During an exploration, in 1782, Antonio de Viedma was the first white man to have seen El Chaltén. In 1877, Perito Moreno would also pass through the place, while conducting a border expedition. Chaltén is the name Tehuelche Indians gave the mountain, and it means “Smoking Mountain”. Perito Moreno would later name it Fitz Roy. El Chaltén settlement is located at the base of the hills. It was founded on October 12th 1985, in the bank of Lake Viedma, at the confluence of De Las Vueltas and Fitz Roy Rivers. It is located 220 kilometers away from El Calafate.