The waterfalls that surround Caviahue were impressive. With the rainstorm in Neuquén they lost their calm in their tracks and became furious. The water fell hard, not only in the great Salto de Agrio and once below it was churning unruly. Fernanda solorzano, Adrián Sepúlveda, and his daughters Rocío and Cata did not hesitate: they bundled up well, went out to explore them and lived a unique moment that will remain forever in their retinas.
“We went out with my girls to tour the town a bit and then I took the opportunity to take them to visit the Cascadas del Agrio, which would surely be beautiful with so much water. I wanted to take advantage of being known like this, since it is something that does not happen often”, says Adrián Sepúlveda from @caviahue_aventura.
One kilometer from the town, before crossing the bridge over the Agrio river, is the access to the waterfalls: 500 meters along a gravel path between ancient araucarias. It took them just over an hour from when they left their house. They advanced as the circuit has it, they started from the bottom, upwards.
They went to the Cascada del Basalto, the Cabellera de La Virgen, Cascada de la Culebra and we skip the one of the Giant. “It is a normally short walk, but it was windy, raining and we were already drenched. The descent to that of the Virgin left us without even telling you”, says Adrián and laughs.
They enjoyed the landscape and saw how the water had changed everything. «On the way to the fifth waterfall we find a little stream that is normally passed by walking, skipping two stones, it was tremendous with water, it was a moment that will not be forgotten, so that they can count it. It was worth it. Each one of the waterfalls, mate them and go out for air in a tremendous place”.
Later they arrived at Copahue, in the Laguna Verde sector. Adrián is the tourist provider of Caviahue Aventuras and took the opportunity to go to see how he was with the rains the restaurant that he uses in winter to receive clients, who take them on an excursion to visit the Snow-covered Thermal Village. “When we were there we took the opportunity to give a hand to the people of Termas, who were having trouble with the water,” he says. And from Termas they assure that fortunately it was solved, “work was done on the drainage and the level of water accumulation was normalized.”
Adrián remembers and says that in his years He believes that he only once saw a storm like this, but “I don’t remember so much rain in a row. Perhaps it will have happened when I was younger, but I don’t register it. Therefore, she deserved to go out and see him. If you have to choose between staying hidden waiting for me to pass, or living what nature gives you, they don’t hesitate and go out because “It’s brief, their little faces and the experience are not forgotten,” he says.
On Wednesday they will go up to Copahue to start working. Until the storms stop, he can’t go, but he hopes he can take tourists out for the day or backcountry skiing or snowboarding. “Since last night it stopped raining, the temperatures dropped and we expect good snowfalls… So happier,” concludes Adrián and adds that with the snowfall it will be possible to give life to the town and return to normality.
At the local level there were no evacuees and services function normally. Today activities are suspended in all institutions that are not essential. On these days, they condition streets that eroded. There are also areas cut off because the level of Arroyo Dulce exceeded levels of bridges and sewers. Roads, as well as the police and municipal personnel work both in the avalanches on Route 26, and within the town.
More information: @turismocaviahuecopahue / www.caviahue-copahue.gob.ar / Caviahue Tourist Office. +54 9 2942 66-8790