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→Season 2023/24
==Season 2023/24==
*2024-Apr-02 to 2024-Apr-07 / 5 days / Hiking / NOBO / RR - {36H-G} - RR - {36H-D} - RR / Lilian
A beautiful section, especially from km83.9(Puesto La Pampa) to km66.5(multiple crossing), nice views with remote area, i love it so much!
Because of late season, all the river crossing are super easy, only 3 place need to wet feet, all others can go around or rock hopping. Some of trail go in the water(lake, pond, pool) directly, but all you can go around by side trail, some CC or light BB.
Snow still not a problem, snow start at 950m at south, and covered some of the trail above 1100m but didn't matter, i go around most of the snow easily. And didn't find any knee deep snow(maybe melted again), the deepest posthole just above ankle, easy walking. Because of lot of cairns at the area of two pass, so it is easy for navigation although some parts of trail is covered by snow.
The most annoying is WIND. It is crazy windy almost everywhere except last day. The most windy part is at the second pass, i even can't open my eyes to look at the trail and walk on it straighly because of crazy freezing wind. (Be careful of hypothermia, crazy windy + rain/snow/after river crossing is horrible)
My friend give me a 2hour ride from Villa O' Higgins to Lago Christie( X[142.0/550] ) , so i save about 50km road walking, a huge thank you to him!
Km138.5 : shelter(-48.16236, -72.41397) made by woods, can cowboy inside when summer time, not rainproof but can be some wind protection. Can fit 2 tents outside with fire ring, some small stream flowing good with clear water just beside it. Weather protection by forest and the shelter.
Km135.35 : old refuge(-48.14246, -72.43808), half of the roofs is collapsed, but still can provide some protection for emergency. Nice grassland for camping beside the refuge, can fit 3-5 tents with fire pit and rock seats, not much protection by trees or bushes. A river flowing good beside it, trail crossing it with wet feet, half of calf. It is the first wet feet point for me.
Km134.1 : a lake, i cleared out a spot and camped here, some animals go to this lake and walking in it when midnight. It is very quiet and i heard the sound clearly. Not much protection, just some bushes here, not recommended with bad weather.
Settler[132.8/525] : from here to Refuge[126.1/512], trail becomes very easy to follow and walk, it is a frequency used trail. Look like some people living here, but i met noone when i passed.
Km129.3 : shelter(-48.11808, -72.48252) with just one side, weather protection by forest, can fit 1 tent here. A small stream flowing beside it.
Refuge[126.1/512] : refuge(Puesto Entrelagos) already gone just left some woods here, and like Natalie said looks like someone wants to rebuild it. Some flat spots here can fit 2-3 tents.
Lake[198.8/489] : Lago Alegre, a boat and a camping spot here, can fit 1 tent with fire ring and nice lake views but no protection, it is crazy windy when i was here.
Km119.3 : junction of RR and {36H-G}, i go straight and didn't go to Settler[118.9/486](El Caleuche). It is easy to follow and walk on {36H-G}, but you need to climb over a 2m wooden fence at north.
{36H-G} km3 : river crossing, cross it on a huge log easily.
RR Km117.2 : flat spot(-48.02468, -72.49029) can fit 1-2 tents with weather protection by forest. A small stream flowing beside it.
Km117 : river crossing, several logs crossing selection here, because raining and wet, so i crossed by the combination of multiple logs, it looks like more stability and safe. Huge flat area and grassland can fit many tents at both side of the river, weather protection by trees and bushes.
Camp[110.9/500] : can fit 2-3 tents with lake views, easy to collect water, weather protection by trees.
Then i did the short cut that Natalie said, from here walk through the open forest NW to the other valley(Río Bravo). It is completely CC or light BB on some animal path, fun and doable, but just recommend on good weather, otherwise you'll soaking wet by bushes.
Río Bravo is a grey water river, better collect water from some small stream.
Km104.3 : a small stream(-47.97355, -72.55419) flowing good with clear water, small flat spot can fit 1 tent after crossing.
Km103.95 : camping spot(-47.97095, -72.55524) can fit 3-4 tents with fire ring.
Puesto[98.4/553] : Puesto Las Tablas, huge and beautiful grassland for camping, refuge is a small cabin, have a wooden bed, bench, fire pit and some dry wood sticks (for burning) inside, it is possible to sleep inside with a warm fire night, good wind protection but not for rain. Didn't see any water nearby.
Km95.05 : cross a stream with a small waterfall, it'll be completely wet by the waterfall if cross at trail, so I climb to upstream and rock hopping for dry feet.
Puesto[92.3/660] : Puesto El Burro, large grassland but most of them are steep, only small grassland beside the refuge is flat for camping, can fit 2-3 tents with table and fire ring, refuge is a tiny cabin but half of roof is already collapsed, can fit 1 small single person tent for some protection if bad weather, a small stream flowing with clear water 200m before here. Very windy when i was here.
Km85.4 : easy and beautiful walk start!
Puesto[83.9/820] : Puesto La Pampa, large grassland for camping, refuge is a small, nice and clean cabin, have 2 wooden bed, wooden seats, table and fire pit inside, it is a nice place to sleep inside with a warm fire night, good wind protection but not sure for rain. Just like Natalie said you also can pitch a small tent inside. Tiny stream flowing low just in front of the refuge. Have a open toilet with views at here too.
Fords start/end[81.3/854] : rock hopping.
Then i take {36H-D} instead of RR, save 2 times of wet feet crossing of Río Bravo, it is doable and sometimes have an animal path(old trail?) to follow, but easy to lost the path, and overgrown at some part you need to BB, I'm not sure it can save time or not, and only recommend in good weather, otherwise you'll be completely soaking wet by bushes.
Ford[78.6/888] : river crossing of Río Bravo, the second wet feet point. I crossed it at 50m downstream(-47.79880, -72.52101) where the river breaks to 2 parts by island. First part easy rock hopping, second part is just above ankle, the water is grey so i didn't see through the bottom, otherwise I'll throw some rocks for hopping to keep my feet dry.
Ford[77.4/981] : i follow some cairns and crossed it much downstream with rock hopping. It is a beautiful viewpoint for waterfall and the glacier at west! Snow starts here.
Ford[75.4/1023] : easy rock hopping, look at the rocks underwatee here, the west side of valley is white colour, the east side is red, amazing!
Border,pass[73.9/1225] : snow here, but still not problem, go around them easily, or just above ankle posthole. A beautiful lake looks like good for camping 200m before here, but just for good weather because very exposed.
Km72.9 : between two pass, before the second pass you need to go in a wide riverbed, but snow covered the water. You know there is water flowing, you can hear them flowing, but you can't see them. And the snow(bridge) is not thick, not stable enough to walk on them directly, so it take me some time to find out which part is water, which part can walk on it.
Ford[71.8/1262] : snow covered most of the river, and river flowing a little wide here(can't step over), take me some time to find the way to go on it.
Border,pass[71.5/1304] : crazy crazy crazy windy, beautiful views but too windy that i can't open my eyes to look. It is the first time for NOBO to see Cerro Los Mellizos(black sharp tower mountain) at here. Mostly you can arrive there after 1 day. North of here lot of snow but still doable and navigation with lot of cairns easily.
Camp[68.4/1089] : can fit 2-3 tents with log seats and fire ring, some(not much) weather protection by trees and bushes. Stream flowing nearby. Then i continues RR.
Km68.1 : flat area(-47.72665, -72.49681) can fit many tents with amazing glacier views, but no protection. Stream flowing here, also old fire pit beside a tree. Still lot of snow here.
Water[67.3/1041] : snow end and i didn't see any water here. I took RR for going down, it is actually a trail, easy to follow. But some point is steep and a little landslide, walk easily when dry, but maybe a problem if wet or covered by snow.
Fords starts/end[66.7/867] : old camping spot with fire pit 100m before here, nice view but no protection. River breaks into many streams at here, I took about 20min total for putting rocks in streams separately for all the way dry wet crossing by rock hopping.
Km65.85 : shelter(-47.70890, -72.49466) with 1 side protection in good condition, nice for cowboy under it when summer. Flat spot can fit 2-3 tents with fire ring just beside it. Trail easy to miss it because covered by some trees.
From here to km53.2(road), HURDLE RACE start! At least 500 blowdowns you need to step over. No climbing, just step over, easy to walk and follow but muddy and blowdowns, you know that.
Km64.45 : camping spot(-47.69803, -72.49788) under trees, can fit many tents with fire pit and log seats, weather protection by forest.
Km64.05 : i cleared a flat spot(-47.69555, -72.50008) for a single person tent, with great lake, mountain views and i stayed here for 18 hours because of snowstorm, just beside the lake so it is easy to collect water. Weather protection by forest, but if the wind comes from south then nothing help. If you have 15min more, i think can fit one more single person tent here.
Km61.95 : junction of RR, {36H-A} and {36H-05}, easy to miss. Pay attention to wood cutting trace on ground.
Km58.45 : swamp area full of water, you can jump(a huge jump) over it for dry feet. After swamp is a river crossing by narrow log, after the crossing don't go away immediately, looks inside the river, lot of beautiful green water plants here!
Puesto[57.6/677](Calloqueo), Puesto Cayuqueo, refuge is locked, looks like no more people until next summer, because the gate nearby is completely locked by wire too. Beautiful grassland for camping at here, and a shelter with fire pit inside too. Easy to collect water because just beside Río Pedregoso, at here Río Pedregoso still a clear water river.
Fence[56.5/657] : it is a gate and completely locked by wire. Climb it at right side just wooden fence, at left side is barbed wire with fence. Huge exposed grassland with views in this area.
Ford[55.4/656] : third wet feet crossing, also is the deepest crossing at late season April. Looks like above knee at trail crossing, better go upstream 10m walk on the red rock bar, it is flowing very fast but just above half of calf, easy crossing. Flat area for camping at both side of river.
Ford[54.8/650] : crossing a grey water river, so better collect water before it joins main river. Trail crossing looks like up to half of calf, better crossing point at downstream just before 2 river combined, rock hopping there. But be careful for rock hopping, rocks not stable and rolling there, also a pool looks deep just at downstream, don't slide!
Km53.85 : nice flat spot(-47.62754, -72.46476) can fit 2 tents just beside the trail. Looks like camped by someone before.
Ford[53.7/630] : river breaks into 3 parts here, the first and third part is easy rock hopping. The second, main part above ankle at trail crossing, easy. It is the fourth, also the last wet feet crossing.
Puesto[53.1/611] : didn't see anyone when i passed here, but looks like still in using because lot of cooking equipment is outside the refuge. The refuge is not locked but I just take photos and didn't go inside. Can be emergency use for bad weather.
After here, all the way road walking.
Km49.25 : viewpoint(-47.59724, -72.49715) of Laguna Calluqueo, Glacier Calluqueo, Cerro Los Mellizos and Monte San Lorenzo o Cochrane. I camped here, with a 2m rock wall that covers the wind from south, also lot of things can hold my tent's line. A super beautiful spot with amazing sunrise coming up from the glacier!
The next morning i saw a bus coming to here, that i met it before outside Cochrane tourist information, so maybe possible to arrange a shuttle at Cochrane for SOBO?
Km48.5 : Glacier Calluqueo Camping Spot(-47.59382, -72.49962), i look it from high on road, looks like no views but covered by some trees with protection, can fit 2-4 tents with log seats.
Bridge[46.2/394] : Puente Calluqueo, camping spot after the crossing at downstream, can fit 1-3 tents with fire ring.
The next 2 Danger waypoint i didn't understand, it looks like very safe walking on the road?
After 10 minutes i hitched a car to Cochrane, this is the second car i saw in that day. They also take me to Lago Brown and followed {36H-23} to viewpoint(-47.46236, -72.38094) of Cerro San Lorenzo, huge huge huge thank you to them!
Lastly i stayed at Calafate Camping in Cochrane, 6k CLP for camping, good spot with nice refuge(kitchen), hot shower and clean toilet. You also can camping under some shelters if bad weather.
*2024-Mar-19 to 2024-Mar-23 / 4.5 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR + OH 24A + 02 + 04B / Joscha
