 2,000 meters (6,562 feet) above sea level, especially where the mountains merge with the region’s main volcanoes. Some 400 million years of geological history are written in these rocks, which include the formation of ancient mountains dotted with volcanic chains, as well as large marine basins that flooded this land depositing debris which later formed part of the Andes. Deep valleys lie between these mountains carved by powerful ice masses, which blanketed the earth up until 20,000 years ago. With the slow melting that came with the end of the ice age, the glaciers continued to hew the landscape, forming lakes and rivers.
Glacial erosion carved weakened areas of the Earth’s crust, forming fjords and valleys, much of which flow from north to south, past volcanoes and hydrothermal centers. This geomorphological feature was formed by tectonic forces that caused fractures in a surface area of 1,000km (621 miles), from the Antuco volcano in the north to the Gulf of Penas in the south, now known as the Liquiñe-ofqui Fault Zone (ZFLO). This fault system allows the magma that forms 100km (62 miles) deep, in the subduction zone where the Nazca oceanic plate moves below the South American continental plate, to rise to the surface and form volcanoes.
At the same time, meteoric waters that percolate the subsoil seeping through existing faults heat up
when coming into contact with boiling magma. This explains the numerous hot springs in the region, many of which can be found in the valleys and often together with the fjords formed by different parts of this fault system.
From north to south, the most easily recognizable volcanoes in Patagonia Verde are Yates, Hornopirén, Chaitén, Michinmahuida and Corcovado.others that are less conspicuous to the untrained eye include Huequi, Hualaihue, Apagado and Barranco Colorado. Several of these have seen historical eruptions, such as that of Chaitén in 2008, which resulted in the evacuation of the town of the same name, and which was partially destroyed by the lahars formed by the accumulation of volcanic matter that covered the area and which was later moved by the characteristic intense rainfall of the zone.
Much of Patagonia Verde is preserved for conservation and ecotourism. There are the Hornopirén, Corcovado and Douglas Tompkins’ Pumalín national parks, which form the northern part of the so-called “Route of Patagonia Parks”. Other important protected areas found here are the Futaleufú and Lago Palena national reserves.
One of the icons of biodiversity of this region is the alerce tree, which can live up to 4,000 years and reach 70 meters (230 feet) in height. But the forests are also home to the lenga, coigüe, ñirre, canelo, mañío, luma, tepa, ulmo, notro and other species. In the fjords, one can frequently spot the Chilean dolphin, cormorants, penguins, herons and kingfishers, while the Valdivian forests are the kingdom of birds such as chucao, black-throated hued-hued and thorn-tailed rayadito, as well as shier mammals such as the pudú deer, South American fox, pampas cat, kodkod cat, puma and a rare marsupial known as the monito del monte.
“Some 400 million years of geological history are written in these rocks.”
The main road crossing Patagonia Verde is Route 7, more popularly known as the Carretera Austral, a scenic highway that is partially unpaved and winds through a variety of ecosystems offering diverse tourism activities.
Because of its unique geological characteristics and tourist potential, the Universidad Austral de Chile recently carried out the “Geotourism in Patagonia Verde” project that encourages local guides to develop and offer new geo- touristic products. Now, an internationally accepted term, geotourism refers to a type of sustainable touristic activity that promotes the identity of an specific territory, taking into account its geology, environment, culture, aesthetic value, heritage and welfare of its residents. Geological tourism is considered as
“The most dominant feature of this territory, the thick evergreen forests, also explains its other name: Patagonia Verde. It’s deep, seemingly impenetrable, forests teeming with life emerged in an area of high annual rainfall.”
one of the various components of geotourism.
Geodiversity comprises the full diversity of rocks, minerals, fossils, soils and geological structures that constitute the substrate that sustains living organisms and is the result of various processes that occurred during the 4,600 million years of the Earth’s evolution. The geodiversity of Patagonia Verde is a record of 400 million years of history, which nonetheless, on a planetary scale, represents less than 10 percent of the history of the planet. However, with regard to the known geological record in Chile it is quite long and complete.
The most relevant elements of geodiversity that contribute to the understanding of the different processes that occurred on Earth have to do with geological heritage. When these elements are in their place of origin they are known as geosites. Patagonia Verde has a world- renowned geological heritage, and fortunately many of the sites of geological interest are within protected areas, which contributes significantly to their conservation.
As a result of the Universidad Austral de Chile initiative, more than 60 sites of geological interest were identified, and 20 geo-routes designed which will help contribute to the exploration of the geodiversity and natural history of this region. Visitors can travel these routes while engaging in diverse activities including hiking, mountaineering, climbing, horseback riding, kayaking and rafting. It is highly recommended to hire local guides to explore most of these routes, whose contact information can be found in the tourist offices of the five main towns.
Here is a list of some of the best geological sites to visit on your travels in Patagonia Verde:
Cochamó: 1- La Junta water slides
At the foot of Cerro Arcoris is a series of north Patagonian batholith slabs worn smooth by the incessant flow of the river,
which visitors use as natural water slides. These igneous rocks, like much of the rock in Cochamó Valley, was formed by the slow crystallization of large magma bodies beneath the surface. Resulting from the river’s erosion, these rocks were also polished by huge glaciers that covered the territory during the last glacial period, which culminated about 20,000 years ago.
2- La Junta amphitheater
An impressive glacial cirque composed of north Patagonian granite rock. Glacial cirques are concave structures with steep flanks where snow and ice accumulate that are normally found at the head of valleys and mark the beginning of glaciers. This geomorphological structure was formed from glacial erosion during the last
glaciation. The massive granite walls of the Cochamó valleys are highly sought-after by climbers around the world.
3- Yate volcano
Astratovolcano rising 2,150 meters (7,054 feet) above sea level composed mainly of adesite and dacite lava. Ice covers its summit and part of its flanks. The last volcanic activity was recorded around 1090. However, there are historical records of a series of catastrophic events that occurred during the 19th and 20th centuries, such as avalanches of debris, mud slides and floods in the main rivers that form below the volcano.
Hualaihué 4- Basalt columns at Punta Poe
Lava columns formed about 400,000 years ago, possibly from the Apagado or Hualaihué volcanoes. These volcanic rocks were actually deposited into the sea at first, and the subsequent slow cooling of these lava flows caused them to contract and form columns facing in different directions, and also making them very interesting to look at.
5- Cerro La Silla
One of the most recognizable landmarks of the Hualaihué area located just west of the mouth of the Hualaihué estuary. The name of this natural monument refers to its “saddle” shape, composed of large basalt columns. There are no detailed studies on the origin of this particular mountain, but it is thought that it was formed following an eruption under a glacier about 400,000 years ago.
“The Liquiñe-ofqui Fault Zone allows the magma that forms deep below to rise to the surface and form volcanoes.”
These structures are known as “tuyas,” and are common in areas where glaciers and volcanic activity coexist.
6- Hornopirén volcano
Astratovolcano rising 1,572 meters above sea level composed mainly of basaltic and andesitic lava. It is located southwest of the Yate volcano at Hornopirén National Park. This volcano, whose name means “snow furnace,” does not have a record of confirmed historical eruptions. However, there are reports of an eruption in 1835, of which no evidence has been found.
7- Apagado volcano
Aslag cone that may have formed 2 to 3 thousand years ago from strombolian eruptions and lava flows which rises to 1,210 meters (3,970 feet) above sea level. It was formed during the last eruptive stage of the older Hualaihué volcano. Going on the assumption that a volcano is considered still active if it has erupted during the last ten thousand years, it can be said that this volcano is far from being extinct.
Chaitén: 8- Chaitén volcano
Aseries of domes located inside a 3 km (1.8 miles) diameter caldera, apparently formed by the collapse of an ancient volcano, this volcano’s last eruptive cycle occurred in 2008 with eruptive plumes as much as 20 km (12 miles) high, making it one of the most explosive eruptions in Chile’s recorded history. Heavy rains remobilized and transported the pyroclastic material that accumulated i n riverbeds generating a lahar that partially covered Chaitén, a town located just 10 km ( 6 miles) south of the volcano.
9 - Chaitén Site Museum
On May 10, 2008, after eight days of eruption, the intense rainfall remobilized huge volumes of pyroclasts of different sizes that had been spat out by the Chaitén volcano. The Río Blanco river, loaded with volcanic material, overflowed and flooded the nearby area, carrying away numerous homes. At the Chaitén Site Museum you can see the effects of this lahar.
10 – Chaitén lahar
The 2018 eruption covered most of the area near Chaitén with pyroclasts. The subsequent rains remobilized this volcanic material rich in pumice down the Blanco River to the mouth of the sea. Much of the sediment was deposited there, significantly modifying the coastline, which was pushed about 400 meters (1,312 feet) out to sea. A new beach of pyroclastic material was formed consisting of pumice and ash, debris and burned branches that were dragged by this lahar.
11- Yelcho Glacier
Located in the Yelcho River Valley, situated among the mountains of the northern Patagonian Andes, like much of Patagonia Verde it has been progressively eroded by large masses of ice that have covered the territory for more than 20,000 years. The Yelcho Glacier hangs off the mountain and historical records show that it has undergone significant melting, as have most of the world’s glaciers due to climate change.
12- Marine rocks of Caleta Ayacara
Along the coastline of the Huequi peninsula, also known as Ayacara, you can find sedimentary rocks formed about 20 million years protruding from volcanic rock. These rocks are arranged in layers formed by sediment of different types and sizes,
colors and thickness. These layers were deposited horizontally, but today they are inclined as a result of the tectonic activity associated with the rise of the Andean mountain range.
13- Volcanic sequence of the Turbio Chico River
Along the banks of the Turbio Chico River there is a volcanic rock sequence caused by the neighboring Michinmahuida and Chaitén volcanoes. Pyroclastic material ejected over thousands of years covers the landscape, having accumulated gradually to create a layer of rock eight meters thick. In this segment, you can find a deposit of white pumice stone, from one of the ancient explosive eruptions of the Chaitén volcano.
14- Michinmahuida volcano
Voluminous active stratovolcano rising 2,405 meters ( 7,890 feet) above sea level, located 20km (12.4 miles) east of the Chaitén volcano. On the upper part of the volcanic apparatus a large caldera type structure can be seen, within which the main cone has been formed. It has small pyroclastic cones on its flanks, some with lava flows. The last confirmed eruption occurred in 1835 and produced a lava flow and lahars that reached the coast of Punta Chana.
Futaleufú: 16- Piedra del Águila
Anatural monument formed by light colored rocks that protrude abruptly from the landscape. The hardness of the rock gives it greater resistance to erosion, resulting in its considerable height that also provides an exceptional viewpoint of the entire Futaleufú River Valley. These rocks would have been formed by the intrusion of a magma body of relatively high silica content.
17- Cerro Tres Monjas
This mountain gets its name from the serrated edge of its summit, where dark rocky horns protrude from the white snowy peaks, resembling a group of nuns wearing their traditional habits. It rises to 2,040 meters (6,693 feet) above sea level and it is made up of volcanic rock dating back to the Jurassic age. The particular shapes on the top of the mountain are the result of glacial erosion.
18- Futaleufú River
The Futaleufú River, which in mapudungun means “big river (leufu) (futa),” originates in the northern Patagonian Andes. Beginning in Los Alerces National Park, in the Chubut province of Argentina, it crosses the mountains into Chile, flowing into Lake Yelcho. Subsequently, its waters continue their journey northwest through the Yelcho River to the Pacific Ocean. The Futaleufú River and its rapids are considered one of the top five rivers in the world for rafting and kayak.
Palena: 19- Palena River
Known as Carrenleufú in Argentina, the source of this binational river is Lake Palena, which drains into Argentina, traveling around 100 kms (62 miles) before reentering Chile. From there, it advances more than 140 kms (87 miles) until it flows into the Pacific Ocean near Raúl Marín Balmaceda. Every summer a family-style event is organized in the town of Palena, offering a chance to go down this quiet river over a period of five days before finishing spectacularly at the sea.
20- Cerro La Bandera
At 573 meters (1,880 meters) above sea level, Cerro La Bandera is a rock massif sculpted by ancient glaciers with a Chilean flag on its summit. The hill consists mainly of volcanic deposits formed during the Jurassic and Cretaceous periods. From its summit you get an excellent panoramic view of the valley and the town of Palena.