This highlight is embedded in a diverse route that traverses the semi-desert of the Patagonian Pampa, sneaks along the shore of the largest lake of Chile and provides a taster of the settler’s culture.
==Recommended Travel PeriodSection Attractiveness==The '''Regular Route''' is best hiked '''between December and March'''. Potential obstacles are high river levels during snowmelt till November and snow in the elevated area at the Torres de Avellano starting from April. Rio Avellano must be crossed at least once. If a river crossing on foot appears unsafe i.e. after heavy rain or on hot sunny days (increased melting of glaciers) you may ask the settlers for help. The settlers normally cross this river on horseback. River levels are normally lower in the morning and on colder cloudy days.
'''Option 1''' is a substantially shorter optional short cut in the vicinity of Rio Ibañez and can be hiked '''all year around'''. This option route was the Regular Route of GPT33H till 2019.==Section Difficulty==
==Benefits of Hiking and PackraftingSection Planning Status==The Regular Route of GPT33H was developed for hiking and a '''packraft is neither needed nor recommended'''.
Most packrafters that travel southbound will probably prefer the Regular Packrafting Route of GPT33P to float down on lower Rio Ibañez. But GPT33H provides an interesting option for packrafters that travel northbound. If packrafting northbound then the more attractive centerpiece of GPT33H with the Torres de Avellano can walked to link Lago General Carrera with upper Rio Ibañez. For more information see the section combination GPT33H with GPT32 Option 6 and the section description of GPT34P.==Recommended Travel Period==
==Recommended Travel DirectionPermits, Entry Fees and Right-of-Way Issues==Northbound and southbound hiking is feasible and recommended.
==Section Length and Travel Duration==
The 156 km long Regular Route can be walked in 7 to 8 moderate hiking days.
Taking a motorised transport or hitchhiking is generally feasible to shorten the road walking parts on both ends ==Recommended Travel Direction== ==Benefits of the Regular Route. This can shorten the travel duration by up to two days. Starting or finishing at the Carretera Austral near Lago Verde eliminates 17 km Hiking and starting or finishing near Levican reduces the distance by 25 km.Packrafting==
==Suitable Section Combinations==
GPT33H connects with the adjacent sections GT32 and GT34H at suitable resupply locations (Villa Cerro Castillo and Puerto Ingeniero Ibañez). This makes a section combination without resupplying irrelevant.
===Combining GPT35 with GPT33H===Northbound hikers may consider connecting GPT35 directly with GPT33H by exiting Parque Patagonia towards Fachinal (Option XY of GPT35) and crossing Lago General Carrera by motorboat from Muelle Fachinal to the Desembocadura Rio Avellano (Option XY of GPT35). Here Lago General Carrera is only 3.5 km wide and a motorboat crossing should not take more than 20 minutes. Unfortunately, in summer this might require some patience as the normally strong wind often impedes this. In the early morning or the late evening the wind occasionally calms down but rarely during daytime. One settler in Fachinal owns a motorboat and might offer this service.
This section combination of GPT35 with GPT33H seems more practical in northbound direction as hikers can first talk directly to the settler with the motorboat in Fachinal and resupply in Chile Chico before crossing Lago General Carrera (by taking a motorized transport from Fachinal to Chile Chico and back). There are nice wind protected camp sites on the shore of Lago General Carrera to wait for the wind to calm down. Thanks to a reasonably good mobile phone coverage in Fachinal hikers can check the weather and wind forecast and call also the settler with the motorboat. This permits hikers to plan or discard a motor boat crossing of Lago General Carrera when arriving in Fachinal. Hikers that attempt a more complicated a southbound crossing of Lago General Carrera should make arrangements with the settler with the motorboat at least one or two weeks before arriving at Puerto Avellano, agree on the pick-up location (Puerto Avellano or Desembocadura Rio Avellano) test communication devices (i.e. InReach to mobile phone) and carry enough food to wait some time in Puerto Avellano. Hikers should be prepared that the wind might calm down while waiting several days in Puerto Avellano and cancel the motorboat transfer and walk out to Puerto Ingeniero Ibañez before the food reserves deplete. ===Combining GPT33H with GPT32 Option 6===If hiking GPT33H with a packraft northbound than the packraft can be inflated at bridge XY to paddle on Rio XY, cross Lago Verde and continue to the upper Rio Ibañez and then float down on Rio Ibañez towards Villa Cerro Castillo (GPT32, Packrafting Option 6). From the last recommended exit of Rio Ibañez it is only a 3 km walk into Villa Cerro Castillo. ==Section Attractiveness==The in 2020 published Regular Route of GPT33H combines an exceptional diversity of landscapes: * The tree-less semi-desert of the Patagonian Pampa* Lush green forests* Wide open pastures above the tree-line* Tall mountains and granite towers* Glaciers that constantly grind on these mountains and carved several glacier lakes along the route* Swamps and crystal-clear mountain rivers* Idyllic farmland with settlers that move on horseback* A huge wind-battered lake that makes you feels like walking on a seacoast This makes section 33H a highlight of the GPT with an '''Attractiveness Rating 5 of 5'''. Despite all these attractions the number of hikers remains small and the few hikers normally walk a fraction of this route only. Some hikers might find the long gravel roads on both ends of the regular route annoying even if the traffic is insignificant. Hikers with a strong aversion to road walking should consider taking a motorized transport. Trying to hitchhike is also an option but chances to catch a ride are relatively low therefore best keep hiking while signaling your interest to the occasionally passing vehicles. ==Section Difficulty==The regular route incorporates 1.8 km of cross-country-walking through steep piles of boulders (RR-CC-A@33H-XY) and around 0.4 km of bush bashing (RR-BB-A@33H-XY). Another 4 km (RR-CC&BB-A@33H-XY) require a mix of cross-country-walking and bush basking partly through swamps. Therefore, hikers that feel uncomfortable clambering over rocks and smashing through vegetation may opt to walk only to the Torres de Avellano viewpoint from the north, backtrack on the same route and then follow a less demanding trail in the valley (OH-TL-V@33H-XY). The regular route also climbs to 1300 m altitude where weather even in summer can become hostile. Therefore, the elevated and exposed part of the Regular Route should only be hiked in decent weather. A lower, less exposed trail provides a bypass in case of poor climatic conditions (OH-TL-V@33H-XY). Some trails are rarely used, poorly maintained and therefore difficult to follow (primarily RR-TL-V@33H-XY and RR-TL-V@33H-XY). In these parts hikers should frequently verify their GPS. The trail along the shore of Lago General Carrera is partly on the edge of steep cliffs. Tripping in these parts can be fatal. The river fords might be difficult to impossible at times. Therefore, good judgement and careful selection of the ford are essential. Due to the above listed challenges the '''Difficulty Rating is 5 of 5'''.
==Resupply==
Section GPT33H starts in Villa Cerro Castillo and terminates in Puerto Ingeniero Ibañez. Hikers that continue southbound may also resupply in Chile Chico after the ferry crossing of Lago General Carrera. All three towns are rather small but provide a rising number of tourists with all required essentials. Several shops sell food, restaurants offer filling meals and hostels and camp sites in both towns provide accommodation.
===Resupply in Villa Cerro Castillo=======Shopping: Food========Shopping: Fuel========Shopping: Equipment========Services: Restaurants========Services: Laundry========Services: ATM and Money Exchange========Accommodation: Hostals and Hotels========Accommodation: Cabañas========Accommodation: Camping========Transport: Ground Transport========Transport: Ferries========Transport: Shipping Services====
===Resupply on the Trail===
There is no reliable resupply along the entire Regular Route.
Settler (Maria & Julio): Maria and Julio are one of the few settlers that still make cheese for sale in such a remote location. If you are short on foot you might also ask if they may sell some bread, milk or meat.
Settler (Luis Diaz): Luis is a welcoming person that enjoys the company of an unexpected visitor. When passing his home consider a visit. You may also ask if he has bread or meat to sell.
Puerto Avellano: The puesto 250 m north of Puerto Avellano is rarely used by their owners but the fruit trees might provide some well desired vitamins in summer and early autumn.
Puestos on the coast of Lago General Carrera: All puestos along the coast of Lago General Carrera appear abandoned and partly deteriorated. Some fruit trees might still be alive and provide fresh fruits at times.
==Access to Route and Return==
Hikers that walk GPT33H and its adjacent sections with continuous footsteps can resupply in Cerro Castillo, Puerto Ingeniero Ibañez and Chile Chico and do not need to leave the trail to resupply.
==Escape Options=Access to Start===Villa Cerro Castillo: Villa Cerro Castillo is served by several bus companies that travel daily the Carretera Austral between Coyhaique and Cochrane.
Diversion near Lago Verde: If you hike southbound and wish to shorten the initial road walking consider taking one of the buses that travel the Carretera Austral southbound and start walking just after Lago Verde. This saves 17 km of road walking.==Regular Hiking Route==
==Regular Packrafting Route=Return from Finish===Puerto Ingeniero Ibañez: The ferry over Lago General Carrera connects Puerto Ingeniero Ibanez with Chile Chico and does two round trips each day; one in the morning and one the evening. Buses to and from Coyhaique align with these ferries. See GPT34H for more information.
Diversion Levican: Monday and Friday a subsidised bus does two round trips from Puerto Ingeniero Ibanez to Levican and back; one in the morning and one in the evening. Taking this bus saves 25 km of road walking. Alternatively, you may ask for a translado (private transport) in Puerto Ingeniero Ibañez.==Optional Routes==
===Escape OptionsGPT33H Option 1 Valle Ibañez===Between Cerro Castillo and the western terminus of Lago Laparent hikers may aboard a traverse by walking north to the Carretera Austral by either taking OH-MR-V@33H-03A-#001 or OH-MR-V@33H-03B-#001 and OH-MR-V@33H-03B-#002. After the western terminus of Lago Laparent there is no escape route that provides a short cut out of this mountain range. All optional routes are more demanding and not verified and should not be taken if distressed.
In case of an emergency settlers might provide help with horses and the Carabineros might arrange an evacuation from Puerto ===GPT33H Option 2 Torres de Avellano by motor boat.Bypass===
==Permits, Entry Fees and Right-of-Way Issues=GPT33H Option 3 Carretera Austral===None. No permits are required, and no entry fees are charged. There are no known right-of-way issues.
==Regular Route=GPT33H Option 4 Puerto Cristal==='''Kilometer 0.0 to 23.0''': Villa Cerro Castillo to eastern terminus of Lago Laparent at Div@33H-23.0
Leave Villa Cerro Castillo on the Carretera Austral and follow this paved road for 1.2 km. Don’t miss the exit shortly after the bridge over Rio Ibañez and continue on the gravel roads to the eastern terminus of Lago Laparent. Water supply to be verified. There are plenty of nice spots to pitch a tent partly on the shore of lakes.===GPT33H Option 5 Valle Miller===
===GPT33H Option 6 Altiplano Este===
'''Kilometer 23.0 to 43.3''': Eastern terminus of Lago Laparent at Div@33H-23.0 to trail head at Div@33H-43.3===GPT33H Option 7 Ruta Alto Norte===
Continue on the gravel road for 20 km. You can refill you water bottles on the numerous small side streams that run down the mountains. Alternatively ask the settlers along the road for water. There are plenty of attractive camp sites along the route.===GPT33H Option 8 Valle Resbalín===
===GPT33H Option 9 Laguna Verde===
'''Kilometer 43.3 to 52.0''': Horse trail from Div@33H-43.3 to Div@33H-52.0===GPT33H Option 10 Río Murta===
The frequently used horse trail is well maintained and generally easy to follow. Only on the open pastures the trail dissipates and forms again where the route enters a forest. Water is frequently available but should be filtered if taken from the larger streams that cross the pastures. The pastures along the route provide scenic camp sites.===GPT33H Option 11 Lago General Carrera Oeste===
==Investigations and Explorations==
'''Kilometer 52.0 ==Links to 54.5''': RR-TL-V@33H-52.0-2.5other Resources==
This trail section is rarely used, poorly maintained ==Route Development and partly not well visible. Fallen trees block the trail in numerous locations and several diversions around these blockages complicate navigation. Verify frequently your GPS to not lose the trail in the forest. This more demanding trail ends where the route leaves the forest and enter the more open valley.Contributors==
'''Kilometer 54.5 to 59.3''': Upper valley of Rio XY to Pass at waypoint Pass@33H-59.3
The wide open upper valley of Rio XY provides good grazing land for cattle and is used in the summer months for this purpose. Therefore, numerous animal tracks can be spotted in this area. In this area the tracks often indicate an approximate route only and hikers should seek their way more freely in the open parts. Only where the route enters a patch of trees the route should be followed more closely. Towards the end of the valley the route becomes steeper and fields of rocks require careful walking.
===Regular Hiking Route===
See Regular Route.
===Regular Packrafting Route===
See Regular Route.
==Optional Routes==
==Investigations and Explorations==
==Links to other Resources==
==Alerts and Logs of Past Seasons==
[[category:Greater Patagonian Trail]]
