Read also the [[#Distances, Ascents, Descents and Walking Times| comment to distances, ascents, descents and walking times]] to correctly understand the recording, calculation and relevance of these numerical values.
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==Recent Feedback and Updates to the Trail==
{| class="wikitable"
|- style="vertical-align:top;"
! style="text-align: left;" | Section Name
! style="text-align: left;" | Number
! style="text-align: left;" | Date
! style="text-align: left;" | Name
! style="text-align: left;" | Feedback and Update
|-
| Volcán Descabezado
| GPT01
| -
| -
| -
|-style="vertical-align:top;"
| Laguna Dial
| GPT02
| -
| -
| -
|- style="vertical-align:top;"
| Volcán Chillan
| GPT03
| -
| -
| -
|- style="vertical-align:top;"
| Volcán Antuco
| GPT04
| -
| -
| -
|- style="vertical-align:top;"
| Laguna El Barco
| GPT05
| -
| -
| -
|- style="vertical-align:top;"
| Guallali
| GPT06
| -
| -
| -
|- style="vertical-align:top;"
| Laguna Marinanqui
| GPT07
| -
| -
| -
|- style="vertical-align:top;"
| Volcán Sollipulli
| GPT08
| -
| -
| -
|- style="vertical-align:top;"
| Curarrehue
| GPT09
| -
| -
| -
|- style="vertical-align:top;"
| Volcán Quetrupillan
| GPT10
| -
| -
| -
|- style="vertical-align:top;"
| Liquiñe (Hiking)
| GPT11H
| -
| -
| -
|- style="vertical-align:top;"
| Neltume (Packraft)
| GPT11P
| -
| -
| -
|- style="vertical-align:top;"
| Lago Pirihueico
| GPT12
| Nov/Dec 2015
| Elliot, Hevré, Sören, Carla
| The trail file update from 2016 resolves this issue. If you use the last trail file update from 2016 you will be guided around this overgrown area. <br> <br> Comment to outdate trail files from 2015: <br> <br> Based on recent feedbacks the section between the waypoints "Diversion (GPT12-WP020)" and "Trail Start (GPT12-WP023)" is badly overgrown and very difficult pass. Therefore this section should only be attempted by a group of at least two persons with sufficient reserve food and time that want to "dive" into the Valdivian rain forest. All other hikers should bypass section 12 by bus. <br> <br> Hikers who attempt this section should carefully search a suitable connection between the two above mentioned waypoints and carry a machete to clean the overgrown trail. Whenever using a machete care should be taken to not leave misguiding cut marks. Keep in mind that hikers after you will follow your cut marks therefore clearly block "death end" trails and leave clear signs i.e. cut marks that guide others after you along a suitable route.
|- style="vertical-align:top;"
| Volcán Puyehue
| GPT13
| -
| -
| -
|- style="vertical-align:top;"
| Volcán Antillanca
| GPT14
| -
| -
| -
|- style="vertical-align:top;"
| Lago Todos Los Santos
| GPT15
| -
| -
| -
|- style="vertical-align:top;"
| Cochamó
| GPT16
| -
| -
| -
|- style="vertical-align:top;"
| PN Lago Puelo
| GPT17
| Dec 2015
| Eliot, Hevré
| The trail file update from 2016 resolves this issue. If you use the last trail file update from 2016 you will be guided around this densly overgrown area but some bushwalking is still required. <br> <br> Comment to outdate trail files from 2015: <br> <br> Based on one recent feedback the ascent to the waypoint "Pass (GPT17-WP101)" is badly overgrown and very difficult pass. Also the [[Huella Andina]] trail from the start of section 17 along the eastern side of the Lago Puelo was partly damaged by a large wild fire in January and February 2015. Therefore this section should only be attempted by a group of at least two persons with sufficient reserve food and time. All other hikers should bypass section 17 by bus. <br> <br> Hikers who attempt this section should should carry a machete to clean the overgrown trail. Alternatively ask the local settlers to guide you i.e. to get up to the ridge and walk along the tree-less ridge to the waypoint "Pass (GPT17-WP101)". A other option is trying an alternative trail shortly before the waypoint "Bridge (GPT17-WP010)" that that follows the valley "Derrumbe". To the knowledge of the author this trail also becomes overgrown after 6 to 7 km but may connect after a difficult to pass part with the waypoint "Camp (GPT17-WP105)".
|- style="vertical-align:top;"
| PN Los Alerces
| GPT18
| -
| -
| -
|- style="vertical-align:top;"
|}
==Long Distances Challanges==
[[File:GPT03-2014-Pano-Pic014.jpg|thumb|500px|Greater Patagonian Trail Section 3: Carrying fire wood for the next night. File: Jan Dudeck]]
The sections 2 and 3 can be combined with an alternative trail through a pristine area that bypasses the settlement and the road at the finish of section 2 and the start of section 3.
The sections 3 and 4 may also be combined by packrafting the entire Laguna Las Lajas or taking a cross country route on the eastern side of the lake. Both, the packraft and the hiking option, are quite challanging and the optional cross country trail still needs to be verfied. This alternative route bypasses the road to the town Antuco and the tiny ski resort on the base of the volcano Antuco.
It is even possible to combine sections 2, 3 and 4 in a extra-long super-section without passing a single village. This tripple section is a true long distance endurance challange that gets you in 3 to 4 weeks through nearly untouched wilderness. If you attempt it, you should be well aware of all the exit routes to walk out in time if you run out of food.
Combining sections 4 to 7 should be considered when hiking these sections. You may get some basic food i.e. in Trapa Trapa at the end of section 4 and in Guallali on section 6. You may also ask the [[#Food Supply on the Trail|Puesteros]] along the trail for food or harvest [[#Traditional Food|Araucaria cones]] to "stretch" the food that you carry in your backpack and make it last this long combined section. This would save you resupply bus trips to "nearby" villages and towns. Such resupply bus trips take two days or more due to the distances and the low bus frequency. In particular getting at the end of section 6 by bus to Lonquimay and then back to continue with section 7 might be an ordeal.
Also combining sections 13 to 15 is advisable to save you time consuming resupply bus trips. At the end of section 13 you may ask in a settlers home for food and at the end of section 14 you may take the ferry that runs three times per week to a tiny village, resupply in a small shop just next to the embarkation point and return shortly later with the same ferry.
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{| class="wikitable"
|- style="vertical-align:top;"
! style="text-align: left;" rowspan="2"| Section Name
! style="text-align: left;" rowspan="2"| Number
! style="text-align: left;" colspan="6"| Hiking-Only-Options
! style="text-align: left;" colspan="7"| Hiking-Only-Options AND Packraft-Options
|-
! style="text-align: left;" | Distance
! style="text-align: left;" | Ascent
! style="text-align: left;" | Descent
! style="text-align: left;" | Days
! style="text-align: left;" | Time
! style="text-align: left;" | Trail File
! style="text-align: left;" | Distance
! style="text-align: left;" | On Water
! style="text-align: left;" | Ascent
! style="text-align: left;" | Descent
! style="text-align: left;" | Days
! style="text-align: left;" | Time
! style="text-align: left;" | Trail File
|- style="vertical-align:top;"
| Section 2 and 3 <br> via Las Truchas
| GPT02-03
| 279 km
| 12700 m↑
| 12100 m↓
| 14-20 d
| 91 h
| [[Media:GPT02-03H.gpx| GPT02-03H.gpx]] <br> [[Media:GPT02-03H.kmz| GPT02-03H.kmz]]
| 271 km
| 32 km (12%)
| 10400 m↑
| 9700 m↓
| 14-20 d
| 86 h
| [[Media:GPT02-03.gpx| GPT02-03.gpx]] <br> [[Media:GPT02-03.kmz| GPT02-03.kmz]]
|- style="vertical-align:top;"
| Section 3 and 4 <br> East of Laguna de Las Lajas
| GPT03-04
| 174 km
| 7200 m↑
| 7000 m↓
| 10-15 d
| 55 h
| [[Media:GPT03-04.gpx| GPT03-04.gpx]] <br> [[Media:GPT03-04.kmz| GPT03-04.kmz]]
| 166 km
| 26 km (15%)
| 5800 m↑
| 5600 m↓
| 10-15 d
| 52 h
| [[Media:GPT03-04.gpx| GPT03-04.gpx]] <br> [[Media:GPT03-04.kmz| GPT03-04.kmz]]
|- style="vertical-align:top;"
| Section 2, 3 and 4 <br> via Las Truchas and <br> East of Laguna de Las Lajas
| GPT02-04
| 324 km
| 13400 m↑
| 13200 m↓
| 17-25 d
| 103 h
| [[#Trail Files for GPS and Google Earth|See above]]
| 313 km
| 35 km (11%)
| 11400 m↑
| 11100 m↓
| 17-25 d
| 98 h
| [[#Trail Files for GPS and Google Earth|See above]]
|- style="vertical-align:top;"
| Section 4 to 7
| GPT04-07
| 231 km
| 8300 m↑
| 8600 m↓
| 13-17 d
| 70 h
| [[#Trail Files for GPS and Google Earth|See above]]
| 233 km
| 9 km (4%)
| 8200 m↑
| 8500 m↓
| 13-17 d
| 71 h
| [[#Trail Files for GPS and Google Earth|See above]]
|- style="vertical-align:top;"
| Section 13, 14 and 15
| GPT13-15
| 178 km
| 8100 m ↑
| 8200 m ↓
| 10-15 d
| 59 h
| [[#Trail Files for GPS and Google Earth|See above]]
| 194 km
| 50 km (26%)
| 6600 m↑
| 6600 m↓
| 10-15 d
| 62 h
| [[#Trail Files for GPS and Google Earth|See above]]
|}
Note that these GPX files are outdated but updates are included in the updated trail files issued in 2016.
==Trail Altitude Profile==
The following two images show the altitude profile of the trail. The first images shows the Hiking-Only-Options and the second images shows the route with all Packraft-Options incorporated. Both altitude profiles exclude all optional ascents to summits.
[[File:GPT01-18H_Profile.png|thumb|left|1050px|Altitude profile of the Hiking-Only-Options of the Greater Patagonian Trail. Click to enlarge.]]
[[File:GPT01-18_Profile.png|thumb|left|1050px|Altitude profile of the Greater Patagonian Trail with all Packraft-Options included. Click to enlarge.]]
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==Recommended Season==
