Yelcho Lake
Yelcho Lake is a large and magnificent fjord-shaped lake located in Chilean Patagonia, specifically in the wild and isolated southern Palena province of Los Lagos Region, Chile. The lake receives the waters of the world famous Futaleufu River at its southern tip, near the tiny settlement of Puerto Ramirez. The immense flow of blue glacial water then flows northward, surrounded by mountains and glaciers, until it outflows via the Yelcho River north-west and empties into Gulf of Corcovado, near Chaitén. The lake is a famous destination for international fly fisherman and several lodges and hotels operate on its shores. Yelcho Lake is quite remote and is most frequently accessed via the town of Chaiten to the north, either by hiring a small charter flight from the city of Puerto Montt or by a series of long ferry rides from Puerto Montt or from the port of Quellón on the island of Chiloe on the other side of the Golf of Corcovado. The source of the lake is the Futaleufú River. The section of the Carretera Austral which runs along the north-western shore of Yelcho Lake is currently being paved, which should be ready by 2016. This should facilitate better communication between the remote Palena Province, including Yelcho Lake, with the rest of Chile in the future. On the southern shore of the lake there is a secondary road which later forks to access the towns of Palena and Futaleufu.
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