El Sosneado, Thermal settlement in San Rafael Department, Argentina
El Sosneado is a small settlement in the Andes at about 1,500 meters elevation, surrounded by mountains and the Atuel River valley. The place sits in a remote location where the landscape is defined by high-altitude terrain and open grasslands.
The settlement was founded in 1901 when Franco-Argentine landowner Alfonso Capdeville established an estate in the area. Over the following decades, the place developed into a small village in this isolated mountain region.
The area maintains connections to the 1972 Uruguayan Air Force Flight 571 incident, with annual expeditions to honor survivors and commemorate victims.
The settlement is accessible via National Route 40 from Malargüe or Provincial Route 144 from San Rafael. The journey is lengthy and crosses mountain roads, so travelers should plan accordingly with sufficient time and reliable transport.
Natural thermal pools perched on a hilltop offer views of an abandoned hotel, a remnant from earlier tourism efforts. The site occasionally draws visitors drawn to the landscape and the quiet history of this remote location.
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