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→Understanding the Terrain
===Understanding the Terrain===
When you consider to walk on the Greater Patagonian Trail than do so only if you are interested to discover the true diversity of this region. If your expectation of Patagonia is based on a brief Google search and a few articles about Patagonia than you probably have seen primarily these three heavily hyped tourist magnets:
* the national park Torres del Paine
* the glacier Perito Moreno and
* the surrounding of El Chalten with Mount Fitz Roy and Cerro Torre.
These are three truly amazing spots on the eastern edge of the Southern Icefield and show one scenery of Patagonia but these three frequently pictures attractions do not represent the Patagonian variety. If your primary interest is visiting these famous places than go there; you will most likely enjoy it. Simply, don’t be surprised in these popular national parks if you need to queue up to take your selfie with one of these millionfold pictured attractions in the background. At these attractions you can only image the solitude of Patagonia but you can not experience it, at least not during peak season.
Don't assume that the Greater Patagonian Trail is just more of the same scenery. The GPT as currently planned and published ends in El Chalten and on the last three sections (GPT38, GPT39 and GPT40) you will see this kind landscape but the GPT is much more than this. The Greater Patagonian Trail is rather like a gourmet menu with many quite different courses that allow you to try different tastes and textures; nothing for someone who just wants to eat a burger or a steak.
The Greater Patagonian Trail crosses most of Patagonia and the adjacent regions to the north. For this reason I named the trail “Greater Patagonian Trail” when I started publishing it in 2014. I coined the term "Greater Patagonia" to combine Patagonia in its traditional limits with the adjacent regions like "Greater London" includes the city of London and the surroundings.
This fuzzy limits make it impractical to state where the Greater Patagonian Trail actually gets into Patagonia. If taking the administrative limits and the Río Colorado with the tributary Río Barrancas than you gets in casting distance of Patagonia at the end of section GPT05 where you can view for the first time over the border into Argentina into the province Neuquén. But with a different understanding you enter Patagonia on section GPT13 where you ford the Río Biobío or on section GPT16 where you walk into the Chilean administrative region XIV (Región de los Ríos). You will doubtless reach Patagonia on section GPT22 where you reach the first Patagonian fjord: the Estuarió de Reloncaví.
But for me this discussion is irrelevant as long as I can walk and paddle through pristine and varied terrain. For me the little known region north of Patagonia is actually the one most attractive for hiking. Here you walk more distance high up in the mountains with broad views, here you find the more attractive trails and cross country routes and here you meet the arrieros and native Pehuenche population. Also the climate is more favorable for hiking. During summer rain is infrequent and short and you can mostly enjoy sunny weather.
In contrast when reaching "real Patagonia" get ready for frequent and enduring rain. Also don't expect to walk high up in the mountains as there are simply no continuously high mountain ranges. In Patagonia high mountains are rather like islands that rise out of a wild sea of dense tempered rain forest. These island-like mountains are separated by wide valleys that were carved by giant glaciers during past glacial periods. Therefore "real Patagonia" is best traveled by packraft. But more to this later.
“Real Patagonia” consists of surprisingly disparate zones. There are vast open plains in the east of Patagonia with a dry and wind battered steppe that spans from the eastern edge of the Andes to the Atlantic cost. The western part of Patagonia is in some regards the opposite. In the west you have the rugged and rainy Pacific coast with countless fjords and islands. Here steep mountains rise out of the sea. An impenetrable forest covers most of this land to the west of the Andes. And in between these two unlike areas – in between the dry plains in the east and the humid fjords in the west - tower the Patagonian Andes. Dormant and occasionally active volcanoes rise into the sky and glaciers cover all higher summits. During previous glacial periods these glaciers grew to a formidable size and carved deep wide valleys into the Patagonian Andes. These valleys are now partly filled by lakes and get drained by powerful rivers. All this is Patagonia and this creates the mystery and magic of this region.
The Greater Patagonian Trail snakes mostly through the southern Andes but also diverts to the west into the Patagonian fjords and descents in to east where the vast plains and the Patagonian steppe begins. Therefore you can taste this variety when walking the GPT.
... to be continued ...