Lago Viedma
Leaving La Leona, the RN 40 curves north toward the junction with the RP 23, and just past that turn a roadside mirador offers the first clear view over Lago Viedma — one of the largest lakes in South America, fed by meltwater from the Southern Patagonian Ice Field. From the overlook, the lake stretches west toward the Andes, its surface iron-grey or brilliant turquoise depending on the light, with the first suggestion of snow-covered peaks visible at the far end. This is the point where the route commits: from here, the RP 23 follows the northern shore of Lago Viedma almost all the way into El Chaltén, with the Andes growing closer and more defined with each kilometre.