Cambios

In the following section of this Hiker’s Manual I try to rectify potentially incorrect assumptions and outline the essentials for hiking and packrafting on this trail network. You should also watch the feature documentary “Unbounded” and read the publications of other hikers and packrafters to learn from the diverse experiences of others on the Greater Patagonian Trail.

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==Introduction and General Information==

[[File:GPT28-Rio_Palena.jpg|thumb|500px|GPT28: Packrafting the Río Palena. Image: Jan Dudeck]]

This Hiker’s Manual is the primary source of information to the GPT. The Hiker’s Manual consists of three parts:

The Hiker’s Manual is currently not available on paper but only as a PDF document. It is designed to be read on a computer or on a smartphone while being online or offline. Therefore, it is issued in the screen-friendly 9:16 page format with letters large enough to be still reasonable readable on a small smart phone screen. When reading this document best use full screen slide mode in landscape orienta¬tion. Normal vertical scrolling is less practical. Install a suitable app on your smartphone if needed.

The informal and provisional nature of the GPT makes it relevant that hikers quickly exchange updates and recommendations while travelling on this evolving route network. For this pur¬pose the GPT Facebook Group was created. Here all hikers can post brief summaries after completing a section and leave notes that might be beneficial for others that are en route. This can be information to temporary unpassable trail sections, volcano alerts, river conditions or anything that makes you think in hindsight: “I should have known this before!”.

[https://m.facebook.com/groups/222224388283455?ref=bookmarks https://m.facebook.com/groups/222224388283455?ref=bookmarks]

# '''Do you have some reasonable good conversational Spanish skills?''' <br> Could you explain to a local resident in Spanish what you are doing there on his land and keep up in a more confrontational conversation if necessary? Can you discuss with arrieros and settler route options? Can you ask for bus times and bus stops, buy tickets, navigate through towns, inquire prices and this with people that do not speak any English?

# '''Do you have extensive Outdoor experience?''' <br> Long distance hiking experience is not required but being competent in moving and living under the sky in different landscapes is crucial on this trail (desert-like landscapes, forest, steppe, tundra).

# '''Do you really look for a demanding unpredictable discovery hike?''' <br> Can you deal with being unable to plan your trip in detail? Are you willing to backtrack if a route turns out impassible? If you have very specific expectations than this indicates that you probably don’t want to discover.

# '''Do you have at least six weeks in Chile and Argentina available?''' <br> If you have less time available than taking some of the established hiking routes is more appropriate and effective to see several parts of Patagonia.

# '''Do you have a monthly budget of 1000 USD after having paid your gear and the airfare?''' <br> Don’t undermine the cost of living in Chile and Argentina. With some cost saving strategies you may get along with a little less but 800 USD per month per person is the bare minimum.

# Villarica Traverse <br> Comment: Read the [http://www.wikiexplora.com/index.php/Villarrica_Traverse_(english) Wikiexplora article in English] for more information.

# Puyehue Ascent <br> Comment: The ascent of this volcano from Anticura starting at the international road "Ruta 215" is an rather established summit route that is taken by several hundred hikers each year. Return on the same path! DO NOT attempt a traverse without a GPS, precise tracks, good weather and sufficient reserves. If you do not find the trail head on the other side of the plateau you will get stuck in an extremely dense forest. In this area people went missing and were never found again.

# Cochamó <br> Comment: This is a relatively young hiking area that has grown in popularity in recent years. Most people walk from the town of Cochamó to the camp site "La Junta" and make day trips from this location.

# Cerro Castillo <br> Comment: Read the [http://www.wikiexplora.com/index.php/Circuito_Cerro_Castillo_(english) Wikiexplora article in English] for more information.

# El Chaltén (Monte Fitz Roy and Cerro Torre) <br> Comment: This is a small but one of the most visited hiking areas in Patagonia. Hikers either camp in one of the official camp ground or make day trips from the town of El Chaltén to the very popular lookouts to Monte Fitz Roy and Cerro Torre. Expect lots of hikers and stunning views.

# Torres del Paine <br> Comment: This is for good reasons the most popular hiking area in Patagonia. The number of visors has risen to level that restrictions are now in place. You need to make advance reservations month ahead. Read the [http://www.wikiexplora.com/index.php/Trekking_Torres_del_Paine_(english) Wikiexplora article in English] for more information.

# '''Do you want to hike only or do you want to packraft as well?''' <br> The answer to this question will determine the equipment you need and what zones to tackle. You can easily fill an entire season with hiking on sections that are very attractive for walking but where carrying a packraft is not beneficial. The same applies to packrafting: you can fill a four to five month period packrafting in areas where carrying such a light-weight boat really pays off. I suggest opting for the one or the other and not mingling both choices into one season except if you have a trustworthy place in Chile to leave your packrafting gear while hiking without your (loved) boat.

# '''Do you want to hike a continuous part of the GPT with connecting footsteps or do you want to visit several separated parts?''' <br> For some hikers connecting footsteps are an essential concept and motivator to stay on track while others don’t mind to bridge a less attractive part by public transportation or hitchhiking. Choose what is appropriate for you. And please do not look down on others but respect individual choices. Hike your hike.

# '''Do you want to follow the regular route or will you attempt in some areas more remote investigation options?''' <br> The answer to this question is really a matter of personal interest and capability. I have intentionally created the GPT as a wide network with as many options as feasible because I’m fully aware that my way of walking with my personal preferences is not everyone’s best choice. For hikes that are accustomed to follow a single trail this might be irritating but for such hikers the GPT is probably not right trail anyway. You will finally need to take these decisions on the trial but you need to get prepared before you leave. Therefore start your hike in Google Earth by looking at these options to make educated choices later on the trail. One hiker summarized this variety with these words: “The GPT is a mosaic out of which everyone needs to assemble his trail.”

# '''What sections do you want to hike or packraft?''' <br> Select the sections that you plan to hike carefully. But don’t fill your plate with more than what you can reasonably eat. Get prepared and plan your route but leave it open end.

# '''When and for how long do you want to travel?''' <br> Understand the suitable timing of the different sections and align your travel plans accordingly. Certain sections became passable relatively early in the season while others can only be hiked safely after most of the snow is molten and the river levels normalized. Don’t assume wrongly that you will face more restrictions in the south. It’s the opposite; the more mountainous northern sections have the smaller seasonal window while the generally lower southern section’s permit an earlier start or later finish even if the climate is generally more volatile in the south. If you have an entire season then plan sections for the end that are less restricted by the climate.

# '''In what direction do you want to travel?''' <br> If you packraft than several key sections are only floatable southbound what determines the generally recommended packrafting orientation. But some optional packrafting routes can only be taken northbound. Verify your choices carefully otherwise you may reach a river that just flows in the “wrong” direction! If you are hiking you are freer to choose and change your direction of travel. Only at certain section you might run into permit and permission issue if have made a wrong choice.

[[File:GPT04-P0039.jpg|thumb|450px|Greater Patagonian Trail Section 4: Near Laguna de Las Lajas where 45 soldiers died in

2005 during a snow storm. File: Jan Dudeck]]

====Trail Condition====

The Greater Patagonian trail is not an official trail that is set up and managed by a government agency. Is simply a compilation of horse trails, minor roads and some cross country sections over private properties and state owned land. This means that large parts of the route are not monitored or maintained by public authorities. Most of the horse trails were created by local herdsman to drive livestock to their pastures and other parts of the route are current or disused wood logging roads. Therefore the maintenance depends on the needs and initiative of these locals users.

Severe weather, volcanic eruptions and earthquakes can destroy or alter a route and if not maintained vegetation can completely close a trail within a few years in particular in the tempered rain forest. Therefore attention and good judgment are needed when hiking the Greater Patagonian Trail because some trail sections may become impassable or change. Check your GPS regularly but don’t follow blindly the GPS track.

==== River Crossings====

====Weather====

Storms with heavy rain may arise on all parts of the trail anytime and in elevated areas heavy snowfall may occur even in midsummer. Therefore be always prepared and equipped for sudden weather changes.

In bad or instable weather do not climb a pass or venture into exposed terrain above the tree line. Rather wait or return and seek shelter if the weather changes in a concerning manner. Carry at least a poncho to protect yourself and your backpack if rain or snow closes in. In instable weather keep your eyes open and memorize potential protected camp sites and puestos if you are forced to turn around to seek shelter. Selected suitable locations are documented with waypoints in the KMZ file for trekking.

====Wild Animals====

There are no bears in South America. This makes hiking more relaxed if compared with North America. You can cook at your tent and store all you food in your tent without fearing a visit of a hungry bear.

The largest living predator in Patagonia (apart from humans) is the '''Puma''', also called Cougar or Mountain Lion. They normally hide and avoid contact with humans. Wikipedia states: “Attacks on humans are very rare, as cougar prey recognition is a learned behaviour and they do not generally recognize humans as prey. (…) As with many predators, a cougar may attack if cornered, if a fleeing human stimulates their instinct to chase, or if a person "plays dead". Standing still however may cause the cougar to consider a person easy prey. Exaggerating the threat to the animal through intense eye contact, loud but calm shouting, and any other action to appear larger and more menacing, may make the animal retreat. Fighting back with sticks and rocks, or even bare hands, is often effective in persuading an attacking cougar to disengage.”.

Link: [https://her-odyssey.org her-odyssey.org]

Bethany and Lauren are on their way to traverse the length of the Americas by non-motorized means to connect stories of the land and its inhabitants. They started in December 2015 in Ushuaia on the southern tip of the continent and were the first to walk the entire length of the GPT. We got in touch before they commenced their endeavor and while they walked northbound I developed the trail southbound. This resulted in a very fertile exchange of ideas and routes. Bethany and Lauren “gound-truthed” and recorded several of the hiking sections of the GPT in central Patagonia based on my drafts. This was a very important support since I traveled with my wife primarily the packraft options in central Patagonia. The following year, around October 2016, they asked me for my advice how to continue their journey north which led me to develop the fife northern section of the GPT extending the trail all the way to Santiago. Independently from Gerald Klamer they investigated and recorded these fife sections in the Precordillera (GPT01 to GPT05).

Link: [http://geraldtrekkt.blogspot.it/2017/04/greater-patagonian-trail-1-santiago-coya.html geraldtrekkt on blogspot]

Gerald is a highly experienced hiker who walked in many remote areas around the world. He learned about this trail though a common friend (Christine Thürmer, the German author of the book “Laufen, Essen, Schlafen”). When we got in touch I told him about the newly drafted but unverified fife northern sections (GPT01 to GPT05). He loved the idea to be the first to investigate and record them and so he did! When he reached the already verified part of the GPT he did not continue on the “path of least resistance” by following the already well documented regular route but instead he kept investigating and recording the more remote and mountainous options that I drafted mainly based on satellite images and descriptions from local arrieros. He liked it so much that he now prepares the continuation of his hike on the GPT in the coming season.

The Hiker's Manual is a PDF file optimized for reading on a computer screen or smart phone. The page size ratio is 16 to 9 like the screen on most smart phones and many computer screens. The PDF file is best reviewed in "full screen slide mode" (one page filling the entire screen, no scrolling but flipping entire pages).

You can download the currently still incomplete version of the Hikers Manual here: [https://goo.gl/sWqGiv Hikers Manual on Dropbox]

They live in villages in the mountain valleys but also move up on higher grazing grounds during the summer very much like the “arrieros” do. But in contrast to the "arrieros" you will meet more women and entire families, sometimes three generations living together in small summer shelters. Some milk their cows and make cheese. In summer and autumn they harvest the "piñones" of the Araucaria tree what is the staple food of their traditional diet. Once you discover how to collect and prepare these seeds you will have an unlimited food supply along the trail provided that you scheduled the traverse of this zone to match the harvest season.

These Araucaria trees are one defining element of this landscape and a highlight of this zone. Areas where old growth trees have been preserved create and impressive scenery. If then a large band of squawking parrots crosses your path you may feel like in mystery forest.

The other so different face of this zone is the volcanic lunar landscape. Two extended volcanic areas rise out of the rainforest with the last major eruption occurring in 2011. The trail climbs up and out of the rainforest to traverse wide fields of grey ash and snake around massive streams of black lava boulders. You can summit the volcanos and stare into a wide open crater. The contrast between the engulfing forest and the hostile volcanic terrain is mind-blowing.

With this zone the packraft dreamland begins. You can cover about a third of the distance on water floating down calm river, crossing immense lakes and even paddling in the Patagonian fjords.

In this zone the climate cools considerably and rain become more frequent. But where the trail remains in the forest you are less exposed than in the zones further north. Only the two volcano crossings get you high up in open terrain where condition can turn hostile even in mid-summer if you are hit by bad weather.

You will see the effects of a wide variety of trail maintenance throughout this zone. In parts you have well maintained forest roads; then you walk on frequently used horse trails but in a few parts you need to fight your way through overgrown terrain.

====Zone E: Zona Ríos y Lagos Argentinos====

Chile and Argentina are like two brothers that share a lot but have some distinct differences in appearance and attitude. The relation between both countries is pretty much like between siblings; they can stand together and feel strong family ties but there is also some sibling rivalry, just like two little boys that quietly play together in the sandbox and a moment later they stream and fight over one toy that both grabbed at the same time. And this zone is your opportunity to get to know the other brother. You can explore the difference of the Argentine culture and way of life i.e. by visiting the hippie town of El Bolsón at the end of section GPT22 and the start of GPT23.

The hiking route of this zone borders numerous pristine lakes and rivers and crosses forest and patches of cattle grazing land. The route passes two national parks and several large private properties ("estancias"). You can enjoy many gorgeous views and some sections of this zone are generally easy walking. Here the GPT follows in large parts the Huella Andina, a personal initiated trail project by Estefania Chereguini and Walter Oszust. This project unfortunately came to a halt when the Argentine Ministry of Tourism assumed control and forced the founders out. This and recent wild fires mean that parts of the trail are no longer maintained and become overgrown.

A very challenging but fascinating highlight of this zone is the traverse from Lago Puelo to Lago Cholila that contains some demanding bush bashing and walking in rivers to avoid the dense vegetation. Here you can test what it takes to walk without a trail though partly engulfing forest. This experience may reconcile you with the larger proportion of road walking that is unavoidable if hiking and not packrafting.

With this zone the packraft dreamland continues. The distance on water exceeds 40%. In particular from Lago Cholila to Lago Kruger you have a long continuous sector of interconnecting lakes and rivers where you don’t need to leave the water for 3 or 4 days except to rest and to camp.

In this zone rain is rare but heat can be a burden since the trail snakes along of the eastern edge of the Andes in the rain shadow. Expect to climb over many fences and closed gates since the more leveled ground on the eastern edge of the Andes is used as grazing land for large herds of cattle. In the National Park “Los Alerces” you will meet large crowds on the camp sites but a short stroll from these hot-spots you will encounter much less people. On the southern terminus of this zone you return to Chile on a paved road where collecting your passport stamps is straightforward.

If hiking you traverse a thickly forested region that generally follows quiet back roads and historic horse trails. A major trail section is a national heritage trail (“Ruta Patrimonial”) that is beautiful hiking, with a wonderful perspective of history. The wide river valleys are lovely to note, as are the views when you can see through the trees. Sparsely populated, it gives an idea of the hardy and kind people who inhabit Patagonia.

If hiking be aware that parts of the route receive little to no maintenance and can be quite difficult to track. Some hikers turned back because they lost the trail. At the moment I have no precise GPS record for parts of the trail and only an approximate route is incorporated into the trail file. Your contribution is needed to fill this gap with an accurate record.

For packrafters this zone is an unmatched highlight of the GPT. Just two kilometers after leaving the village Palena you reach the put in at the generally calm river Palena that you can now float down in 4 to 6 days until you reach the Fjord Pitipalena and the tiny harbor village Raul Marin Balmaceda. Don’t try to be fast to enjoy the scenery and to meet some of the families that live for three or four generations on the shore of this powerful but unhurried river.

From Raul Marin Balmaceda you best take the ferry to Puerto Chacabuco, which with favorable weather is a very scenic 24 h boat ride through the Patagonian fjord world. The ferry stops in various tiny settlements in the fjords, where you might leave the boat to do some optional exploration excursions. From Puerto Chacabuco the most practical option is to continue after GPT28P with GPT31P, skipping the expedition sections GPT29P and GPT30P that should only be considered by highly experienced packrafters that are quite familiar with Patagonia.

The few rapids can normally be scouted and portaged if needed but your constant attention is needed to evade the countless sunken trees that lurk under the water. Towards the end the river valley widens exposing you to sometimes heavy head wind and when you reach the intertidal zone the flow direction may inverse twice per day for several hours. So understand the tidal cycles and get tidal charts to plan at what times you can paddle down. When choosing your last camp site make sure that you do not pitch your tent in the intertidal zone otherwise you may suddenly wake up in the middle of the river.

The hiking route largely follows an array of roads, from impassible by vehicle to main thoroughfares and is easy walking. A few notable peaks can be viewed along the way and water is ample. The few villages are safe, simple, and kind. Coming in the Valle Chacabuco around Coyhaique gives a striking view of the effects of the early fire clearing in this region to create grazing land as you move between old growth forests and clear cuts. Coyhaique is the largest city directly on GPT and has several outdoor shops, which, while overpriced, can help in a pinch. This is also the center for “Patagonia Sin Represas” so if you have a chance, stop by!

Since the hiking route consists completely of minor and primary roads I don’t recommend walking this zone except if you advocate connecting food steps or if you are a die-heard thru-hiker that attempts hiking the entire trail without packrafting in two or three seasons.

The packrafting route is much more scenic than the hiking option and with about half the distance on water carrying a boat really pays off. The route connects half a dozen lakes and river sections and requires some walking on minor roads because the historic horse trails have been upgraded in the last one or two decades. When talking to the few settlers on the shore of the lakes and along the roads you can gain a very personal insight how this harsh land got settled during the 20th century.

Note that wind on these lakes can be powerful and rain is frequent and cold. If going southbound then wind is normally favorable. But be prepared to sit out periods of unsafe strong wind even if blasting in your direction.

Challenges in this region are remoteness, volatile weather and partly poor trail conditions. The walking distance from Chile Chico to Villa O’Higgins is about 350 km and you have just the village Chochrane to resupply in the middle. The partially difficult route finding on the “Ruta de los Pioneros” probably reconciles you with the easy but tiresome road walking on either end of this historic trail.

When packrafting you can opt between several more choices. You can i.e. cross Lago Cochrane and bypass the village Cochrane to venture into the particular remote area of Lago Brown and float down the swift river Río Tranquilo that is not as tranquil as name suggests. You can paddle several lakes and rivers that parallel the “Ruta de los Pioneros”. The most challenging packrafting option is floating down the Río Baker. This powerful high volume river requires a couple of portages and wind can fiercely against you in particular when getting close to the harbor village Villa Tortel where this rivers flows into Patagonian fjords.

This zone is sure to be a favorite among hikers and packrafters that seek to be challenged by difficult terrain.

The giant Southern Patagonian Ice Field extends 350 km in North-South direction and is in average 35 km wide. It’s northern terminus is located as the latitude of Villa O’Higgins. Immense glaciers flow down from this ice field in all directions and some glaciers constantly refill the Lago O’Higgins with immense blocks of ice and turquoise glacier melt. For navigation this lake is often considered the most challenging lake in South America due to the heavy and very variable wind in the different arms of the lake.

To continue southbound you need to take the ferry that crosses this wind battered lake and unloads you next to the tiny settlement Candelario Mansilla, where a Chilean police outpost provides you with the required passport exit stamp. From here you can walk either directly into Argentina or follow the much more scenic route along the shore of the lake. Some optional trails get you face to face with various glaciers that flow down from the ice field. At the northern end of Lago del Desierto the Argentine police outpost will verify that you got your Chilean exit stamp and if so, give you an entry stamp for Argentina. Rules and regulations are unclear how long you may wander in the no man’s land in between both police posts.

The trail along Lago del Desierto is a beautiful walk and provides inspiring first peeks at one of the most famous highlights of this region, Cerro Fitz Roy at the eastern edge of the ice field. Multiple optional trails get you to various lookouts and glaciers and you should walk at least some of these options. In particular Cerro Torre seen from the Laguna Torre is one of the most pictured views. The GPT currently terminates with the “Huelta Huemul” a 60 km circuit that gets you to the edge of the Southern Patagonian Ice Field and with perfect views over the glacier Viedma that flows into Lago Viedma.

During peak tourist season the area next to Cerro Fitz Roy and Cerro Torre and the town of El Chalten are extremely crowded, which can be a difficult shift from the solitude of Patagonia that you experience on most parts of the GPT. Climate can be challenging and in particular the “Huelta Huemul” should only be attempted if the weather and wind forecast is suitable for this very exposed terrain.

===Remark to [[#Before you depart: Be careful doing this ...|"Before you depart: Be careful doing this ..."]]===

If you expect me to name this person or to place a link to the mentioned web page then you misjudged my intention. I do not want to publicly denounce this person but I want to share an important lesson learned with future hikers that can benefit from this experience.

After an displeasing exchange of emails he actually started to exchange names to stop the inappropriate use of the trail name. Therefore you can refrain from googling this person and simply learn from this "case study" as described here.

===Remark to Best Practices and Hiking Recommendations===

If you are charged by a dog or a pack of dogs, a phrase they commonly recognize is if you shout “vete pa ya” (go over there) or stoop down and pick up (or even just simulate picking up) a rock and they usually turn tail. The action of lowering your face to a charging dog’s level is counter intuitive but can spare you some nasty scars or a scare. In extreme situations (such as if the dogs you encounter are herding dogs who will continue to pursue and nip at your ankles), you may have to actually throw a rock at them.

One must also consider the rhythm of Patagonia in neither rushed nor focused on efficiency. One significant way hikers will encounter this is with siesta, strictly observed in almost every small and many of the larger towns throughout the region. Businesses close (roughly) between 1-4 pm, though even those hours are subject to whim. Shops rarely have posted hours and even if they do, these are not observed. You may note on some a small white buzzer which you must press to call attention. Do not be shy in these circumstances, ring the bell and be prepared to wait patiently. If you bustle in brusquely, expect for services to be rendered even more slowly.

For profit buses, like businesses, operate at their leisure. If there is a schedule posted online, it is often inaccurate or incomplete. For bus schedules, ask at the kiosks or other local shops. Do not expect bus stops to have signs posted. Here again, communicating with locals will play an integral role to your experience and that will be defined by how you approach and treat them.

(...) For these reasons it is advisable to carry at least an extra day worth of food on many sections of the GPT.

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==Images==

Here you find a selection of [http://www.panoramio.com/user/7876187?show=best images from the Greater Patagonian Trail] that are uploaded to Panoramio and displayed on Google Earth.

==Used Trails==

Not all hiking options are recorded yet by GPS since the author investigated the Greater Patagonian Trail with a packraft. There is also a shorter part that could not be hiked because one area was closed at the time of the investigation due to a large wild fire. These '''to be verified''' trails may therefore be imprecisely shown in this trail description and by the KMZ/GPX files. But the author has reliable information that these trails exist and have been hiked recently. At this time the author has simply no precise GPS record and the route is not sufficiently visible on satellite images.

Wherever possible the Greater Patagonian Trail incorporates '''lake''' crossings, '''river''' downstream floats and even paddeling on '''fjords''' with a [[#Packraft|packraft]].If not carrying such a light-weight inflatable boat or if the weather does not permit paddling then all these water sections can be bypassed on foot, by ferry or with private boat transfers. The river downstream floats do not include white-water rivers with large rapids.

==Expected Duration==

The complete trail can be hiked in one summer season and requires approx. 90 to 120 days if walking with a moderate pace. This inculdes some rest days, resupply bus trips to nearby towns and an occasional day lost to bad weather. One "high-speed-hiker" has done sections 1 to 16 in about 50 days so you can be faster, but I suggest to take some time to enjoy the trail and allow yourself some lesure time while hiking in this pristine region.

If you do not have the time to hike the entire trail then you can customize your trail by selecting some sections only.

==Trail Sections==

The entire trail consists currently of 18 sections that require between 2 to 10 days each. The sections are between 35 km and 150 km long. Every section connects seamless with the following section and starts and ends near a road or village with public transportation. Therefore each section can be hiked as an individual trail or several sections can be combined to a longer trip.

[[File:GPT03-2014-Pano-Pic014.jpg|thumb|500px|Greater Patagonian Trail Section 3: Carrying fire wood for the next night. File: Jan Dudeck]]

The sections 2 and 3 can be combined with an alternative trail through a pristine area that bypasses the settlement and the road at the finish of section 2 and the start of section 3.

The sections 3 and 4 may also be combined by packrafting the entire Laguna Las Lajas or taking a cross country route on the eastern side of the lake. Both, the packraft and the hiking option, are quite challanging and the optional cross country trail still needs to be verfied. This alternative route bypasses the road to the town Antuco and the tiny ski resort on the base of the volcano Antuco.

It is even possible to combine sections 2, 3 and 4 in a extra-long super-section without passing a single village. This tripple section is a true long distance endurance challange that gets you in 3 to 4 weeks through nearly untouched wilderness. If you attempt it, you should be well aware of all the exit routes to walk out in time if you run out of food.

Combining sections 4 to 7 should be considered when hiking these sections. You may get some basic food i.e. in Trapa Trapa at the end of section 4 and in Guallali on section 6. You may also ask the [[#Food Supply on the Trail|Puesteros]] along the trail for food or harvest [[#Traditional Food|Araucaria cones]] to "stretch" the food that you carry in your backpack and make it last this long combined section. This would save you resupply bus trips to "nearby" villages and towns. Such resupply bus trips take two days or more due to the distances and the low bus frequency. In particular getting at the end of section 6 by bus to Lonquimay and then back to continue with section 7 might be an ordeal.

Also combining sections 13 to 15 is advisable to save you time consuming resupply bus trips. At the end of section 13 you may ask in a settlers home for food and at the end of section 14 you may take the ferry that runs three times per week to a tiny village, resupply in a small shop just next to the embarkation point and return shortly later with the same ferry.

| [[#Trail Files for GPS and Google Earth|See above]]

|}

Note that these GPX files are outdated but updates are included in the updated trail files issued in 2016.

[[File:GPT02-2014-Pano-Pic046.jpg|thumb|500px|Greater Patagonian Trail Section 2: Sudden weather change in mid-summer. File: Jan Dudeck]]

If you plan to hike the entire trail in the correct sequence starting with '''section 1''' than you should leave in December, ideally in the '''second half of December'''.

On the first three sections several rivers and high mountain passes need to be crossed. In particular high river-water-levels during snowmelt may make the river crossings difficult and dangerous until December. Therefore leaving before or in early December may put you in risk when crossing rivers or traversing still snow covered passes. But if you leave after December you may be surprised by the heralds of the winter before reaching the finish of the Greater Patagonian Trail if walking in a moderate pace.

If you do not insist in hiking all trail sections in the correct sequence then you have more options when and where to start. If you want to leave before December you may in example set out in '''late October or November''' with '''section 11''' in Liquiñe (Hiking-Only-Option) or in Reyehueico or Coñaripe (both Packraft-Option) as we did.

Coñaripe is a alternative start of section 11 for packrafters and the first of the 8 sections with significant packraft use. Starting with section 11 before December gives you the advantage of floating down the rivers with a comfortable high river-water-level during snow melt.

If you do not carry a packraft but wish to start in late October or November Liquiñe would be a good choice. Liquiñe is a village full of thermal springs and situated on the Hiking-Only-Option of section 11. This start avoids the potentially dangerous river-crossings of the first 3 sections and the rather high and exposed mountain passes of section 1, 2, 3, 6, 7 and 10. Once you reached the finish of section 18 you can travel by bus in about 3 days to the start of section 1 and hike all the way to the point from where you started the track.

On '''sections 5 to 10''' the trail crosses the distribution range of the [[#Traditional Food|Araucaria tree]]. '''Between February and April''' the cones of these trees can be harvested and provide plenty of nutritious free food that you do not need to carry on your back. If possible arrange to cross sections 5 to 10 between February and April. This is one more very good reason for an early start on section 11 because then you can finish in the Auracaria distribution range in late summer or early autumn and feed yourself like a food gatherer millennia’s ago.

Even if hiking this trail in the recommended season be prepared for [[#Weather|sudden weather changes]] with heavy snowfall, in particular when you are higher up in the mountains. Also rivers can swell anytime after heavy rain.

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==Entrance Permits and Fees==

[[File:GPT13-P0026.jpg|thumb|500px|Greater Patagonian Trail Section 13: Cordon Caulle. File: Jan Dudeck]]

'''Hydropower Station Cipreses''': The Hydropower Station Cipreses is owned by Endesa and controls the valley between the Route 115 and the Laguna de La Invernada. Permanently manned gates control the northbound access from the Route 115 but there are no similar barriers when entering the property southbound over the mountains in example when coming from the volcano Descabezado. An access permit can be requested in advance and is normally granted. See the [http://www.wikiexplora.com/index.php/Laguna_y_Cr%C3%A1ter_Los_Hornitos#Permiso wikiexplora article "Laguna y Cráter Los Hornitos"] for further information.

'''Long Distance Challange that directly connects Section 2 and 3'''

'''Fundo Las Truchas''': The fundo Las Truchas is owned by a regional big farmer. When he purchased this ranch he first kept it open for public access to the attractive Laguna Las Truchas. Unfortunately some locals don’t treat their environment with respect and litter or fish without limits. The owner got annoyed and now denies public access in particular to local citizen. When entering the fundo Las Truchas northbound you may be send back by the guard, who lives 2 km south of the Laguna Las Truchas from late spring to autumn. If entering southbound you may be asked to leave the property in the direction you are hiking anyway.

'''Section 3 "Bad Weather Exit Route"'''

'''Hydropower Station El Toro''': The Hydropower Station El Toro is owned by Endesa and controls the valley Rio Polcura upstream of Abanico. A permanently manned gate controls the northbound access from Abanico. There are no similar controls when entering the property southbound from the Laguna de Las Lajas. An access permit may be requested in advance but no specific information are available where this can be done. Anyway, this restriction is not of much relevance since the regular trail on the ridge can be hiked in either direction. You only get to the Hydropower Station El Toro if get down from the ridge on the "Bad Weather Exit Route".

'''Section 12'''

'''Fundo Chihuio''': The fundo Chihuio is situated north of the Termas de Chihuio and owned by a rich businessman. The guard lives at the southern entrance to the ranch. He is instructed to deny access to the former public road towards Puerto Fuy and Pirihueico. When hiking southbound you will leave the property at the entrance where the guard lives.

'''Section 13'''

When challenged on the trail explain friendly that you are just a hiker and that you do not want anything else than passage to the next road or town. Hikers are rarely seen on most of the route and some people may suspect other interests because they simply don't know the concept of hiking. You may explain how far you already walked to gain the sympathy and respect of the guard or land owner. Guarantee that you will carry all your waste and that you will not leave any traces.

What we experienced on the trail seems to mirror the attitude of the Chilean society: The humble poor people on the trail opened the doors to their houses to give us shelter and they literally shared their bread with us without asking for money. But some of the super-rich denied passage over their immense properties on which they normally don’t even live when kindly asking for permission to pass.

The vast majority of citizens from Europe and North-America do not need a visa to visit Chile as a tourist. These citizens receive a tourist permit that allows them to stay up to 90 days in Chile. With an [[#Expected Duration|estimated duration]] of 90 to 120 days it is possible to complete the first 16 sections on Chilean soil in 90 days but leaves little margin for rest days or weather related delays.

The easiest way to renew your permit is travelling to Argentina before completing your 90 days and returning a few days later to Chile. On re-entry you will normally be granted another 90 days. Such a trip can be combined with a resupply stop in a nearby town.

Recommendable "visa trips" with public transportation are:

* Section 9: From Curarrehue in Chile to Junin de Los Andes or San Martin de Los Andes in Argentina

* Section 13: From Osorno in Chile to San Carlos de Bariloche in Argentina

Alternatively you can request a tourist visa extension in Chile. This can be done in any of the 54 provincial capitals of Chile. Los Angeles, Temuco and Puerto Montt are 3 possible choices but none of the provincial capitals are conveniently close to the trail. Here you find a full list of the Chilean provinces with its capitals: [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Provinces_of_Chile Wikipedia: Provinces of Chile].

If you do not start the trek at section 1 but do sections 11 to 18 first you will cross the border from Chile to Argentina on foot on section 16 and renew your tourist permit when returning to Chile. This will give you enough time to hike sections 1 to 10 in a comfortable pace.

If you insist in not taking any bus or motorized vehicle during the entire trek you have three options:

===Importation of Food===

Chile is very cautious when it comes to importing food, plants and animals. To minimize the risk of introducing pests, invasive plants and animals such imports are highly regulated and controlled. Therefore individuals are strictly banned to bring fresh fruits, vegetables, raw milk or meat products to Chile. Only processed sterile food can be imported in concealed packing’s, in example all heat treated canned items in closed containers. Thorough checks are performed by the SAG (Servicio Agrícola y Ganadero) on the airport and the border checkpoints from neighbouring countries.

*Example of strictly banned items:

** Raw meat and raw meat products like ham and sausages

** Honey

*Example of normally accepted items:

** Pasta, rice, flour and dehydrated potato puree

** Instant meals like dehydrated trekking food in concealed bags

When crossing the border to Chile you need to fill in a declaration if you are carrying any plant or food products. On this declaration the definition for plant or food products is very wide and includes all the permitted items as well. Therefore the best and only correct thing is to always state YES. If ask explain that you are aware of the restrictions and that you carry processed food and give examples.

If you state NO but something banned is found you will be charged a high fine.

You should also clean your boots from visible mud since mud may contain seamen of invasive plants.

Theoretically the same rules apply when crossing into Argentina but controls are often much more relaxed and you do not need fill and sign a declaration.

===Resupply at Nearby Towns===

There are no proper shops along the first seven sections of the trail. The first regular food store on the trail comes after 600 km at the finish of section 7. But there is a road with public transportation at the end of each section that gives you the opportunity to take a bus and to travel to the next village or town to resupply. See the table under [[#Section Information|Section Information]] with suitable resupply villages and towns.

In the larger cities, in example in Santiago, Talca, Chillan, Los Angeles, Osorno and Puerto Montt you find "Jumbo" supermarkets. To our impression these supermarkets offer the widest range of dehydrated food that is suitable for hiking. These supermarkets have typically a section of imported food items from Europe and North America. Here we found in example well-seasoned couscous imported from Canada, potato fritters that comes as a powder imported from Germany and dehydrated deserts that you just need to mix with cold water and milk powder to make in example a very tasty chocolate cream after your dinner. If you are fancy on good cooking in the wild then take your time and stroll through the aisle of the supermarket and try something new.

===Resupply by Bus===

The product range in smaller villages and towns is limited. In particular dehydrated trekking food may not be offered at all. If you prefer to have some special stuff that you find only in Santiago or that you bring with you from overseas you have the following option: You pack a box with food and other gear in Santiago and send the box with one of the mayor bus companies to a town where you plan a resupply stop. To send the box you do not need any address in this town; all you need to do is making yourself the recipient of your own package. The bus company will ship your box to this town in 1 or 2 days and store it until you pick it up. There you can take out of your box whatever you need and resend the box with the remaining stuff to the next resupply town where it will be stored again. Storage of up to 30 days is free of charge. This transport service by busses is called "encomienda" and functions like a postal service. Unfortunately this service is only available in larger cities. Therefore this service cannot be used to ship resupplies directly to the trail.

'''I advise you not to use this service offered by JAC.''' They lost one of our packages and were incredible poorly organized and ignorant to give us at least the legally required minimum refund (which was far less than the actual value). Turbus made at least a more organised impression when compared to JAC. Anyway, you should better not send valuable items i.e. a packraft but only items whose loss does not jeopardize your trip. If you plan to send valuable items anyway you should have at least the original purchase receives of these items with you. If you present these receipts before sending the package you may increase the refund value in case of loss to a substantially higher value. Without such a receipt only a rather small value can be declared (50,000 to 100,000 CLP depending on the company) and gets refunded in case the shipment is lost by the company.

Suitable resupply towns with bus cargo stations are (bus company in brackets):

* Puerto Montt (Turbus)

* Puerto Varas (Turbus)

See also the table with the [[#Section Information|Section Information]] for a full listing of resupply towns on or near the trail.

A true thru-hike without resupply bus trips would require the setup of food depots on strategic points along the route.

[[File:109447130.jpg|thumb|350px|Greater Patagonian Trail Section 15: Shopping in the super market of El Poncho. File: Jan Dudeck]]

On this trail, in particular on the first seven sections you will meet herdsman on the summer pastures with their livestock, which are mainly cattle, sheep, goats and horses. Depending on the altitude and the snowmelt they migrate up between October and January and return to their winter quarters in April or May. These herdsman, locally called "Puestero", live in improvised permanent shelters, called "Puesto". They bring large quantities of food with their horses and mules up into the mountains. You may ask them for food, in particular for flour and bread or whatever they are willing to sell. With flour, dry yeast and salt you can bake your own fresh bread on the trail. If you are desperate for meat they may sell you a goat or a sheep but be aware, the smallest quantity for sale is typically half an animal (Spanish: "Medio Canal"). To communicate with the locals you need to speak Spanish.

On section 5 to 10 you will cross the distribution range of the impressive Araucaria trees, which are ancient evergreen coniferous trees. What we liked on these living fossils were not just the imposing figure, but the nutritious female seed cones that are rich in carbohydrates. These fruits or "piñones" were the main staple food for the indigenous Pehuenche people and they taught us how to harvest and prepare them. You can gather these starchy Araucaria "piñones" between February and April.

This is not a listing of all the standard trekking foods like pasta and cereals. If you attempt this long distance trail you should know all this by heart. This section lists and describes selected traditional food items that are typical for this region but may be less known outside or named differently.

'''Piñones''': As already mentioned under [[#Recommended Season|Recommended Season]] and [[#Food Supply on the Trail|Food Supply on the Trail]] you can become a gatherer on sections 5 to 10 and collect a good part of your food yourself along the trail if you pass this area between February and April. You just need to get the timing right and carry a strong string to harvest the mature cones of the female Araucaria trees. According to [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Araucaria_araucana Wikipedia] the name Araucana is derived from the native Araucanians who's main staple food were the nuts or seeds of the Araucaria tree. A group of Araucanians living in the Andes, the Pehuenches, owe their name to their diet based on harvesting of the Araucaria seeds. Pehuen means Araucaria and che means people in the native language Mapudungun.

The natives use a lasso to harvest the mature cones. As a hiker you probably will not carry a rather heavy lasso but you may bring a strong string with you. By trial and error we eventually choose to connect long sticks in example branches, bamboo grass and/or our hiking poles to lift a sling over a single cone and then break the cone off by pulling against the growth direction. Once you have the cone down you can open the cone with a wedge and a stone as shown on the picture above. The seeds then need to be separated and boiled for about 30 minutes with the husk. Once boiled the husk can be easily removed. Just squeeze the husk and the eatable seed will slip out easily. You can eat the seed simply cooked or fry them later.

'''Harina Tostada''' (Chile) or '''ñaco''' (Argentina) is toasted ground wheat and the staple food of the herdsmen. It comes as a brownish powder and tastes like corn flakes but it needs to be mixed first with a liquid to eat. The most common form is mixing with water but also beer, wine or juice can be used. Also sugar may be added if mixed with water. Depending on the mixing ratio it will be a thick paste or a liquid and makes a perfect snack during the days. Try yourself and find out how you like it most. You can buy it in all rural stores but also the big super markets sell it. It's the perfect trekking food because it's nourishing and takes little space in the backpack. See the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gofio wikipedia article] for more information to this versatile staple food.

'''Tortilla de Rescoldo''' is a white bread that was backed in the hot ash of a fire. Most puestos don't have a proper oven to bake bread but use the accumulated ash of the fireplace instead. The dough is made as usual with wheat flour, salt and (dry) yeast. After the dough was prepared and given the typical rest the dough is gently put in a pit in the hot ash and then also covered with hot ash. After about 10 to 15 min the bread is turned and covered with hot ash again to bake it evenly on both sides. To not burn the bread the hot ash must be free of glowing charcoal. It requires quite some experience to get the temperature and the timing right. Also the fireplace must be in use for days or weeks to accumulate sufficient ash. A typical campfire will not work because the fire itself is to hot and amount of ash is insufficient.

To make fresh bread on the trail our self we used our two stainless steel pots and the lid. With some self-made wire clips we suspended the slightly smaller pot within the bigger pot. This creates a small but fully functional oven because the air gap between both pots protected the content from burning when placed in or next to the fire. With this oven we did not only bake fresh bread but also pizza and an onion pie. It needs some trial and error to learn how to get the temperature right and regular turning help to bake the content evenly.

'''Sopaipilla''' (Chile) or '''Torta Frita''' (Argentina) is fried white bread. The same standard dough made with wheat flour, salt and (dry) yeast and given the typical dough rest period of 15 to 30 minutes. Round flat dough-cakes are formed with a hole in the middle and gently put into a pot of hot oil of fat over a fire. The hole in the middle is required to move and removed the Sopapilla with a stick.

'''Chivo or Cordero al Palo''': Puesteros occasionally butcher a male goat or sheep when they meet with other herdsmen or when they receive a visit to share an abounded and delicious meat feast. Female animals are normally preserved to maintain the flock so mainly the male goat get sacrificed(a rare example of male discrimination). The skinned and cleaned animal is cut into pieces and stack on a wooden pole ("palo" in Spanish). The pole is then placed next to the fire and regularly turned until the meat is ready to eat. It's crucial that the meat is well cooked to kill all potential parasites. You need to be lucky to arrive just in time for such a feast. Alternatively you may ask the puesteros along the route if they have some meat left or if they are willing to sell one animal and butcher and prepare it with you. The smallest quantity for sale is typically half an animal ("medio canal"). Once the meat is well cooked over the fire you can carry the left overs and consume it during the next two or three days.

'''Yerba Mate''' is a energizing caffeine-rich hot drink. You fill about half a cup with the tee-like "yerba", pour hot water over it and drink it with a special straw that acts at the same as an filter. This straw is called "bombilla". You can pour again and again water over it to keep drinking. Sharing mate with other people is a common ritual in these region. You will certainly be offered this rather bitter drink when you meet and chat with the locals. See also the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mate_%28beverage%29 wikipedia article to Mate] for more information.

'''Mote''' are wheat grains, which were boiled and removed from its husk and then dried again for long term storage. Mote is probably not an optimal trekking food because it needs to be soaked in water for several hours before boiling. But settlers and herdsmen often carry mote and use it as an ingredient for stews and other meals.

===Packraft and Drysuite===

A packraft is a light-weight inflatable boat designed to be carried in the backpack when not needed but to carry the backpacker and his backpack over lakes and rivers when he needs it. A packraft is not required for this trail but quite beneficial on sections 11, 12, 13, 15, 16, 17 and 18. It may also be used on sections 2, 3, 4 and 8. On section 1, 5, 7 and 10 it can be used for smaller side trips on lakes that are located next to the trail.

Here you find some [http://www.panoramio.com/user/7876187/tags/Packraft images of our packraft]. We use the "Explorer 42" from [http://www.alpackaraft.com/ Alpackaraft.] The total weight of the two-person-boat with paddles, two drysuites, waterproof bags and water gear is approx. 8 kg or 4 kg per person if shared. <!-- Recently new manufacturer entered this market, i.e. MRS and Nortik, offering similar suitable packrafts. In particular the "MRS - Adventure X2" is probably a good choise for a group of two hikers. You find these inflatable boats in the German [http://www.packrafting-store.de/Packrafts:::43.html Packrafting-Store]. Also several other packraft related items are sold by this specialized online store and can be shipped internationally.-->

I strongly recommend the use of a drysuite whenever paddeling in this area regardless of the size of the river, lake of fjord. This is the only suiteable protection against hypothermia in case you get wet or you get out of the boat on the water. Be aware that water temperatures are often quite low. Wind can suddenly increase and build up high waves in a matter of minutes that splash you wet with cold water or even flip your boat. Also on most rivers, lakes and fjords that are included in the packraft route suitable exit points are scarce. So don't rely on getting quickly out of the water when needed. The first two years we paddled without using a drysuite but I consider this now a beginner's mistake.

The packraft did not made us faster but made our trip much more diverse. It is just great to walk to the shore of a lake or river, take the backpack down, inflate the boat, store the gear, take a seat and paddle off. A packraft brings an other "dimension" into the trip.

Section 1 to 20: At two larger lakes you can alternatively take a daily ferry (Lago Pirihueco) or a private boat transfer (Lago Todos Los Santos). For all other lakes and rivers alternative trails, which circumvent the water are included in the [[#Trail Files for GPS and Google Earth|Trail Files for GPS and Google Earth]] above. So you can bypass on foot all paddle parts if you do not have a packraft or if i.e. wind and weather do not permit the crossing of a lake with a rather tiny boat.

Section 21 to 27: In Palena the Hiking-Only-Option and the Packraft-Option of the Greater Patagonian Trail take a completely different routes. Both option rejoin briefly on Section 26 in the area of Cerro Castillo. When taking the Packraft-Option you do not have an easy connection to the Hiking-Only-Option so be well prepared to paddle long distances when taking this route.

Enter lakes, fjords and rivers with your packraft only in suitable weather conditions. Note that on sunny days wind typically increases substantially around noon and often blows very strong till the evening. Therefore packrafting on lakes and fjords is something for early risers.

Most but not all lakes have a predominant wind direction. The route is choosen in way that you have more likely favourable wind from the back than wind against you but on some lakes the predominant wind will blow you right into face. Most but not all river sections are relatively well wind-shilded. In particular the last part of Río Palena and Río Ibañez are quite exposed to wind.

If weather is unsuitable for packrafting take the alternative hiking options around the water or simply wait for better weather but do not jeopardize yourself.

The Packraft-Option also enters two fjords that are connected with the Pacific; the Estuario de Reloncaví on Section 16 and the Fjordo Pipiplena on Section 22. Here tides strongly affect water levels and currents. Understand the the tide cycles and get a current tide chart before before you enter these waters. In certain areas of these fjords tidal currents can outpace your packraft. Both fjords are best entered with a falling tide just after high tide. Also be very cautious when camping on the shore of these fjords and better avoid it. Make sure that you camp above the spring tide level. The trift wood on these shores can indicate you to what level the water may rise.

===GPS and Electronic Map===

The trail is mostly unmarked and only smaller fractions are documented with maps. Long stretches of the trail are only vaguely visible and frequently the trail peters out or divides into several branches. Therefore a GPS is absolutely essential for navigation. You need a handheld GPS devise to which you can upload the trail files. Spare batteries or recharge options are required to keep the GPS devise functional long enough.

In addition an electronic topographical map is recommended.

We used a Garmin GPS with the Garmin TOPO Chile Deluxe electronic map (TOPO Chile Deluxe sold for 80 USD). The topographical profile, rivers, lakes, road and towns are precisely mapped. Only smaller streams, smaller lagoons and some trails are partly incorrecly placed on this electronic map. The Garmin TOPO Chile Deluxe is more precise than the TOPO Andes (see below) and has more details but covers only Chile and is good for section 1 to 16 only.

Garmin now offers also an electronic topographical map that covers all Chile, Argentina and Bolivia (TOPO Andes sold for 100 USD). If you are planning to hike the entire trail and future extensions to the south then the TOPO Andes map is the suitable choice.

I do not recommend the purchase of paper maps. The Chilean Instituto Geográfico Militar (IGM) offers topographic maps with a scale of 1:50'000 for the entire Chile but these maps often do not contain the trails and may be outdated. There are a few hiking maps for some popular areas showing some but not all trails that are used by the GPT. So the extra cost and additional weight of paper maps do not justify to my opinion the minor benefit of paper maps.

If you are looking for an backup devise to your handheld GPS you may consider the inReach Explorer from Delorme which is not only a satellite tracker but can also be setup as navigator. I do not recommend this devise as a substitude for a handheld GPS due to the small screen, the limited battery life the limited number of tracks and waypoints that can be uploaded. But in case your handheld GPS fails, gets damaged or lost the inReach Explorer is a suitable backup if setup with the route and selected waypoints before starting the trip.

[[File:GPT06-P0028.jpg|thumb|450px|Greater Patagonian Trail Section 6: Cross Country at "Las Monjas". File: Jan Dudeck]]

The Greater Patagonian Trail requires endurance not only because of the total trail lenght but the rather long trail sections. The first three sections exceed 100 km each without regular resupply points on the route. If combining sections the distances become even larger and can reach or exceed 300 km.

Hiking this trail requires a detailed planning and preparation before and during the hike. The gear needs to be reduced to what is essential. Before each section the correct type and quantity of food needs to be selected and carried.

The isolation of some parts of the trail demand a self-reliant attitude and cautious behaviour. The hiker needs to feel confident and move safely in various terrains, that reach from snow covered mountains passes to dense tempered rain forests.

Sudden weather changes may happen anytime in this mountainous region. The hiker needs to be prepared and equipped to master in example an surprising snow storm and closing in clouds while crossing a mountain pass.

Good navigational skills are essential since the route is mostly unmarked. The hiker needs to recognize and follow the often only vaguely visible trails that frequently peter out or divides into several branches. Here the hiker needs follow his "sixth sense" while verifying and comparing the taken route with the recommended GPS tracks. Good knowledge in setting up and using a GPS is compulsory.

This trail should only be attempted with at least some Spanish knowledge and practice. You need to be able to introduce yourself, explain what you are doing, buy food and other supplies and organize your bus trips to and from the trail. Hardly anyone along the trail speaks or understands even a few words in English.

The following skills are NOT required:

====[[Huella Andina]]====

The [[Huella Andina]] is a long distance trail on the Argentine side of the Patagonian Andes with a combined total length of 564 km. This trail is a mostly signposted and marked hiking trail and substantially less demanding when compared with the Greater Patagonian Trail. The Huella Andina was developed considering that hiking novices may walk this trail. Therefore neither optimal equipment nor plenty of hiking experience are a precondition to take this route. The Huella Andina provides a resupply point at least on every second day. A GPS is not required to follow this trail. To the knowledge of the author of this article no full GPS record nor detailed hiking maps are published yet for the Huella Andina but trail descriptions are available on [http://www.wikiexplora.com/index.php/Huella_Andina Wikiexplora].

The project was initiated by Estefania Chereguini and Walter Oszust in 2008. During their leadership of the project most stages were defined and marked. Read the Spanish articles [http://www.senderodechile.cl/opiniones/huella-andina-un-sueno-de-caminos-y-horizontes-patagonicos-hecho-realidad/ Huella Andina: Un sueño de caminos y horizontes patagónicos hecho realidad] and [http://senderoslatinoamericanos.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/FUND-TECNICOS-S-LARGO-REC-HUELLA-ANDINA-Chereguini-Oszust.pdf Fundamoentos Técnicos de Senderos de Larga Recorrido Huella Andina] for more information to this ambitious and promising long distance trail project.

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==Creation of the Greater Patagonian Trail==

[[File:GPT12-P0006.jpg|thumb|1050px|none|Greater Patagonian Trail Section 12: Lago Pirihueico. File: Jan Dudeck]]

===Idea for the Trail===

I did my first hike in Patagonia in 2002 and returned several times in the following years. As most casual hikers I used a trekking guide book (Lonely Planet: "Trekking in the Patagonian Andes") and ventured only onto trails described by books or printed on maps. It did not even appear to me to go beyond.

A few years later I was recommended the "Adventure Handbook Central Chile" from Franz Schubert and Malte Sieber. This booked introduced me to the often overlooked area between the Chilean capital Santiago and Patagonia. Before reading this book I always passed this area without seriously considering to stop before reaching Patagonia.

In 2011 my girlfriend and I planned to do the hike to the Laguna las Truchas that is recommended in the "Adventure Handbook Central Chile". But before we set out we were told by locals that the landlord does not let pass any backpackers. The locals recommended a different trail instead for which we had no guide books, no maps and no guide willing to lead us. After long considerations we eventually took our backpacks and hiked on our own to the impressive Laguna Dial. We were surprised to walk on well maintained trails where maps are simply blank. In the following months and years we repeated this experience and learned that there are plenty of perfectly hikeable trails where maps show nothing but wilderness. When I reviewed our hikes on Google Earth I also noticed with surprise that these trails are often visible on the satellite images, in particular in areas without dense forest. This showed me a new method how to plan further hikes.

Two years later in 2013 I was wondering how far you can possibly walk through the Andes using the few published the many undocumented trails. More out of curiosity I started searching for a continuous trail in Google Earth trying to incorporate the best trails that I hiked so far. In a lengthy tedious search using Google Earth and all other material available to me I planned a constantly growing trail. I finally had a route that I estimated to be 1400 km.

===Planning of the Trail===

The Greater Patagonian trail is not an official trail that was planned and set up by a government agency. It’s better: it’s a compilation of the most beautiful and diverse hiking and horse trails, minor roads and cross country sections through the Patagonian Andes selected by a passionate hiker.

This genesis prevented that the routing of the trail was compromised and deformed by local interests and political constraints. The track could be chooses freely on either side of the border; on the Chilean side and the Argentine side of the Andes. There were also no “must-include” towns, villages or places because influential local politicians decided so. Simple the most attractive hikeable route could be selected, without any influence or other interests.

* The route is continuous without any gaps

* The track can be hiked legally without unauthorized border crossings

The trail was planned in 2013 by Jan Dudeck using:

===First Hike of the Trail===

On November 12, 2013 I started with my girlfriend Meylin Ubilla in Coñaripe at the alternative starting point of section 11. We both had no previous long distance hiking experience and never used a packraft before.

During the hike we had a few moments of doubt because the route disappeared several times in impenetrable forest. But we always managed to find passable trail even if it meant returning a day’s hike. After about half the trail I became a bit concerned that we may run out of time before reaching our goal. But we kept going with a steady pace without worrying too much.

On February 23, 2014 we finally arrived again in Coñaripe were we set out a 104 days before. Our GPS summed up roughly hiked 1'600 km and 50'000 m climbed. We actually walked on 80 days with the remaining time used to resupply, rest and to travel from the end of section 16 to the start of section 1.

About one year later, from December 18, 2014 to February 9, 2015 we returned to the Greater Patagonian Trail and refined sections 3, 10 and 11 and hiked most of section 17 and 18 to extend the trail further south. We also crossed Laguna Dial (section 2) and Lago Pirihueico (section 12) by packraft what we did not dare the year before because we lacked at this time the packraft experience. And for the years to come we plan more hikes and packraft trips to [[#Trail_Extensions|extent the trail even further]].

While hiking the trail I have long thought how to name this trail. I was looking for a precise but well descriptive name.

The trail crosses various regions that are rather unknown outside of Chile and Argentina. Few people have ever heard about Maule or Bio-Bio and might associate whatever with these words but not an outstanding trekking region. Therefore naming the trail after the actual regions seamed not a good choice.

On the other side naming the trail after the Andes like "Andes Trail" would be a huge exaggeration because the trail spans only a smaller part of this 7000 km long mountain range.

Naming the trail after Patagonia like "Patagonian Trail" would be incorrect, because most of the trail is actually not located in Patagonia at least when applying the traditional limits of this region. Most of the trail is on the Chilean side where only the regions Aysén and Magallanes further south are traditionally considered part of Patagonia. See the map: "Traditional limits of Patagonia".

To be precise and well descriptive at the same time I decided to use the geographic term "Greater Patagonia" that includes Patagonia in its traditional limits and the surrounding area like "Greater London" includes the city of London and the surroundings. On the Argentine side Patagonia reaches much further north than on the Chilean side and has it's limit at the Río Colorado with its spring near the Laguna del Maule. This is the latitude where section 1 ends and section 2 starts. So "Greater Patagonia" applies very well to the entire trail region because all parts of the route are located not more then 100 km outside of the traditional limits of Patagonia.

The name "Greater Patagonian Trail" seams a good choice because:

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==Questions and Feedbacks==

If you have questions that are not answered in this trail descriptions then you may send an email to the author of this article. Also your feedbacks are very welcome. Please report any changes or errors to correct the trail description and the trail file. Your GPS records are very helpful to update the not yet confirmed parts of the trail. If you have change and extension proposals please send the proposal ideally with a GPS record to the author. Alternative routes, that are more attractive for hiking will be included as a trail option or result in a change of the regular route.

Email of author: gpt.jan.dudeck@gmail.com

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==Section Descriptions==

The section descriptions below provide supplementary information to all sections of the Greater Patagonian Trail and will be issued in the following months.

An experienced hiker in explorers mood with good Spanish knowledge and planning skills will be able to hike the entire Greater Patagonian Trail without these detailed descriptions by fully exploiting the information provided in the detailed KMZ file for trekking.

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File:03 Greater Patagonian Trail, Volcan Descabezado.jpg

File:04 Greater Patagonian Trail, Volcan Descabezado, Laguna Las Ánimas.jpg|Laguna Las Ánimas

* '''Ascent: 1380 meters ↑'''

* '''Descent: 1770 meters ↓'''

The fourth section of the Greater Patagonian Trail sets out on the base of volcano Antuco; a nearly perfect cone build with pitch black volcanic rocks and boulders. You can optionally climb this summit before continuing on the regular route. It’s a demanding long ascent over rather loose piles of sharp volcanic rocks that make the returning descent even more tiresome. But if the weather favours you, you get rewarded with an outlook that reaches north to the volcano Chillan and south to the volcano Copahue; a total distance that takes about 10 days to hike.

After crossing a saddle and descending into the Valley Queuco you finally reach the Pehuenche settlement Trapa Trapa. If you ask around and you are lucky you may stay for a night with one of the families.

Here you can see plenty of [http://www.panoramio.com/user/7876187/tags/GPT%20Section%2004 images of section 4 of the Greater Patagonian Trail] that are uplodaded to Panoramio and Google Earth.

* '''Ascent: 1490 meters ↑'''

* '''Descent: 1500 meters ↓'''

Summary to be issued.

Here you can see plenty of [http://www.panoramio.com/user/7876187/tags/GPT%20Section%2005 images of section 5 of the Greater Patagonian Trail] that are uplodaded to Panoramio and Google Earth.

* '''Ascent: 2530 meters ↑'''

* '''Descent: 2270 meters ↓'''

Summary to be issued.

Here you can see plenty of [http://www.panoramio.com/user/7876187/tags/GPT%20Section%2006 images of section 6 of the Greater Patagonian Trail] that are uplodaded to Panoramio and Google Earth.

* '''Ascent: 2600 meters ↑'''

* '''Descent: 2800 meters ↓'''

Summary to be issued.

Here you can see plenty of [http://www.panoramio.com/user/7876187/tags/GPT%20Section%2008 images of section 8 of the Greater Patagonian Trail] that are uplodaded to Panoramio and Google Earth.

* '''Ascent: 2080 meters ↑'''

* '''Descent: 2870 meters ↓'''

Summary to be issued.

Here you can see plenty of [http://www.panoramio.com/user/7876187/tags/GPT%20Section%2010 images of section 10 of the Greater Patagonian Trail] that are uplodaded to Panoramio and Google Earth.

* '''Ascent: x meters ↑'''

* '''Descent: x meters ↓'''

Summary to be issued.

* '''Ascent: 2980 meters ↑'''

* '''Descent: 2700 meters ↓'''

Summary to be issued.

* '''Ascent: 4850 meters ↑'''

* '''Descent: 4690 meters ↓'''

Summary to be issued.

Here you can see plenty of [http://www.panoramio.com/user/7876187/tags/GPT%20Section%2016 images of section 16 of the Greater Patagonian Trail] that are uplodaded to Panoramio and Google Earth.

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==Other trails in Chile==

{{Trekkings Chile}}

[[category:Greater Patagonian Trail]]

[[category:Parche Greater Patagonian Trail]]