Exploracion Brazo Tristeza

Leaving Bariloche, I travelled 25 km by bus to Puerto Pañuelo, where I was picked up by the guide, Nicolas, who drove us though the forest to Bahia Lopez. We started our adventure on board the Kaikenpatagonia, navigating from Lago Nahuel Huapi up the Brazo Tristeza.  

Kaikenpatagonia

Lago Nahuel Huapi

Brazo Tristeza is a deep glacial fjord, it is very peaceful as it is shielded by the mountains, Cerro Lopez (2076m) and Cerro Capilla (1958m). Numerous spectacular waterfalls appear fed by the melting snow.

There was a good view of Mountain Tronador as we were lucky to have such a beautiful day for the trip. It is an extinct volcano now covered with snow and a glacier on the border between Argentina and Chile.  Three peaks are visible in the distance of which the highest is 3478m.

Mount Tronador

The wood slowly transforms into Valdivian rainforest, which is more typical of the wetter Andes to the west in Chile. However the microclimate created alongside Brazo Tristeza, with the increased humidity from by the numerous waterfalls enables this rainforest to become established.

We dropped anchor at the mouth of Brazo Tristeza, getting to shore in a small dinghy, then started our trek to the Arroyo Frey waterfall. The ground was very soft and spongy from the vast amounts of decaying organic matter. The first thing I noticed was the huge stands of a bamboo like grass, 3 - 4 metres high.  This is the Colihue cane,  a solid perennial bamboo which thrives in the forest especially when protected by the evergreen Coihue.

Colihue cane (Chusquea culeou)

Family Poaceae (subfamily Bambusoideae)

Notable trees were the Alerce and Coihue. The Alerce is a slow growing tree that can live for 3,000 years. 

Alerce (Fitzroya cupressoides) Cupressaceae

The Coihue or False Beech (Nothofagus dombeyi) is an evergreen species in the family Nothofagaceae, adapted to drought and cold temperatures. Despite the high annual rainfall, the summers are relatively dry and the trees need to protect themselves from the drying effect of the strong winds. It is the tallest of the Argentinean Nothofagus species and can live up to 500 years.  Nothofagus is often infected by the fungus Llao-llao, this can be seen hanging from the branches but it also causes the tree to produce large tumours on the trunk. Tree trunks are covered with holes made by woodpeckers as they eat the insects living on the decaying wood at the centre of the trunk.  

Tumour on the Coihue caused by infection by Llao-llao

Fruiting body of Llao-llao (Cyttaria darwini)

Although the trees were magnificent, I was keen to see some flowers and I was not disappointed.

Calafate (Berberis buxifolia) Berberidaceae

Chaura (Pernettya mucronata) Ericaceae

Flower from the Pil-pil Voqui (Campsidium valdivianum) Bignoniaceae

The damp environment was reflected in the many mosses, lichens and fungi.

Barba (Usnea sp) y Liquenes foliaceos

Helecho Punque (Blechnum penna-marina)

Arroyo Frey  waterfall

On the walk back I spotted a lizard scuttling along a dead log.  Back on board, we were ready for our lunch and cerveza.

Sharing a cheese fondue

During lunch we spotted the shadow of an Andean Condor (Vultur gryphus) soaring near the steep rocky mountainside, relying on thermals to stay aloft.  It was difficult to appreciate its size at such a distance but I could spot it perched on the mountain side.

Gracias Nicolas por un viaje increíble, perfecto :)