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{{IndexadaIndexed}}[[category:KMZconTrack]]{{RutaForm2_englishRutaForme
|Actividad=Trekking
|País=Argentina, Chile
|CiudadesArgentina=El Bolsón
|CiudadesChile=CuricóSantiago
|BellezaEscenica=Impresionante
|Atractivos=Vistas panorámicas, Glaciar, Bosque, Flora atractiva, Fauna atractiva, Lago, Laguna, Río, Fiordos, Formación Geológica, Cascada, Parque Nacional
|Señalizacion=Insuficiente
|Infraestructura=Inexistente
|ComparteIdayRetorno=Cruce
|Latitud1=-38
|AltitudMedia=900
|Primer Autor=Jan Dudeck
|Imágen Principal=Greater_patagonian_trail.jpg
|ComentariosImagen=GPT16: [[Volcán Mocho]] on the background.
|KMLZ=GPT_Minimized_NOT_FOR_HIKING_AND_PACKRAFTING.kmz
|TipoDeMap=HYBRID
|ComentariosMapa=GPT SAMPLE Minimized (NOT FOR HIKING AND PACKRAFTING) {{colores|red|Trail.}}{{colores|blue|Packraft.}}{{colores|blue|Packraft.}}
}}
<br style="clear:both" /> {{Table all GPTs}} <br style=Prolog"clear:both" /> ==Introduction==
[[File:GPT01-P0115.jpg|thumb|500px|right|GPT06: The volcanos Descabezado Grande and Cerro Azul with the Laguna Caracol to their feet. Image: Jan Dudeck]]
[[File:GPT08-Arriero.jpg|thumb|500px|GPT09: Arriero at the base of the Vulcano Antuco. Image: Jan Dudeck]]
[[File:GPT06-P0005.jpg|thumb|500px|GPT11: Araucaria trees in the Pehuenche homeland. Image: Jan Dudeck]]
[[File:GPT13-P0028.jpg|thumb|500px|GPT18: Cross Country walking on volcanic ash at Cordon Caulle after recent eruption. File: Jan Dudeck]]
[[File:GPT28-Rio_Palena.jpg|thumb|500px|GPT28: Packrafting the Río Palena. Image: Jan Dudeck]]
[[File:GPT_Glaciar_O'Higgins.jpg|thumb|500px|GPT38: Glaciar O'Higgins coming down from the Southern Icefield. Image: Jan Dudeck]] The Greater Patagonian Trail (GPT) is a long-distance route network in the southern [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andes Andes] that spans from the outskirts of Santiago all the way to southern [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patagonia Patagonia].
It’s a stunningly beautiful and diverse trail system that guides you in the first part from the semi-desert of the Precordillera into scenic Andes valleys. The trails cross numerous dormant and active volcanos with partially healed volcanic scars and fresh open wounds from eruptions as recent as 2011eruptions. You can take a dip in more than a dozen hot springs along the way to draw from this energy.
Continuing, you will dive into the twilight of lush green tempered rain forest temperate rainforest lined by snow covered mountains. Numerous passes and high plains get you above the tree line into barren terrain with broad views. Crystal clear rivers descend from these mountains and feed deep blue lake lakes along the way. If you packraft you can paddle over these lakes and float down these rivers all the way into the Patagonian fjords where the Pacific Ocean hits the ragged coast.
Eventually you reach the Southern Patagonian Ice FieldIcefield, one of the world's largest extra-polar ice fieldIcefields. Here giant rock towers stab into the sky and enormous glaciers calve colossal blocks of ice into wind battered lakes.
On the northern part of the route you will meet solitary cowboys (In Chile called arrieros or puesteros) with their animals that move every . Every spring after the snow melts livestock is moved on higher ground to let their livestock feed graze on the mountain pastures. The trail later crosses the homeland of the indigenous Pehuenche (one of the Mapuche tribes) where majestic Araucaria trees tower above the tribal land and provide the traditional food for these sometimes shy and sometimes proud people. When going further south you will meet courageous settlers that have ventured into the challenging back-country of Patagonia. If you are interested, you can listen to their stories while sitting around the warm stove and sharing the traditional drink of this region: Mate. These authentic encounters are part of the beauty of this trail.
In countless locations the trail branches into different routes creating a wide network of tracks that give gives you many choices. You may either walk the entire distance or you can bring a packraft to float down rivers and to paddle and sail over lakes and fjords. There are also various volcanoes and other summits along the route that can be ascended without rock climbing gear. I have also included optional tracks that get you into literally the last valley in the border between Chile and Argentina. These remote corners of the southern Andes are of particular interest to hikers that love to venture into remote back-country.
The Main Route currently spans approximately 5'000 km and the entire route network (including all options) contains more than 20'000 km of tracks.
If this introduction quickened your appetite to explore this network of trails then don't stop reading here and don't pack your backpack yet. The GPT is quite different from what you might expect. Especially if you have thru-hiked the famous long-distance trails in the US (i.e. the Appalachian Trail, the Pacific Crest Trail or the Continental Divide Trail) or if you walked on the European pilgrimage trails (i.e. the Camino de Santiago) don't assume that the GPT will be a similar experience and that you are already prepared for it. This region and this route network is unequal in nature. Some best practices and habits that are important on established trails in the US and Europe would be foolish in Patagonia. Other skills and aptitudes are essential to truly appreciate the Greater Patagonian Trail.
Since I started publishing the GPT, I consulted and surveyed more than one hundred people that attempted to walk major parts of the trail. The majority were absolutely amazed by the land, the people and their experience on the trail. But some hikers quickly aborted or changed their plans. In consequence they missed the best parts of the trail. Interestingly, some of these were experienced hikers and athletic walkers.
Matgorzata (Gosia) Gmerek and Paul Bostelmann: “The Greater Patagonian Trail Network is a challeng¬ing challenging and rewarding adventure that leads one through diverse and breathtaking scenery. Far from crowds and often without seeing other people for days this experience was without a doubt the highlight of our hiking career. Packrafting and exploring the beautiful lakes and rivers allows to reach even deeper into these wonderful and wild ecosystems. This is no ordinary hike and absolute self-reliance and wilderness experience is a must.”
<br style===Information to the GPT===The GPT is an informal route network therefore you will not find any “official” information. In the following I list all relevant resources that help to understand the GPT and to get prepared for an adventure on this route network."clear:both" />
===The Information to the GPT Wikiexplora Article===This Wikiexplora article to the GPT is the internet gateway to this trail system. It is the first semi-official landing point for anyone searching information online and provides an introduction to the GPT. Wikiexplora is the cradle where the GPT publication started in 2014 and remains the “online home”.
[[File:GPT_Manual.jpg|thumb|500px|GPT Hiker's Manual]]
[[File:GPT_Settler_(2).jpg|thumb|500px|GPT22: Discussing route options with settlers at the Río Puelo. Image: Jan Dudeck]]
[[File:GPT10-Peuenche.jpg|thumb|500px|GPT09: Being guest at a Pehuenche family: Fresh milk, fresh cheese, fresh meat! Image: Jan Dudeck]]
[[File:GPT07-Laguna_del_Maule.jpg|thumb|right|500px|GPT07: Horse riding with Danilo and Jito (the founder and horse riding guide of [http://www.chile-horseriding.com/ www.chile-horseriding.com]) at the dormant Supervolcano Laguna del Maule. Image: Jan Dudeck]]
[[File:GPT09-Laguna_de_las_Lajas.jpg|thumb|500px|GPT09: Circling the volcano Antuco. Image: Jan Dudeck]]
[[File:GPT18-Lago_Pirihueco.jpg|thumb|500px|GPT18: Camping at the shore of Lago Pirihueco. Image: Jan Dudeck]]
[[File:GPT28P-Ferry.jpg|thumb|right|500px|GPT28P: Patagonian fjords seen from the ferry on the way from Raul Marin Balmaceda to Puerto Chacabuco. Image: Jan Dudeck]]
The Wikiexplora article comes with one weakness: offline access while being on the GPTis an informal route network therefore you will not find any “official” information. Therefore In the GPT Hiker’s Manual was created in 2017. With this the Wikiexplora article is now neither the only nor the best resource following I list all relevant resources that help to understand the GPT but Wikiexplora provides an introduction to anyone “just browsing around” and gives access to the Hiker’s Manual and other relevant documentationsget prepared for an adventure on this trail system.
===This GPT Wikiexplora Article===
The Hikers’ Manual is the primary source of information for the GPT and can be downloaded free of charge at: http://bit.ly/GPTguide
The Hikers’ Manual consists of three parts:
Chapter 3 goes deep into specific topics. You will require this expertise for specific tasks i.e. when setting up your GPS or when calculating distances 1 provides a general overview and estimated travel times. The Appendix also contains valuable additional information that benefit a profounder and ampler good understanding of the nature of the GPT and . You should read the region that this entire chapter 1 thoroughly if you consider hiking on this route network traversesbecause this part of the Hikers’ Manual guides you through your preparation.
The Greater Patagonian Trail Hikers’ Manual is an informal trail network that grows and changes regularlynot available on paper but only as a PDF document. And the documentation of this evolving trail network relies It is designed to be read on the voluntary work of one author with a full-time job supported by computer or on a few collaboratorssmart¬phone while being online or offline. Therefore, this Hiker’s Manual it is not expected to be completed issued in the foreseeable future and will remain a growing and evolving documentscreen-friendly 9:16 page format. This unfinished nature When reading this document it is intentionally made visible best to readers by displaying empty chapters with red “To be issued.” remarks, similar comments use full screen slide mode in red and not hiding immature texts in the makinglandscape orientation. This shows what topics are planned to be covered with future updates and where contributions and reviews are welcomeNormal vertical scrolling is less practical. Anyone who feels uncomfortable preparing his hike with such an unfinished documentation should rethink Install a suitable app on your smartphone if he wants to travel on an unfinished and informal route networkneeded.
You can download the GPT Hikers' Manual from Dropbox: [http://bit.ly/GPTguide Hikers Manual on Dropbox]
===The Wikiexplora GPT Section Articles===
The only reliable way to navigate on the GPT route network (with currently more than 20’000 km of tracks) is therefore divided into approx. 90 sections. Collecting and updating all essential information to all these sections can’t impossibly be done by a GPS with single author but requires the digital track and waypoint documentation that continuous collaboration of the community. To enable such a collaboration one Wikiexplora article was specifically created for each section of the GPT. This digital documentation with These wikies collect all relevant geographic the section specific information consists of mul¬tiple files in different file types and is called in are open for edits and additions by all GPT hikers. So hikers that enjoy writing can become a co-author by editing the following “GPT track files” or in short “track files”section descriptions after their return from the GPT.
The track files are provided on personal request by the author free informal and unpredictable nature of charge but not unconditionally. Read in the Hiker's Manual chapter 1.15 Terms GPT makes it also relevant that hikers quickly exchange updates and Conditions for Using the Hiker’s Manual and the Trail Files advices while travelling on page 139 this evolving route network. This can be information to review these temporary unpassable trail sections, volcano alerts, river conditions or anything that makes you think in hindsight: “I should have known this before!”. In the Wikiexplora section articles, hikers can post such alerts and to understand why these conditions were put advices. Additionally, hikers can provide any other beneficial information and suggestion that is not yet included in placethe section description.
===The GPT Facebook Group may also be useful for individual hikers that plan to walk on this trail network and that seek others to join into small groups. Here you can post your hiking plans before you depart and link up with other hikers.Track Files===
The Greater Patagonian Trail is composed of existing routes that were mainly made by the local settlers to serve their purposes. Hikers are unexpected guests on many of these trails. Only smaller parts of these routes have some kind of trail markers.
The track files are provided on personal request by the author free of charge but not unconditionally. Read Chapter 1 of the [http://bit.ly/GPTguide Hikers’ Manual] where you find the Code of Conduct on the GPT and the Terms and Conditions for Using the Hikers’ Manual and the Track Files. Review these conditions and read why they were put in place. Should you agree all Terms and Conditions, follow the instructions in Hikers’ Manual.
===The GPT Facebook Group===
The GPT Facebook Group is also the location where I now notify hikers when a new version of the Hikers’ Manual is published, when updated track files are available and where I share other news regarding the GPT.
To become member of the [http://bit.ly/GPTfacebook GPT Facebook Group] you need a Facebook account and request access: http://bit.ly/GPTfacebook
There is another reason why my writing is rather technical. I’m an Engineer by trade, I'm now updating the entire trail documentation to incorporate all these extensions, trail corrections work as an inspector and additional optionsissue inspection reports on a regular base. Due For this I need to the northern extension the section numbering is changing completely carefully choose my words to be factual and I'm precise but also improving the track nomenclature to facilitate a better understanding and documentation of the countless optionslegally sound. This ongoing update currently results Storytelling is neither needed nor welcome in inconsistencies of my inspection reports. When numbers are available or when information can be structured into tables or charts than this trail documentationis always preferred over well phrased verbal descriptions. Please have this You will notice these writing habits in mind when reading this the Hikers’ Manual and the Wikiexplora article and downloading files.
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==The GPT Route Network==
The Greater Patagonian Trail is not a hiking trail. Yes, you read correctly so let me repeat one more time: '''The GPT is not a hiking trail.'''
The GPT is an informal route network that consists mostly of trails, roads and cross -country routes that were not created with hikers in mind. Most of the trails were made by the local population to serve their purposes, i.e.g. to drive animals to summer pastures, to get to remote settlements and outposts or to extract wood from the forest. The routes that the GPT is composed of include:
* well maintained horse trails that are regularly frequently used by the local cowboys (in Chile called "arrieros" and arriero or puestero, in Argentina "gauchos"gaucho),
* poorly maintained and neglected trails that are washed out, trenched and blocked by fallen logs,
* minor roads and simple car tracks that are occasionally used by all-terrain vehicles,
* trail-less cross -country routes in barren open terrain,* a few short stretches of bush bashing through thick growth,
* and where no more adventurous route was found also public roads with moderate transit traffic.
* Additionally, packrafters can cross mountain lakes, float down generally calm rivers and even paddle on in the Patagonian fjords.
This diversity makes the GPT so authentic but also inconsistent and in parts challenging.
Since the GPT is an informal route network, few signposts and trail markers facilitate route finding and none of these signs and markers refer to the GPT. The national parks contain some marked trails, though these signs are often unmaintained and inconsistent. Outside of parks you may sporadically see chopped off bark, sun faded strips of plastic, beer cans or even cattle skulls hanging in a tree. That’s no vandalism or littering but how locals occasionally mark a route. But the landlords that regularly use these trails rarely need signposts as they know their trails inside-out and nobody else is expected to come.
On many of these trails a customary right-of-way applies but some routes cross private land and you often can’t distinguish the difference. Therefore, when you venture onto the GPT you are mostly an unexpected guest on trails that were not made for you, and you will trespass over private property. So be at least a respectful and friendly trespasser that can explain in Spanish what you are doing there.
Unlike many long-distance hiking trails, the GPT is not a single-line trail but a wide route network with countless options. When hiking on the GPT you have the privilege and task of composing your own personal route by making your choices along the way. This makes every hike on the GPT a unique and incomparable experience. The number of options becomes evident when comparing the length of the Main Route (approximately 5'000 km) with the total length of all tracks (more than 20’000 km).
The GPT is not a trail that can be hiked efficiently. The trail will change you your plans without asking and inevitably stop you from time to time and or even turn you around. Also , the period of normally suitable hiking weather is in parts quite short. In particular in the north you need to wait until Some sections become traversable December for the or January after most snow to melt has molten and the rivers to fall to calmed down and can be forded safely. And In late March or during April fierce snow storms snowstorms may make the route impassable again impassable in late March or during April.
The appropriate recommended pace on this trail route network is the "appreciation pace". This pace might vary substantially between hikers but gives you the time to make an attractive detour, i.e. in example to climb a summit next to the trail without worrying about your schedule. This adequate rate of advance permits you to accept the invitation of a poblador (settler ) to share some cups of mate or to sit out a day of torrential rain in shelter (here called "a puesto"(improvised shelter) with an arriero(Chilean cowboy, also called puestero). This adapted velocity allows adaptable pace permits you to wait in front of a pass if the weather is too volatile to climb up or to spend a day or two waiting at a lake if it is too windy to paddle with your packraft.
This trail is therefore not suitable for hikers who are out to race a clock, or those that need to have full control and who measure their success in kilometers kilo¬meters or miles. Its a trail for thoughtful discoverers who can accept being just guests. It's for hikers for whom completion or distance covered is irrelevant or at least secondary but that , and instead count their enjoyable and eventful days in a pristine and diverse nature insteadenvironment. It’s a trail for thoughtful discoverers who can accept being guests and not dominators.
'''All this makes the GPT a discovery network with a good portion of unpredictability but an impressive authenticity.'''
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==The GPT Terrain: Greater Patagonia=Trail Length and Trail Type Composition===The Greater Patagonian Trail is not a normal single line long distance trail but a wide discovery trail network with countless options and alternatives. Therefore the actual length that someone may walk and paddle depends highly on the selected sections, the chosen route and the method of travel (hiking only, packrafting wherever possible or a balanced combination of both). Also a further extension of the trail towards the southern tip of the continent is in preparation. For this reason there is no precise number for the trail length and only examples can be provided.
[[File:Pat_map.PNG|thumb|400px|Limits of Patagonia. Image: [https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patagonia Wikipedia]]]
[[File:Historic_Map_Patagonia.jpg|thumb|400px|Historic map of Patagonia. Image: [https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patagonia Wikipedia]]]
* the glacier Perito Moreno and
* the surrounding of El Chalten with Mount Fitz Roy and Cerro Torre.
These are three truly amazing spots on the eastern edge of the Southern Patagonian Ice Field Icefield and are internationally known highlights of Patagonia. But these three frequently pictured attractions do not represent the Patagonian varietydiversity. If your primary interest is visiting the heavily trod, famous places of Patagonia then stick to the national parks in the south and bus in between.
The limits of Patagonia are somewhat blurry. This makes it impractical to state where exactly the GPT gets into Patagonia. If taking the administrative limits of Argentina, than you get in throwing range of Patagonia at the end of section GPT05 where you can look over the Argentinian border into the province Neuquén. But with a different understanding you enter Patagonia on section GPT13 where you ford the Río Biobío. Others argue that Patagonia starts with the Chilean administrative region XIV (Región de los Ríos) what makes section GPT16 the gateway into Patagonia. You can be certain to have reached Patagonia on section GPT22 where you arrive at the first Patagonian fjord: the Estuarió de Reloncaví.
For me this discussion about the limits of Patagonia is irrelevant if I can walk and paddle through pristine and varied terrain. Actually, the less known regions north of Patagonia more attractive for hiking. Here you walk more distance high up in the mountains with broad views, here you find the more attractive trails and cross-country routes and here you meet the arrieros and the native Pehuenche people. Also, the climate is more favourable for hiking. During summer, rain is infrequent, and you can mostly enjoy sunny weather.
In contrast, when reaching Patagonia, get ready for frequent and enduring rain. Also, don't expect to walk high up in the mountains in the heartland of Patagonia as there is simply no continuously high mountain range. In Patagonia high mountains are rather like islands that are surrounded by dense temperate rainforest in the west and a semi-desert-like Pampa in the east. These island-like mountains are separated by wide valleys that were carved by giant glaciers during past glacial periods. The wide valleys are now partly filled with lakes that drain their water in powerful rivers into the Patagonian fjords. Therefore, “real Patagonia” is best traveled by packraft because a packraft gets you on these lakes, rivers and fjords.
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==[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thru-hiking Thru-Hiking] the GPT==Security, Police and Borders====In the b
'''For respectful explorers the GPT is much more than a long-distance trail.''' It’s a wide network of routes with many hiking options and packrafting in a diverse landscape. A unique blend of people lives along the trails making the hike more of a cultural experience. If approached with respect and interest, then these welcoming people will share much more than just the right-of-way regardless where you are coming from and where you are walking to. On this trail your willingness and capability to immerse yourself in this culture will be more relevant than the weight of your backpack.
If you find Triple Crown Thru-Hikers more credible to speak about thru-hiking the GPT than read in the Hikers' Manual how Lauren Reed (Neon) and Christine Thürmer (German Tourist) experienced the GPT in comparison with the renowned US long distance trails. Lauren was the first hiker to walk the entire length of the GPT in two seasons together with Bethany Hughes (Fidgit).
Someone who wants to explore the entire length of GPT should split this adventure into various seasons. This also facilitates hiking lightly where a packraft would just be a burden and to packraft were the extra weight really pays off. Having more than one season also gives the extra time to take some of the more demanding but rewarding options.
There is one more reason why a thru-hike of the GPT in the literal sense is not viable. Thru-hiking means walking a complete long-distance trail with connecting footsteps from start to finish typically in one season. This is only possible on a well-defined trail with a set start and finish point. This simply does not apply to the GPT.
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==Packrafting the GPT=Dangers and Annoyances===[[File:GPT01-P0050.jpg|thumb|450px|Greater Patagonian Trail Section 1: Poor trail condition. File: Jan Dudeck]][[File:GPT02-P0087.jpg|thumb|450px|Greater Patagonian Trail Section 2: River Crossing. File: Jan Dudeck]][[File:GPT04-P0039.jpg|thumb|450px|Greater Patagonian Trail Section 4: Near Laguna de Las Lajas where 45 soldiers died in 2005 during a snow storm. File: Jan Dudeck]]
When I started planning my first long hike through Patagonia in 2013 I could not find a continuous hiking route south of Coñaripe (GPT16) because dense forest hides most of the trails on satellite images. But I could see calm rivers and lakes that bridged the gaps and I wondered if there existed a light enough boat to be carried in a backpack to traverse these waters. I googled and found the packraft. So, the initial cause for incorporating packrafting options were insufficient information about the existing trails and not my fascination for amphibious travel. It was not until after our first hike that I could add additional hiking routes that now render a packraft expendable but not less beneficial.
In retrospect I’m so glad that I lacked the information about the hidden routes. Otherwise I would probably not have discovered the packraft as the ideal hiking partner for Patagonia. A packraft does not only carry your backpack, it carries you! What matters in this “partnership” is a good balance. You don’t want to carry your packraft most of the time but benefit from it as much as possible. And this is the case on sections GPT17 to GPT39. Here the packraft carries you on more than 50% of the distance and this makes it a brilliant deal. Further north (on sections GPT01 to GPT16) a packraft is more burden than benefit and I would only recommend packrafting if you specifically plan to explore a certain lake and the surrounding area.
When packrafting on lakes and rivers we normally do not exceed hiking speed so the packraft does not make us faster. In contrast, all the packing and unpacking and the extra weight slows us down. But speed is not our objective. What we seek is diversity and a packraft opens up some of the most epic routes in Patagonia.
==Questions and Feedbacks==
If you read this article to this point then you should definitely download the [http://bit.ly/GPTguide Hikers’ Manual from Dropbox] now. Should you have questions that are not answered in the Hikers’ Manual than you may write the author an email. Also feedbacks are welcome.
Email of author: gpt.jan.dudeck@gmail.com
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{{Trekkings Chile}}
[[category:Greater Patagonian Trail]]
[[category:Parche Greater Patagonian Trail]]