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==Season 2023/24==
*2024-Jan-17 to 2024-Jan-19 / 3 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR - {16-02} - {16-03} - {16-02} - RR - {16-B} / Lilian
I really enjoy GPT16, walking on the beach beside Laguna Blanca, climbing Volcán Quetrupillán, camping at outlet of Laguna Azul and soaking in hot spring at Liquiñe, they are all so lovely.
Volcán Quetrupillán still covered by lot of snow above 1930m. Also need to climb up a 40° snow slope and traverse to it's rim. Take your time.
RR km0 - km8.9 : dirt road walking.
Km8.0 : clear water flowing beside the road. (-39.38490, -71.63200)
Km8.3 : camping possibilities on grassland at uphill side with no fence.(-39.38470, -71.63648)
Km8.65 : locked gate with barbed wire fence, a house just behind the gate, better ask for the permission first.
Km8.9 : 4 way junction, dirt road become an old trail.
Km9.75 : crossing of barbed wire fence, no more gate here. 2 holes at fence , one is already covered by bamboo, another one is at (-39.38352, -71.64776), go through it you will connect to an dirt road at other side.
Km10.1 : locked gate with barbed wire fence. Open the gate at top, remains the lock there and big step over, my legs are too short, the barbed wire breaks a hole at my shorts here ;(
Km11.1 : locked gate with barbed wire fence. At right side there is a small gap let small people go through, but not for backpack, so climb it!
Km11.15 : bridge and a stream flowing good at right side(-39.39046, -71.65845), go over the bridge then you will find a side trail at right side to stream.
Km11.3 : bridge and a stream flowing good, but no way to go down.
Km11.35 : locked gate with barbed wire fence. Climb.
Km11.7 : crossing of barbed wire fence, no more gate here. Houses at (-39.39480, -71.66123), a dog continues barking when i was climbing the fence, make me so anxiety...
Km12.2 : finally, this gate can open it with the chain at middle. But i didn't know it can be opened before i saw the chain, so i climbed the gate...
FYI : RR follow the valley and Estero Huililco climbing up, but no clear water, because the river is milky.
Km16.5 : grassland(-39.42330, -71.65069) with no fence can fit many tents, but i think this spot is just for group hikers, because it is beside the road without any covers, every cars passing here must see you, it is not safe for solo hiker.
Km18.25 : camping spot can fit 2-3 tents with fire ring beside the river. Some trees and bushes here, very little privacy.
Km18.6 : bus stop here, and i don't know about the bus schedule.
Km18.65 - km19.2 : look like is a paid campground.
Km20.05 : dirt road junction, an old dirt road at left side, flat and without rocks, you can camp here if need. South of RR in this forest also lot spots for camping.
Km23.15 : crossing of a milky stream, just above ankle. It is the last reliable water until Laguna Blanca.
Km26.25 : junction of dirt road and trail, RR is turn to trail now, dirt road will end by damaged and huge blowdown, so turn left and climb up on the trail.
Km27 : information board( with Spanish and English). From the board, RR-CC-A[29.3+5.9] is the official route.
Km29.3 : junction of RR and {16-A}, RR at here is a clear trail, not CC. Easy to follow.
Km29.85 : water spot(-39.51775, -71.65871)! Tiny stream flowing low with fresh, clear and cold water by snow melts, easy to collect. No water at downstream, because it just flow some meters then seep into sand. Some more tiny streams also flowing low beside the trail or across the trail by snow melts, but i think this is the best one in some km.
Km30.6 : viewpoint of Lanín! Some snow patch nearby, flat and easy to walk on.
Km32.6 : Laguna Blanca, cross 2 chocolate stream, just above ankle, but the riverbed is muddy in some steps.
Km33.05 : a 80m snow patch, not steep, not difficult, but you'll drop into the lake if slide.
Km35.2 : junction of RR and {16-A}. Tiny stream flowing good with fresh, clear and cold water by snow melts beside the junction, easy to collect.
Km35.4 : steep snow slope at east side of the pass. Better go around it at right side (north). Tiny stream flowing good with clear water by snow melts, at west side of the pass too.
Ford[36.6/1652] : crossing of a milky stream, above ankle.
Km37.6 - km38 , km39.9 - km40.1 : snow patches, easily go around.
Then i go for {16-02} then {16-03} climbing Volcán Quetrupillán.
{16-02} km0.15 : small stream flowing good with clear water by snow melts, easy to collect.
Km1.65 : snow patch.
Km1.9 : junction of {16-02} and {16-03}, {16-03} maybe sometime have rock cairns, but i just find the trail when it is already very close to summit, so mostly CC go by yourself. {16-02} km2.1 to pass[2.5/1924], almost half is covered by snow, it becomes steep when get close to pass, be careful.
{16-03} km0.45 : snow slope steep go down, i go down at a little north, the slope is much shorter.
Km1.15 : due to lot of snow melts, the milky lake become larger than it shows on map. So walk a little east to go around.
Km1.3 : snow start, i recommend just walking on snow to trail junction waypoint at km2.1, it is gentle.
Km2.1 : tiny stream(-39.51478, -71.73556) flowing low with clear water just beside the trail junction (but i didn't see any trail here.)
Then the climbing is covered by lot of snow. You can walk on a dry rocky slope until km2.45, then choose continue finding dry slope to walk (but they are going around and around so the distance are a little longer and some puds, also sometimes block by snow wall), or climbing up on snow directly.
I climbed on the snow slope, because they are stable and not too steep, looks like better than following rock cairns on the dry slope.
When you arrive km3.7(-39.50145, -71.72655), look up to the mountain top. Of course the sharp peak at left is Quetrupillán, and your target is climbing up to the part at its right side, red colour and a little rocky one, that's the pass(-39.49857, -71.72277), also trail there.
Because most of the slope still covered by snow, so go a little southeast, you'll find a dry rock slope, parallel to GPX tracks. Not too much, but at least some places you can stand on easily and take a short break in climbing. Straight climb up the 40° snow slope to km4.05(2265m) (-39.50003, -71.72333), then traverse to the red part, trail is here(-39.49889, -71.72298). When it close to the red part, the snow slope becomes a little icy, kick step and be careful.
Arrive on the red, you can follow the loose rocky trail to the pass. You can continue climbing up to summit or walking on the rim for views.
After enjoying the moments for volcano, i slide down at here(-39.49886, -71.72313), a good way without rocks. Then skiing back to {16-02}. Lot fun!
I took 4.5 hours for climbing up and 2.5 hours for go down back to Laguna Azul. At my first plan, i want to go down to camp beside the waterfall at (-39.51315, -71.74967) then back to the Laguna Azul on next day, but it looks like lot of snow in the valley after the no trail's trail junction, also need a steep going down the pass. So i just take a round trip even i climbed Quetrupillán with my full backpack.
RR lake,camp[40.2/1597] : Laguna Azul, clear water. Can fit 3-4 tents under some short trees, with fire ring and wind protection, but a little crowded.
Ford[40.3/1593] : lake outlet, wet feet crossing, a beautiful camping spot can fit 1 tent just downstream 20m, another crossing point there too.
Camp[40.3/1601] : still covered by snow patch now.
Km41.7 : camping area with fire pit and log seats, covered by many trees.
X[49.6/997] : 4 way junction, some more junctions at south.
Water[51.1/871] : flowing low with clear water.
Km51.6 : 3 way junction, at left, a good road going down at east side of the valley. At right is RR, go down at west side of valley. Road is heavy damage just after the junction, be careful for crossing, the road is collapsing(-39.60354, -71.81894).
Km51.9 - km52.4 : a large beautiful grassland, nice camping spot. Start from here, the "road" becomes better condition.
X[55.6/618] : junction of RR and a good road, looks like coming from other sidecof valley.
Km57.75: grassland, camping spot.
Settlement, bridge[58.6/440] : the road is damaged before the "bridge", a board bridge (-39.65286, -71.84399) for human crossing. The bridge also is damaged, looks like washed away, so crossing at upstream (-39.65410, -71.84389), rock bar underwater, above ankle. This stream's water is flowing good with clear water. After crossing is a nice spot with lunch, well tree shade. Fire ring and log seats under a tree too, but it is in the area of settlement.
Camp[62.1/486] : i didn't notice the spot when i passed here, maybe I missed it.
Km64.5 : junction of RR and {16-B}, i take {16-B} because of shorter distance to main road, also no need to climb up 120m again as RR.
Settlement, shop[66.5/237] : small shop, a little pricey but good stock for resupply, very friendly. ( I think the shops in Liquiñe is much pricey too)
Then i walked all the way to Liquiñe, no bus and no luck(no successful hitch).
For resupply details read GPT17.
*2023-29-12 / 4 days / Hiking / SOBO / option 1 and 4 / Jens