Natación — Hielo Azul
✓ Verified against the agency · APNTrail from the Wharton connector to Refugio Natación (Lago Natación) and down to Refugio Hielo Azul. Currently CLOSED pending geotechnical review after the 2025 Confluencia wildfire.
Safety classification
CURRENTLY CLOSED (as of 2026-08-23): the circuit is not among ANPRALE's Stage-I enabled sectors, overnight stays are banned area-wide, the Doña Rosa access is 'temporalmente CLAUSURADO' on the agency page (Río Negro government lists Doña Rosa–Hielo Azul as permanently closed post-fire), and all circuits are under a preventive weather closure. Historically a Nov–Apr refugio circuit from La Confluencia (~4.5 h to the Natación junction).
- ▲Glaciar Hielo Azul: travel on the glacier and the summit crossing carry 'guiado obligatorio' — a licensed guide is legally mandatory; glacier kit required with the guide
- ▲Glacier-lagoon approach is high difficulty, for experienced mountaineers only (~2 h above the hut)
- ▲Doña Rosa–Hielo Azul access closed post-fire (agency: clausurado; provincial government: permanent) — the only entry is La Confluencia
- ▲Natación–Encajonamiento connector (3.3 h steep descent) closed post-fire for geoenvironmental risk — do not use it to shortcut to the Troncal
- ▲Log footbridge over the Río Teno and stream crossings on the refugio-to-refugio leg
- ▲Snow outside high summer at the ~1,300 m+ refugio level
The guide mandate ('guiado obligatorio', ANPRALE) applies to any travel on the Hielo Azul glacier and the summit crossing — the marquee attractions of this circuit; the refugio-to-refugio walk itself has no guide mandate. The direct Hielo Azul↔Natación high trail is still described by the agency, but the whole circuit is rerouted through La Confluencia and is not currently enabled. Mandatory free personal registration when it reopens.