New for 2026, Cochamó Por Siempre (english translation: Cochamó Forever) is a short documentary from Patagonia Films that tells the story of the Conserva Puchegüín campaign: a grassroots effort that, in under two years, raised more than $78 million to purchase over 328,000 acres in Chile’s Cochamó valley, one of the world’s most iconic big-wall climbing destinations.

Narrated by climber Sean Villanueva and featuring Tommy Caldwell, the film puts community, landscape, and the climbing world at the centre of what is now Latin America’s largest private conservation acquisition.

The valley is home to iconic routes in places such as Cerro Trinidad, Cerro La Junta, El Anfiteatro, and El Monstruo. Tommy Caldwell said: “It’s hard not to compare Cochamó to Yosemite because of the quality of the granite, the waterfalls, and the style of climbing, with an incredibly high percentage of five-star pitches.” The area is also well known for its incredible hiking trails and fly fishing spots along the Puelo River. 

Beyond the climbing though, the project protects 143,000 acres of old-growth forest, nearly 11% of the planet’s alerce trees, and connects almost 4 million acres of protected areas across the Chile-Argentina border. The acquisition also ensures the continuity of cultural practices and traditional livelihoods in an area that represents one-third of the Cochamó commune, historically threatened by land subdivision, real estate development, and invasive tourism.

Macarena Sánchez, Marketing and Environmental Activism Director at Patagonia Chile, stated: “This project shows that when communities organise, they can change the fate of an entire territory. For Patagonia, it represents the kind of future worth fighting for.”

Andrés Diez, Executive Director of Puelo Patagonia, added: ‘This project is just the beginning.” 

Incredible stuff and well worth a watch.