San Martin de los Andes Webcam – Watch the Lake Lacar Pier

The San Martin de los Andes Webcam looks out from the town’s lakefront promenade across Lake Lacar, in the Andes of Neuquen Province in Argentine Patagonia. A covered wooden pier sits on the left with a white passenger launch tied up beside it, the open lake fills the middle of the frame, and a steep forested ridge rises straight out of the water on the far shore, with higher mountains showing through the gap beyond it. Along the bottom runs the paved waterfront plaza: benches, bollards, a railing along the water, flag banners on tall poles and the big yellow letters that spell out the town’s name. Boats leave this pier every day on lake excursions, so the launch on screen comes and goes, and the light on the ridge shifts from hour to hour as cloud moves over the mountains.

About San Martin de los Andes

San Martin de los Andes was founded on 4 February 1898 by Colonel Celestino Perez, and it stands at about 640 meters (2,100 feet) on the northeastern shore of Lake Lacar. The 2010 census counted 35,787 residents, up from 23,519 in 2001. The camera sits on the Costanera, the avenue where the town meets the water, and the wooden pier in shot is where the lake excursions start. The Los Ciervos deer monument stands on the same stretch of waterfront, close to the pier.

Lake Lacar covers 55 square kilometers (21 square miles) and reaches a maximum depth of 277 meters (909 feet), with its surface at around 630 meters (2,070 feet). Its water does not head for the Atlantic. The lake drains west through the Huahum River and the Huahum Pass in the Andes, and ends up in the Pacific Ocean. Large sections of the shore are cliffs, which is why the far side of the frame climbs so abruptly from the water, with a pale road cut tracing the base of the ridge.

The lake lies within Lanin National Park, and the park keeps an entry post at the pier. The town is also a gateway to Nahuel Huapi National Park and the northern end of the Road of the Seven Lakes, the scenic drive that runs south to Villa La Angostura. Older buildings in town include the Primeros Pobladores Museum, housed in a building from 1911, and the old Chidiak general store, built in 1938.

Weather and Climate in San Martin de los Andes

Summer is mild and dry. January brings average highs of 21.9 C (71 F) and lows of 11.8 C (53 F), with only 24.8 millimeters (1 inch) of rain in a typical month. That is the season of lifeguards on the central beach, kayak rentals along the shore and launches crossing to the far side of the lake. On a clear summer day the far ridge reads deep green against blue water.

Winter is cold and wet. July averages highs of 9.6 C (49 F) and lows of 0.4 C (33 F), with 137.8 millimeters (5.4 inches) of precipitation, and the annual total comes to about 1,019 millimeters (40.1 inches). On camera, winter often means low cloud sitting on the ridges and grey, still water, while the ski season gets under way at Cerro Chapelco. Spring and autumn fall between the two. In early October the big tree on the right of the frame is still bare, and it fills out again as the days warm toward December.

Things to Do Near San Martin de los Andes

The pier in the picture is the starting point for most time on the water. A boat to Quila Quina takes about 30 minutes across the lake, against 18 kilometers (11 miles) by road, and the landing there leads to walking trails, small beaches, craft stalls, horseback rides and a restaurant on the lakeshore. A longer full day excursion runs to Hua Hum, where the lake drains out toward the Chilean border. Back on shore, kayaks can be rented at the central beach beside the Costanera, and the Lanin National Park post at the pier handles park entry.

By road, Provincial Route 48 heads west toward the Hua Hum border crossing, and about 6 kilometers (3.7 miles) from the center a turn to the left leads to the beaches of Playa Bonita and La Islita and on to the Mirador Bandurrias viewpoint. Cerro Chapelco, the town’s ski area, is 22 kilometers (14 miles) from the center. Drivers heading south can follow the Road of the Seven Lakes past a string of lakes to Villa La Angostura.

Similar Webcams You Might Like

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Frequently Asked Questions

Where is San Martin de los Andes located?

San Martin de los Andes is in Neuquen Province, in northern Argentine Patagonia, on the northeastern shore of Lake Lacar inside Lanin National Park. It sits at the northern end of the Road of the Seven Lakes, which runs south to Villa La Angostura, and Cerro Chapelco ski area is 22 kilometers (14 miles) from the center.

What can you see on the San Martin de los Andes Webcam?

The camera faces Lake Lacar from the lakefront promenade. The covered tourist pier and its boats are on the left, open water runs across the middle, and a steep forested ridge rises on the far shore. The waterfront plaza, with its benches and the large letters of the town’s name, fills the foreground.

What is the weather like in San Martin de los Andes?

Summers are mild and fairly dry, with January highs around 22 C (71 F) and lows near 12 C (53 F). Winters are cold and wet: July highs average about 10 C (49 F), lows sit just above freezing, and the month brings around 138 millimeters (5.4 inches) of precipitation.

How do you get to Quila Quina from San Martin de los Andes?

Boats leave from the pier on the Costanera, the one in view on the camera, and the crossing takes about 30 minutes. Quila Quina can also be reached by road, about 18 kilometers (11 miles) from town.

How deep is Lake Lacar?

Lake Lacar reaches a maximum depth of 277 meters (909 feet) and covers 55 square kilometers (21 square miles). It drains west through the Huahum River to the Pacific Ocean.

Is Lake Lacar in a national park?

Yes. Lake Lacar lies within Lanin National Park, and the park runs an entry post at the tourist pier in San Martin de los Andes, where the boat excursions depart.

How far is Cerro Chapelco from San Martin de los Andes?

Cerro Chapelco is 22 kilometers (14 miles) from the town center, which makes San Martin de los Andes the usual base for skiers there in winter.

Who runs the San Martin de los Andes Webcam?

The stream comes from Cotesma, the Cooperativa Telefonica de San Martin de los Andes, the town’s telephone cooperative, which publishes it on its own live page.

Source: Cotesma