Río Gutiérrez

“Did the Gutiérrez River always connect these two magnificent lakes?” a curious voice called out from our group. An excellent question. The Río Gutiérrez, as it’s known locally, does indeed link Lago Gutiérrez and Lago Nahuel Huapi. But its role, like the landscape surrounding it, has shifted and changed over time. Stand here with me, on the banks of the Río Gutiérrez in Bariloche, and let its story wash over you. Explorer and naturalist Francisco P. Moreno named Lago Gutiérrez to honor his mentor, Juan María Gutiérrez. But long before Moreno arrived, this area held a different significance for the indigenous Poya people. They knew a trans-Andean pass, Vuriloche, south of Mount Tronador. That word, “Vuriloche,” morphed over time into the “Bariloche” we know today. In the late 1800s, Río Gutiérrez became a vital artery for trade. Chilean businessman Carlos Wiederhold established a store in 1895 that became the heart of Bariloche. He needed a reliable trade route. The existing one near Rincón was treacherous, especially during winter. With the help of José Tauschek, Wiederhold rediscovered an old pass, now known as Pérez Rosales. It involved navigating not one, but four lakes, including Lago Gutiérrez and Todos los Santos, and required building rafts and forging paths through dense vegetation. Río Gutiérrez, flowing out of Lago Gutiérrez, became the starting point of this intricate journey, connecting Bariloche to the Pacific coast. Imagine goods flowing along this river, carried on boats and rafts, traversing the Andes, connecting distant communities. The Chile-Argentina Trading and Cattle-breeding Company, born from Wiederhold’s endeavors, controlled this cross-Andean commerce, bringing a unique German-Chilean architectural style to the region. Think of simple, barn-like structures with larch tile facades, dotting the landscape, evidence of this bygone era. However, the early 20th century brought changes. The arrival of the railroad in Puerto Montt, the opening of the Panama Canal, and the First World War disrupted trade routes. The Río Gutiérrez’s role as a commercial lifeline diminished. But the landscape, now part of Nahuel Huapi National Park, found a new purpose: tourism. The same clear waters that once carried trading vessels now invite kayakers and boaters. The trails that facilitated trade became hiking paths. The Río Gutiérrez, no longer central to commerce, now offers a different kind of connection, a bridge between a vibrant past and a future filled with the promise of discovery, right here in the heart of Bariloche.