Arenales, Stratovolcano in Laguna San Rafael National Park, Chile

Arenales is a stratovolcano in Laguna San Rafael National Park rising to approximately 3,437 meters, with a distinctive summit covered by extensive ice and glacial formations. The mountain sits in a remote region of the southern Andes and presents considerable challenges for access.

The first ascent of Arenales was made in 1958 by a Chilean-Japanese expedition led by Professor Tanaka. In December 1963 Eric Shipton led a party that crossed the Northern Patagonian Ice Field from Laguna San Rafael southeast to Río de la Colonia, completing the second ascent on the way. Sources disagree on whether the mountain is volcanic: the Spanish article calls it a stratovolcano, while the English one notes the question is controversial.

The name Arenales refers to the sandy, snow-free patches (arenas) that break up the ice cover, a feature noted by early explorers of the Northern Patagonian Ice Field. The mountain lies entirely within Laguna San Rafael National Park, and its summit and slopes are visited only by mountaineering expeditions, such as the Japanese-Chilean team led by Professor Tanaka in 1958.

Expeditions begin from Coyhaique and require extensive mountaineering equipment as well as careful planning due to the remote location. Weather in this remote region can be unpredictable and change rapidly, so proper preparation and an experienced guide are essential.

Whether Cerro Arenales is a volcano at all is disputed: English-language sources call it a heavily ice-covered mountain, Spanish ones a stratovolcano. Its first ascent was in 1958 by a Chilean-Japanese expedition led by Professor Tanaka; in December 1963 Eric Shipton's party made the second while crossing the Northern Patagonian Ice Field from Laguna San Rafael to Río de la Colonia.