Pino Hachado: Nature and History

If you’re looking for a hotel in Pino Hachado, understanding where the destinations are located can help with planning your trip. In the northern part of Pino Hachado, you’ll find an old customs post and a historic area where Argentine and Chilean residents traded with one another. The Laguna Verde route, by contrast, is in the area around Paso Internacional Pino Hachado. This means there is a historic point of interest in the destination itself, as well as a nature experience in the surrounding area.

The Laguna Verde Route

The route starts and ends at the Vialidad Nacional camp on Ruta Nacional 242, near Paso Internacional Pino Hachado. It is about seven kilometers long, has a cumulative positive elevation gain of 449 meters, and takes approximately five and a half hours. The experience is offered seasonally and should not be assumed to be available year-round. Check current availability before making specific plans.

The route is considered moderately challenging physically and not very demanding technically. Snowshoes and authorized guides were included in the advertised offering; it was aimed at people looking to get started with snowshoe trekking.

Andean Scenery and Water

The Laguna Verde route passes through forests and over Andean ridges before reaching Laguna Verde. Araucarias, stunted lengas, and ñires grow along the way. The forest, ridges, and lagoon form distinct sections of the same route. Those interested in the vegetation will find the two other tree species mentioned here alongside araucarias.

The landscape around Paso Internacional Pino Hachado also includes a small watercourse: meltwater feeds a mallín there and forms a stream that flows into Arroyo Aichol.

Border History and Traces of the Past

The old customs post in the northern part of Pino Hachado has a historical connection to trade between Argentine and Chilean residents. A route in the Paso Internacional Pino Hachado area also passes traces of Indigenous populations and obsidian quarries. Together, these provide different historical points of reference: trade between residents of the two countries and traces of Indigenous populations in the landscape.

Picunches: Cuchillo Curá as a Destination in Its Own Right

The Cuchillo Curá protected area is located within the wider destination of Picunches and is a natural and scientific heritage site of great value. The protected area was established in 2003, primarily to protect the cave system. It comprises four main caves: Cueva de los Cabritos, Del Arenal, Del Templo, and Del Gendarme. The caves feature branching galleries and various bodies of water; the underground complex comprises more than five kilometers of interconnected galleries, walkways, and chambers. The protected area also preserves a cave system with more than 20 endemic species of troglobitic fauna.

Access to the cave system is currently prohibited because visitor safety cannot be guaranteed. The area above ground can preferably be explored on foot; more experienced visitors can ride through it on mountain bikes. These options apply to the above-ground area and do not change the access restrictions for the caves.

Archaeological finds are also part of the context of Cuchillo Curá: scrapers, arrowheads, flakes, and pottery fragments, probably from vessels or pots, have been found in the cave area. One of the caves also contains reddish rock paintings, probably created by Tehuelche people who lived in the region. Picunches and Cuchillo Curá therefore form their own regional context, distinct from the routes in the area around Pino Hachado.

For the wider travel overview: Picunches.