Nahuel Huapi National Park
Nahuel Huapi National Park Parque Nacional Nahuel Huapi | |
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San Carlos de Bariloche and Villa La Angostura | |
Coordinates | 41°00′S 71°30′W / 41.000°S 71.500°W |
Area | 7,050 km2 (2,720 sq mi) |
Established | 1934 |
Governing body | Administración de Parques Nacionales |
Nahuel Huapi National Park (
The park and the reserve lie at an altitude of 720–3,574 metres (2,362–11,726 ft), and are designated under IUCN management categories II (National Park) and IV (Management Reserve). The park is completely protected while the reserve is partially protected.[4] The national park is dominated by the high mountain chain of the Andes, many lakes, rapid rivers, waterfalls, snow-clad peaks, glaciers and extensive forests. It is bordered by Chile on its western side.[2][4]
Etymology
The park derives its name from the lake which it surrounds, namely the "Nahuel Huapi". In the Mapuche language, Nahuel means "jaguar", and Huapi means "island".[5]
History
The earliest discovery of Nahuel Huapi by the non-indigenous peoples is linked to the conquest of Chile. In the summer of 1552–1553, the Governor of Chile Pedro de Valdivia sent Francisco de Villagra to explore the area east of the Andes at the latitudes of the city of Valdivia. Francisco de Villagra crossed the Andes through Mamuil Malal Pass and headed south until reaching Limay River in the vicinity of Nahuel Huapi Lake.[6]
In colonial times explorers in the search for the legendary "Ciudad de Los Cesares" visited the zone and Jesuit missionaries coming from Chiloé Archipelago established a precarious mission on the shores of the lake.[6][7] Quinoa is known to have been cultivated near the shores of the lake during this period.[8]
In the 1870s and 1880s Perito Moreno undertook a series of exploration trips into Patagonia. Later he worked for the Argentine government's boundary commission. In short —Perito Morenos‘ explorations and work were fundamental for securing Argentine sovereignty of the Nahuel Huapi area.[9] As compensation for his services Perito Moreno was granted a huge tract of land around Nahuel Huapi Lake.[9]
In 1903, Perito Moreno donated 75 square kilometres (29 sq mi) of land in the area to the federal government.[7] At the same time he proposed the creation of a national park.[9] A decree of February 1, 1909 recognized that the area needed protection[7] then in 1916 works begun to establish a park and it finally opened in 1922 as Parque Nacional del Sur.[9] The total surface of the incipient national park in 1916 surpassed that of the donations of Perito Moreno. It was not until October 9, 1934 that Nahuel Huapi National Park acquired it present name.[9] At the same time in 1934 the Iguazú National Park was established in Argentina.[7]
One of the main objectives of the civilizing visions of the National Parks Direction established in 1934 was the urban development of the small settlement of San Carlos de Bariloche on the shores of Lake Nahuel Huapi, which had been connected to the Argentine railway network in 1934. Bustillo clearly articulated the pretension of building a new orderly city that would act as a bulwark for the colonization of Patagonia, and placed it in a historical line that began with the war of conquest against the Mapuche at the end of the 19th century. Touristification was the main aim of the National Park Direction, establishing the luxury hotel Llao-Llao.[10][11][12] In the first year of the National Park Service, 1935, several regulations were implemented that affected Nahuel Huapi. These included construction code, standardization of drinking water sanitation, and issuance of vendor permits.[13] The area opened up for mountain climbing, sport fishing, ski and other recreational activities after the park was established.[14][15]
Geography
The park covers approximately 7,050 square kilometres (2,720 sq mi). It is located in the southwest section of the
The area is known as the
- Geology
Geological formations in the park and the reserve are generally tertiary rocks of volcanic origin coupled with andesites and porphyrys. The cliffs of the San Pedro Peninsula depict eroded glacial features and the lakes also show many glacial effects.[4]
- Climate
The park has a cold temperate climate.[16] Winters are cold and rainy with frequent snowfalls.[16] Mean temperatures range between 2 and 4 °C (35.6 and 39.2 °F) during winter.[16] Summers are dry with mean temperatures ranging between 14 and 16 °C (57.2 and 60.8 °F).[16] Mean annual precipitation ranges from 4,000 mm (160 in) in Puerto Blest and decreases towards the east, averaging only 600 mm (24 in) in the easternmost parts.[16]
Lake Nahuel Huapi
Bariloche
Plants and animals
The park's ecology consists of Patagonian steppe at lower elevations and
The dominant species of plankton in the lake is Dictyosphaerium pulchellum.[22]
- Plants
Xerophytic Patagonian flora is dominant in the eastern half of the park while the western half is covered profusely with temperate rain forests. The dominant tree species in the park are the
- Animals
Animals include
Recreation
The park offers many avenues for recreation. Particular places of interest in this context are the Arrayanes Peninsula, Tronador, Puerto Blest, Victoria Island and the road to the 7 Lakes. Other options for recreation are available at the Cerro Bayo, Lopez and Punta Negra. Most of the recreation facility revolves around trekking of high mountain and steep hills[23] apart from rafting, skiing in Cerro Catedral, kayaking in Patagonia Infinita,[26] mountain biking, rock-climbing, kite surfing, canopy, golf at Llao Llao, trekking on a number of routes, ferry services from Villa la Angostura.[citation needed]
Some of the well-developed routes for mountaineering are: The climb to the Thunderer volcano, which has several trails that reach up to the large glaciers; trails to the Tronador (an extinct volcano); the trails that link the San Martin shelter and Manfredo Segre (Black Lagoon); treks to San Martín and Manfredo Segre (Laguna Negra); to Lopez and to the viewpoint of the Stone of Habsburg, the walk of Paso de las Nubes Puerto Frías linking to Pampa Linda; to the valley and the ridge of Mount Rucaco Black Gap; and to Frey and San Martín (Jakob lagoon), which passes by the edge of Cerro Catedral.[14]
The trekking routes have accommodation facilities at several locations and the treks depend on fitness and the distance varies from a minimum of 12 kilometres (7.5 mi) to a maximum of 45 kilometres (28 mi) involving 1-2-3 and more than 4 days of trekking. The treks are graded under four categories depending on the terrain and the difficulty of climbing rugged hills of heights varying from 200 to 3,000 metres (660 to 9,840 ft).[27]
References
- ^ National Parks and Conservation Association (1968). National parks & conservation magazine. National Parks & Conservation Association. Retrieved 22 February 2011.
- ^ a b c "Nahuel Huapí National Park". Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved 19 February 2011.
- ^ a b c d "Nahuel Huapi National Park". Patagonia-argentina.com. Retrieved 19 February 2011.
- ^ ISBN 978-0-907567-62-2. Retrieved 19 February 2011.
- ISBN 978-0-7864-2248-7. Retrieved 7 April 2011.
- ^ hdl:10.4151/6863.)
{{cite journal}}
: CS1 maint: DOI inactive as of January 2024 (link - ^ a b c d Kuno Thomasson (1959). Nahuel Huapi: plankton of some lakes in an Argentine national park, with notes on terrestrial vegetation. Almqvist & Wiksells boktr. p. ii. Retrieved 19 February 2011.
- ISBN 9789569120022.
- ^ JSTOR 25675985.
- ^ Kaltmeier, Olaf (2021). National Parks from North to South. An Entangled History of Conservation and Colonization in Argentina. Trier, New Orleans: WVT, UNO.
- ^ Tourism Policy in 20th-century Argentina
- ^ Oyola-Yemaiel, p. 74
- ISBN 978-1-58112-098-1. Retrieved 20 February 2011.
- ^ a b PARQUE NACIONAL NAHUEL HUAPI: Parque Nacional Nahuel Huapi: Trekking Trekking, Retrieved 21 February 2011
- ^ Kaltmeier, Olaf. "The Dark Side of a White Sport". Retrieved 31 July 2023.
- ^ a b c d e "Parque Nacional Nahuel Huapi" (in Spanish). Administración de Parques Nacionales. Retrieved November 7, 2015.
- ^ "Nahuel Huapi National Park (Parque Nacional Nahuel Huapi) Travel Guide". iexplore. Archived from the original on 13 July 2011. Retrieved 20 February 2011.
- ^ "Lake Nahuel Huapi". Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved 21 February 2011.
- ^ ISBN 978-1-904777-72-4. Retrieved 19 February 2011.
- ISBN 978-1-74104-702-8. Retrieved 26 March 2011.
- .
- ^ Thomasson, Kuno (1963). "Lake Nahuel Huapi". Araucanian Lakes: Plankton Studies in North Patagonia with Notes on Terrestrial Vegetation. Uppsala: Almqvist & Wiksell. pp. 80–84.
- ^ a b Tourist Information on the National Parks, Retrieved 21 February 2011
- ProQuest 1933973905.
- ^ "NESSIE and Other Lake Monsters". strangemag.com. Retrieved 26 March 2011.
- ^ "PATAGONIA INFINITA – Travesías en Kayak todo el año" (in Spanish). Retrieved 2023-12-07.
- ^ "Bariloche treks overview". trekbariloche.com. Archived from the original on 11 February 2011. Retrieved 21 February 2011.
External links
- Nahuel Huapi National Park travel guide from Wikivoyage
- Nahuel Huapi National Park official page (in Spanish)