Ventisquero Colgante, Cascada de

The falls are at the head of the valley below Ventisquero Colgante in Parque Nacional Queulat, approximately 10 miles (16.1km) south of Puyuguapi. You can see the falls from miles away, trails lead to viewpoints overlooking the valley and the falls.Cascada de Ventisquero Colgante is a waterfall of relatively recent formation. The meltwaters of the Ventisquero Colgante (Hanging Glacier) plunge over a giant headwall formerly was covered by the glacier - which itself now sits at the top of the cliff slowly but steadily retreating backwards. The meltwaters freefall in one of two paths depending on how the ice above is directing its flow, then impacts on a huge slab of angled bedrock and skips the remaining distance to the valley floor, where it flows underneath what appears to be a permanent avalanche cone. The falls are visible and flowing year round but due to the abblation of avalanches at the base of the falls, as much as half of the falls can be covered by snow and ice during the late spring and early summer. The falls have not been measured (nor do we even know if it has any other name), but based on the limited data we have available to us, we estimate the total drop to be in the vicinity of 1800 feet or more. In fact, it is more than likely that 1800 feet is a very conservative number and the falls may in reality stretch for more than 2000 feet in height. Either way, the height of this waterfall coupled with the high volume of water flowing from the melting glacier makes this a waterfall of global significance and easily one of the top five in all of South America.The falls are named, unofficially, for the glacier at the top of the cliff. The toe of the glacier is right at the brink, hence the name "hanging glacier".