Cambios

* November From 2023 -12-15 to 2023-12-21 //6,5 days // Hiking // Regular Route NOBO / Southbound / Frank CreedonQuentin Clavel

On Not exactly the wide open road track who's in the GPT guide, because, as I mentionned in the previous section, the National Parc didn't allowed you to pass threw between estancia Cristina and estencia Helsingfors if you're not a group of, at least, 3 people.  So I just walked from El ChaltenCalafate to El Chaltén. It took me 6, GPT415 days, and that was, as you can imagine not the most exciting section of the GPT !  I begun by following the GPT43 Option 3 (Lago Argentino Costa Sur), then I mostly followed the road to El Chaltén.  I was alternating between the side of the road and the pampa few hundred meters from it. I discovered some surprisingly great landscapes, following wild animals tracks (especially along Rio La Leona), but I somehow came back regularly on the road as the pampa is pretty sandy (especially along the Lago Viedma), and not so easy to walk on.  Pampa is definitely not funny, wind was crazy, and sun very intense. I had to be creative to find shadow and the pipes from dry rivers were pretty good for lunch breaks !  That was pretty desolating to see the very low level of rivers and lakes. But even at this level, it was good to find them to try to stay hydrated (even if the water was mixed with tierra, and so brown and crispy aha) hotel de campo la Leona". You can camp and resupply (sandwiches, salads, fruits, snacks, cakes, drinks, coffee). It's just on the road, before passing threw the bridge on Rio La Leona.  11 kilometers before if you go NOBO, or after if you go SOBO, you can find the ex restaurant "Luz la divina", an abandonned pink house, which is an inspiring obligatory passage, even a museum for our fellow cyclists friends, with a lot of signatures on the walls since 2013. (49°53′26.45″S 72°02′37.1″W).  The arrival to Chaltén is long but exciting as the mountains and the amazing Fitz Roy reveals itself at every step.  * November 2023 / Regular Route / mostly SOBO / 3 days / Frank Although you are on tar there are no facilities for 108KM. The route is featureless pampa & you will often go 20KM or more before finding a boulder or calafate bush to shelter from the relentless wind. Only recommended for hikers who are fanatical about connecting footsteps. I walked Chalten-La Leona in 3 days: 2 half days and 2 full days as follows 1. Arrived in Chalten, walked out 15KM SOBO and hitched back.2. Hitched out 55KM from Chalten, walked 40KM NOBO and hitched in the last 15KM. I regretted it as NOBO the wind is in your face. It is far easier to walk SOBO with the wind at your back. 3. I got the bus to La Leona, set up tent there and hitched back to 55KM from Chalten. Then I walked 17KM on the road SOBO. The road climbs about 350 metres giving distant views of Viedma Glacier. I hitched back to La Leona. From KM55 you can go down to the lake and walk along it but the nearer you are to the lake the more windy and exposed it is.4. From KM72 on the road just before a big boulder there is a small jeep track going towards the lake, it is marked on Openstreetmap. I followed the jeep track which runs towards Estancia Punta del Lago. About 2KM before the Estancia I turned left where the jeep track turns towards the Estancia and went along small trails to join another jeep track that led out to the road. Then I walked in the road to La Leona.  The above strategy is a bit risky with a daypack as if you do not get a lift you are snookered. However I was lucky with lifts and never had to wait more than an hour. Vehicles will not stop much near Chalten and Calafate but on the open pampa they often do stop. There is quite a bit of traffic between Calafate and Chalten and also from Rio Gallegos.

Buses normally wont won't drop you at any locations along the route apart from La Leona & are unlikely to pick you up along the route either.