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*23 Nov 2022 4 days RR flip flopped but mostly SOBO Frank
As I was unable to ford Rio Nireguao in late November I split the section as follows:
1. Bus to El Gato & walked 41KM from El Gato to Carratera Austral on road.
2. Walked from Rio Baguales to Coyhaique on road.
3. Bus to Villa Ortega & hitched to near Emperador Guillermo on Ruta 7 to where the RR goes left over a bridge, walked from the bridge to Rio Baguales in 1 long day.4. Got the bus to El Gato in late January, forded Rio Nireguao & walked to Ruta 7 near Emperador Guillermo in 1 very long day.
1. was NOBO & 2, 3 & 4 were SOBO.
1. I got the bus to 1KM before El Gato where the RR SOBO goes off road near a campsite to a ford on Rio Nireguao. I continued NOBO 41KM on the X421 gravel road. From El Gato you ascend 300 metres then only a couple of small ascents. Good scenery but it was raining & cloudy when I went through. A shop in El Gato & Cabanas although they normally rent to groups. No facilities after El Gato. When you reach the mine don't follow the track file which goes into the mine (there is a fence and an Entry Restricted sign) but stay on the X421 road which goes around the mine. Go left at a junction then over a bridge, you soon rejoin the track file.
The road is fenced off with very few places to camp: a few KM after the mine where the road forks, the right fork goes past camping spots by the river. 3.7 KM before you reach the main road (Carratera Austral AKA Ruta 7) you can camp near a shrine to San Sebastian. It was a wild day with rain coming in horizontal sheets so I continued to Ruta 7 & hitched to Villa Manihuales. There is a bus stop where you reach Ruta 7 but only 1 or 2 buses a day, it's better to hitch.
3. Route is initially on small dirt roads then through fields & some CC. After you cross a stream near a waterfall you descend a gully choked with trees. Easiest to go down on LHS of gully. Descending to a big field I met some cows & one of them charged me. When I scared it back the cow crashed through a barbed wire fence. So keep your distance if you can. When you reach Rio Baguales there is a small footbridge about 200M upriver from where the RR crosses the stream. From the road I hitched back to Coyhaique.
4. A few kilometres after the Rio Nireguao ford you reach a road. RR goes by a settler's house, he was friendly. He told me there is a bridge over Rio Nireguao. I didn't see it but if it's where he described, it will be on or near the optional route a few km upstream from the RR ford. RR to Lago Largo is on road. As you approach Lago Largo the RR takes a shortcut to cut out a loop on the road but the shortcut is v. overgrown, best to stay on the road. The road continues from Lago Largo to Villa Manihuales but you go right on a small road which ends in the forest. Then you start going uphill CC in the forest. I went up about 200M right of the RR, there is a small trail initially. I continued up 200M right of RR sticking to less overgrown areas. As I approached treeline I contoured left to rejoin RR. The last 200M of ascent is above treeline. There were small snowfields as there had been a recent storm but I was able to go around them. The descent was easier on open scree then a track in the forest. Some young trees growing on the track but you can get through them with easy bush bashing. When you reach the road the route goes left. After about 2KM there is a campsite $ but I hitched out to Villa Manihuales.
==Summary Table==
====Elevation Profile of Regular Hiking Route====
[[File:profile GPT30.PNG|frame|center|Elevation Profile of Regular Hiking Route (2019)]]
==Section Planning Status==
==Recommended Travel Period==
==Benefits of Hiking and Packrafting==
==Recommended Travel Direction==
It is best to attempt the crossing of Rio Nireguao SOBO.
==Section Length and Travel Duration==
==Suitable Section Combinations==
===Resupply Town===
====Shopping: Food====
Bring supplies from Coyhaique. You can top up at a small shop in El Gato.
====Shopping: Fuel====
Several places to buy camping gas in Coyhaique
====Shopping: Equipment====
====Services: Restaurants====
===Access to Start===
2023 info: There are buses from Coyhaique bus terminal to El Gato on Monday, Wednesday & Friday at 5AM & 4PM & on Sunday at noon & 4PM. The bus goes via Villa Ortega & Nirehuao & gets to El Gato in about 2 hours. They stop in El Gato for anything between 30 minutes & 1.5 hours before returning to Coyhaique.
There are occasional buses from Coyhaique to Villa Ortega & (less frequently) to Emperador Guillermo on Ruta 7.
===Return from Finish===
