El Chaltén town was founded within the reserve mainly due to geopolitical reasons. A handful of square miles were destined to this purpose and so a town was created within the protected area.
It’s located in the area of the Argentino Lake, on the north shore of the Viedma Lake, where the de las Vueltas and Fitz Roy River meet.
Its name, “Chaltén”, comes from the original inhabitants of the region, the Tehuelches. It means “blue mountain” or “smoking mountain” in reference to the Fitz Roy Peak, an unmistakable mountain often enveloped in clouds. This 11,170-ft-high peak together with the 10,200-ft-high Torre Peak are two of the mountains acknowledged in the world for the difficulties they pose to climbers.