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GPT33H (Torres de Avellano)

2026-02-14T13:55:31Z

Aymaynard: /* Season 2025/2026 */Added extra content

'''[[GPTs|List of all GPT sections]]'''

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<nowiki>* '''</nowiki>'''Start Date to Finish Date (use Format YYYY-MMM-DD) / Duration in Days / Hiking or Packrafting / Travel Direction (SOBO for Southbound or NOBO Northbound) / Chosen Route and/or Option Name (RR for Regular Route) / Names or Alias'''<nowiki>'''</nowiki>

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=Overview=
The GPT manual has an extensive description of this route and all its options.

=Section Log, Alerts and Suggestions=

==Season 2025/2026==

* '''GPT33H / 2026-01-17 to 2026-01-21/ 5 Days / SOBO / Hiking / 3B, RR, 8, 4 / Alex and Aoife.'''

Attractiveness: 5/5
Difficulty: 4 / 5 verging on 5/5 in the overgrown parts of Option 8 (Our day 4).

We chose to backtrack from the Pass to Option 08 and descend into Bahia Murta so we could go and see the Marble Caves.

If we had time, and had known about it before hand we would have also walked up a track to get a view of the Torres from the Northern aspect. The track begins around
Camp ? {33H-08} [11.6/548]
-46.397340, -72.582010 and ascends a trail following Rio Estero South. We were told you can find the track details/GPX for that particular part on WikiLoc which seems to be like a Chilean 'Alltrails'.

Day 1:
Bus from Coyhaique at 0800. ( Bus Company, Don Carlos), 9k CLP To option 3B Trail Head.

Distance: 22km
Time: 1100- 1800
Water:
Water available at various points where the river passes under bridges. Small stream at eastern edge of campsite clearing.
Camp: -46.26492, -72.41280

Route:
Option 3b MR, easy walk to where it joins to the RR- along a gravel road. Nice views. Didn't see a single car only saw a friendly man on a horse.

Day 2:

Distance: 22km
Time: 07.45- 19.45
Water:
Lots of opportunities for water on the route. Water available on the pass from a stream
(We were there 2 days after heavy rainfall)

Route:
Easy start on MR until you find the TL that takes you through Lenga forrest. We followed cow tracks ( and poo) through the forest. Trail not always clear but easy enough to find.

Slow moving in boggy grassy sections. Crossed multiple streams. Took off shoes once.

Camp:
Plenty of camping options along the way. Upon reaching the pass we decided to camp there as we had a good forecast, good views and tired legs. Would only consider with nil wind forecast. Views were amazing, had a nice sunset.

* We saw a great campsite for maybe 3 tents on a sandy beach next to stream with some plunge pools and very sheltered at -46.409772, -72.498086

Day 3:

Distance: 14.31km
Time: 1100-1940
Water:
Plenty of options along the route. We prefer small clear streams rather than glacial rivers. No small streams at campsite But we had carried enough from earlier.

Route:
We followed the RR back down to the unmarked Puesto we had passed the previous day, near enough to:
Camp {33H} [52.7/953]
(-46.34585, -72.49821)
We then took option 8 all the way to the remains of a Puesto (-46.36573, -72.52865) and camped here. Trail easy enough to follow. Follow the cow poo and hoof prints.

Camp:
The remains of a Puesto (-46.36573, -72.52865) not many flat spots, by a river not a stream. If you continued a few hundred ms more there was a more idyllic location close to a stream.

Day 4:

Distance: 12.3km
Time: 0700- 1700
Water: plenty of water spots along the way.

Route:
Continued on option 8. Not far into this day the trail became a full body workout. An obstacle course requiring lots of maneuvering over many fallen trees, hard to follow path, very slow and tiring day. Track very overgrown in parts.

Camp:
'Camp? {33H-08} [8.1/462]'
(-46.410860, -72.612140) - waterfall not far from camp a bit further down the track at around: (-46.41242, -72.61436)

Day 5:

Distance: 8.45km
Time: 3hrs 20mins
Water: Few options early on, we filled up few km before TL meets the MR when there is a fence and a gate blocking the river.

Route:
Easy day , followed option 8 all the way to the gate at the PR on option 4.
Started early as was hoping to hitch a ride to the marble caves at Rio Tranquilo , we managed to and would recommend.

Upon completion of the cave tour we missed the bus to Chile Chico by only about 20 mins, we decided that was a sign to have some rest so we camped at ‘Bellavista: Hospedaje, Camping y Transporte’ 8k CLP p/p, it was fine. Kitchen access, showers etc. Quite busy.

* '''2026-01-17 to 2026-01-22 / 6 Days / Packrafting & Hiking / SOBO then NOBO / Opt 09, 08, RR, Var D, Opt 03 / Michel & Lisa'''

Summary: Another really beautiful section. It's a bit of a battle to get up to the Torres (either long road waking or bush bashing) but it's actually worth it. We took the packraft down Río Murta in very high flow and stashed things in Cruce Murta before venturing up to the Torres. There are definitely mice here as well so we made sure to always hang our food and had zero problems this way. Option 8 is both nice and deserted but also tough, especially for going in. As others have said it might be a better option to get out with lighter packs, due to the bushwhacking and the elevation gain on this route.

Day 1

We took the bus towards Chile Chico from Coyhaique at 8:00 from the bus terminal and got dropped off at River In {33H-09) [0.0/275] at around 12:15. There's an open, small hut that we used for shelter from the setting in rain. You could sleep in there as well. The river water levels were really high due to rain the previous two days and the flow fast - very different from what the satellite images show. Turbid, brown water instead of crystal clear, blueish. We started paddling and enjoyed the really fast flow (10 km/h and more when completely in the flow). At the same time it meant that we couldn't see much of what was going on below the water surface and we scratched over rocks a couple of times. There were hardly any rock islands visible and we floated over places that on satellite images are just rock - there was that much water. At times we were worried that the river could become dangerous in narrow stretches if there were sunken trees but nothing dangerous happened. We made the 36 km to Bridge (33H-04) [0.2/211] in only 3 h 20 min (excluding breaks). We took close by, at Residencial Patagonia [-46.44156, -72.71190] where the high water levels basically allowed us to float into their back yard. We stayed the night (20000 clp pp in a room, 8000 clp for camping) and stored our packraft in the alojamiento for going to the torres.

Day 2

We hitchhiked to Bahía Murta, bought some additional supplies and started hiking Option 8. The path is clear and easy to travel at first. After Ford {33H-08} [11.5/545] (Estero Sur) the trail becomes harder to follow with boggy sections and lots of fallen trees. There's considerable elevation gain up to Water (33H-08} [14.5/946], where you get the first nice views of the valley and start descending again. We continued to Camp (33H-08} [16.1/703] where we found a spot that's just big enough to put a 2 person tent and not exactly flat but good enough. All in all we did 22.3 km that day in 9 h 25 min, thanks to the bushwhacking which wasn't terrible but not exactly pleasant either.

Day 3

We continued from our camp and were positively surprised that the path actually got better after the first ~3-4 km with less fallen trees, a more visible path and less soggy ground. There are many more potential campsites along this section which are not marked in the track files, some of them I noted here:

* S46.376195° W72.537594°
* S46.354586° W72.516934°
* S46.348093° W72.501339° (camp with some tables and a view over an open (boggy) area with mountains in the background - looks like someone is trying to set something more commercial up here)
* S46.352356° W72.489023°

We got to RR at around 14:00 and continued for a while before taking a well deserved lunch break. We chose to follow Variant D which is more direct and leads to the first lagoon. If you're comfortable with hiking over rocks and boulders we would definitely recommend this over RR since the view of the towering mountains you get once you're at the lagoon is amazing (given good weather I suppose). There are no obvious camp spots at the lagoon itself but you can find level, sandy spots in the vicinity of you wanted to stay here. It can probably get pretty windy down here though. We continued to Camp {33H} [61.1/1167] and went for a swim in the second lagoon (yes, the weather was that good, haha - lucky us!) which is about 10 min walking from the camp. We didn't find a perfectly flat spot here but there are a couple options that are actually more than fine. The advantage of picking this site is that you're really sheltered from the wind, thanks to the trees. Water nearby and soft ground (vegetation) are added benefits. Some parts are quite wet so you might have to search around for a moment to find something suitable.

Day 4

We decided to have a relaxed day and just hiked up to the pass to see the actual Torres, which to be honest we found almost a bit underwhelming. Personally I much preferred the view down the valley from our camp and from the first lagoon. But you might get a better view from down in the valley from the lagoons (i.e. after descending from the pass, which we didn't do). Still, the Torres are impressive and it was definitely worth the walk up. From the valley bottom and the pass it looked like one could potentially climb up to one of the passes to the east to get a view down onto option 02 (-46.40615, -72.48187 or -46.40237, -72.48235) but it would be a scramble - we didn't try. Potentially it could even be possible to go down there to join option 02 with some bushwhacking, but that's really a shot into the blue. Maybe someone wants to try. ;)

Day 5

Since there was some bad weather forecast for the coming days we decided to hike out. Going down we decided to try the RR to be able to compare with variant D. RR was also fine but there was some trail finding through the forest required and some boggy sections as well. However, it might still be slightly faster than Variant D. Still, coming up I would highly recommend Variant D so you get the beautiful view from the lagoon. We came all the way to [-46.28395, -72.44366] in 6 h 50 min, where we camped. The spot is close to the road but invisible from there, nice and flat and wind protected. In the evening a pigmy owl came for a visit and sat in the tree next to us really close before it was detected by another bird and flew away - a pretty special encounter. Lots of mouse holes everywhere so we hung our food like always on this section just to be sure.

Day 6

We continued along the road, first nice and shady in the forest and then in the scorching heat of the sun. We saw a pigmy owl in the forest that allowed us to observe it for quite a while and then we even saw it catch some large insect (a firefly maybe?) which felt like another really special moment along the otherwise rather dull road.
We continued walking along the road until we were lucky to get picked up by one of the settlers who was driving to Villa Cerro Castillo with his wife. They were very friendly and explained a lot about their lifestyle living up in the mountain valley all year. They said that the flow of hikers to the Torres has really increased in the past few years and that some people seem to be setting up some gear for climbing up there with clients. They said that they didn't mind hikers coming to visit. :)

* ''' 2026-01-16 to 2026-01-20 / 5 days / Hiking / SOBO 3B, RR, H, K / Daniel.s '''

Not much to add to the previous entries (especially Dave and Siyuan and Emily and Kole)

Day 1 was a roadhike in the rain and cold for me, Camp at 38.5/1020 (-46.26492, -72.41280)

Day 2 started late (noon) due to snow and rain in the morning. Trail in good condition, CC quite wet due to rain. Camped at x with Option 8 (mice in the shelter!)

Day 3 perfect weather day, CC to pass very wet due to previous rain, wet feet again, otherwise straight forward. See D+S recommended exit point after pass. A lot of scrambling over granite blocks. Further down - as E+K mentioned boggy on both sides of the river, from about halfway it's probably better to stay left of the river. Camp at first Ford, like D+S.

Day 4 trail and MR to Puerto Avellano, river crossing where D+S suggested, a braided section, knee deep for me and immediate connection to MR on the other side.

Day 5 trail along the lake is energy consuming, it's 90% loose rock, sand and gravel. MR is steep and dusty in the beginning, great campsite at S 46.40217°, W 071.97845° near water.

* ''' 2025-Dec-13 to 2025-Dec-19 / 7 days / Hiking / SOBO RR, Opt 8 / Massa and Jacicek '''

We did not complete whole trail, but what we saw was really nice. Exit by opt 8 took us 2.5 days. No problems with water or Fords.

Day 1
Hiked from Villa Cerro Castillo to Lago Alto, we had lift for approx 5km.
The Rr from km 1.2 (after you walk off caretera austral) is through nice hills and very pretty, until you reach the minor road.
Camped on a hill alongside Lago Alto at [-46.17655, -72.32639], with a view on Laguna Verde, the spot is not flat and not well wind protected.

Day 2
Hiked through beautiful woods, as noted, camp x is fenced off and there are trespassing sings, however, there is also a ladder over the fence, so no problems there. Walked up to the Ford with Estero Alto and camped approx 200m before the ford km 36 [-46.25544, -72.38370 ] . Several spots with flat spaces there.

Day 3
Forded the Estero Alto river on km 36, ankle deep only. Beautiful section with large meadows. Camped at the end of the meadow alongside the stream on km 51 [-46.33183, -72.48916 ] .

Day 4
This day, we got awful weather, stopped approx 3km before Torres de Avellano. Camped in small spot in the forest, place for one tent, good wind protection [-46.37974, -72.49111 ] .

Day 5
Decided to turn back and head for Bahia Murta using opt 8. Camp at [-46.36514, -72.52866]. Path is recognizable and traversable.

Day 6
Fallen trees in the path, lots of ups and downs. Camped next to a Camp ? [11.6/548]. When we came, there were tents erected there, however nobody was present, we camped near the river, outside of the obvious camp. In the evening a guy came and we asked him if we can camp there and said yes. In the morning a local guide (different guy) came and said that it would be better to camp in the main camp, as there is a toilet, and to give him a heads up beforehand (www.guiasdelavellano.com).

Day 7
The path from Camp ? Is maintained, however parts are muddy.

* '''2025-12-27 to 2026-01-02 / 7 days / Hiking / SOBO / 3B + RR + H / Dave & Siyuan'''

We took 8 days of food with us from Villa Cerro Castillo and hoped we would get lifts at the start and the end. Luckily we did get lifts (32km in total) and spend 7 days on the trail.

Day 1 - 16km - 10:30-17:00
🚌 9.40am bus from Villa Cerro Castillo to start of Option 3B
🥾 Walked 1km, got a lift 🚗 for 6km to the RR, walked on the road for the rest of the day, a couple of gates, one easy ford. The public road ends at a locked gate at -46.26266, -72.35047.
⛺️ Camp at 38.5/1020 (-46.26492, -72.41280) the edge of this large clearing is sheltered from the wind with a stream nearby.

Day 2 - 20km - 09:00-19:00
🥾 Easy road walk and horse trail in the morning, then it gets harder in the forest as the trail isn’t obvious a the time. Many stream crossings and boggy sections but kept feet dry.
⛺️ Camp at 58.8/1020 (-46.39009, -72.49369) one tent spot, away from the wind, as recommended by Emily & Kole - thanks!

Day 3 - 11km - 09:00-20:00
🥾 The pass day. It was raining on and off the whole day and we didn’t get to see all the views. No snow on the way up and walked around one snow patch on the way down. Make sure you follow the RR and head left at the top of the pass (to approx -46.41859, -72.49544) so you descend on the rocky/bouldery patch in between the slippery steep slabs. Once we reached the bottom, we walked on the left bank of the river, 4 km of CC, BB and intermittent animal trails, slow going.
⛺️ Camp at 69.8/634 just before the ford.

Day 4 - 17.5km - 09:00-17:30
🥾 The day of river crossings of Rio Avellano and other side streams. The first main one at camp dropped a little bit overnight. It was up to our crotch deep. Fast current, manageable with careful footing. The second time crossing Rio Avellano, we crossed it here (-46.45641, -72.32730) a braided section. It was at knee deep. The river path probably changes every year as where we crossed didn’t look like what’s on satellite images.
⛺️ Camped at 87.4/454 (-46.46164, -72.24432) one tent tent, partially wind protected. It was 200m after a ford.

Day 5 - 15km 10:00-14:00 and 19:00-20.30
🥾 Easy walking on minor road towards the lake. Very windy and dusty. Spent a few hours at the disused port building at Puerto Avellano to shelter from the afternoon wind. Walked the last few kms after dinner.
⛺️ Campo Chico 102.4/212 (-46.48727, -72.10030) near the lake.

Day 6 - 14km - 08.15-16.15
🥾 A dusty day walking up and down hills along the shore through thorny bushes. Crossing a stream or creek every hour or two. Windy.
⛺️ Campsite 116.3/239 was full of thorns, except one tent spot near a boggy area (-46.42128, -71.98175).

Day 7 - 14km - 09:00-14.00 + hitchhiking
🥾 Walked along the shore then up on a dusty road. 14km to the road intersection between Puerto Ibanez and Levican. We found only two water sources between the lake and the road - both small streams: (-46.40371, -71.97566), and (-46.38677, -71.97407). Both might be dry in drought.
🚗 We waited at a bus stop shelter for 1.5h before the first car passed and picked us up. 🚌 We took a bus back to Coyhaique at night from Puerto Ibanez instead of staying there due to perfect bus timing and cheaper and wider resupply options in Coyhaique.

*'''2025-12-27 to 2026-01-02/ 7 days/ Hiking/ NOBO/ RR, Option 8, RR, Variant D/RR/ Option 3B/ Option 3/ Greg Carter, Tomas Martinec'''

Overall
The Torres de Avellano are spectacular, and it’s well worth the effort to access them.

Attraction: 5
Difficulty: 4

Important note: at Puesto Aguero (Day 1) we encountered an official looking sign requiring registration and payment of CLP 6,000 per person/ night, for Torres del Avellano. However Andre Aguero did not seek to enforce this. In the future this may be enforced regardless of the entry point into the area of the Torres.

Day 1
We got the 7am bus (CLP 10,500) from Cochrane which dropped us off at Cruce Murta at around 11am. From there we walked 3km to the trailhead of Option 8, where a new gate must be climbed.

The trail is steep and when it enters the forest there is a lot of fallen trees and branches, however most have been cleared up to a puesto which has been built at Camp? {33H-08} [11.6, 548]. This puesto is owned by a friendly guide (Andres Aguero), who takes clients on a private trail up to the Torres de Avellano from the puesto, on a 20km round trip. Andres has built a bridge over the Estero Sur, at [11.5, 545], so no ford is necessary there. We camped at the puesto for no cost. My tent had a hole in the morning, as did a number of food bags: hang your food here and all other camps!

Day 2
After the puesto the trail is not used or maintained, and it is very slow going with many fallen trees and branches. We left at 7am, pushed hard with a few quick breaks, and arrived at the intersection with the RR at 2:40pm, a distance of approximately 12km ie less than 2km/h.

There is another abandoned puesto at -46.36573, -72.52865, at approximately 19km.

It was not necessary to ford the Rio Resbalin at [15.6] or [15.8], we stayed on the southern side of the river.

At the RR intersection there is good camping at -46.34573, -72.49709, alongside a stream, near a corral. The nearby puesto was not occupied.

It was nice to meet David Brophy and Siyuan Hong passing through.

That afternoon, knowing that the next 2 days would be rainy, we did a quick return hike up the RR, to see the Torres in perfect visibility.

There is an established sheltered camp on the RR at -46.36762, -72.48672.

Day 3
Zero rest day, as it rained all day.

Day 4
With sunny weather forecast for the following day, we again hiked in light rain up the RR towards the Torres and camped at -46.39020, -72.49375, where there is space for a 2 man and 1 man tent. We could not find the camp others have mentioned at -46.39161, -72.49438.

Note: At about 58km it is easier to go up the slope to follow the cairns around the tree line, rather than follow the GPT eg cairns at -46.38167, -72.49209 and -46.38199, -72.49218.

Day 5
This day was perfect weather from beginning to end. Blue sky and little to no wind. The views of the Torres and the 2 lagunas were amazing, as are the views from the pass. The pass has no snow but there are a few patches of snow on the southern side of the pass, which are easy to avoid or walk across. We tried to get down to the 3rd laguna but went too far right and got stopped by steep slippery rock.

In the afternoon we returned to the previous camp at the RR intersection (-46.34573, -72.49709).

Day 6
We hiked out NOBO along the RR and camped beside a river, near the bridge over the river to the Settler [29.4/537], who wasn’t home. There are nice views on the hike out of snow-capped mountains.

Day 7
Hiked out on Option 3B, and hitched within minutes on Option 3 into Villa Cerro Castillo. There is plenty of tourist traffic on the Carretera Austral.

* ''' 2025-12-14 to 2025-12-15/ 2 days/ Hiking/ NOBO/ Option 1/Tomas Martinec'''

This was my first test with a multiday hike outside the main tourist routes like Torres del Paine and El Chalte. It also served as practical way to get from Chile Chico to Villa Cerro Castillo where I planned to continue with the Cerro Castillo trek.

The hike took me 2 days (about half of day of walking each day).

Challenges:
Lack of drinkable water at the plateau
Difficulty finding a suitable camping spot in the middle section

Day 1
I took the ferry from Chile Chico to Puerto Ibanez Ingeniero (very cheap, around 2500 CLP) and started hike around midday. The first day follows an old gravel road. Cars passed ocasionally and several drivers even offered me the lift.

The route offers some nice scenery, including a wattergall near the beginning and open landscapes in the higher sections.

Finding a place to camp was difficult to me. The Camp {33H-01} [12.5/666] is on private land and in the morning I saw many cows around. In the end, I slept near Settler {33H-01} [13.7/636].

I recommend carrying water from the lower parts of the route. In the upper section there are lagoons, but the water is stagnant. Personally, I wasn't comfortable drinking it, even with water filter.

Day 2
This day follows a proper trail, passing lakes, forests, and open terrain. The views are beautiful- both of surrounding mountains and down into the valley- and I enjoyed this section a lot.

The last 3 kms before entering to Villa Cerro Castillo are on an asphalt road, which is not very enjoyable.

'''2025-Dec-13 to 2025-Dec-18 / 6 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR, Var D, Var H, Var J, Opt 11, Opt 11G / Emily & Kole'''

Camps (all spots had space for two tents, relatively sheltered, and water nearby):

Day 1: -46.25533, -72.38371

Day 2: -46.39009, -72.49369

Day 3: -46.42604, -72.49970

Day 4: Refuge [98.4+0.2/211] (Puerto Avellano)

Day 5: -46.37248, -71.87165

Attractiveness - 5/5

Difficulty - 4/5

* Joined by Ohad for the roadwalk from Villa Cerro Castillo - thanks for the company! Hope you found your stove. Beautiful views of Cerro Castillo, Laguna Verde and Lago Alto. The camp at 32.0/700 is on private property, so we continued on to a flat spot on the river around 35km. There appeared to be good flat spots in the forest to the left of trail around 1km before 32.0.
* Timed our arrival to the Torres for a clear day. Took the ascent and descent (58.5km to 63.4) of the main pass slowly as it was covered in snow between knee to hip-height. Where possible we scrambled on the uncovered boulders to avoid post-holing. Took significant time. Variant D along the glacial lakes was nice, although it may require a bit more scrambling than RR. We met GPT hikers Bailey and Ed going NOBO on our ascent to the pass - a big thank you for the footsteps!
* The view of the Torres from the main Pass [61.9/1314] was great but the best viewpoint for us was from the lake by the Camp [63.4/995].
* After 64km, Kole followed game trail to the right of the river and Em to the left. Both options were boggy, with intermittent trail and lots of blowdowns. Wet feet. Slow going, but not too difficult. Trail was clear and easy to follow after 68.5km. Ran into settler Julio driving cattle shortly thereafter.
* We forded Rio Avellano 100m downstream of 81.2/490, at 46.45791, -72.31714. Very strong current, upper-thigh height, had to cross slowly, but manageable with careful footing.
* Slept on the floor of the refugio in Puerto Avellano. A table, some chairs, and wood burning stove inside. Didn’t notice any pests. There are a few spots for tents behind in the trees, but very wind exposed. Met the settler that lives nearby the following day.
* From the junction with the road [130.4/311] we took Option 11 into Levican and camped behind some bushes with good wind protection. We didn’t find any good spots on 11G, with the north shore being very windy. Started the road walk to Puerto Ibanez on the final day, but luckily got a hitch 3km out of Levican (around 8am), we rode with them all the way to Coyhaique (he turned out to be Julio’s brother).

'''GPT33 / 2025 Dec 12-16 / NOBO / RR / 5 days/ hiking // Bailey & Ed'''

General notes - another incredibly beautiful section. Had to take a few slow days approaching the pass because of high winds and snow.

Challenges - crossing snow boulder fields at the pass

Costs - paid 70,000 CLP for two people to be dropped off just before bridge [129.3/304], saving about 27 km of road walking. +56982463160

Difficulty - 4/5

Attractiveness - 5/5

Day 1

Caught the ferry from Chile chico, took about three hours leaving at 8 am. We went to the tourist office to ask about a taxi. Mostly on minor roads to camp

Camp 1

Nice campground, wind sheltered with water [116.3/239]

Day 2

Pretty good trail, connects to a minor road. Fords okay

Camp 2

Another nice campground, wind sheltered with water [82.8/479]

Day 3.

Short day mostly on a minor road. Fords okay

Camp 3

Camped next to ford [69.8/634] because the next campsite was noted without water. This campsite was nice, wind sheltered with water. We met Julio returning back after a days work. A lot of deadfall here though

Day 4

Started with walking in the river bed. The snow line started at the campground next to the lake. Previous trip report was useful mentioning stay right of the waterfall on the ascent to the pass. We tried staying in the forest and off the boulder field as long as we could. The snow was waist deep and very soft in areas. Mostly used rocks after the forest to ascend. On the descent we met col from salt lake city also hiking the GPT this season.

Camp 4

Camped at [32.0/700], a lot of cow poo around, but sheltered. Water across the fence

Day 5

Walked down the road to hitch. There's a bus shelter here to sit in and wait, protected from the wind. Waited an hour

==Season 2024/25==

'''2025-Mar-19 to 2025-Mar-23/ 5 days/ Hiking/ NOBO OH 8, RR, OH 3B/ Timothée and Maëlle'''
We started in bahia Murta by option 8 to reach RR. Then we simply went to the lake 63.4 ( viewpoint) SOBO, and then back to Villa Cerro Castillo NOBO. We had light rain on the 2 first days and then sun, but with really cold nights. We have good equipment ( sleeping bags -5, big down jackets...) but without it that section would have not been enjoyable.

Camps:
Camp1: 8.1 : Nice one, some wind protected spots, not perfectly flat, water nearby.

Camp2: 52.7: several possibilities, we slept 300 m ( on OH8) before the waypoint, near wood tables, in the forest so a bit sheltered.

Camp3: S 46° 24.552', W 072° 29.933' below the camp 61.2: we slept on the river sediments: dry but not sheltered. We had absolutely no wind but that was really cold( we think about -5°): we re late in the season and it s high.

Camp4: S 46° 15.319', W 072° 23.019'
There are several other possibilities before this point on the MR. Not really after. Nice spot, quit sheltered, with the river next to it.

Day1:
We were coming from Puerto Rio Tranquillo by hitchhiking, and started from Bahia Murta around 1pm under light rain. We hiked only 8km.

Day2: We reached the RR from our first camp.
Overall, OH 8 was quite exhausting. The trail is maintained, probably by local guides: we found a lot of prints of chainsaws, machettes... but there is a lot of elevation gain ( ups and downs) and there are still a lot of trunks that you need to pass over, around... It was also usually muddy. At least we got a good impression of the rainforest! On OH 8 the trail does not always follow the GPS track really closely, probably because of the constant falling trees and that the trail was recently maintained.

Day3: For day 3 and 4 we decided to stay on RR to enjoy the torres a bit longer. We went to the pass with the viewpoint, and then down to the lack 63.4 with light backpack. We found that going to the lack and then back worthed it as the view feels quite different from the lack. The descent is not so technical, but indeed you need to follow the track, or even a bit more to the left( downward) to avoid the granit slabs.

Day 4: We went back to camp 52.7 and continued on the trail and the MR until camp 4. From camp 3 (61km) to camp 52.7 the trail can be lost, especially in the forest. After that it is quite easy and fast.
Day5: We went down the MR and then took option 3B. After 2 km on that option we caught a lift to cerro castillo. ( so a half day)

In total we hiked for a duration of 4 days spread on 5 days. ( 2 half days in both ends)

Right of way issues:
A guide in Bahia murta told us that we might be asked to pay if we meet the owner of puestos on OH 8 or when arriving in Villa Cerro Castillo.
We met no one on OH8 but we met the settler at 29.4 who was very friendly and never mentionned anything about paying.

For day 3 and 4 we thought about doing à loop woth OH2. We were coming from the south of GPT, and since GPT40, Rio avellano is the first big river with strong current to ford that we met. After heavy rain this option is probably a bit tricky. That is also why we stayed on RR.

'''2025-MAR-13 to 2025-MAR-16 / 3.5 days / Hiking / NOBO / OH (8, partially, then followed the east bank of Estero Sur SOBO up to southwest side of Torres de Avellano) / Joppe O'''

- 13/3: Started around 2:30PM after hitching a ride from Villa Cerro Castillo to Bahia Murta. Walked up to the mentioned camp site 33h/462. The obvious esplanade doesn’t really have a very flat spot, if you go down one ‘level’ there is a truly horizontal spot and it’s a bit more away from the trail.

- 14/3: hiked up to the ford over Rio Estero Sur. The section after the last gate up to the ford is muddy. Met three British students who came back from the Torres. The ford is easy, there is a tree log over the water and a steel cable to help you negotiate it. Lunched at Puesto/Camp at 11.6/548. Then commenced the BB section of option 8 along Resbalin. I made it about 1km into it before giving up. I did not bring a machete but even if I had I would not have pushed through it. It was impossible to make out a trail at this point and because I carried too much stuff it was too arduous and not fun, so I went back to the puesto and read a book in the sun.

- 15/3: I decided to check if I could find the trail up the Estero Sur that the British group told me of. The trail is marked with blue ribbons, pink ribbons, red paint dots, machete cuts on the trees and with cairns (hitos) so it takes some getting used to to follow it. Got lost a couple of times on the way in. There are some trees to climb over but it’s a fun hike. The last section is very steep and partially equipped with ropes to hold on to. Nonetheless would not recommend this section in rain because it would be tricky with the mud etc. Very nice trail though with really pretty forest vegetation and views on the waterfalls coming from the lakes beneath the Torres and the surrounding mountains. Made it to the lower lake around 5PM and camped right next to it at the little ¨beach¨ enjoying the warmth of a small fire made of dead wood. The spot has views of the glacier and you can hear the ice break off now and then. Very cool.

- 16/3 Woke up to rain. Went back the way I came at 10AM, the first part down through the forest is steep and requires full focus. Trail was muddier than the day before after the rain but doable. At the puesto I met Martin Aguëro, the owner, who was there for the first time in almost a year. He told me that his grandson is a guide and is the one who marked the trail and put up the ropes with the intention of taking people there. After lunch I continued the return to Bahia Murta and arrived around 8:40PM. I stayed at the cabaña next to Virginia´s house across from the aerodromo, there are more options down the road but her house is the first one that you come past on the left hand side of the road. (I think there is also a camp ground if you want to save money but at this point I was ready for a night in a proper bed :D).

Other notes:

Both Antonio Quiroz and Martin Aguëro confirmed that the BB section after the puesto along Resbalin is in disuse. They said it was opened/used by the army some decades ago and was indeed used to bring cattle to the Avellano valley, as the manual on Section 33 states.

the next day I got a ride to the bus stop from Antonio Quiroz who is a cattle farmer. He told me that another way to get to the Estero Sur and above it is to take the high route above the tree line right from the mouth of the Resbalin Valley.

For water I had 2x1.5l Nalgenes with me but I just carried a cup on my belt and took a few every time I crossed a stream, carrying .5l just in case to limit weight.

'''2025-02-28 to 2025-03-4 / 5 days / Hiking / SOBO / Option 3, 3B, RR, E, H, I, partial 06, K / Tyson'''

Really beautiful section bookended by some unfortunate roadwalking. The roadwalk up and down to Puerto Ibanez was especially rough with nasty wind and rain ripping down the valley almost the whole way. But the views in the middle of the section made up for it. Pretty magical up top.

Day 1: [Option 3, 3B, RR] Caught the bus at Cafe Arbolitos in Villa Cerro Castillo. 2x buses (Sao Paulo and Bus Carolina?) show up anywhere from 9:30 - 11AM depending when they leave Coyhaique and road conditions etc). Sat up front with the driver for 2.5K pesos. Started walking the 3B road by 1045. There are a couple of bridges that you cross on the initial MR sections that are probably the easiest places to get water if you need it. Saw two climbers hiking back from the Torres who gave me some info on how best to descend the pass [62.0/1314] at the Torres. Beautiful walk up the valley to the first pass [44.4/1149], and after the pass in the CC section, especially in the evening light. Expect wet feet on the CC section. At [53.0/946] there are 2x puestos. After asking at the second, I set up my tent near the first puesto in time for another arriero to arrive and occupy the first. I asked again if my tent was ok there and he happily said no problema.

Day 2: [RR] To the Torres. Initial CC section took a little longer than expected with blowdown. I caught a little sun, and had probably 80% visibility of the Torres. Hung around the lakes there a bit, then went up the pass [62.0/1314] when it started raining in earnest. NOTE: On the way down the pass, once you are past the boulders, it is best to err on the side of staying too far left. It’s tempting to start crossing on the contour when you see a long ledge beneath you after the rock bald. I got cliffed out there and had to turn back. In better weather you might could scramble down but the GPX track is much better in wet and slippery conditions. In better weather I would have done a short day and stayed at the lakeside camp [63.4/995] (called the English camp by the climbers I met the day before?), but I decided to move on. Initially on the descent down Valle Ventisquero I followed some very nice game trail but it soon dissolved into a wet bushwhack. Thought for sure I would catch sight of a huemul with all the footprints that I was seeing, but nothing. Slept at the Camp Without Water [68.7/766]. It’s a corral that offers a nice opening with enough flat space for one tent, and plenty more not so flat space. Water is accessible down the hill. However, I recommend not stopping here and hiking another half hour to the Ford [69.8/634]. There is tons of flat space there, easy water, and you can check out the condition of the Ford.

Day 3: [RR, Option E] Down Lower Rio Avellano. Water was up with all the rain, but mostly just ~knee-high fords. I took Option E by accident but it was pleasant and very easy to follow. The Ford at [81.2/490] was too deep and fast to manage so I hiked upstream not quite a km where the river branched and found a spot that was about upper-thigh high. Stuck to Option H on the north side of the river to avoid additional fords. I took the cut-through Option I to get off the road a bit and noticed some nice flat gravel spots for camping that were free of prickly bushes. Hoping to take the Option 06 high route the next day, I pushed on past the Ford [89.5/545] but couldn’t find any open spots on the first bit of that option. So I went back to the gravel spots that I saw in Option I and camped there. NOTE as I found out the next day if you continue further up Option 06 to where you start seeing more mature tree stands you can find camp spots (without water) where cows bed down.

Day 4: [Option 06 partial, RR] Tempted by a bit of sun in the morning, I started climbing Option 06. Within an hour though it started raining and blowing, and after climbing halfway to the pass it turned to snow. Reluctantly I turned back but was immediately rewarded by a great big male huemul staring at me from about 10m away! Happily descended and started down the lower RR. After the Bridge [108.1/462] there is an old fallen down puesto [-46.457555, -72.044263] that shows up on OSM and satellite. Decent flat spot there, with water down the hill not too far away; camped there.

Day 5: [RR, Option K] Wind started up again. Got to X [130.4/311] in the afternoon and decided to push through to Puerto Ibanez. Spent the next few hours on a hellish road walk leaning into the wind and rain with not a single car going my way until I was almost to the Rio Claro bridge [147.7/211]. Was thrilled to get a hitch down to Puerto the rest of the way. Though the waterfall at Rio Ibanez is very cool, I think anyone who can figure out a ferry from Playa Levican to Chile Chico would be doing a great service to future hikers. I would gladly have paid to have skipped that bit of road on a day like that.

*'''2025-FEB-28 to 2025-MAR-01 / 1 day / Hiking / SOBO / RR+OH (var. A, 01A, 01) / Ivan, Jakub, Daniel'''

We chose variants A, 01A and 01, so it was easy section which leads mainly on a paved road. There is a nice view of Cerro Castillo on the beginning and a waterfall of Rio Ibáñez [148.4/212] was also worth it.

From the point X [1.3/328] to the point X [5.5/554] we ascent on the minor road. The rest of this section is on the paved road.

CHALLENGES: Monotonous walk on the paved road.

BIVOUACING: There is a fence along the road most of the time, but it's possible to find some quiet places on the pastures. We spent the only night here:

WATER: Water from the nearby lakes, eventually from Rio Ibáñez. There are almost no small streams close to the road.

RESUPPLY: There is a well stocked store in the center of Villa Cerro Castillo, called 'Janito'. Close to there is a stylish foodtruck made of two old buses. There are more opportunities in Puerto Ingeniero Ibáñez (at least 2 stores and even more restaurants).

'''2025-02-19 to 2025-02-23 / 5 days / Hiking / SOBO / option 3B, RR, variant C,H, / Thijmen Scholten'''</span

* I started hitchiking from Cerro Castillo, but barely any cars passed and Around 10.00 de bus came
* Took option 3 and first day is only road walking , the first part untill the last settler (30.8) is really really really boring ! Hitching did not work. You can get a taxi from Cero de Castillo's it will cost 70.000 pesos.
* Water: On option 3 and the road walks of the RR there is not much water. For the rest water is no problem
* Camping : Many camp places everywhere.
* Option C the Laguna is nice
* I camped at crosspoint to the Laguna (option C), nice place but many dead trees and branches so lookout where you put your tent when it's windy
* Around km 49 I followed the Osmo trail trough the forest instead of the presumely swampy grassland trail (it rained all night)
* It rained all day and also next day so I opted to take option 8 instead. But I am very glad I did continue on the RR because the view on the other side of the pass is beautiful!
* Scrambling down from the pass was ok even in the rain. Just be sure to follow the gpx carefully ! Otherwise you will end up at a ledge
* The camp site at the lake is very wind exposed my tent blew away. Decided to pack it again and camp down in the beautiful forest.
* As for the bushbash part. I followed the right side of the river (looking downstream). There was a trail which I lost often but easy to walk. Even saw campfire traces so probably it's used more often. I don't know if it's easier than the right side. But the BB/CC part took me less than 2 hours this side.
* The first official fjord (69.8) was already above my waist and very difficult (crossed it diagonal as supposed). It rained all night so probably the river is not only affected by glacial melt but also by rain alot.
* Talked to Roberto (he lives around km 80) and he confirmed the river was high due to the rain. He adviced me to cross at his house where the river has 3 arms. I did that and the crossing was just doable the water was untill my waist.
* Roberto also offered me to cross with his horse if it was impossible on foot.
* Took variant H to avoid crossing 2 more times
* The road walk has not alot of nice camping places. Found 1 grassy patch with water around 5km before the lake.
* When the hiking trail next to the lake starts , just go straight to the beach otherwise you have to bushbash.
* The trail next to the lake is sometimes covered by vegetation I break some branches to make a way. Is everyone does this (or with Macheti) the trail will stay walkable (look out for thorns).
* There is internet (Entel) from around halfway the trail.
* I Camped at the end of the trail (km 117.6) close to the lake, there is little stream there as well.
* Road walk to Ibanez is very very very boring as well.
* At water source 135.3 the creek is very small but there is a black hose laying around at the left side of the road which you can use to fill your bottle.
* After 3 hours the first car passed and I got a hitch to town.

'''25-02-19-25-02-23 / 4 days (interrupted)/ SOBO / OH 03B-RR/ Volker'''
Patagonia at its best (and its worst)

Day 0: After gpt32 and resupply in Villa Cerro Castillo too many people hitchhiking on the Carreterra, so I called Pedro Zuleta (+56 993 5786), who drove me for 20k to the start of 03B in the late afternoon. Walked until the pass at S 46.198129° W 72.357921° and camped there (nice place, but very windy).
Day 1: Light rain all the day long. Because of the weather I decided not to take the mountain route (OH07) and continued on the RR (though technically a MR, blocked for cars by fallen trees) and feels like a trail), one non-indicated (very easy) ford. With the rain getting heavier and only few feasible camp spots along the way, early camp at S 46.280118° W 72.435213°. Heavy rain all the night long.
Day 2: The day started with a non-indicated ford 50m behind my camp spot. All further river crossings (including the indicated ford at 52,0: dry feet, broken trees serving as a bridge). Weather better than forecasted, the light rain ceased during the morning and by noon the sun came out. Instead of following the track file and crossing the swampy meadow CC, I stayed on the left side, where a trail leads along the edge of the forest (not without stepping out on the meadow for the scenic view on Cerro los Pumas, which now came out of the clouds). A river bank at the end of the meadow allowed me to dry my tent and cook the warm meal I had skipped the evening before. After the puesto steep down and on the RR very nice along the river. After the steep ascent to the upper valley, though indicated as CC, the trail continues, partly along the river, partly more to the right, avoiding swamps. In the rocky parts, it‘s marked with cairns. My plan was to reach the indicated camp at 63,4, however a storm with hurricane-like blasts made the scrambling across rocks and broken trees very dangerous. Even in easy terrain I could hardly stand it. With a suicidal ford (one blast during the fording: game over) and 2km through wind-exposed rocky terrain ahead I found a flat spot in a wood at S 46.391614° W 72.494383°. Impossible to raise a tent without the protection of the dense wood! And it has to be a wood with young trees (many branches and even some trunks broke that night in forests with older and higher trees). Take this into account, when thinking about OH07 (and read the comments by Alexey, who opened up this route).
Day 3: Though the storm had subsided and the ford was doable, given the overall situation (3km of BB/CC, several fords, bad weather, possibly another storm in the afternoon and 90km ahead with a shortage of food, if slowed down too much by the conditions) I decided to walk back. Rain made the trail very swampy and slippery, 3 creeks, that I crossed dry feet the day before, now to be forded. Camped at the same spot as the day before.
Day 4: Rain the whole night long, not ceasing in the morning. I was very lucky: just arrived at the settler, where the MR gets passable for cars, when the same driver, who drove me to the start of 03B 4 days before, dropped 3 Chileans there (he had offered to drive me there for 70k) and gave me a free ride back to Villa CC.

* '''2025-02-19 to 2025-02-23 / 4,5 days / Hiking / SOBO / option 3B, RR, variant C,H, / Thijmen Scholten'''</span

* I started hitchiking from Cerro Castillo, but barely any cars passed and Around 10.00 de bus came
* Took option 3 and first day is only road walking , the first part untill the last settler (30.8) is really really really boring ! Hitching did not work. You can get a taxi from Cero de Castillo's it will cost 70.000 pesos.
* Water: On option 3 and the road walks of the RR there is not much water. For the rest water is no problem
* Camping : Many camp places everywhere.
* Option C the Laguna is nice
* I camped at crosspoint to the Laguna (option C), nice place but many dead trees and branches so lookout where you put your tent when it's windy
* Around km 49 I followed the Osmo trail trough the forest instead of the presumely swampy grassland trail (it rained all night)
* It rained all day and also next day so I opted to take option 8 instead. But I am very glad I did continue on the RR because the view on the other side of the pass is beautiful!
* Scrambling down from the pass was ok even in the rain. Just be sure to follow the gpx carefully ! Otherwise you will end up at a ledge
* The camp site at the lake is very wind exposed my tent blew away. Decided to pack it again and camp down in the beautiful forest.
* As for the bushbash part. I followed the right side of the river (looking downstream). There was a trail which I lost often but easy to walk. Even saw campfire traces so probably it's used more often. I don't know if it's easier than the right side. But the BB/CC part took me less than 2 hours this side.
* The first official fjord (69.8) was already above my waist and very difficult (crossed it diagonal as supposed). It rained all night so probably the river is not only affected by glacial melt but also by rain alot.
* Talked to Roberto (he lives around km 80) and he confirmed the river was high due to the rain. He adviced me to cross at his house where the river has 3 arms. I did that and the crossing was just doable the water was untill my waist.
* Roberto also offered me to cross with his horse if it was impossible on foot.
* Took variant H to avoid crossing 2 more times
* The road walk has not alot of nice camping places. Found 1 grassy patch with water around 5km before the lake.
* When the hiking trail next to the lake starts , just go straight to the beach otherwise you have to bushbash.
* The trail next to the lake is sometimes covered by vegetation I break some branches to make a way. Is everyone does this (or with Macheti) the trail will stay walkable (look out for thorns).
* There is internet (Entel) from around halfway the trail.
* I Camped at the end of the trail (km 117.6) close to the lake, there is little stream there as well.
* Road walk to Ibanez is very very very boring as well.
* At water source 135.3 the creek is very small but there is a black hose laying around at the left side of the road which you can use to fill your bottle.
* After 3 hours the first car passed and I got a hitch to town.

* ''' 2025-FEV-15 > 19 / 4 jours / Randonnée / SOBO / RR > 33-B > RR > 33-D > RR > 33-H > RR / Pierre-Marie '''

Etape : <strike>GPT31</strike>+GPT32+GPT33
| Meteo : soleil nuages et vent
| Eau : difficile au début
| Neige : non
| Intérêt : 5/5
| Difficulté : 4/5
| Danger : Rivière, éboulis

J'ai fais quelques courses et j'ai mangé au restaurant à Villa Cerro Castillo. Ensuite j'ai repris la randonnée. Attention l'eau est difficilement accessible car les lacs sont clôturés et en contrebas de la route. Sur la gravel road j'ai réussi à faire 4 km d'auto-stop. J'ai mal préparé ma randonnée et j'ai raté la 33-A. Mais je n'avais pas encore dépassé la 33-B alors je l'ai prise. Il y a un petit ruisseau devant le settler du km 0,7. Je n'ai pas pu faire de stop sur la gravel road car je n'ai vu aucun vehicule. Il y a un ford au km 36 quand le sentier traverse la rivière. Au km 52 un arbre permet de passer la rivière. Je suis passé par la 33-D pour aller voir les lacs. Je suis content d'avoir eu du soleil car la descente après le km 62 est vraiment raide sur des pierres lisse et des éboulis. Il n'y a pas de bush-bashing sur cette section du GPT. La descente après le lac se fait bien puis on entre dans un bois ou il n'y a pas de végétation au sol. Ensuite il faut suivre la rivière en marchand dans l'eau jusqu'au km 68,5 où la rivière se transforme en rapide et on trouve un sentier dans le sous-bois. Il faudrait trouver une autre couleur pour les sections de randonnées où on marche dans l'eau. Les fords des km 71,8, 73,5, 78,3 et 89,5 se font sans mettre les pieds dans l'eau. Le chemin est innondé au km 75,5, difficile à éviter car il est entouré de marais. Le ford du km 81,2 était dangereux car le courant était très fort même avec 60cm d'eau. Au km 98,5 il faut aller directement sur la plage. Le chemin le long du lac est parfois envahi par la végétation surtout dans les zones humide. A partir du km 130 c'est la gravel road peu frequentée X-735. J'ai eu du mal à faire de l'auto-stop mais j'ai reussi à faire les 15 derniers km avec un camion. Je n'ai pas pu m'arrêter à la cataracte du km 148,4, c'est mon seul regret car le vent était si violent que j'avais du mal à avancer.
FEV-20: Repos Coyhaique.

''' 2025-FEB-7 to 2025-FEB-15 / 8 hiking days / Hiking / SOBO / option 03B, RR, option 02 / Nimrod & Tamar '''

Good camps for bad weather (more info below): (-46.172528, -72.273827) Hut near km 52. puesto?[4.8/745] (-46.48726, -72.10065)

We think that its worth mentioning that if the weather is bad and you choose option 02 you should expect hard fords and having hard time following the trail until connecting back to RR.

Day 1:

Hitchhiked from Coyhaique - 3 rides 5 hours. Started walking at 17:00, camped at (-46.116414, -72216049). It was a little wind protected.

Day 02:

Rain all night and all day. Got a lift for 5 km by 2 chilean hikers that went to the Torres and back. Camped at: (-46.172528, -72.273827). Rain and wind all night and the camp location was well protected.

Day 03:

Finally sun came out, so we dried our gear. Camped at km 62. Great view and wind protection. The weather became bad again.

Day 04:

Started hailing in the morning and it should have became worse along the day. We climbed to the pass early in the morning. Got a glimpse of the Torres and made our way to camp at km 52. Near the camp there is an abandoned small hut where we stayed until the next day. The hut is well protected from rain and wind, and you can even make a fire inside.

Day 05:

Our Inreach forecast lied us (again...) and the rain didn't stop until evening. Took option 2 - Rio Avalleno. The river was swollen because of the rain and the fords were quite difficult for us. The trail was gone under the water in a lot of parts, and in some parts it was just CC. Track files was irrelevant in many parts. Camped at puesto?[4.8/745]. Like described before - it's actually a wooden built wall which protects from the wind. The wind was crazy and it gave us great wind protection to pitch our tent and to enjoy a fire.

Day 06:

Finally a nice day. Untill we connected to the RR the trail was in bad condition, and again the track files not very helpful. You can skip 2 fords at km 9 if you stick to the nice and visible trail on the east side.

Maria and Julio not at home. Camped at (-46.276123, -72.204873) There was some wind protection and no water.

Day 07:

At (-46.275422, -72.198820) we met Ricardo (we are not sure if he is a settler or a woreke), which kindly suggested to help us cross the Avellano on his horse back. The river was quite swollen from the rain but it's hard for us to say if it was crossable by foot. Camped at (-46.48726, -72.10065) by the small lake. The wind was strong and the campsite was well protected by the big rocks. We filtered water from the small lake/swamp. It might be flooded earlier in the season though.

Day 08:

Walked all the way to X[130.4/311] and camped near the junction. Not wind protected but the weather was good. There were a lot of water at variant N.

Woke up late and took the bus at 9:00. About one hour ride, 1000 clp. Times like MiaimZelt has written.

'''2025-Feb-02 to 2025-Jan-05 / 4 days / Hiking / SOBO / Hiking / Opt 3B, RR, Opt 8 / Tom'''

Day 1 - Rainy: I hitchhiked from Villa Castillo to the junction at the beginning of 3B. Great views, but if you can afford to pay for transportation to the end of the road, it's worth it. I camped at -46.2647991, -72.41223312025. Due to the rain, there were several streams, and some areas offered wind protection.

Day 2 - Rainy: A simple day, just following the route. Be mindful of the exit point from the road—I was focused on the rain and missed it. The Mallín (wetland) can be challenging at times, but nothing too difficult.

I arrived at Camp 57.2, where four students had waited for a day, hoping for clear skies.

Day 3 - Sunny: I started early, around 6:45 AM. It took about 2.5 hours to reach the viewpoint. Around -46.3870597, -72.4916724, there's a more recent landslide. Nothing too difficult, just loose rocks and fallen trees. Another 2.5 hours to return. On the same day, I started Opt 8 at 1 PM. This section took me 6.5 hours. It's a cattle trail, poorly marked—you really need to follow the GPS carefully, as there are many paths that lead nowhere. I recommend checking the contour lines since there is significant elevation gain. I arrived at Camp ? 11.6, which is Puesto Aguero—it appears to be in use, with sleeping bags and food inside. The camping area isn't ideal, as the ground retains a lot of moisture.

Day 4 - Rain/Sunny: I started at 2 PM when the rain stopped. The river was quite high, so unlike Michael and Kasia, I used the "punte" (a makeshift crossing). It's a fairly slender tree, but there's a rope to help with balance. I had no issues, but if the river were lower, I would have crossed directly through the water. At the beginning, the route is quite muddy but clear. The first half can be a bit more challenging at times, but the trail is well-marked towards the end. It took 4.5 hours to reach Bahía Muerta.

General Notes: From Route 7 to the Torres viewpoint, it's quite straightforward and well-marked. The difficult section is between Camp 57.2 and Camp ? 11.6. I know there's a route from Camp ? 11.6 to another viewpoint of the Torres, which is not included in current GPS tracks. It seems to be a trail that guides from Avellano Bahía Muerta are currently working on.

* '''2025 Jan / 4,5 days / SOBO / hiking/ opt. 3B, RR, opt. E / Al & Bee'''

It’s a beautiful route but it also consists of a considerable amount of road walking. The terrain before and after the Torres and some of the river crossings can be challenging depending on the conditions. This GPS track by Alex Chile on wikiloc was very helpful.

Day 01
We hitched a ride in the late afternoon from Villa Cerro Castillo along the Carretera Austral to the crossing with Camino Lago Lapparent (X at 18.6). From there on it’s a long way of gravel road walking. For camping we would not recommend the camp at 32.0 because it’s located on a fenced-off part of the trail. We camped in proximity to a small river at approximately (-46.25806, -72.38893).

Day 02
Late start, waiting out the rain in the morning. More road walking through the forest until X at 45.5. Then following a path through the forest on to an open valley with some cows. Some parts were boggy, at times it was easier to walk on the left side close to the forest. Some easy fording. Camp at 52.7 looked nice, lots of dead trees in that area. Route along river became more challenging at some point after X at 54.5 but it also started raining quite heavily then. Boulder fields to cross carefully, rocks were slippery in the rain. Behind the first boulder field, a stretch of (former) forest previously devastated by a storm, almost all trees uprooted. Reached the two lagoons as it was getting dark and camped at a beautiful spot close to camp at 61.2.

Day 03
The next morning peaks of the Torres were (still) covered in clouds, yet a beautiful sight. CC up to the pass at 62.0, beautiful views of the lagoon next to camp at 63.4 and the glacier. CC down the pass and through the boulder field required concentration but was fun, the weather was good. We were able to go around the snow field, which was then to our right. A bit further we encountered the same issue as described by MiaimZelt: our trails and the map didn’t match the terrain in the section with the waterfall. We also hiked down left of it. CC-descent close to lagoon and over boulder field. For the stretch along Rio Ventisquero to the trailhead we can really recommend the GPS track mentioned above. Countless (easy) river crossings, some riverbed walking, some boggy stretches. Nice horse trail after trailhead at 68.5. Fording at 69.8 was knee to thigh deep and manageable. After (easy) ford at 71.8 we took variant E because it seemed less overgrown. Easy horsetrail from there. Said hello to a settler. Camped right before ford at 81.2.

Day 04
Fords at 81.2 and particularly 81.4 were quite deep (thigh to hip high) and with strong current but manageable. Soon, easy walking on minor road. The road becomes bigger as you get closer to the lake. At the lake we enjoyed walking at the lake shore in the beginning before the path leads up to the hills. A perfectly windless day, the lake was extremely calm. The walk along and view of the lake was gorgeous and a highlight of the trail. Lots of creeks and beautiful waterfalls. We met two GPT-hikers heading the opposite direction and had a nice chat. Not many campsites available along the path. After a long day of walking we camped at 113.9.

Day 05
Late start, enjoying the lake in the morning. A little more ups and downs along the lake then ascended first on an overgrown minor road and then on one actually in use. Got water up the stream next to settler at 121.8. Along the last part of the dirt road we had a nice chat with local settlers who showed us some Calafate berry shrubs and offered us a ride to the junction with the road to Levican (X at 130.4). From there we had a transport.

'''2025-Jan-17 to 2025-Jan-21 / 5 days / Hiking / SOBO / OH03B RR + variant D + variant H / Sean & Neele'''

Took the bus at 10 from Villa Cerro Castillo to the start of Option 03B. We'd hope to hitch the dirt road but we literally saw only one car.

Bridge 25.7km - good place to get water

Camped just before junction for option C (46.5km roughly) by the stream in the woods. Great wind protection.

49km to 50.8km - track files go CC but on OSM there's a trail we followed it and it worked well. CC route looked wet and boggy in places.

Ford 52km - lots of downed trees so can cross with dry feet.

Took variant D - easy and beautiful would recommend it.

Pass 60km small patch of snow on South side no problem without spikes

Camped at camp 63.4km - very beautiful but no wind protection, we were lucky the wind was pretty calm.

CC & BB 64.3 + 4.2 - we just stuck with the stream the whole way down worked out well.

Ford 81.2km - about 550m before the waypoint the trail gets close to the river for us it looked easy at this point so we just crossed here. Just over knee deep at 4pm on a hot sunny day, no rain for the past few days.

Took variant H to skip the other 2 fords.

Camped at 93.3km (S 46° 28.690', W 072° 11.674') nice grassy area with a small stream.

98.5km - shortly after leaving the road RR take you through some bushwhacking but it's avoidable just go straight to the beach.

Camped on the beach around 116km

Road walked to 138.5km where we saw the first car of the day and got a hitch to Puerto Ibanez.

* '''2025 Jan 02 to Jan 11 / 10 hiking days / SOBO, NOBO, WEBO / Hiking / Opt 3B, RR, Opt 2, Opt 8 / Michael and Kasia'''

Quick notes:

A nice section with some great views and some good optionals. It is a fairly popular trail up to the Torres; we met 11 other hikers on the RR. Opt 2 is a really pretty and peaceful valley. Opt 8 is an adventurous alternative route, probably better to exit GPT33 than to enter it on full resupply weight.

CAMPS:

Night 01: -46.25532, -72.38365 (good water access, decent wind protection (look up before you set your tent, there were some widow makers), next to the road, no view)

Night 02: -46.34592, -72.49822 (Camp 57.2) (decent view, excellent water access, minimal wind protection, surrounded by dead trees, not safe in windy conditions, a lot of spots to choose from)

Night 03: -46.40655, -72.49601 (amazing view, decent water access, no wind protection)

Night 04: same as night 3

Night 05: -46.35732, -72.45379 (flat space for two tents, wind protected, just off the trail, water is a little ways away)

Night 06: -46.36802, -72.43937 (flat space for 2 tents, excellent wind protection, no view, water is a little ways away, accompanied by the sturdy arrieros shelter)

Night 07: same as night 6

Night 08: same as night 2

Night 09: -46.39734, -72.58201 (Camp ? 11.6) (not much truly flat space, but if you aren't picky there's lots of space, no wind protection, water is down a steep hill,next to the used puesto)

WATER:

On 3B and into RR on the road it was difficult to find at times. On all trail sections it was easy to find.

Day 01 - Jan 2nd

We got the bus from the terminal in Coyhaique. It was a bit of an ordeal. The buses hadn't been running for two days on account of the holiday, and we had not purchased tickets in advance. There was quite a line and it seemed they had been sold out much earlier. We went and talked to the driver after he finished loading most of the luggage. He said to give him a minute to check. He luckily had two empty seats to Cerro Castillo, and we paid him cash at the break point in Cerro Castillo, 8.000 pp, the normal price. He dropped us at the beginning of Opt 3B. There was a bus stop there. Opt 3B is a gravel road. There is some nice scenery, but overall it's a road walk. There isn't much traffic, but hitchhiking is possible. RR from km 24 where Opt 3B meets it is also gravel road until km 45.5. There isn't a huge grade and the road is in good condition, so it's easy if somewhat underwhelming walking. Water is not so easily accessible. All the little side creeks had dried up or were just water trickling through mud. Much of the time we were too high above the water, or it was fenced off. At km 24.9 there is an unmarked bridge. There was good water access there. There was also a very nice campsite there at (-46.21595, -72.34452). It had flat space for at least one tent, maybe two, trees and good water access close by. The next good water spot we found was at Settler 29.4. There was easy water access next to the bridge down to the barn. We didn't find water again until km 35.5 when we camped for the night. Camp 32.0 should be marked “Camp with No Water”. We did not see any water nearby or anything that looked like there is water at another time of year. At km 31.9 there was a locked gate with a No Trespassing sign, but a set of stairs to walk over the fence on the left hand side. The stairs were solid and in good condition. At km 32.9 was an easy open gate with a No Trespassing sign facing the other direction. It looked like someone had been working there recently, lots of fresh wood cuts, but we didn't see anyone. We camped just off the road at km 35.5 in a little clearing, just after a gate. There was access to the estero there.

Day 02 - Jan 3rd

We continued the road walk. The trail in the forest was very nice. The meadows were a little marshy but we moved through them fairly quickly. Ford 52.0 was easy, top of the calf and not much current. There was actually a fallen tree that could work as a bridge to do a dry foot crossing. We camped at Camp 52.7 next to a stream. This would not be a good site if it is windy. Fortunately we had a windless night. No issues finding water this day. We met three other hikers on their way out of Avellanos.

Day 03 - Jan 4th

The trail to the Trailhead 57.0 is easy to follow and, except in a few places, in good shape. There were a few places where it disappeared for a bit. Where they diverged, sometimes GPT track files were better, sometimes OSM, we just chose what seemed the most traveled. After Trailhead 57.0 the track is a little more difficult to follow. The OSM track was a little more accurate for the CC sections. There was only one ford at the end of the valley a little before it goes up into the woods, around km 59.3, just below the knee, not a strong current. The way through the woods at the end was difficult to follow. It is fairly overgrown in parts and we ended up walking a bit above the GPT track pushing through trees until the boulder field. We were trying to make it to Camp 61.2 above the pass. After the Trailhead 57.0 we did not see another suitable place to camp until close to Camp 61.2; everything was wet or on a slope, either covered in rock or trees. We camped at (-46.40655, -72.49601), about 400 m before Camp 61.2 in a flat area. There was no wind protection, but the night was calm. The site has a great view of the mountains and one of the lakes. We met five other hikers heading out over the course of the day.

Day 04 - Jan 5th

We did a packless day trip up to the pass to see the Torres. The weather was good, full sun and light wind. We spent about an hour on the pass. The Torres are nice; the one in the middle looked to us like it had the face of the rock eating monster from Neverending Story. As nice as the Torres were, we actually preferred the view on the mountains on the north side of the pass. On the way back down we looked at the area around Camp 61.2. We didn't really see any spaces suitable for a tent, certainly not for something the size of the X-Mid 2. There seemed to be a few options for bivys. There were strong gusts of wind in the night and part of our tent collapsed. We managed to get it back up and it stayed up for the rest of the night.

Day 05 - Jan 6th

We headed back NOBO on RR. We met Mia who was heading SOBO at the ford. It was nice to cross paths with another GPTer. At the X 54.5 we switched to Opt 2 Avellanos Bypass. We were interested to see the valley. The trail in places is in great shape, especially the higher areas, and in places non-existant, especially in low, wet areas, or where the river has washed it out. At one point we saw a huemul, our first one. It was walking up stream in the river very slowly and pausing often. We watched it for about 15 minutes before it finally got up on the hill on the opposite side and climbed into the trees. A little while later there was a huge waterfall coming down from one of the mountains. We camped in a sandy area under some trees a ways away from the river. All fords were more of a blessing in the scolding sun than a challenge. The riverbed moved in some places into the land where the GPS tracks were but it was very easy to navigate.

Day 06 - Jan 7th

We walked further downriver to Puesto ? 4.9. It is not actually a puesto, but a stopover half-shelter with fire pit for people driving animals. It was a great wind barrier, and a place to hang out on our rest/”waiting rain over” day. Just a few meters away we found a nice flat area with space for two tents that was very well wind protected and we were expecting 90 km/h winds to come next day. We left our packs and went further down river. The valley is really beautiful and has some great views. For a while the trail is in excellent condition, then it starts to disappear. It was not possible to follow the GPT track for all of it, but we found other paths. The river fords got increasingly more challenging as we went down stream. More drainages joined the river and added water. We turned around at Ford 8.2 and we noticed the increase in river level just over those few hours. The most difficult ford was mid-thigh with a good amount of current (at 6pm, earlier around 3 pm it was good 20 cm lower).

Day 07 - Jan 8th

We took a zero day. Rain and high wind all day. The camp site worked very well for inclement weather.

Day 08 - Jan 9th

We backtracked the rest of Opt 2 and arrived midday back at Camp 57.2. We were planning to exit 33H on Opt 8 but didn't want to start it the same day. We enjoyed a half rest day with sun and no wind at the campsite. We passed three other tents during the day.

Day 09 - Jan 10th

We started Opt 8 in the morning. For the first 7 km or so it is actually fairly easy to follow. The GPX tracks aren't always spot on, but we followed them as closely as we could and we managed to find the trail more often than not. The landslide seemed to be quite small and we just walked below it. The two fords at that point are just over a side stream, so probably dry foot crossable a little later in the season. Everything after that until Camp ? 11.6 where we stopped for the night was a bit of a challenge. In areas the trail is in excellent shape and then it just disappears into slopes of grass and blow downs. We would lose the track and CC for a while, finding it again a couple hundred meters on. I just walked with the Garmin in one hand for most of the way since I had to check it so frequently. The last few km to the campsite were very muddy. It ended up being a very long and very exhausting day. We did not see any serviceable campsites for our tent between the beginning and Camp ? 11.6. Camp ? 11.6 is a puesto with a sign saying it is called Puesto Agüero. There is also a sign saying “No Dejar Basura”, which we took to mean that the puesto is used, at least unofficially, for public camping, but just to pack your trash out. The site does not have good wind protection, but we had a windless night.

Day 10 - Jan 11th

Ford 11.5 had the same makeshift bridge that Maggie & Julien reported last season. We decided to ford instead of use the bridge. We forded a little lower than the waypoint. It was above the knee and with a fair amount of current. The path after the ford was generally very easy to follow. In the pastures we kept an eye on the GPS as there are animal trails that go all over, but in the forested areas it was very clear. It was very muddy for the first half and mostly dry for the second half. There are some nice views of the river along the way, and of the valley toward the end of the section. The MR at the end has been extended further up the valley and now starts about 1.5 km sooner than indicated in the track files. We walked into Puerto Murta around 18:30. We had no particular difficulty with Opt 8, and it was not overgrown enough that we wished we had a machete at any point. Though it doesn't look like it from the elevation profile in Gaia, due to the constant ups and downs there is an enormous amount of cumulative elevation gain and loss. For this reason we think that this is a much better option for exiting the section, so the pack can be as light as possible.

* '''2025 Jan 4th to Jan 9th / 5.5 hiking days / SOBO / Hiking / Opt 3B, RR, Opt D & E & H / MiaimZelt'''

This section indeed is a real gem, but also challenging. Weather was hot and sunny, too warm in my opinion.

Day 1: Wanted to hitchhike from Villa Cerro Castillo to the start of Opt 3B, but then a bus came an took me. Mostly boring hiking along a minor road.

Day 2: Continued along the minor road, soon it got smaller and wasn't passable for cars anymore. At -46.254893, -72.381462 is a new fence, theoretically it could be opened, but you need to be strong. I crawled under it... Here -46.260122, -72.397627 is a large rather open field with lot's of flat space to pitch a tent. Water nearby. -46.260547, -72.400255 small building, which was unoccupied. The horsetrail is in good condition. Camped here: -46.352094, -72.488826, but there is only space for small tents.

Day 3: The ascend in the forest was also in good condition. Later you have to sharpen your eyes and look for the cairns. Met Kasia and Michael, was nice to meet other GPT hikers. Option D is marked with cairns, but there is no trail and i had to cross the river 2 more times. Especially the first lake is a real gem.
Hike up to the pass was not difficult, just take your time.
Way down is more challenging. I had to cross a large and steep patch of snow, which was ok without microspikes. Than you have to climb down a steep slope with lots of boulders, but they have good traction. The middle part was the hardest, because both smartphone and Garmin didn't show my correct position and wanted me to hike down a small waterfall. According to the smartphone there had to be a lake, but there was a forest instead, which wasn't shown neither on the Garmin nor on the Smartphone. Hiked down left of the waterfall, which looked much safer. The last part before you arrive at the glacier lagoon, is a large field of XXL-boulders which you have to cross. The views at the lake were awesome!
The bushbashing was mostly easy or at least not difficult. The worst was the stretch along Rio Ventisquero to the Trailhead. In the beginning i tried to walk in the riverbed, which often means to walk in the river, not just crossing the river. But when a 2nd river was added, the water was up to middle thigh and had a stromg current - not a good idea to continue this way. Hiked at the left side in the forest instead. Sometimes there was a vague animal trail, but it disappeared very often. This was really annoying with a lot of bushbashing. Camped at Camp Without Water {33H} [68.7/766].

Day 4: Crossing of Rio Ventisquero was just up to my knees and not diffucult. Enjoyed the horsetrail along Rio Avellano, but i took Option E, because the RR was i overgrown in this area. Option E is in better condition. Didn't met Maria & Julio, later i saw to guys on horseback. Ford {33H} [81.4/492] was up to my crotch (i'm 1.74cm) and had a strong current, but i made it. My feet had traction, but couldn't place my trekkingpoles correctly due to the strong current. You have to cross 3 times here, but the other two were easy.
The Minor road is not like a real road, it's more a 4x4 track used by horses with sandy ground and vegetation in the middle. It's hard to find a camp at this minor road, because of the thorny vegetation. Camped here: -46.478173, -72.19456. It's a patch of flat gras with enough space for several tents, has a small stream and good protection from the wind.

Day 5: According to my Inreach the wind gusts should reach up to 101km/h. Was indeed very windy, but fortunately it came from the back and the wind was warm. The trail along Lago General Carrera is very scenic and mostly visible, but also strenuous. Some (fortunately very short parts) are badly overgrown - a machete would be useful. Almost every plant in this area has thorns. The ups and downs a very steep, which i didn't like in the heat. Lot's of water. Used Camp {33H} [116.3/239] which has a great protection from the wind. But be aware of the thorny plants while searching where to pitch you tent - there are only 2 places without them.

Day 6: The last stretch until the minor road was much faster. The first part of the minor road has vegetation on it and isn't used by cars. Brought all the water from the lake, but it wasn't necessary. Small streams here: -46.403664, -71.975755 and next to the road at Settler {33H} [121.8/643]. The settler wasn't at home and the wooden gates were locked, had to climb over them. There are several minor roads, not just one. Bridge {33H} [129.3/304] is a deep canyon, didn't see a possibility to get water there. Walked two hours along the road between Levican and Puerto Ibañez, until i got a hitch.

* '''Dec 6-11 / 03B + RR SOBO / wiiiim'''

Great route, still early season, weather was sunny but still cold, rivers were low, the infamous crossing of the lower rio Avellano just above knee height.
The crux of the route was the South side of the pass, sections of snow, I crossed later in the day when it was softer, avoided most of the snow on the East rock flank, but around 1200m the rock slabs were wet & the gullies in between were filled with snow. A bit of a maze, it took some time and back tracking, I used micro spikes but its probably okay without, I think knowing how to self arrest on snow with hiking poles is always a good skill to have, lots of videos exist on that.
Laguna la Plaza is a short/easy side trip well worth it, the North side of the pass is fast going & pretty well indicated (ciarns), on the South side section of CC once on the valley floor it seems easier to wade through the (spectacular) river.
I was pleasantly surprised with the walk along the lake, it’s really different and beautiful.
I was lucky to get a ride out from the MR to Puerto Ibáñez quite quickly from around -46.36065, -71.90255 but it’s usually very quiet.

At -46.26604, -72.41735 there is an established rock bivvy that could also fit a medium size tent.

Overall I would probably recommend the regular route NOBO to cut out most of the start/end road sections: organise a ride from Puerto Ibanez to the trail head (it will be worth the money) and on the other end the finish of 03B on the carretera austral will have plenty of traffic to hitch a ride

• '''2024-Dec-09 to 2024-Dec-10 / 2 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR + Opt.A + Opt.01A + Opt.01/ Julien'''

Following the road to Puerto Ibáñez
Just a little difficulty about finding water because most of lakes and rivers are private now.

* '''2024-Nov-28 to 30 / 3 day / Hiking / Circuit / GPT33H Option 5 and 5A Valle Miller from Puerto Alarcon to Valle Jaramillo and return to Puerto Sanchez / Meylin Ubilla and Jan Dudeck'''

The Cordillera de Avallano between Rio Ibanez and Lago General Carrera is one of the hidden treasures of Patagonia. And Valle Miller is one possible entrance into this mountain range.

After packrafting to Puerto Alarcon we packed our packrafting gear and hiked up Valle Miller along the minor road to the bridge over Rio Miller to crossing “X {33H-05} [7.8/611]”. There are numerous possible camp sites and water sources along this minor road.

A few hundred meters after crossing “X {33H-05} [7.8/611]” is the last pasture with suitable camp sites.

Valle Jaramillo is a very scenic side valley of Valle Miller that can be explored in one day.

This side valley has no distinct trail but the forest is reasonably open. Therefore ascending and descending through the forest is not really bush bashing but just a slalom around the numerous fallen trees.

Once the open terrain is reached, hikers can see the very scenic valley with some remaining smaller glaciers.

The cross country walk to the 1679 m high pass is very rewarding in good weather. From an altitude of 1400 m the terrain was in parts covered by snow fields as we visited this early in the season.

We returned to Puerto Sanchez which is the alternative starting Point for hikers.

==Season 2023/24==

* '''2024 Mar 22 to 2024 Mar 28 / 7 days / Hiking / NOBO / RR / Maddi, Tom and Jordan'''

Day 1: Got the public bus from Puerto Ibanez to Levican for about 1000CLP each. We were the only ones on the bus and the driver dropped us at the trailhead. After walking along the road for a while we miraculously got a hitch in the back of a pick up for a couple of kms. Trail down to the lake was a little confusing but just head down and you'll hit the main trail eventually. Trail along the lake has plenty of up and down but nothing too strenuous. We had a perfect, windless day with not too much sun so it was pretty easy going, plenty of spots to get water once down near the lake. The notes said there was some scary exposure but we didn't really encounter any along this section, the path is pretty solid and clearly used by horses. Set up camp on the lake on the small rocky beach at (-46.47634,-72.08138). Just enough room for our Zpacks Triplex and Jordan's free standing tent. Jordan caught a fish that night but chucked it back.

Day 2: Great sunrise over the lake but then it started to rain. Jordan caught another fish which the boys had for breakfast. Walked along the lake in light rain until the old road where we went up the steep hill and started inland. One apple tree along this section but the apples weren't great. Followed the disused road until the end and then started along the track. Hit our first ford at about (-46.46161,-72.24620) which was above the knee on me (174cm tall) and quite fast flowing/muddy from all the rain. Tom slipped climbing up the bank here and fell backwards into the water but somehow avoided getting swept away. Kept walking along until we hit the refugio, unfortunately it was locked. Set up camp next to it so we could use the porch for shelter then went to scout the next ford just past it. This one was way too high and fast to cross so we were hoping it would go down overnight. Rio Avellano also looked impossible but that was a problem for the next day.

Day 3: Luckily the tributary into the Rio Avellano had gone down significantly overnight and we were able to cross without issues, although it was still fairly fast flowing at about knee height. Had a go at crossing the Rio Avellano just after this ford where it is marked on the GPX and others had mentioned it was doable but we had no luck, even employing the three astern. Decided to try the settler's place up on the hill to see if we could get help crossing but noone seemed to be around. Kept following the track along the river, hoping for a place to cross. Jordan somehow manage to cross using the eddies formed by a large tree that had fallen into the river. He had to come back across to help me get over with Tom but it was a near miss. Water level just below hip and quite fast flowing. Massive relief to make it across and get to enjoy the sun a bit. Had lunch near Maria and Julio's but still didn't run into anyone other than sheep. Enjoyed an awesome section walking along through ankle deep water in the autumn colours with snowy peaks in the background. Hit another fairly fast flowing ford, just above the knee, but manageable now we were getting good at crossing 3 astern. Thought we would make it to camp just below the towers but unfortunately hit another ford that even Jordan couldn't cross. Much higher consequence with huge rapids downstream and the water level above the hip. Tried to walk upstream a km or so to see if we could cross but ends up high above the river as it enters a canyon section. Scrambled back down and camped for the night on the track in the forest with the hope of lower water in the morning.

Day 4: Water was much lower in the morning and we were able to cross with no issues. Still over the knee and fast flowing but the group of 3 works wonders. Headed into the forest and up past the old corral then into the swampy section. This was super rough going as the swamp was over the knee in parts. We constantly switched between climbing between the tangle of tree or wading through the swamp. It was raining lightly and getting quite cold by this point. We made it to a clearing along the river at about 11am but the towers were in complete fog and I was shivering hard. Decided to set up camp in the forest and try for the towers the next day in the hope of more visibility. Found a nice camp spot in the forest at (-46.42932,-72.49572) with easy access to the river for water. Snuggled down to try to warm up all afternoon, only emerging for meals.

Day 5: Set off through the forest up towards the towers. Says bush bashing but was actually pretty easy walking up the hill. Towers still in a bit of cloud but made it up there mid morning and spent some time scrambling around the lake to take a look around. Camp site in the rocks was flooded from yesterday so glad we didn't try to get up there to camp. Scramble over the boulder field and up to the pass isn't too bad, although some snow patches made it a bit slippery. Cool granite slabs on the way up. Super windy once we got over the pass so hurried down the valley. No navigation issues but definitely got wet feet walking along the river. Camped at the refugio.

Day 6: Hiked along clear trail until we got to the minor road. Hoped to get a rare hitch but didn't really see anyone. Decided to hike along the river just before the bridge toward Lago Lapparent to find somewhere to camp. Found a few awesome spots along the crystal clear water for our last night.

Day 7: Headed back to the road and followed it back to the Carretera Austral. Got a hitch in about 15 minutes all the way to Coyhaique but there is a bus stop there if you can time it right.

* '''2024-02-23 to 2024-02-27 / 5 days / Hiking / SOBO / OH03B + RR + OH08 / Maggie & Julian '''

Trail attractiveness: 4/5;
Difficulty: 3/5
(keep in mind that this is our first GPT hike)

Day 1: ‘GPT33H-03B start’ to (-46.2570, -72.3711):

We entered from Carretera Austral at Laguna Verde (Option 03B) after being dropped off by the morning bus from Coyhaique (heading to Cochrane). Arrived at the crossroads at 11:30am with Don Carlos bus.
Whole day was walking on roads and relatively easy to make distance.
At (-46.2671, -72.3561) there was a sign reading "se prohibe la entrada al predio" and a locked gate with a ladder to climb over the side. There is a campsite (Camp, X {33H} [32.0/700]) pinned shortly after, but we decided to keep going because of the sign. At (-46.2621, -72.3613) there is an end to the property (same sign facing opposite direction, no gate). We camped on an area used for chopping wood at (-46.2570, -72.3711). Short scramble down to the river.

Day 2: (-46.2570, -72.3711) to Camp {33H} [52.7/953]:

Large part of the day was also road walking, afterwards trails and some cross country.
Camped by Camp {33H} [52.7/953]. Camping around Puesto {33H} [53.0/946] has better mountain views, Puesto itself was being used, possibly for guided horseback trekking.

Day 3: Camp {33H} [52.7/953] to Pass {33H} [62.0/1314] and back:

We left our tent set up and most things at Camp. The way up was sometimes hard to find. Trail markers made more sense on the return. Had an extended lunch a little after Pass {33H} [62.0/1314] and then returned the way we had come.

Day 4: Camp {33H} [52.7/953] to Camp ? {33H-08} [11.6/548]:

Probably hardest day in navigation, trail disappeared often, but manageable.
The former landslide section at (-46.3853, -72.5520) did not pose any difficulties for us as the water level was not too high and the main river flow now goes near the northwestern side of the valley. We just had to step over the remaining side stream. With more water some fording might still be necessary, but I imagine you could get away with staying near the southeastern bank for this section.
At Camp ? {33H-08} [11.6/548] there is a puesto that seems to be in use, but we saw no one and camped a little lower near the river.

Day 5: Camp ? {33H-08} [11.6/548] to ‘GPT33H-08 start’:

Right after camp there was a makeshift bridge to cross the stream (tree and rope, very rickety).
Trail seemed to be used and maintained on this part of option 08.
Shortly before Camp {33H-08} [6.9/435] there was a previously washed-out section with a new path already laid out. In heavy rainfall this could wash out again but should not pose a big hindrance.

Notes:

- RR + option 08 is a great short alternative without much backtracking.

- Our hitch out of Puerto Murta happened to be local members of an association that wants to bring more tourism to their town and the Torres del Avellano. If their plans are fruitful, traffic and trail maintenance may increase on option 08.

- We organized the transport of our non-trekking items from Coyhaique to Puerto Río Tranquilo by encomienda. Ines, the lady working at the Sao Paulo bus office in Coyhaique terminal was kind enough to hold our boxes until we arrived and called her from Puerto Rio Tranquilo. Our things arrived the day after we called at around 1pm. We shipped a rather large quantity of items (enough items to fill 50L bag) for 12000 CLP. Sao Paulo bus Coyhaique telephone: +56 672 255 726

* '''30/01/2024 - 01/02/2024 / 3 days, 78 km / Options 06 and 07 / Alex + Andrey'''
South bound (east bound).
“Mountain route”,

a combination of Options 06 and 07 which are now passed and confirmed.

Difficulty: Difficult/Very Difficult

Most of the route is off-trail
Thanks to Jan for the suggested routes and clues.
Short resume:

This mountain route is a more difficult and demanding alternative to the regular route but can be an interesting option for those looking for a challenge.
The combination with a regular route allows to form a full-fledged “eight”, a trip of 6-10 days.

Option 07 is a shorter, although more difficult, alternative to the regular route in case the Avellano River cannot be forded NOBO.
Notes and recommendations.

Option 07:

All fords do not pose any significant difficulty.
Due to the height and southern exposure the areas between Pass 1 and Pass 2 (Pass {33H-07} [17.0/1755]) and descents from Pass 2 in the early to mid-season have extensive areas of snow where microspikes or crampons may be required.
The main difficulty on the descent is overcoming several side washouts, which are small but deep and steep canyons.

Option 06:

There is no water during the first 4-5 hours of ascent to the valley.
The open area of the upper valley at Camp 2 and beyond throughout the ridge is a resort for very strong winds. Setting up camp may be difficult or impossible. A strong hiker can combine and complete this section in one day.
The predominant wind exposure makes passage from west to east highly recommended.
The last reliable source of water is before reaching High Pass 3. Further east there is no water until the junction with the regular route, except for temporary streams from seasonal snow.

The track and additional information are here:
https://www.wikiloc.com/hiking-trails/avellano-mountain-route-chilean-patagonia-160489118

* '''2024-Mar-04 to 2024-Mar-08 / 4.5 days / Hiking / SOBO / OH 03B + RR + OH D + K / Joscha'''

Day 1: OH33H-03B + RR [24.2-41.2]

I tried to hitch from Villa Cerro Castillo to the start of OH33H-03B. After 1 hour a Bus arrived and took me to the start for 2000 Pesos. The Bus runs from Cohayique to Chile Chico on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. It starts in Coyhaique at 9 am and stopps in Villa Cerro Castillo at around 10:30 am. From the brigde at km 25.7 until km 35.8 there is no water on the RR. You walk close to some rivers but I didn't check if its possible to acces them. After km 35.8 there is plenty of water. At km 38.5 is a big flat field for camping with a creek next to it. I camped just before the crossing of the river at km 41.2.

Day 2: RR [41.2-58.3] + OH33H-D + RR [61.0-63.4]

There was plenty of water all along the trail. Camping possible at -46.291963, -72.470389 just before the Pass (km 44.4), at the start of OH33H-C and along the CC section from km 49.0 to 50.8. I can recommend OH33H-D. I especially liked the first Laguna. Camp 63.4 has awesome views, but is only slightly wind protected and the spots are only good for small tents.

Day 3: RR [63.4-93.2]

I stayed inside the riverbed for the last 2.5 km of the CC&BB section. I had to cross the river about 20 times, but its the fastest and easiest way. The ford at km 83.6 was just below my crotch (I am 191 cm) and the current was pretty strong at around 5 pm. It would have been difficult for smaller persons. All the other fords today were at max. knee hight. There is plenty of water all along the route. I camped next to the RR on a flat, grassy field at km 93.2.

Day 4: RR [93.2-116.3]

Plenty of water along this part of the RR.

Day 5: RR [116.3-119.6] + OH33H-K + RR [122.6-141.0]

OH33H-K is easy to walk but does not offer any great views. If you choose OH33H-K, than there is no water between km 117.5 and 138.5 (at km 135.2 is a water marker, but I didn't see any as I walked by. Maybe I missed it, because I wasn't looking for it). There is water at km 140.3. I got a hitch from km 141.0 to Puerto Ibanez. But there are very few cars on the road, so don't count on getting a hitch.

* '''2024-Feb-12 to 2024-Feb-16 / 4.5 days / Hiking / SOBO / Option 03B, RR, Variant C, E, H, K / Tomáš & Natalie'''
There was a queue of three hitchhiker groups who did not get picked up while we were doing our shopping, so we opted to hire a taxi for 15000 to the start of 03B (Pedro Zuleta: +56 993 5786 68). Somehow, during our arranging of the taxi, all three groups left. Roadwalking to option 07 was uneventful. Tomáš got a hitch (he eats lunch too slowly so Natalie got ahead) for about 5 km from a family which was exploring in a car. About 500 m before the diversion to option 07, there is a locked gate with a sign saying the property is private, but one can go over a ladder. At the gate, we met a local with a key who has a house on Option 07, if we got him right. He gave us a ride of 500 m. The start of option 7 is actually a road.

The MR at 24.2 is in a bad shape due to erosion after ford at about 12 km in. Tomáš made a bridge out of a log but managed to jump into the water while doing it. Enjoy the bridge while it lasts as did a Frenchman we met there. He did the circuit NOBO based on Wikiloc. He said he keeps coming across GPT, but could not figure out how to get the GPS route. We told him to talk to Jan. Maybe he will come back the next season.

On the way to the Torres, we met 3 pairs of Chilean hikers going back. Tomáš went to Laguna La Plaza (option C). Lake is grey but the valley is nice enough to justify the short detour. It is no BB, there is a trail in the forest and above the tree line a vague trail or easy CC. The Torres are indeed magnificent. One can easily walk on the sloped polished slab falling into the far side of the second lake before the pass - it is an exhilirating detour. Going down from the pass, when the GPX turns right, Tomáš actually managed to walk over one of the ledges above the GPX and liked it. Just be extremely careful with moss and water, they can make the stones extremely slippery, but he survived that without falling. About 100 m before the lake, there is a at-least-a-ton heavy swing in the form of a loose boulder. Enjoy if you can find it. Camp 63.4 is literally awesome. We had a very warm almost windless night there.

After the boulder field under camp 63 we loss the rest of the elevation on the right side of the creek and then when the swamp appeared on the right we went to the left and stayed on that side (North) for the entire BB/CC. There is a vague trail most of the way, but is has many many logs over it. It took us 3 hours to walk to the trailhead. We kept our feet dry and were in the shade, but it would have been quicker and far less tiring just following the riverbed and constantly crossing the river.

Ford at 69.8 around noon was slightly above the knees. Ford it diagonally as the trail wants you to - it is shallower that way (ie a little further down than where the trail spits you out). Greeted grandfather, Maria and Julio and their three kids and had a short talk with the grandfather, nice to see the whole family working together on projects. From their place, the trail sort of is wide enough for a car (there is one at their place) but we think it is never or virtually never used by cars. Ford at 81.4 at six in the afternoon was 5 cm under our crotches (we are about 1.70), we forded about 100 upstream of GPX. The river was strong but we did not feel it was dangerous for us. We forded the widest part of the river just before a dead end fence (if you are coming from the other direction, after the grey river and around the dead end ford you will see the widest part of the river).The day was hot and despite not covering even 20 km, we felt superexhausted. Strong sun and spikees got to us!

We camped about 4 km along the road, shortly after the second (both jumpable) ford. It must be a good place to camp, as Tomáš, who went back to the big ford where he left his sandals the previous day, met a GPT hiker going NOBO who apparently slept in a hearing distance from us. The hiker first started to come to Patagonia decades ago, before it was overrun. Tomáš sadly never asked his name. Met the grandfather again, coming back from the port, horses are fast!

The road is not used by cars but stiĺl quite ugly. Around middle, near option 6, there are two shortcuts (400 and 50 metres) to the zigzags, three of which were marked by cairns by Tomáš. Please add the fourth cairn. Puesto 98.3 is a settler. He offered Natalie to come inside and rest but she didn't feel right stopping at that moment and kind of got the "heeby jeebies" from him. Met another pair of GPT hikers, doing just 33. The stretch along the coast is beautiful and very Mediterranean. All day the lake was without waves, even that can happen. Slept at Lake 113.8: nicer, with water and less buggy than camp 200 m earlier (just beware if the wind picks, up the waves can be very loud).

Variant K misses last water but is easy to follow, nicer than a road and involves only three very easy fence hops. Reached the bus stop for Puerto Ibanez around three. Got lucky and received a hitch from two British tourists to Puerto Ibanez. The shops there are larger than expected and stock overpriced pesto and gnocchi, Tomáš is almost as joyful as cherries make him!

Nat's Notes:

- For views I would prefer this NOBO. I suffered a new type of "look back" syndrom on most of the route. Plus, if you are walking the lake shore in the afternoon, the sun should be on your downhills and not your uphills (it was insanely hot when we did it and without a whisper of wind).

- In the section notes for km24-45 I think what was meant was that from roughly km36-45, "there are many small streams and camping spots", this is indeed true. However, between km 24-36 and option 3 there are NO longer many STREAMS to drink from, I remember only one slightly decent one and both sides of the road are fenced so if you want to camp or drink water from the main river, then you must jump the fences (cow panels or barb) or ask a settler. Also, strange to say, there is very little shade and can get uncomfortably hot...

- Intersection 45 is not hard to miss anymore, it is marked with an orange ribbon around a tree and a large cairn on your left.

- On Trail#9 (ascent before the first two alpine lakes) I took Veronicas advice about going into the woods where the RR is but rather than trying to follow the GPS, I followed what seemed to be a trail along the creek with some cairns here and there. Eventually it ends above the trees but you should be able to make your way back to the RR once the "coast is clear", ie. no more trees. If you want to walk along the lake then you should do the CC up the boulder field on Variant D.

- Going down from the pass was no problem, like everyone says, "just follow the gps". However with that said, it is very tempting to make your own way bcs there are many good looking ledge systems but after reading Wills experience, I backed away from the temptation and followed the GPS. I also slipped on some wet moss on RR.

- So much water everywhere except for the lake camping, if you are smart you will fill up on one of the many streams before getting to the lake...

- When doing the BB/CC section, after the initial elevation loss from the lake, there isn't much drinking water apart from the river until near the end of the BB. I think you could make "makeshift" camps. I was tempted to cross the river early to avoid crossing it at km69 but once again I remembered what Will wrote last year about the thorns and cliffs so I don't think that's a good idea.

- Not a fan of the lakeside gate locking technique (remember how it looks before you open it;)

- I surprisingly really enjoyed the lake stretch, it seemed it is where Pantagonia meets the Mediterranean/Arizona. The trail is in good shape, just a few overgrown roses and thorny bushes here and there (regretted shorts only a little bit). If you are coming from the north and still have your sand gaiters, this will be a good time to reuse them :). No exposure, wish there was more wind the day we were there. I am usually the biggest hater of "PUDs" - thanks for the new word - but these were not annoying. These PUDs are just a few large hills rather than a bunch of steep micro hills like gpt22 or the valley bottoms in Argentina. Water is at pretty much every "notch" in the hillside.

- Water is at the bottom of the MR~117.5 and there is still water at the top 119.9 RR (easier to grab it a little higher up).

* '''2024-Jan-30 to 2024-Feb-4 / 6 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR / Yannick & Nolwenn & Tess & Lukas'''

- Trail condition : gpx easy to follow / between km 63,7 and km 68,5 we mostly stayed on the left of the river
- Water : easy to find plenty of rivers and lagunas
- Camping spot : easy to find and the one at km 68.7 is nice // the refugio near the lake at km 98.5 is perfect - make fire, sleep inside, we even could ask for some bread
- Weather : some rainy and cloudy days but overall the weather was ok
- River crossing :at km 69.8 we crossed the river early in the morning and the current was strong and the water up to the middle of the thighs but manageable // at km 81,2 the river was strong and up to our hips, we crossed it in the rain, it was also manageable for us that already jave a little bit of experience
- Resupply : in Villa Cerro Castillo and in Chile Chico ( a bulk shop just opened in front of the camping Nandu) // at km 76,7 we could buy some bread, cheese and eggs at Maria and Julio's house
- Overall : we absolutely loved this section ! The views are spectacular and really diverse from one day to another // we got a hitchike at the end on the gravel road to go to Puerto Ibanez.

* '''01.27.2024 / 5 days / Hiking / SoBo / RR + Option 8 to Bahía Murta / Milton Cea + 4 more'''

Considering that we would venture to make this route a journey from Villa Cerro Castillo to Bahía Murta, we have decided to pay Pedro Zuleta, who is dedicated to transportation in the surrounding areas (+56 9 9357 8668), to take us to the entrance of the route at the registration booth. There, we encountered a pair of muleteers who did not pay much attention to our passing, however, we spoke with them to ask for their permission and inquire about the condition of the path.

We started with the regular route, a bit late, and for that reason, we camped the first night at Mallín Grande, which is a very good option, as watching the sunrise in this beautiful place is worthwhile.

Starting early the next day, we reached the "Los puestos" sector and from there, leaving our camp set up, we headed towards the towers. We were only able to reach the first lagoon at the base of the massif, as we went a bit late and our conversation with some other hikers we met extended. I would recommend leaving early to take advantage of the views from the portezuelo lookout.

The next day we began the crossing through the "Río Resbalón" Valley, as the locals call it, following an animal trail that sometimes tends to get lost among new vegetation or fallen trees, accompanied by other hikers who decided to join the journey.
It is a part of the route that can be slightly complex if you do not have a good reading of the surroundings, finding the animal traffic trail, and considering that you navigate through a forest that can easily disorient. This changes when you already walk with the "Resbalin/Resbalón" river to your right, as it is quite useful to follow its course. Always on the left side of the river.
On the way, there are some fallen trees and abandoned muleteer posts that can be used as camping space if necessary, although I would not recommend camping in this old forest.
Upon reaching the point of the road collapse, the crossing of the scree can be done at the level of its arrival, but to continue the route, you must climb a few meters up the mountain until you find the entrance to the continuation of the route. This point took some time from us, and we decided to camp near the river, towards the rock beach in the middle of a young forest with a mossy floor, very comfortable and restorative. We also decided to place some pircas at this point, as there was no mark to help resume the path towards Murta, since the difference in height was noticeable and it can be easy to believe that the path continues by the river side, but no, from here the path separates from the river and goes up the mountain.

Finally, after this last abandoned stretch, where the vegetation is abundant in some parts, we ended up arriving at the Puesto de Los Agüeros and decided to spend a night there, as we were very tired from constantly finding the route. It's worth mentioning that we couldn't find a GPS track before the trip.

The next day, after a night of intense rain, we took the official route traced from "Bahía Murta" at opossite direction and arrived in the town at dusk.
If you want the track and the Waypoints of the journey, feel free to write to me at '''milton.1902@gmail.com''' =)

* '''From 2023-01-20 to 2023-01-21 // 1,5 day // Hiking // NOBO // option 1 Valle Ibanez // Quentin Clavel'''

When I arrived in Puerto Ingeniero Ibàñez, I had to make a choice, as the weather window were pretty short. I had only 3 days and a half ahead of nice weather followed by one entire week of rain.

So I made the hard choice to skip Torres del Avelano, and go straight to Cerro Castillo by the OPT1 to explore the NP of CERRO CASTILLO.

This section was not so bad. Even if it was gravel road until the Lago tamango, I had nice views, and was not too bored from this stretch, but well yeah, it's gravel road for 30 km, so of course it was not all the time so funny aha !

Then I went to the small track along Lago tamango. Very quiet, pretty well marked thanks to these sticks with red and white colours on top, and with some scenic views.

You'll end up at the parking of the touristic sendero sitio archeologico de manos pintadas (Paredón de las Manos (1000CLP for children's, 2000CLP for adults. From Tuesday to Sunday 10h00-17h00). Then it's gravel road, following by 1,3 km on the carretera austral to reach Villa cerro castillo.

I was expecting worse for this section. Quite happy about it. That's a nice alternative if, for a reason, you want or have to skip Torres de Avelano

* '''2024-Jan- 14 to 2024-Jan-16/ 3 days/hiking/SOBO/ 33h/ 33h-b/33h-a/ 33h-P/Paulina'''

At first, I wanted to do RR, but as the recent reports about the river crossing where not very encouraging, I decided to play it safelty, so I just mixed some sections.
I started in Villa Cerro Castillo, till X 33h [ 5.5/554] it was a very peaceful, nice trail, with beautiful views on Cerra Castillo. There were some fence crossing, but not very annoying.
After the intersection, so once I joined the road X-725, it was less interesting, walk on a gravel road. I think this part of RR is better to hitch-hike ( it's possible and not very difficult to catch a car on this way).
Once I reached the big lakes ( beautiful views!) and some wanderful camping spots [ S 46.17790 W 072.32049] between Lago Alto and Lago Lapparet, I took 33h-b. At the beginning the trail was l crossing a forest used by locals as wood supply, but later ( around the place where it joined 33h-a), the landscape was amazing! Especially the part with lakes and settlers.

The last section was on 33h-01A. The cannion of Rio Claro and later the waterfall are beautiful, but for some hikers a long distance on gravel road on this section can be annoying so it's probably better to hitch-hike ( not a lot of cars but still possible).

I bought my ticket for ferry from Puerto Ibanez to Chile Chico without any problem 1h30 before the ferry departure.

The mix of these 4 sections + hitch-hiking it's a good option for bad weather or high river level on RR. Some parts are very beautiful, and the less interesting parts ( long distances on gravel roads) it's possible to cover by car.

* '''2024-01-02 to 2024-01-07 / 6 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR & Options: 03, 03B, 04C, 04 & Variant E / Roman'''

Route: Hitchhiked along Option 03 to X {33H-03} [18.6/315]. Hiked via Option 03B to X {33H} [24.2/462] and than continued RR to Ford, X {33H} [71.8/602]. Here used Variant E and back to RR all the way to Settler {33H} [85.0/462] (Luis Diaz). Continued on Option 04C to X {33H-04} [73.9/559]. From here used option 04 all to way to Bahía Murta.

Decided to go SoBo to get the tricky parts done with a good weather forecast. Hitchhiked along Option 03 because it's easier to get a lift. Was at X {33H-03} [18.6/315] 12:35 PM. From there it's a super easy to hike street all the way to X {33H} [45.5/1088] via Option 03C and than 03. Sadly there where no cars going in the correct direction. Towards the end (last 5km) there are some rivers crossing the street, nothing bad, you can get over them dry feet if jumping on the rocks. Continued the RR, the trail is clearly visible and easy to hike all the way to Camp {33H} [52.7/953]. Arrived there at 09:30 PM. It's a awsome place to pitch a tent! It was absolutely woth it to go for such a long day. Met 2 locals who went with a truck all the way to this point: -46.26754, -72.419667. Met also Cy & GG (see GPT 23). We continued the next day. Trail was in a good condition and CC was easy no snow up to the pass Pass {33H} [62.0/1314]. Absolutely beautiful view! There is some snow on the south side on the way down. It's mostly melted to you can decide if you want the first 150-200m of elevation go down in snow or trough the boulders. It was a sunny day therefore quite easy to get down to the lake. From there we went down a boulder field to the BB (Bush bashing) section (400m). This is trivial - no macheta required. It's just walking trough the forest. From there the CC&BB is at the beginning easy. We found a animal trail on the southern side of the river. Than the swamp started which was annoying. We started, after finishing the swamp section, to walk in the river bed around here -46.438037, -72.469247 which was fast progress but wet feet. Jumped on the trail and camped at Camp Without Water {33H} [68.7/766]. There is a lot of water at the river and it's just a 10 minute walk so we filled the bottles. The Camp is good, stayed there with 3 tents. Continued the next day (it was moderate rain during the night and at the morning) to the X, Ford {33H} [69.8/634]. This was at the limit what is safely possible. Fast flowing river - hip deep (iam 180). From there on the trail was clearly visible and easy to hike fast. Continued the RR and did Variant E. Check you GPS, we didn’t intend to do it we just followed the most clearly visible trail and ended up at the Puesto {33H-E} [0.8/619] so we continued. The statement from above is still valid all the way to Settler {33H} [85.0/462] (Luis Diaz) for the RR ;). After that is a easy trail, at Settler {33H} [76.7/535] (Maria & Julio) I met Julio and they had a car there to the trail from this point on is even easier. I split up here with Cy & GG because of different plans and it was questionable if the Ford at Ford {33H} [81.2/490] (Rio Avellano) is even possible so I wanted to speed up. Reached the point around 05:00 PM. It was not possible to Ford - way to deep and to much current! So I used my packraft and crossed the river. Got in the water here: -46.456627, -72.320677 and followed than the RR. Ford {33H} [81.4/492] was also impossible by foot. Used the same tactic and crossed it by boat. Got in the water here: -46.453523, -72.316373 and crossed by boat. After that easy trail and continued the RR. Ford {33H} [83.6/467] (Rio Avellano) was also absolutely impossible so also did it by boat. After that I camped here: -46.463767, -72.26597.

interim conclusion: if the weather is not stable (I knew it wasn't [would reccomend checking with meteoblue] go SoBo and be aware that the crossing can be impossible - I would reccomend bringing you packraft so you habe more options even though it's the H route. Otherwise you have to wait, potentially for days or you need the help of a local (this is how Cy & GG managed it).

Next day continued 04C. The trail to the pass is clearly visible and beautiful to hike. From there it's hard to find a few times because of a lot of animal tracks. Follow the GPS. The trail is again visible from this point on: -46.486009, -72.212428. Trail condition generally good with some bushes hanging in the trail. Reached X {33H-04} [73.9/559]. Same here a lot if animal trail - follow the GPS. The trail is clearly visible from this point on: -46.49591, -72.205307 up to Bahía Murta. Condition is good. The Pass {33H-04} [71.5/958] is definetly a highlight. Camped at Camp {33H-04} [66.2/209] - great place. Next day was long no changes on the trail condition - good and easy - hiked to Ford, Camp {33H-04} [37.5/259]. Camping there is a bit tricky to find a good place but manageable. Met a guy at the gosttown Puerto Cristal. The trail is according to him also used by tourists groups. I asked before the trial if there is a ferry connection - there is none only one company goes there by boat for tourist. Maybe you can arrange a transfer ( https://turismopuertocristal.cl/ very fast response time via WhatsApp 10 minutes). The Pass {33H-04} [43.3/840] is also a highlight. The Ford, Camp {33H-04} [37.5/259] is challenging hip deep. After that it's easy road walk to Bahía Murta. Got a lift at -46.520007, -72.636049.

Overall: I would recommend SoBo because the difficult sections are at the beginning and weather dependent. Go if you have a few stable non rainy days. Bring you packraft to have more options for fording. The entry via Option 03 & 03B is in my opinion easy due to hitchhiking & ou find a grop and book a lift The views are amazing at the passes. The BB is trivial. BB&CC is annoying but done within 2 hours. The Option 4 is absolutely beautiful and if you are a bit luckier than me avoids a lot of road walking. Would definitely reccomend the section. The reason for me to go with Option 04 is to easy connect to 82P.

Contact: https://linktr.ee/RundW

* '''2023-12-22 / 3 days / RR / SOBO / Anh'''

Just a quick info: The first part of RR is not marked but very easy to hike. After the pass (km 62) I had a hard time with the 2km CC. At first the snowfields were very steep (60 slope). The snow thickness was only 20-80cm, underneath are very big steep boulders and the melting snow makes the hollows big. Then there are the streams under the snowfields. I was a few times with a foot in it, fortunately not whole body. I had to go up and down in the forest, on the edge, on the rocks... My goal was to be safe, it took me 2 hours to cover the 2km.

==Season 2022/23==
* '''2023-Mar-30 to 2023-Mar-31 / 1.5 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR + Option 1 / Martin & Helena'''

We started from Villa Cerro Castillo around 11 AM and took ferry from the port the next day at noon. The former RR trail follows path of Sendero de Chile, and starting with no expectations we were quite impressed with what it offers, especially all the amazing views of Cerro Castillo. It's definitely a good short alternative to the Torres del Avellano detour that we were forced to skip. Trail is easy to follow and you can find many camp spots along the way. There are many small shops in Puerto Ibáñez. Knowing the ferry schedule we went directly to the port where were just a few others in this time of the year.

Contact: @martin_hanzelka @helenneka

* '''26/02/2023 - 02/03/2023 / RR SOBO with emergency exit on a boat on Lago General Carrera / Louis, Rémi & Noé :'''

Day 1 - From Lago Verde - 15.5km - +700m/-300m We first hitchiked from Villa Cerro Castillo to Lago Verde on the Carretera Austral. We hiked then the gravel road until the camp next to the free check in point, in the forest.

Day 2 - Laguna La Plazza - 16.5km - +800m/-500m We kept going on the minor road before the well maintained horse trail. We took option to the Laguna La Plazza and we camped there but the weather was quite bad with a lot of wind. Would recommend to camp in the pasture down there in these conditions.

Day 3 - Lagunas before the pass - 17km - +1000m/-900m The trail was still very easy to follow this day. A bit of cross country at the end but nothing difficult as there are kerns. There is a spot to pitch tents next to the second lake, between it and the waypoint "camp" (that we didn't find btw). Very nice there and without the clouds, the view should be incredible.

Day 4 - CC until diversion @km69.8 - 14km - +500m/-1100m The troubles began for us this day. Noé injured his knee just after the pass. With Rémi, we alternated carrying his bag in addition to ours. That's why we hadn't moved a lot. The bush bashing is demanding and under the rain, fording is a real challenge. I would recommend you to be south of the Rio after the diversion/ford. We camped on the north side, a few hundred meters after the div.

Day 5 - Lago General Carrera - 30km - +700m/-1000m As we were a bit late, we decided to walk directly to the lake. We forded the Rio in order to be south of it and we found the horse trail, it was easier then ! We crossed the Rio a last time @km81.2, still manageable with the rain but a bit hard (water until the hips, we are 1m80 tall) with a strong current. Then, the minor road. We didn't leave it until the lake. A bit of ups and downs but the road is nice so it is fast. Here, at the lake. There is mobile coverage and so we contacted numeros given on the PDF on WhatsApp to find a boat to bring us back to civilisation. With the third bag to carry, it was too hard for us to keep hiking. I let you the contact of Jairo, that can bring you back to Puerto Tranquilo... for 400.000 CLP... we didn't had the choice as the settler living just in front of the lake wasn’t there. Jairo : +56 9 6633 9507 He transported us the next day.

* '''2023-Feb-21-27 / NOBO / RR + Option 3B / Ondrej and Bara / Puerto Ibanez - Vila Cerro Castillo / 6.5 days'''

Gorgerous section. Unfortunately, we were struck by bad weather mid-way which took out the joy and brought a few very difficult moments for us.

We went NOBO and on the 3rd day camped in the valley close to Maria & Julio (76.7 km). It started raining early morning and while the rain stopped around midday, it was enough to turn streams into rivers and cross country paths into swamps. We were unable to ford the river at km 69.8 at two different places. To continue, we decided to make a risky choice and bush-bash upstream on the other side of the river, hoping to ford it in an upper section and rejoin the trail. This eventually worked out. We forded the river at -46.43642, -72.45456 and rejoined the trail. This 1.2km diversion took us about 2 hours. Bush-bashing through forest was okay but in the middle of the diversion we struggled through 300m of thorny bushes which took forever to get across.

From around 1000m of altitude, we had fresh snow on the slopes. This made the boulder field more challenging than we wanted (fortunately still manageable). We crossed the exposed pass at km62.0 and continued on the other side, firstly through snow and then again through muddy cross country parts until we joined the trailhead at km 57.0. Afterwards the trail was easy all the way until the end.

We also met Anna and Christopher going the opposite direction - really great to meet fellow hikers!

* '''2023-Feb-20-24 / NOBO / RR shortend on the road sections / Zohar / Road to Levicán - Carterra Austeral / 5 days'''

I tried to shorten the section because of the upcoming bad weather, which hit on the last day, but I was lucky to catch a ride out with a family that came to collect wood from their land.

I arrived on Monday to pureto Ibañez spoke with the van to levicán that left at 17.40 to Levicán got off on the way where the rout leave the main road and walked till the shore of Lago General Carrera. Day 2 I followed the horse trail along the lake, which was very visible and easy to follow. Then, I followed a miner till I found a stable campsite. Day 3 was the hardest. I was determined to sleep at the base of the torres, so I had a lot of trail to cover, and the route was hard to follow, but the direction was clear. Day 4 started with a beautiful sun rise on the clear torres de avellano. The bolder field wasn't as hard as I itentenly thought, but be careful. After the pass, I met 4 young hikers going to the torres and back. Day 5 was wet, but at least on a minor road and about 9 km before the road, I was picked up and taken to Villa Cerro Castillo.

I don't advise doing the section in 5 days thay where long, big days, and it is better to enjoy the surroundings. if the weather was better, I would have taken 7 days. This section is beautiful and highly recommended

* '''20.02. - 24.02.23 / Anna & Christopher / SOBO, Villa Cerro Castillo - Puerto Ibáñez'''

In the afternoon we started hitchhiking the Carretera Austral to where Option 3B starts. There were lots of people trying to hitchhike directly from Villa Cerro Castillo, so we figuered to have a better chance if we walk further up the Carretera Austral. We soon got lucky. That day we walked the dirtroad until km 4.4 and camped there next to a small stream.

The next day was mostly easy walking on dirtroads until the crossing at km 45.5 (which is relatively easy to miss!). We camped at km 49 at the edge of the forest.

The next day the weather turned bad once we reached the section with all the boulders on the ascent to the pass. We did some unnecessary climbing by not sticking to the main route. When descending we lost the main route again and briefly tried to descend without it, which we soon realised is a bad idea, so we climbed back up to where we lost it. We spent the night at the camp at km 63.4.

The next morning we woke up with a clear blue sky and finally saw the Torres del Avellano. Really amazing rock formations. The following bushbashing part seemed ok to us, we had worse ones on the GPT so far ;). First we walked on to the right of the river following a good animal path. Once it ended we changed to the left side and stayed there. About 2/3 of the route is a realtively good path and the rest was some easy BB and climbing over fallen trees. Luckily the ford at km 69.8 was easy to cross. We took variant E from where on the trail was in a great condition and we could walk pretty fast. The river crossing at km 81.1 was more demanding and went almost up to Annas hips (1,63m). We camped soon after that at approx. km 81.5.

We continued on variant H the easy trail on the dirtroad until the lake, where it gets more demanding (we underestimated the continous ups and downs). The views are amazing though. It gets pretty windy next to the lake. We camped at a tiny spot at km 109.3 next to a small stream.

On the final day we walked to the bus station (6 pm) and took the ferry to Chile Chico the same day (8 pm). This section was great :)

* '''11-18 February 2023 / Maks&Gabi / SOBO / RR, 33H-E, 33H-H ( hichhiking from km136 to Puerto Ibanez)'''

We started from Villa Cerro Castillo. If you can, try not to skip the first part of road walking. It's beautiful with the view over Lagunas and Cerro Castillo. The terrain is also different than in later parts of the section.

There are some problems - lot of fences and gates on the first 5 km. Then many aggressive dogs and limited access to water (steep descents and fences around the lakes). The camping spots, marked on track files, can be hard to access (private properties with new fences). We camped by the bridge around 25km (the bridge is not marked).

We than waited half a day for the rain to stop. The rest of the road is also well maintained with occasional river crossing (all easy).

The next trail part (until km 57) is mostly visible. Some problem can occur by the CC part, especially during heavy rain - it was all floded. We weren't exactly expecting it, but it was snowing and the temperature during the night was about -4. Next day we waited until 11 am to dry our stuff, as the sun finally came out.

As Veronica wrote, when going up to the pass try to follow the cairns (33H-D). The part between the lakes and the pass is quite easy.

Going down from the pass we followed the GPS and we found it quite manageable (actually for us it seemed to be much easier going SOBO than NOBO at that point, even though it was slippery and with a lot of small streams going down the rock). We reached the camp at km 63.4 at 4 pm. First 400 m of BB is easy as the forest is not overgrown. It's getting worse in the valley. If possible try to be close to the river. We were fording it multiple times. Finally we stayed at the left side of the river, bushbashing for the next 3 km (that's where the trail starts). We slept next to the ford at km 69.8.

We forded the river in the morning. It's possible, but the current was strong (for us it was the worst ford on this section with water above our knees - I'm 175 cm). After the next ford we followed 33H-E as we couldn't find the entrance to the RR. It's a very well maintained path with a big puesto nearby.

After fords at km 81 we followed 33H-H as we didn't want to cross the river anymore. For those of you, who are planning to go there during the next few days, be carefull - somewhere around km 91 there is a fresh dead cow near to the water.

The lake part's quite exhausting. We were blessed with sunny and windless weather so we found it astonishing and not so dangerous. We started our last day at camp km 113.8 . Ascent on the road (117.5) is ok and there was water on km 119.9 (small stream). The rest of the road walking is easy (with occasional fences) but there's no water on km 135.2 (water on 129.3 is hard to access).

We hitchhiked from km 136 to Puerto Ibanez. During the weekend there is only one ferry a day (Saturday morning and Sunday evening).

* '''8 to 13 of February 2023 / Will / SOBO from Laguna Verde / 6 data'''

This one was an ordeal for me, I don't recommend starting with a week straight of rain in the forecast. At first I appreciated the ambiance after six completely dry weeks in the north, but after a few days it started to get me down. Thankfully to keep my morale up I encountered some kind settlers, a few pairs of GPT hikers, and some sun in the final stretch.

The rains never got too heavy, generally off and on light rain. The temperatures were fairly cold from the nearly constant cloud cover.

To start out I hitched out of Villa Cerro Castillo to Laguna Verde, teaming up with some of the many hitchhikers. The initial road walk was beautiful, some podcasts helped me power through the rest.

The pass was tough in the rain, but manageable. Things were slippery but there's enough to grab onto in the boulder fields to keep you stable, as long as you're focused and moving slowly. The ascent was nice boulder field the whole way, on the decent things looked scarier. Instead of boulders there was a lot of large smooth slab with water flowing down. The gpx route there was good, following boulders and vegetation around the slab. Things only felt dangerous once, when I went slightly off the track and ended up trapped between a cliff and a water slide. After some scary experimentation I found that I could get good traction on the waterslide using a crab walk technique, on my back with hands and feet and butt all resting on the slab. This let me traverse the waterslide back to safety.

The little bush bashing section after the pass was easy, I camped in there. Things got bad again once I got back out to the river and the cross country+bush bashing marker. My feet got worryingly numb after a bunch of river crossings and marshland traversal, I tried to stick to the woods after that.

I then took two big questionable detours from the tracks, staying to the south of the rio avellano and avoiding crossing it all the way until I reached the lake. I'll quickly describe them here but they were both uncomfortable and not worth it unless the river is impassable. The cold and rain seem to damage my decision making quite a bit, I refused to backtrack or to take breaks to think things through.

To skip the crossing at 69.8 I stayed in the woods south of the river starting at around km 67.5. Initially nice cow path, followed by a tricky wooded boulder field, followed by a horrific stretch crawling over thorny bushes. Eventually I made my way up to the base of some cliffs where things got a bit easier. Following the cliffs I reached a cow path, leading to some open woods through which I rejoined the trail around km 70.5. Never thought I'd be so happy to find cow poop.

I dropped a blue and black stone bracelet somewhere before or during the 71.8 river crossing, let me know if you come across it!

Some of the minor streams merging into the river were tough to cross. 71.8 was up to my thighs with a strong current.

To skip the first major crossing of the Rio Avellano at 81.2 I followed some horse trail to the big white rock hill, and climbed to the top. The rock was super grippy even in the rain. I then traversed along the slope to the east, staying between an elevation of 700 and 750m. There was some cow path making it easier to walk, I wonder how they get up there. A few tough bushy sections descending and climbing out of crevasses/streams before I got to a gradual stream at -46.46385, -72.30601 which I scrambled down to the river.

I ran into the settlers Luis and Jaqueline at their house by the river. They generously took me in for the night and gave me a chance to dry out some of my stuff.

From there I followed option 4C down to the lake, hoping that the river crossing there would be less scary with the river fanned out wider. The option was decent trail over some low passes to the lake, though at times it was hard to follow. It's tough to choose where to cross the river because you can't see the bottom through the silt. I decided to cross near the gpx line where it was wide with lots of debris and sand bars to rest in between the channels. At the worst points it was crotch deep and powerful, the rocks under my feet sliding back from the force. Pretty scary.

I camped in the willow grove by campo chico, and the next day (Monday) I raced to the bus stop at 130.4. It turns out that the bus is now at 6pm, I got there just in time. I took the bus to Puerto Ibáñez and got straight on the 8pm ferry to Chile Chico.

A small cut on my ankle ended up getting infected, I'm now in town out of commission with a ton of swelling. Should have been more careful!

* '''Feb 12 Direct Route SOBO 1 day Frank'''

I walked straight from Villa Cerro Castillo to Puerto Ibanez in one long day. A few KM out on a dirt road there is a museum on your left & a short trail on the right which goes to some rock paintings. You pass by a lake with good views of Cerro Castillo. Salto Rio Ibanez waterfall is impressive.

*Helen and Craig + (Caro and Ali)
5th-10th February NoBo<- only direction to do it! So pretty!

almost got stung by the ferry from Chile chico. Make sure when you go to the office as the online booking doesn't seen to be working, that you specify your a foot passenger. And if they refuse ask to be put on the waiting list for the next ferry (which means you'll get on just fine) pretty sure you could probably just turn up and ask very nicely and they would let you across. Looked in to the boats from Carlos and Pascual to join 33 missing the coast section from levican but Carlos is not in the area at the moment and Pascuals boat is currently non functional, sad times but the coastal section I would have been sad to miss!

-Decided to do Torres del avellano northbound. Highly recommend doing it this way and thankyou to the others who pointed out this point before us. Veiws were great and much easier to get over the bolder scramble going up.

-We walked in a group of 4 so payed for a transfere to levican and a pick up from lago lapparent. 60,000 each time.
-Phone signal from Puerto del avellano to levican
-The river valleys of avellano and venti were incredibly beautiful to the south.
-Route was better marked and easier to navigate than exsepted. Very Easy going apart from km 68.7-62. if you've done GPT 40 or 37, then you'll find 33 delightfully a breeze. (We did have good weather, in bad weather even just a little rain I imagine a very diffence and worse exsperience)
-In the BB/CC river valley of Rio avellano walk on the north shore of the river rather than going to the south. The forest is mostly easily passable or can hop out to the river valley to walk more freely. The south side of the river is calf/ knee high swampy bush bashing which leads to very cold feet and frustration.
-keep eyes peeled for humels! We spotted a male humel on the bushbash/cross country section and had the most amazing sighting!

* '''22 to 26 of January 2023 / Véronica / GPT33H RR SOBO / via GPT33H-03B / 4.5 days'''

Route: Villa Cerro Castillo - Laguna Verde (Río Alto valley) - Upper Río Avellano valley - Torres del Avellano viewpoint - Lower Río Avellano valley - Lago General Carrera - Puerto Ingeniero Ibáñez

Simply beautiful section. Lots of excellent info is written about it in the Hiker's Manuel too. I only met 4 other hikers, with two of them being northbounding GPT hikers! Great to meet you, Yannic and Mirjam :)

From Villa Cerro Castillo I hitched easily on the Carretera Austral to Laguna Verde, where Option 3B begins. I wanted to cut some of the initial road walking because poor weather was incoming the next day and I wanted to try and beat it to have a chance at seeing the Torres. The road walk in the Río Alto valley was actually quite pleasant and scenic. There is a little self-registration booth across the road from the settler at km 30.8, where hikers are asked to "check in" before proceeding down the private road towards the Río Avellano valley. There is no charge.

The camp at 52.7 km is very nice with a little stream running through, lots of dead wood around to make a fire, and relatively sheltered. There is an old puesto/refuge there too that is open and has a fireplace. Could be a good spot to hole up if the weather is bad.

When you diverge from the Río Avellano valley to head up the pass, don't try and follow the GPS. Instead take the path of least resistance (or the path that looks the clearest) through the woods and across the rocks near the river. There are occasional cairns to mark the way too, although not always obvious to spot. Only the last cross-country section before the pass did I follow closely with the GPS, as it goes across a boulder field and the GPS line seemed to be the easiest way up to the pass.

On the south side of the pass is where you finally see the Torres del Avellano proper. Absolutely incredible, and I managed to get the great views only a couple of hours before the rain started and clouds engulfed everything.

I followed the GPS track closely going down through the granite boulder field, since it guided a safe way around the steeper cliffs. It was slow going down through the boulders, but it didn't feel unsafe as the rocks were grippy and solid.

The initial "bushbashing" segment at km 63.9 was very easy through a mature forest. I didn't follow the GPS here, just followed an old animal trail alongside a creek until it joined with Río Ventisquero. Again, the CC&BB section starting at km 64.4 was quite easy at first. I forded the river multiple times to walk along whichever side looked easier/less swampy. About midway through this section though it got tougher because Río Ventisquero got silty and the flow increased, so that I didn't want to ford it much anymore, so I stuck to the left (north) side of the river, mostly in the forest. There were some areas of unavoidable blowdowns and marshy terrain, and everything was wet from the rain coming down too.

When I reached the waypoint X, Ford at 69.8 km, I camped there for the night because Río Ventisquero was a torrent and looked unsafe to ford. There are a few nice, flat places to pitch a tent in this area, under large mature trees. Early the next morning, it was very cold and still raining, and I couldn't tell if the river had gone down at all or not. There was fresh snow higher on the mountaintops. I ended up fording the river slightly downstream from where the trail crosses it, and the water came up just below my hips (I'm 165 cm). The water is silty so you can't see the bottom, but the rocks underneath had surprisingly good traction, which I was grateful for because the current was strong.

It might be better to take Option 33H-E than the regular route. That trail looked well-maintained and clear, whereas the RR between 71.8 and 73.5 km was hard to follow and overgrown at times. There were no signs of life at the homestead of Maria and Julio when I passed through.

I was strategic when I forded Río Avellano at km 81.2, crossing multiple branches at their shallowest points. The water went midway up my thighs at the deepest point. Afterwards though I didn't want to cross it two more times, so I took Option 33H-H which stayed north of the river.

The refugio at km 98.5+0.2 on the shore of Lago General Carrera is nice and clean. There is a woodstove and some tables and chairs. It was crazy windy when I got there though, and I can't reccomend it as a good place to camp unless you sleep inside the refuge — the wind gusts were coming from all directions and there wasn't a spot that was sheltered outdoors. Further along the path at Campo Chico, there is a grove of mature willow trees that is probably a much better camp spot.

Very beautiful hiking along Lago General Carrera, but it was wildly windy for me that day. At times it was hard to stay on the trail due to the strong gusts trying to blow me off the path. Lots of water sources.

RH-MR&CC-V {33H} [19.5/118.0+4.6] is all minor road, no cross-country involved at all. I met the settler at km 121.8, he kindly let me pass through his property (and many gates) no problem.

I got to the minor road from Levican (waypoint at 130.4) at 7:40 a.m. on a Thursday. There is a little bus shelter there to protect from the wind. It was very cold and windy when I got there, and I waited until almost noon, hoping to hitch a ride. Not a single car passed by that whole time. So I resigned myself to the road walk, walked for about an hour in extremely windy conditions, and then a car finally came by and picked me up and drove me into Puerto Ibáñez :) Very grateful!!!

* '''2023 Jan / Yannic & Mirjam / Northbound'''

From Puerto Ibanez we made the first kilometres to junction 130.4 by car stop. Then we hiked on to Camp 113.4. We didn't stay at the location, but a little further ahead where the river flows into the lake. Along the lake was nice with a lot of ups and downs and then we camped somewhere on the side of the Minor Road. Along the Rio Avellano we stayed on the northern side so that we only had to cross the river once (at 81.2). The water came up to my waist (I am 180 cm). Surprisingly, there was another Ford at 69.8. Again, very strong current and loose ground, so it was difficult to find a good footing. Right after this Ford we spent the night in the forest.

On the climb at the start of the cross country section (at trailhead 68.5) be sure to get the right entry point as there are several small streams coming down the valley. We thought we saw a trail further into the forest that we could follow. Unfortunately, this was a mistake and led to us having to bush bash back onto the trail for a few hundred metres. In general, the trail was mostly better close to the river than deeper in the forest. The camping spot at the Torres was incredible and worth getting up for sunrise. The climb up the pass was very doable with the GPS tracks and not too difficult. On the other side of the pass, the trail got surprisingly good. We met a group of horses that were probably trekking to the lakes. Because the weather got worse, we took option 03 on the Carretera Austral and stopped at Ceroo Castillo.

*GPT section 33 7 days, 84 miles, 14K ft ascent Dec. 21 to 27, 2022 David and Erika NOBO

Ferry from Chili Chico runs just once a week (Mondays at 8:00 am) we missed it by hours and were stuck at the hotel California in Chili Chico for a day. “You can enter any time you like but you can never leave” got to be the feeling after residential bus after residential bus filled with residents and would not take us. Eventually got to Sierra Castillo and then hitched to Puerto Inginiero Ibanez. The tourist office there got her husband to give us a lift further 24 km to the end of the road. Well worth the 25,000 pesos. Road hike from there straightforward but new gates are being installed at the last road (NOBO) before you hit Lago General Carrera. Lots of wind. Last Refugio on the lake is legitimate. Good place to camp. Lower Rio Avellano was fordable. We thought we could avoid the 2nd and 3rd ford by taking the path over the hill. Don’t. It doesn’t go…Don’t worry, it gets worse. Ultimately, you’ll be hiking through the river all the way to Torres de Avellano. Note on that. The route takes you up to the lake. Beautiful, but then you go through a 2 km boulder field. We found the start of a trial before exiting the river that seems to lead right up to the pass. Might go, we don’t know. Instead, we took the boulder route, broke through a snow bridge, and put a deep gauge in Erika’s leg. Could have used stiches but had no sutures. Might be worth investigating.

*'''2022 Nov, NoBo, Option 1, Alice and Florian'''

We chose to do the option 1 taking the sendero de chile from Puerto Ibañez to Cerro castillo. Most of it is a trail road (first 25km, and the last 4) so it is quite tiring for the knees as some point. But it seems quite easy to do hitchhiking at least on the first 25 km if needed. Nevertheless it is quite a nice road. You first arrive to a very nice waterfall after 5km, them walk through a canyon with nice scenic views. The 10km pass through a forest trail near lakes, it is really nice as well.

* '''2022 Nov / GPT33H Option 11 and Parts of Regular Route / Meylin Ubilla and Jan Dudeck'''

GPT33H/GPT34P: Northern coast of Lago General Carrera from Puerto Sanchez to Levican (packrafting and hiking)

From 2022-Nov-20 to 2022-Nov-24 we (Meylin Ubilla, Jan Dudeck) packrafted and hiked in 5 days from Puerto Sanchez to Levican along the northern coast of Lago General Carrera.

This lake is infamous for the frequent strong gusty wind, therefore packrafting requires a careful monitoring of the weather to depart only onto the lake when a period with calmer conditions is approaching. Luckily, there is reasonable good mobile phone coverage what facilities checking the weather and wind forecast frequently.

Given the wind conditions any packrafting attempt on Lago General Carrera requires to my opinion:

- decked packraft, a longer tandem is strongly preferable (faster, more stable) - a sail (to get quicker to an exit point) - packrafting experience in the region (to anticipate typical weather and wind patterns) - smartphone with entel SIM card or entel rooming - YR weather App, Windy weather App

The predominant wind is eastbound therefore only eastbound packrafting is advisable.

I’m left with the impression that wind gets generally stonger towards the east (towards Levican and Puerto Ingeniero Ibáñez) and that calm periods are more frequent and longer towards the west (Puerto Tranquilo, Puerto Sanchez).

Also, calmer conditions are more likely in the early morning just after sunrise but strong wind all night is also common.

During a previous hike in February 2020 we experienced an entire summer day with barely any wind but such days are as frequent as unicorns and no travel plan should be build on exceptional favorable circumstances.

There is a trail along the northern shore but due to the steep coast there are sections of up to 13 km on the lake without a connection from the shoreline to this trail.

Emergency exits are more frequent along the coast but using such an exit means waiting for the wind to calm down what can take days. Therefore it is generally favorable to exit the water only in a location from where the trail can be reached easily.

We packrafted most of the distance from Puerto Sanchez to the Avellano river delta on 3 mornings in about 9 hours on the water but from there we hiked in two days to Levican because we had no similar promising calm weather windows in following early mornings. In hindsight the wind remained manageable in the morning hours till about noon but there was no point in reversing our decision to hike (and we urgently needed some exercise to get used to hike with heavy backpacks again).

Crossing from Puerto Tranquilo to Puerto Sanchez is reasonable feasible by packraft in calm weather (typically either very early in the morning or later in the evening). The crossing is 3 km wide and best started 1 km north of Puerto Tranquilo in a hidden bay with a nice protected spot to pitch a tent (46.6146°S / 72.6838°W · 210 m). If preparing the packraft at the beach of Puerto Tranquilo officials may stop packrafters as there are numerous restrictions and requirements applicable (in example accompanying motor boat with two licensed boat drivers).

Packrafters should depart in north-eastern direction to compensate for a south-eastern wind drift in case wind increases.

A very nice protected camp site is approximately 8 km from the recommended exit point near Puerto Tranquilo.

GPT33H: Bus Levican - Puerto Ingeniero Ibanez

The last 26 km from Levican to Puerto Ingeniero Ibanez are rather dull road walking. Therefore hikers that arrive at the right day and time can take the subsidized bus.

Monday and Friday only: 08:00 Puerto Ingeniero Ibanez -> Levican 09:00 Levican -> Puerto Ingeniero Ibanez 18:00 Puerto Ingeniero Ibanez -> Levican 19:00 Levican -> Puerto Ingeniero Ibanez Price: 1000 CLP

Transport at other times can be arranged for a substantially higher cost (estimated 40‘000 to 60‘000 CLP per vehicle).

Paty: +56 9 9506 3176

Luis: +56 9 8648 4075

==Season 2021/22==

* '''2022 Feb: 10-14, SoBo, RR, Kris&Stiina'''

Even though the first few days out of town is a road walk, the first part of it is actually really scenic and worth walking, the lakes are just very beautiful one the way. The second part was mostly in the forest and our feet, knees and hips were already hurting from all the road walking but once we got on trail it got better right away. The trail was surprisingly well maintained I would even say better than in Cerro Castillo National Park. Another unexpected surprise was the amount of people that we met on the trail a total of about 25 people in different size groups were hiking to see Torres de Avellano. We really didn’t expect that, there also seemed to be some sort of backpack hauling and guiding service that the local arrieros were offering. We unfortunately didn’t manage to talk to them to find out, but it seems that the place is getting popular. Which is not a surprise because it’s very very beautiful there, probably is correct what the manual says, that it’s going to be the next Torres del Paine, time will tell.

On day 3 about 2-3km before the pass the trail disappeared and the going got tougher and tougher, mostly just bolder hopping up and over the pass. The descent was pretty steep on large granite slabs which offered plenty of good grip but I am not sure how well would it work in wet conditions. I think the pass is doable in not good weather conditions but only if one feels very confident in own abilities on wet rocks. Also it’s a good idea to follow the gps on the way down because otherwise you end up on a cliff edge and have to track back up. The ground finally eases up once you enter the forest, but then starts the bushwhacky part all the way until ford/div at 69,7km.

That was as far as we could make it that day because the river was pretty fast in the evening. So we decided to camp right there and cross it in the morning when the flow would be a bit more manageable and our decision payed off. In the morning the river was about 10cm lower than the evening before, so if you ar a shorter person it could save you. The flow was pretty strong and water was still about hips deep. Both of us crossed it together by standing in a line, me in front and Stiina supporting me from behind, it worked great. After that it was easy cruising for the next 32km, however we had to cross that river once again at 81,2km. It was still challenging but we managed to do it the traditional way one by one, facing upstream. But the current was still very strong and pushing our feet out from under us, challenging our balance. After that we didn’t want to cross it two more times as gps suggested so we just stayed on the left coast all the way to the lake. There were some cow trails to follow and also to bypass the cliffs it was no problem.

The lake is really beautiful with all the islands and it wasn’t too windy when we arrived. We camped about a kilometer from Campo Chico on the rocky stream bed and managed to cook on the fire that night without causing fire hazard. And there were apple, pear and plum trees at the 98,3km, plums were very ripe but the apples and pears still need a week or two to get ready, but it was a very nice treat nevertheless.

Next day was Monday which meant that we could avoid the 26km road walk at the end of the section which we were determined to do. We had 30km to goto get to the road junction were the bus is passing by and according to the manual the bus would pass there some time after 20:00 which is when it starts from Levican. So we pushed the whole day over the steep, sandy, bushy terrain and made it to the junction by 19:00, great, we thought. But after bus didn’t show up we called the phone nr that Janna & Matthias had provided and it turned out that the bus actually leaves Levican at 18:00 and is long gone. But the bus driver was nice enough to offer us a ride to Puerto Ibañez, however for a hefty 45.000 pesos. We were out of food, out of water and pretty spent from getting ourselves there so we accepted the offer. The car ride showed that it would be a pretty dull road walk aswell if we would have had to do it so in the end it all worked out and we got to town just as we wanted.

The town was a bit disappointing, people were somehow not very helpful and also all accommodations were full, but we managed to camp at Las Cabañitas about a km out of town. The next day we went to the port to catch the ferry to Chile Chico, but due to strong winds all ferries were canceled and nobody could even give us a guess of when the ferries would restart. We didn’t want to spend another day in Puerto Ibañez so we hitched back to Villa Cerro Castillo in hopes to get bus or a hitch around the lake. There are definitely daily buses to Cochrane.

In the end our plans changed and we decided that we are content with our experience on GPT this season, so we left it at that. Thanks for kicking our butts GPT and showing us beauty we haven’t seen before! :)

For more stories of the trail, pictures, videos and in case you want to ask us anything you can find us on Instagram: @smallfootprint_bigadventures

* '''GPT 33H Option 4 (Puerto Cristal)/ Torres de Avellano/ Packrafting Route / 2022 Feb-4 / 7 days / Tobias Schorcht and Jonas Grünewald'''

I started Packrafting from Puerto Tranquilo to Puerto Sanches in the calm morning hours. Since Jonas doesn‘t have a Packraft, we booked a full Marvel Caves Tour by boat for him and asked the Captain, to leave him in Puerto Sanches, which was possible without any extra paying. We hiked northbounded along Lago Vidal Gormez and visited the left behind abandoned village Puerto Cristal. It was an impressive experience to see the old facilities of the Mining Company! The good visible trail is partly overgrown with spiky bushes and contains a lot of altitude. We have been rewarded with stunning views on the Lago General Carrera and recommend this option anyway. We went up to the Torres with good weather knowing, that some wind and rain have been predicted for the night. It took us many hours to cross the valley (-46,43300, -72,48867) because we mainly followed the “cow-trails” through the forest and wetland (as an alternative to walk up the river). We reached the camp (-46,42178, -72,50672) late and sheltered the spot with rocks against the wind. You are welcome to use our cozy spot free of charge 😉. Took the trail from the Torres down to Cerro Castillo without difficulties.

We have to say, that this part of the GPT was challenging but absolutely worth the struggle.

Disfrutas las cosas 🙏

* '''NoBo, January 2022, 6.5 days, Participants: Janna & Matthias'''

Day 1: We took the ferry from Chile Chico to Puerto Ibañez (ferry schedule online).There still runs a government-subsidised bus (+56 9 89448847) between Puerto Ibañez and Levicàn on Mondays and Fridays at 8am & 5pm (summer). We decided to spend the afternoon rain relaxing at the pizzeria in Puerto Ibañez and then catch the bus. We called and found out that the bus stop is now in front of the Supermercado Jelvez. The driver let us off at Div 130.4/311 at about 6pm ($1000 per person cash) and we hiked for another hour or so. At bridge 129.3/304 you cannot get water (a kind of gorge), maybe at the marked "Water?" about 15min downstream. We had enough with us and camped sheltered from the wind between the monoculture trees (S 46.377764 W 71.922459).

Day 2: We continued through / over many gates and past empty houses down to the water. Attention if NoBo: at gate 122.6/628 there are two gates - the GPT splits behind the left one, so take that one. The first water before the lake and two good camps at the lake are marked. The path along Lago Carrera was easy to find, sandy and rough in places but we could follow old riders' tracks. We really enjoyed the fantastic view over the lake and had a tábano-free time thanks to the strong wind. About 2 km before Campo Chico (S 46.478295 W 72.086034) we found a west wind-protected and very nice camping spot.

Day 3: Further camping possibilities would be as already described on wikiexplora at Campo Chico and at Puerto Avellano. Along the lake there are streams/rivers for drinking water every 1-2h. There is a wild apple tree on the trail here: S 46.487073 W 72.102247 in case you come by at the right time of year. After Puerto Avellano there is about 15km of a former mine road that is easy to follow. We had a wonderful view of the mountains the whole day. The first two Fords are easy to pass with little water. Water sources again every 1-2h. Our camp 3 was here: S 46.457910 W 72.299412 - beautiful, next to the water, sheltered from the wind.

Day 4: Ford-day - in total we forded rivers more than 20 times, all of them were easy to knee deep except Río Avellano at 81.2/490 which reached almost to our hips and required a lot of effort. We met and chatted with settler Maria who was on her way to have some work done. At Div/Ford 69.7/634 the mountain peaks remained hidden in the clouds and the weather forecast was not so sparkling why we opted for the bypass (option 2) which is also very nice to walk with imposing mountain massifs on both sides, enchanted fairytale forests, a waterfall and easy-to-find cow tracks. Only the large swamp around S 46.386387 W 72.422623 was very unpleasant and foul-smelling, about shin deep. It may be worth looking for a path along the water there. Camp 4: S 46.371434 W 72.432519, quiet and nice under curious observation of two horses on the other side of the river.

Day5: At Div 54.5/841 we checked the weather again but as it still looked bad and everything in the valley further up was already in fog we finally decided against the Torres. At this Div there was an unmarked Ford when coming from option 2. If NoBo hiking directly after this Div take the path higher up the hill and not the marked route directly along the water, because the latter is slipped and to climb. At Puesto 53.0/946 (if NoBo) do not go through the gate but continue on the east side. A Horse Trail runs along the eastern edge of Mallin Grande. Our Camp 5 was here: S 46.281253 W 72.436128.

Day 6: Continued on the gravel road, passing many settlers and pastures. The Estero Alto flows much lower than the road, there is water at Bridge 25.7/454 and otherwise only at the lakes. There is a fence almost everywhere to the left and right of the road. To get to Camp 16.9+0.3/598 you have to climb over a locked gate (S 46.178222 W 72.312583). The two buildings in the pasture are a ruin (S 46.182635 W 72.311414) and a stable (S 46.183119 W 72.310509).

Day 7: Continued along the gravel road we almost missed Div 5.5/554 where a sandy path continues. The path is blocked by a wire fence at S 46.143124 W 72.184071 but a little further to the right you can slip through. No problems to get to Villa Cerro Castillo

==Season 2020/21==

* '''February 2021 from Bahía Murta to Torres del Avellano to Carretera Austral / Northbound, 5 days. Valle Resfalín/Resfalón (Option 8) + Mirador Torres del Avellano + Regular Hike + Escape to Carretera Austral (Option 3B) + Hitchhiking to Villa Cerro Castillo'''

Day 1: Bahia Murta to Camp #5 (Camp ? @33H-08-#005) / 11.5 km / 6 hours

The hike started at Bahía Murta, on a steep hillside. We used the GPS tracks to find the path, and from there on it’s pretty easy to follow the path (when in doubt, we checked the GPS). It’s a very nice hike, and at the end of the day it’s necessary to cross the river. We both had trekking sandals, which came in handy every time we had to cross a river. Just after the river there is a camp option. We found a nice spot on the other side of the wooden fence, but there are many more options up the small hill. It was a perfect place for sleeping, with the soothing sound of the river.

Day 2: Camp #5 (Camp ? @33H-08-#005) to Regular Route at Mallín Quemado (Camp ? @33H-08-#010) / 11.7 km / 8 hours

This was one of the longest days for us, mainly because we underestimated how much time it takes to walk through a path that’s been reclaimed by nature. The day started with a steep uphill, where we lost the path for a while and then had to check the GPS to find it again. There are streams on the way where it’s possible to refill the water bottles. About a third way in, at (-46.38537, -72.55201), the path collapsed, probably washed out by the river. We took a look around and decided it was way safer to cross the river than to continue on the collapsed path (it was late February, so the river was not so full). We crossed to the other side, and 100m ahead crossed back. This is definitively the trickiest part of the day (although a bit farther ahead we found ourselves in the middle of a caterpillar forest...not really pleasant). Just after the crossing the are two camp sites (Camp ? @33H-08-#008 and Camp ? @33H-08-#009), but we would recommend keep going as the second part of the day is definitively easier than the first. Farther ahead we found two more camp site options: at (-46.36768, -72.53116) on this side of the river and at (-46.36722, -72.53088) on the other side of the river. We considered sleeping there, because we were exhausted, but in the end we decided to keep going as we still had some hours of daylight left. This was the right choice, because that way we could sleep at Mallín Quemado and then the next day do the day trip to Torres del Avellano. Mallín Quemado is the name the locals use for the big forest area that was “burned” by the ashes of Volcan Hudson. It’s near (Puesto @33H-53.0) and it’s a perfect place for sleeping. We decided to boil the water from the small stream, because there were some cattle grazing around.

Day 3: Camp #10 (Camp ? @33H-08-#010) to Mirador Laguna y Torres del Avellano and back to Camp #10 / 7.1 km (each way) / 3 hours (each way)

We started early and with a lot of motivation to go and see the Torres del Avellano. Sadly the day was a bit cloudy, but nonetheless it was totally worth it: the views from up there are breathtaking! A lot of glaciers and superstreams with the purest water you can ask for. When we arrived back at the camp, we met the first person in 3 days: Francisco, a teacher from Puerto Aysen. He came up the other way, from Villa Cerro Castillo, and was planning on going to Torres del Avellano on the next day, and then head back to Villa Cerro Castillo.

Day 4: Camp #10 (Camp ? @33H-08-#010) to Camp at (-46.26244, -72.35118) / 21.6 km / 8 hours

Another long day, but without any difficult parts. This section of the hike is way more popular than Valle Resfalín/Resfalón, so the path is way easier to follow. The first section, until the car road, is really beautiful. We even saw some (semi) wild horses! We knew that once the car road started there wouldn’t be so many camp site options, so we kept our eyes open. The car road goes through a narrow valley, and then comes a steep down hill. At the bottom of the hill, on the left side, there is a small meadow, where it’s possible to pitch a tent (-46.26244, 72.35118). Water is available 100m down a steep hill.

Day 5: Camp at (-46.26244, -72.35118) to Carretera Austral / 14.8 km / 4 hours

Following the main car road to Carretera Austral it’s impossible to get lost. We didn’t find any stream on the way, but in case of needing water there are many houses. Just be sure to ask nicely :) Once on the Carretera Austral we hitchhiked to Villa Cerro Castillo. We only had to wait for 30 minutes to get a ride, and considering that we did this during covid times...not too bad. We also had the backup plan of Francisco, who would be driving to Villa Cerro Castillo later that day. Funny enough, we ran into Francisco by chance in Villa Cerro Castillo and he invited us to an ice cream. It was a nice way of ending the trip.

We are extremely grateful to Jan and all the people from wikiexplora for making this adventure possible!

==Season 2019/20==

*'''Section 33: RR(New!) from Ibáñez. Exit via Option 8 to Bahía Murta.'''
Westbound. 11 days. Party (3): Mum, Sis and I.

Ibáñez y Península Levican: Continuing our extended stay in Chile we caught a government subsidised bus from Cerró Castillo to Ibáñez where we learnt after a somewhat lengthy process: talking to the ticket office, boat personnel and then the carabineros (an officer and then his jefe!), everyone passing the buck; that without a certificado de salud (not available in town, and only online) we couldn't board the vessel. The upside was that the Naviera Austral had fantastic baños (yes! they were open!) and the cleaning lady let us have a quick body wash and even do a little laundry before she had to close up. There was also limited WiFi connectivity (only WhatsApp would work) and powerpoints where we could charge our things. It also happens that we bumped into a Zulema Amoroz who was born in Fachinal, most likely a relative of Carloz Amoros who offers the boat service from Fachinal across the lake (we contacted him but no boats were allowed on the lake). If you hang around near where the ferry docks you might find her selling coffee and alfajores.

We quickly decided to walk the new Section 33 Jan recently published, but end in Bahía Murta instead (i.e. explore option 8). Some effort was exhausted trying to organise a lift out to Península Levican. We did find someone for $30k, (it seemed a little steep but that's roughly what to expect), but it wouldn't be till the following day and we needed to get out of town to spend the night. We stocked up on food and started out on foot on the old RR (now Option 1) camping before we reached Río Ibáñez.

I had a little concern about water on the way to Levican, but there are two or three good streams along the way: (-46.31022, -71.97272) (-46.32470, -71.96457) (-46.34091, -71.94069)

In Puerto Ray a lady (also named Zulema!) warmed up to us and let us camp in her fruit orchard. In the morning we bought some eggs and 'bread' from them. Her husband was tanning a chivo hide; he had such a jolly step!

Along Lago General Carrera: We went back to the junction (Div Levican @33H-131.4) where a good emergency shelter exists. The road is still very clear from here, but don't expect any traffic. I think it was a rare sight that we saw an old Mercedes truck full of wood lumbering (pun intended ;) out. The rd deviates a little from the track files maybe due to the pine plantations. There are many new rds., so take care you don't go the wrong way. Taking the RR you will pass through a locked gate (-46.38234, -71.96692), after this keep an eye out for a gate on the left. It's not in the track files and we didn't look for it, so maybe it's not there. The issue we had was that the road continues up the hill, deviating from the RR around (-46.38448, -71.97642). Here you should already be on the small road on the other side of the fence (someone traveling towards Levican/Ibáñez will find this easier to scope I imagine). Though it's not recommended to cross fences, we carefully crossed instead of heading back. A very minor Rd continues down to a dilapidated puesto and a couple of portóns. The road didn't seem to continue as indicated in the track files... but I wasn't following my gps. We CCed across a field until we encountered another road that led back to the RR.

You will finally encounter your first reliable water source since Levican (-46.40196, -71.97831), especially if you are heading towards Ibáñez, make sure you fill up here!

The two camps in the track files at km117 and km114 were the best we saw. The next obvious choice would be around Campo Chico I think, quite a bit further along. Plenty of water along the lake and we had plenty of apples seeing we were walking so late in the walking season. Amazing autumn colours! The track is also in good shape, someone had very recently 'cleaned' the way! The refugio at Los Álamos was a very welcome sight, a great place to spend a night (it's there because of the high winds possible on the lake). The nearby settler was resonably friendly and his dog Puestero even more so! He told us that it was him who 'cleaned' the track along Lago General. It made our walking so much easier! Thanks Armando!

Valle Avellano y Ventisquiero: The old mining road through Valle Avellano was easy to follow. The road actually continues significantly further than indicated in the track files. Taking Variation F to avoid extra crossings of the river we found the road ended about here: (-46.45730, -72.30207). There is an unmarked ford here: (-46.46107, -72.24636)

We took Variation D and just caught Maria and Julio before they headed out with their kids on a horse ride. We bought some bread from them. They called it a tortilla, but I think my Mexican friends would strongly argue the point ;)

Easy walking up into Valle Ventisquiero. Read Jan's track notes. They are quite thorough. The trail to remeet Río Avellano is a little unused (also as mentioned in his write up), but easy to follow. Some good camping before the river. We met some gouchos using the puesto, they were not overly friendly; I think a little scared because of the virus. They pointed out a nearby shelter we could use made from a very old technique using U-shaped logs (I met a carpenter in Murta who told me a little about it).

Option 8: Valle Resbalín/Resfalón(?): It was snowing in the morning. We decided to take Option 8 to Bahía Murta. This meant less road walking and involved a part marked as 'I' (investigation) which would be nice to document. It appears that this route down Valle Resbalín (or "Resfalón" as some locals in Murta told me it was named... anyone know?) is no longer used; quite overgrown, vague and in places difficult to detect at all. Sometimes all we could see was the occasional chainsawed log; and in some chutes: machete marks. Water was plentiful. There was a very old but partially functional puesto en route.

There is a junction ('div') here: (-46.37495, -72.53695). The trail heading up the side valley actually looked quite distinct. I'm not sure what it's name is, or what's up there, but the water was a nice glacier blue and it had a higher flow than the 'main' named river.

The only tricky spot to find the track was where it was washed away by the river, about here: (-46.38527, -72.55201). I cut steps in the bank, crossed, and dropped a rope down for the others. It would be much safer to walk in the river. We explored options to bypass via skirting around in the bosque, but they didn't seem practical. The nearby camp site marked in the track files (Camp ? @33H-08-#008) is not really good. Better to camp 200m upstream If camping around here. We camped at the confluence with Estero Sur, which is the best spot to camp we saw in the entire valley. From this point down the valley, the track is in use: plenty of fresh signs of cattle (maybe they graze in the side valleys?). Ford Estero Sur (-46.39815, -72.58224) and follow the track down the valley with ease. There is camping at (Camp ? @33H-08-#004) but better 300m down the valley near a corral. 50m down valley of (Camp ? @33H-08-#002) camping is possible next to the vague ruins of an old puesto. Further down the valley are several grassy areas good for camping, the most obvious is here (-46.43778, -72.65597) in the vicinity of the old puesto. The track (as opposed to Rd) continues much further than indicated in the track files. The road only starts about here (-46.44697, -72.66655) once you are nearly in Murta. We rested a full day in Murta and I happened to run into Felepé who we'd meet before the trip in Cerró Castillo. Loco!

Thanks Jan for making this trip possible, Tobias Hellwig for recommending the reroute, and all the people on wikiexplora who explored and documented the tracks.

If anyone has any information on the history of Valle Resbalín/Resfalón(?), the mining prospectors in Valle Avellano, or the settlers that abandoned the coast of Lago General Carrera, I'd love to read a bit.

I hope this helps someone. Thanks!

Oh! and we're back in Cochrane now and planning to be in Coyhaique in a week or so. Cheers.

* '''BE AWARE THAT THE BELOW LOGS refer to Option 1 and not to the new Regular Route:'''
Until 2019 the Regular Route followed the Sendero de Chile in the vicinity of Rio Ibañez what is now Option 1. Tobias Hellwig suggested to reroute the GPT via the Torres de Avellano to incorporate this hidden treasure. This proposed new route was investigated and documented in February 2020 by the founders of the GPT. By this time multiple segments of this new route were already published on Wikiexplora by other authors. Only the route from Kilometer 62.2 to 69.9 remained undocumented and had to be researched and ground-proved.

* '''10 Mar 2020 / RH SOBO / Ty / 1 day'''

Super easy in general. I was able to get a hitch for like the last 10 kilometers. There’s a lot of different trail you can wander off on at the start of the sendero de Chile, so just be aware of your navigation at the start. The only good easily accessible water I found was between the two lakes before the intersection where you start walking the road. The ferry to Chile Chico leaves around 8 and takes a couple hours. Otherwise the next ferry leaves at 11 am....but make sure to confirm these times yourself. When arriving in Chile Chico, I climbed up to the viewpoint/mirador close to the ferry landing and found a place protected on the wind and slept on the ground. There is also an abandoned house marked in I-overlander that has an area in a room big enough for a 2 person tent. It’s on your right just before the climb up to the mirador.

* '''Jan 2020 / RH Northbound / Matthieu / 2 days'''

No technical difficulties on this part. However, I was stopped, when the GPT leave the road to go between the two lakes, by a sign : área protegida, ingreso no permitido. For me, it was cristal clear, so I just continued the road, disappointed. I spoke to one of the settler not far, who told me that it was only for cars and it s ok for walkers, and that it is part of the "Sendero de Chile". So the way seems open finally. Anyway, there is another little path just before the lago Ardillas that goes north, and join the GPS tracks above the Valley Ibanez. Well maintained, in the hills, lots of cows, good experience.

* '''2019 Jan/ Olrik / Northbound'''

From Ibanez you walk on a dirt road to the entrance of a Reserva Natural. You are on the Sendero de Chile so it is well marked. In the reserva the trail is easy to follow and there was no one. You end up in Cerro Castillo. We did it in 2.5 days but could be done in 1 day if beginning early.

* '''2019-Nov-28/ Lea Geibel/ 1 day / Northbound / Regular Hiking Route (Puerto Ibañez to Villa Cerro Castillo)'''

After arriving with the ferry at 10.30 a.m., the section can be hiked in one day (around 8 hours of walking). Most of the section is on a dirt road with very little traffic. The part that is following a trail is marked with posts with red / white rings on them. Occasionally the trail is not very visible but numerous animals tracks are usually heading in the right direction before eventually meeting up with a trail marker again.

=Resupply and Accommodation=

==Resupply and Accommodation in nearby Towns==

*2025 / Michael & Kasia:
If entering or exiting via Opt 8 or Opt 4, Bahía Murta (Puerto Murta) has several places that rent cabañas or camping space. There are at least 5 shops in town. The two largest both had tall skinny gas recharge canisters (Minimercado Gemaniar 3.000, Minimercado Estribo 4.000), but no screw type for backpacking stoves. Minimarket Gemaniar across from the tourist information office had generally the best prices and a good selection. The panadería across from the plaza had good pan amasado.

*Section GPT33H starts in Villa Cerro Castillo and terminates in Puerto Ingeniero Ibañez (Resupply information see GPT34H). Hikers that continue southbound may also resupply in Chile Chico after the ferry crossing of Lago General Carrera (Resupply information see GPT35).

*Several shops sell food and camping gas canisters.

*Restaurants offer filling meals.

*Accommodation is provided by hostels, cabañas and camp sites in these towns.

*Hikers that walk GPT33H and its adjacent sections with continuous footsteps can resupply in Cerro Castillo, Puerto Ingeniero Ibañez and Chile Chico and do not need to leave the route to resupply.

==Resupply and Accommodation along the Route==

*There is no plannable resupply along the entire Regular Route but some food may be obtained at the two homestead farms on the route.

[Settler (Maria & Julio) @33H-76.9]: Maria and Julio are one of the few settlers that still make cheese for sale in such a remote location. If you are short on foot you might also ask if they may sell some bread, milk or meat.

[Settler (Luis Diaz) @33H-85.2]: Luis : When passing his home consider a visit. You may also ask if he has bread or meat to sell.

[Puesto @33H-98.5]: The puesto 250 m north of Puerto Avellano is rarely occupied by their owners but the fruit trees might provide some well desired vitamins in summer and early autumn.

=Transport to and from Route=

*2025 / MiaimZelt
Subsidized bus between Puerto Ibañez and Levican every Monday & Friday: Ibañez/levican 8:15 & 17:00, Levican/ibañez 9:00 & 18:00.
Transportes Freddy Morales (+56 9 9506 2906)

*2023 / Maks&Gabi
We hitchhiked from km 136 near Levican to Puerto Ibanez. During the weekend there is only one ferry a day (Saturday morning and Sunday evening).

*2023 / Louis, Rémi & Noé :
Here, at the lake. There is mobile coverage and so we contacted numerus given on the PDF on WhatsApp to find a boat to bring us back to civilisation. I let you the contact of Jairo, that can bring you back to Puerto Tranquilo... for 400.000 CLP.. Jairo : +56 9 6633 9507

*Most buses to Villa Cerro Castillo leave Coyhaique in the morning around 08:00 and pass Villa Cerro Castillo approximately 1:30 hours later. In the opposite direction buses pass Cerro Castillo in the early afternoon.

*Puerto Ingeniero Ibañez has regular public transportation to Coyhaique (1:45 hour by bus) and Chile Chico (2:15 hour by ferry). The ferry over Lago General Carrera that connects Puerto Ingeniero Ibanez with Chile Chico does two round trips each day, one in the morning and one the evening. Buses to and from Coyhaique operate synchronized to these ferries.
Best Call Buses Alejandro: +56 9 7652 9546

*Subsidized bus from Puerto Ingeniero Ibañez to Levicán: Monday and Friday, Approx. 1’000 CLP Morning round trip: Leaving Puerto Ingeniero Ibañez at 08:00, arriving in Levican around 09:00 and returning immediately to Ibañez around 09:00 and arriving at Ibanez around 10:00. Evening round trip: Leaving Puerto Ingeniero Ibañez at 17:00, arriving in Levican around 18:00 and returning to Ibañez at 18:00 arriving at Ibanez at 19:00.

*Private transport from Puerto Ingeniero Ibañez to Levicán: Anytime, Approx. 35´000 CLP
Try to call Luis: +56 9 8648 4075

*Combining GPT35 with GPT33H

Northbound hikers may consider connecting GPT35 directly with GPT33H by exiting Parque Patagonia towards Fachinal and crossing Lago General Carrera by motorboat from Fachinal to the Desembocadura Rio Avellano. Here Lago General Carrera is only 3.5 km wide and a motorboat crossing does not take more than 20 minutes. Unfortunately, in summer this requires some patience as the normally strong wind often impedes this. In the morning or the evening the wind occasionally calms down but rarely during the day.

Carlos Amoroz, a settler in Fachinal owns a motorboat and offers this service on request. Pascual Diaz, a tour operator from Mallin Grande, can also provide this service but he must first haul his motorboat the 42 km on trailer from Mallin Grande to Fachinal what makes his service substantially more expensive.

Settler with motorboat in Fachinal (Location: -46.5568°S / -72.2120°W) Name: Carlos Amoroz Mobile: +56-9-76267029 Price: Approx. 30’000 CLP for 2 persons

Tour operator with motorboat in Mallin Grande Name: Pascual Diaz (Company: “Kalem Patagonia”) Mobile: +56-9-7391 7881 Price: Presumably more expensive and advance notice required

This section combination of GPT35 with GPT33H seems more practical in northbound direction as hikers can first talk directly to the settler with the motorboat in Fachinal, resupply in Chile Chico (by taking a motorized transport from Fachinal to Chile Chico and back) and then cross Lago General Carrera with a refilled backpack. While waiting for the wind to calm down hikers can pitch their tent at a nice wind protected camp site on the shore of Lago General Carrera.

Thanks to the reasonably good mobile phone coverage in Fachinal hikers can check the weather and wind forecast and call the settler with the motorboat when approaching Fachinal. This permits hikers to anticipate or discard a motorboat crossing on arrival.

Hikers that attempt a more complicated southbound crossing of Lago General Carrera should make arrangements with the settler with the motorboat at least one or two weeks before arriving at Puerto Avellano, test communication devices (i.e. InReach to mobile phone), agree on the precise pick-up location (Puerto Avellano or Desembocadura Rio Avellano) and carry enough food to wait some time in Puerto Avellano. Hikers should be prepared that the wind may not calm down while waiting several days in Puerto Avellano. In this case the motorboat transfer should canceled, and the hiker should walk out to Puerto Ingeniero Ibañez before the food reserves deplete. There is mobile phone coverage at Puerto Avellano (entel if I recall correctly).

=Permits, Entry Fees and Right-of-Way Issues=

*To my knowledge paddling on Lago General Carrera requires a permit from the Armada de Chile but complying with all requirements might not be possible even for a well equipped packrafter (i.e. distress signal rockets).

=Links to other Resources=

Retired Section Article [[GPT33H - Puerto Ibañez]]

Retired Section Article [[GPT33H - Torres del Avellano]]

For additional information see the Wikiexplora Articles:

[[Península de Levican - El Avellano]]

[[Torres del Avellano]]

[[Laguna La Plaza]]

For more information see the Wikiexplora Article:

[[Puerto Cristal]]

For more information see the Wikiexplora Articles:

[[Valle Miller]]

[[Estero Jaramillo]]

A part of this route is described in the Wikiexplora Article:

[[Mirador Este de las Torres de Avellano]]

=Images=

GPT40 (Glaciar Viedma)

2026-02-14T12:26:28Z

Aymaynard: /* Season 2025/26 */Added trip log

GPT39 (Monte Fitzroy)

2026-02-14T11:53:47Z

Aymaynard: /* Season 2025/26 */Track log

GPT38 (Glaciar Chico)

2026-02-14T11:49:29Z

Aymaynard: /* Season 2025/26 */Added track log

GPT37H (Peninsula La Florida)

2026-02-14T11:44:47Z

Aymaynard: /* Season 2025/26 */Added entry log

'''[[GPTs|List of all GPT sections]]'''

= How to a add new entry =
You need to be logged in to save your edits (and on mobile view, you need to be logged in to start editing).

Add a new log entry always on top in the appropriate season sub-chapter and use format:


<nowiki>* '''</nowiki>'''Start Date to Finish Date (use Format YYYY-MMM-DD) / Duration in Days / Hiking or Packrafting / Travel Direction (SOBO for Southbound or NOBO Northbound) / Chosen Route and/or Option Name (RR for Regular Route) / Names or Alias'''<nowiki>'''</nowiki>

If you are packrafting, put the above info into HTML tags like this (if you follow a hiking route for part of the way, highlight only "packrafting", as above):


<nowiki>* '''</nowiki>'''YYYY-MMM-DD / X days / Packrafting / SOBO / RP / Your name'''<nowiki>'''</nowiki>.

Include remarks about your route useful for other hikers and packrafters, alerts, suggestions and personal perception of attractiveness and difficulties. Try to be specific. Do not be shy to fix obvious mistakes.

=Overview=

=Section Log, Alerts and Suggestions=

==Season 2025/26==

* '''GPT37H / 2026-01-30 to 2026-02-01 / 3 Days + boat ride following morning / Western Traverse /SOBO / Hiking /RR, G, RR, H / Alex and Aoife.'''

Attractiveness: 5/5
Difficulty: 3/5

Florida Peninsula. Overall, beautiful section which does feel quite remote. And very novel to be picked up on the southern end via the Boat.

Pre organising required as we wanted the boat to meet us at Bahia pescado and take us to Candelario Mancilla.

Due to our time constraints and the boats only operating on Monday, Thursday, Saturday (weather permitting) we did this Western Traverse in 3 days. We managed but it was too much. I think 4 or maybe even 5 days would provide A much more leisurely pace where you can stop and enjoy your surrounds a bit more.

We arrived late into Villa O'Higgins the night before and went straight to the Ruedas ferry office and met with Sebastian. We organised the Monday boat would pick us up at Bahia Pescado at 9am and bring us to Candelario Mancilla . He also agreed to bring our foodbag for section 38 & 39.
Camped at Camping Tierra Paraiso. 8k pp. Nice enough place, grass to pitch on and was quiet at the time.

As we were in a rush we didn't quite think through establishing a communication system well. So I'll mention what we did and how I would do it better.

It seems generally hikers and Ruedas assume at Bahia Pescado that Starlink can be used at:
Settler {37H-H} [4.5/264] (Bahia Pescado, Nicole and Misael)
-48.825720, -72.700350

to contact Ruedas and confirm they are there to be picked up etc. This idea doesn't work when Misael and Nicole aren't home.
So the morning we started the hike I sent a whatsapp message to Seb explaining that I am going to send a test message on my Garmin Inreach to him and if he could reply to confirm he got it.
I didn't hear back so messaged him on whatsapp from on top of a hill a few kms into the hike to put my mind at Ease and assured him we would be there on the Monday even if we don't have internet reception to confirm this. He also confirmed he got the inreach Message. So I said I would contact him on that when we arrive.

I never got a response back from Seb on my Inreach, Im guessing that maybe due to Chilean phone plans only providing data and minutes which only seem to work to contact other phones with the same service provider.
So I think talking about the Inreach and doing a test message in Person and just being clear about that process would be something I would recommend.

The two supermarkets in town were relatively stocked for dry goods , don't expect much in terms of fresh produce.

Day1: 30/01/26

We got a hitch from the edge of town the 7km to Puerto Bahamondes. Apparently there is a bus from Villa O'Higgins tourism office - we had someone mention this to us but can not confirm.

Distance: 23km
Time: 1015- 2000
Water:
Water along the way even on the pass.

Route:
Walked the 750m of minor road to where the TL starts. Followed Emily's track notes, following the animal tracks along the river. We were there after sunny weather so was less boggy but you could see it could be very boggy in parts. Trail was easy to walk on and follow managed to keep dry and shoes on with some creative route finding until ford [19.7/607].

Due to warm weather there was lots of ice melt so massive flooded section over the trail so avoided this.

Took shoes off once we reached Laguna Verde and walked in the shallows until the other side of ford [24.9/542]. Track became a little bit harder to follow from then until camp. Basically you would be in the trees until it got thick and then you would be rock hopping on the shoreline until back unto the trees. Lots of trees down and water level of Lake higher then RR shows on GPS in some sections.

Camp:
We were tired and decided to camp at (-48.63257, -72.60775) space for 1 tent, sheltered, flat and access to lake for drinking.

Day2: 31/01/2026

Diatance: 24km
Time: 0830-2000
Water: Lots of water along the way.

Route:
Easy start along nice trail. At ford [30.56/ 575] water was just above knee ( we are 170cm tall) . Had to take shoes off a few times. Lovely views the whole way up the ascent to the pass. We had great weather. Views from the pass to the West are amazing... well worth it. Some boggy sections , but not too bad.
Route was relatively easy to find until the cross country section at ( -48.64337, -72.73005). We followed animal trails in general direction until around ( -48.648055, -72.736618) where the track started to contour and then gradually climb, the path was well trodden so we followed for a bit, but then decided we had gotten too far off route so descended down to RR , we regretted this decision as we had to push through knee high spikey bushes for the remainder of that section.
Would recommend to continue following prominent animal tracks from around above waypoint and stay high until roughly above the waypoint:
‘Trailhead [55.6/344]’ (-48.65420, -72.74617)

and descend on the animal tracks of your choosing. Trail was then easy to follow and relatively quick until the final CC section, the descent to camp, we found the landscape intuitive enough to read and get down easily.

Camp:
[62.2/262] ( Arrollo De Rrumbe) , there was a couple of streams close by before you get to the final CC section, otherwise water At the lake. Well sheltered, beautiful views across the lake. Nice sunset and sunrise.

Day 3: 1/ 2/26

Distance: 22km
Time: 0700-1800
Water: At fords and streams along the way.

Route:
Followed the RR until variant G ( as per Emilys recomendation, Thanks). We crossed a Ford [ 64.0/375], mid calf. Started raining after lunch and wind picked up. After the pass on descent down to Bahia Pescado lost the trail a few times. Followed RR to variant H and then took Variant H to the way point settler [4.5/264] ( Bahia Pescado, Nicole and Misael) . No one was home, except the chickens. At the time, it was hard to find a sheltered spot, pitched next to a big bundle of hay qnd camped there. No streams located in that area, drank from the lake. Messaged Ruedas from Inreach, no response back.

Camp:
Within 50m of
Settler {37H-H} [4.5/264] (Bahia Pescado, Nicole and Misael)
-48.82551, -72.70026

Next morning:
Picked up by Ferry that was 2 hours late ( we were getting nervous) . Boat pulled into the headland at around (-48.826254, -72.699904) where it pulled up we had to embark from a rock pulling ourselves up onto the boat from a handrail. Several passengers on board were definitely curious as to how/why/where we had been. Took about 20-30 mins to Candelario Mancilla. We stayed at Maria and Ricardos in a cosy little cabin (15k pp) , 10k pp to camp. Access to Starlink, hot shower, and at the time fresh bread and eggs. Definitely recommend the fresh bread and eggs.

'''2026-Jan-21 to 2026-Jan-25 / 5 days / Hiking / CCW / RR / Kole'''

An amazing adventure, but not without its challenges. The beach walking portions and sunset at Laguna Verde were memorable highlights. It was very immersive with not seeing anyone else during the trek.

Attractiveness: 5/5
Difficulty: 5/5

Camps:

Night 1: Camp [105.1/549] — a great flat and relatively sheltered camp spot on Laguna Verde, I didn’t find it excessively buggy

Night 2: Camp [62.2/262] (Arrollo Derrumbe) — another great spot right off a rocky beach on Lago O’Higgins, there are several flat and somewhat sheltered spots. Note that the waypoint is mislabeled, the camp is actually around km 49.0

Night 3: Camp [76.0/464] — no views, small spot, but greatly protected

Night 4: Camp [97.3/262] — plenty of flat and sheltered spaces in and around a forested coral

Challenges:

Some very overgrown (and rather thorny) trail in many parts. The trail also at times becomes difficult to follow amongst the rouge cow paths, keeping a diligent eye on GPS is required. Expect a constant personal escort of horse flies on windless days. Many fords and bogs made for wet feet the entire trek. I experienced relatively tame weather, but do expect this segment to be much more difficult in poor conditions.

Fords:

Ford {37H} [69.8/255] at Bahia Pescado was waist deep (~100cm) but easily passable with a minimal current.

Ford {37H} [90.1/263] (Rio Aro) and Ford {37H} [97.0/255] (Rio San Martin) were closer to 80cm high but with strong currents required careful footing.

I found Ford [96.6/255] to be entirely impassable at the time of my trek. The path requires wading across a bay, but the tide was up to my pack. I had to turn back and take variant Q along the boggy shore.

* ''' 2026-Jan-16 to 2026-Jan-18 / 3 Days / Hiking / 01, 08, 01 RR / Mor '''

General remarks:
Default state is wet feet as the mountain feels like one big swamp.
Trail finding is definitely the most challenging part of it.

Day 1: villa O'Higgins -> Camp {37H} [19.7/388]
Walking on Opt 1, trail finding is largest challenge after passing the puesto.
Tried to go into Opt 2 and Opt 2A but as I was about 750m into Opt 2 a sudden hail shower turned me back as I didn't want to walk on the exposed ridge of Opt 2A in strong winds and showers.

Day 2: Camp {37H} [19.7/388] -> Camp {37H-08} [4.6/337] (Bad Weather Option) -> Camp {37H} [19.7/388]

*Option 8*: until where camps are marked (around 4.6 km) it is walkable on a decent trail which does require more BB/CC than Opt1 but is okay. Exploration part seemed undoable or highly demanding. No apparent trail that goes up the ridge. Abundance of rock fall and overall poor quality rock. Very very steep and exposed face. Wind is a big factor especially as the trail faces West and most winds comes from W-NW meaning they hit you directly. I turned around after a few hundred metres as I figured it didn't worth the risk of exploring it alone.

It forced me to trace back to Opt 1 and miss the part of Laguna Verde. In the end, due to lack of food, motivation and overall low physical feeling I cut the journey short leaving room for the next time.

Day 3: Camp {37H} [19.7/388] -> Villa O'Higgins.
Easy stroll on decent trails back to VOH.

* ''' 2026-Jan-5 to 2026-Jan-14 / 10 Days / Hiking / RR, 01, A, RR, 03, RR / Massa and Jacicek '''

Day 1
We started walking at villa O’Higgin's and took option 1 to laguna negra. The path up to Laguna is nice and there is a lot of viewpoints. After the ford there is a gate and it can be opened from the right side. The puesto appeared to be empty, but there were a pair of water shoes before the ford. We camped at camp km 12.3.

Day 2
The path on the right side of the lake was in worse condition than the day before. And you need to pay attention to the GPS to stay on the path. Water was available at multiple places along the path. We stayed at camp km 18.7.

Day 3
We continued along the option 01. The initial horse trail is certainly nice. The cross-country section up the hill was rather challenging, but there was almost no bb. From the pass 23.9, the path is nice again. We camped at -48.53519, -72.69804.

Day 4
We found opt A to be traversable without issue, follow the edge of the dense forest, The path was even cleared at certain spots. The pass is really beautiful. Camped at [-48.55710, -72.64674].

Day 5
A lot of CC through wet marches. At the edge of the Lago (Ford 24.9) we would recommend to go through lake water further, as there is deep bog and large fallen tree just in path. Several dozen meters further is much nicer path. Camp km 105.1.

Day 6
Due to bad weather forecast for counter clock wise traverse we went in the direction of Bahia Aros. Ford at 96.6 was almost waist deep,, but narrow. We haven’t managed to find a path around through the shallow water (muddy after about half way). Settlers at puesto 90.5, they were friendly and told us that we can stay at refugio at Bahia Aros (where we camped). Ford at Rio Aros was rather strong and waist deep in the evening.

Day 7
Opt 3 starts with animal trail tracks. Some are better than others, and at places there are many new ones. The flatter valley section is boggy, but there are plenty places to pitch a tent, even wind protected. We camped [-48.71497, -72.67569], which wasn’t really flat however.

Day 8
Path 03 down to puesto La Pampa is nice and maintained with beautiful view of the Lago. The CC section 41.1 +1.7 was demanding for us. We stayed at camp 40.2, we found water there as described by Michael and Kasia.

Day 9
A lot of rain today, with many fords due to that rain. Camped at camp 114.5.

Day 10
Track back to villa O’higgins.

'''2026-Jan-04 to 2026-Jan-08 / 5 days / Hiking / SOBO / Full 8 Circuit, anti-clockwise; RR, G / Emily'''

An incredible section - one of my favourites. I really enjoyed the full circuit and its diversity of trail and landscapes - would highly recommend! If you’re short on time, I’d suggest the western traverse, or an inverted ‘Q’ (i.e. a side trip to Cañadon los Patos rather than to Bahia San Martin) for the best views and trail.
Attractiveness - 5/5
Difficulty - 4/5

Camps
* Day 1 - Ford/Camp [18.3/637]. Plenty of space. Lots of bugs.
* Day 2 - -48.701918, -72.755100, (beach before Camp 62.2/262, where the CC ends). Space for 1 tent, flat but sloped, very hard ground. I wouldn’t recommend this spot and would suggest continuing to the marked camp. I only stopped here after arriving at the first beach and misreading the map. Note, this camp is around 48.5km - not 62.2.
* Day 3 - -48.834730, -72.625340 (hill above Camp 76.4/449). No water, lumpy and zero protection, but beautiful views.
* Day 4 - -48.677538, -72.589635 (approx. 101.3km). Very small spot. No water but a small stream shortly beforehand. I would only recommend in a pinch; Camps 97.5/320 and 105.1/549 looked a lot more comfortable. There were a couple of spots before in the forest that would’ve been more suitable if you’re looking to camp between the two marked spots.

The write up in the manual gives a great overview of the section. I found conditions to be more/less the same, with the biggest challenges being wayfinding and overgrown trail. Some points of note
* I started from Villa O’Higgins at midday on a Sunday; no luck with hitches. On return (Thursday, 5pm), there were plenty of cars near the Fin de la Carretera sign at Bahia Bahamondes, and I got a hitch shortly thereafter.
* After the bridge at 8.3/282 there’s a trail that cuts straight up to the RR around -48.519166, -72.597222, avoiding the unnecessary descent.
* Watch for the RR turnoff at the intersection for Option 1 - very easy to miss and continue on to the option.
* The RR requires some BB where it diverges from Variant G. G is instead relatively clear and easy to follow.
* There are lots of misleading animal trails, though with a bit of creative CC you can usually find your way back to the RR. The exception to this was after Water 49.9/252; watch for the trail going up. I continued along a well-defined animal trail, and when trying to cut across hit some steep scrambles and impenetrable BB. Best to backtrack if you find yourself in a similar situation.
* Trail on the eastern traverse was at times overgrown, requiring some CC/BB in thorny bush. For the most part, the path remained visible. These overgrown sections became very wet after light rain, making for some pretty miserable and cold walking.
* After a week of sun, I had no issues with fords. I crossed Rio Aro [90.1/263] around 3.30pm, starting below the waypoint and walking on a diagonal up. This kept me in shallows to my knee, with the exception of the last 2m to my mid-upper thigh (165cm). I crossed Rio San Martin [97.0/255] at the waypoint; mid-upper thigh. Both fords had strong currents, but weren’t particularly difficult.

<big>'''2025-12-20 to 2025-12-22/ 3 days/ Hiking/ SOBO/ RR, Option 2, Option 2A, Option 1/ Greg Carter'''</big>

Overall
Wild and scenic mountain and forest/ lake environments, with challenging wind, cold and rain, and complex terrain to navigate.

Attraction: 5/5
Difficulty: 4/5

Accommodation in Villa O’Higgins
I camped at Camping Paraíso for CLP 8,000 per night
Friendly host, hot showers, kitchen/ dining room, and 50m to a cool microbrewery/ restaurant with tasty hamburgers and fries :-)

Day 1
Somewhat challenging finding a route on Option 2, uphill to Cerro Altavista, alternating between bush bashing seemingly unavoidable tree groves and rocky ridges. Made much slower progress than anticipated to get to turn-off to Cerro Altavista, and the wind was rising so I ‘cut the corner’ and continued on (EXP/I) Option 2A. Generally better progress was made on the northern side of the ridge. However it was slow progress with lots of shale, loose rock and rock hopping. The route was not straightforward with many climbs and descents on rock bands which extend down from the ridge. Route finding would be very difficult in poor visibility. I recommend Option 2A only in good visibility. I camped here: -48.52680, -72.69173, beside a small alpine lake.

Day 2
I intended to hike Option 1 to get to Options 8 and 8C, but made slow progress due to glitches with my primary navigation device (Garmin Enduro 3), which made it unusable. I tried to use the Gaia app as the primary but this slowed me down (not hands free for poles) with constant checking required in complex terrain, and would have required lots of phone charging in the days ahead. Due to expected slow progress (especially EXP/I Option 8C) and uncertain ability to solar charge my power banks (unreliable direct sunlight), I decided it was prudent to abort and return to Villa O’Higgins to fix the Garmin fault. Camped at Laguna Negra Camp [18.7, 298] - nice sheltered spot set back from the lake.

Day 3
Returned to Villa O’Higgins on Option 1, via Laguna Negra. Slow going on the track beside the lake, with lots of fallen branches and trees, and indistinct or non-existent trail, particularly around here: -48.49909, -72.68848. However lovely views over the lake in both directions, and after the lake approaching Villa O’Higgins.

Postscript
The GPS issue seems to have been caused by using the Auto Select function which, according to the manual, uses “ SatIQ™ technology to dynamically select the best multi-band GNSS
system based on your environment. The Auto Select setting offers the best positioning accuracy while still
prioritizing battery life”. However I found that frequently the device was unable to fix my position at all, meaning also that ancillary functions like distance, elevation and speed did not work either.

Afterwards I consulted Jan (he has the latest Garmin Fenix), who said that he uses the ‘GPS only’ mode to conserve battery power.

This is what Chat GPT says about the benefit of using “GPS Only” mode on your Garmin Enduro 3:

“Main Benefit — Better Battery Life
• GPS Only mode limits the watch to just the U.S. GPS satellite constellation instead of using multiple GNSS systems (like GPS + GLONASS/Galileo).
• Because it’s only tracking one system instead of many, it consumes substantially less power. That means longer battery life during activities like long hikes, ultramarathons, multi-day backpacking trips, etc.

For example, with GPS-only tracking the Enduro 3 can last significantly longer on a single charge compared to modes using all systems:
• GPS Only: ~120 hours (up to ~320 hours with good solar)
• All Systems: ~80 hours (up to ~144 hours with solar)
• All Systems + Multi-Band: ~60 hours (up to ~90 hours with solar)

So if you’re more concerned about maximizing time between charges and don’t need the absolute best positional precision, GPS Only is typically the most efficient setting.

** Trade-Off — Potentially Less Precision in Hard Environments

By using just GPS satellites, you might get slightly slower fix times or somewhat less precise positioning in challenging environments (like dense forest, deep canyons, or urban canyons) compared with multi-GNSS or multi-band settings. That’s because those broader settings can pull signals from more satellites to improve accuracy and lock-on speed.

When to Use GPS Only
- Long endurance activities where battery life is more important than pinpoint accuracy
- Backcountry trips, multi-day hikes, thru-hikes
- Activities in open areas where GPS signal is strong and accuracy differences are minimal

When Not Ideal
- In very dense tree cover or canyons if you need the tightest track logging
- For activities with precise navigation or mapping requirements.

In short: GPS Only mode extends battery life by simplifying the satellite system used, which is great for long adventures — at the cost of some positional precision in tough signal areas.”

<big>'''2025-11-25 to 2025-11-30 / 6 days / hiking /RR east trav Sobo, Opt 4(EXP/I), Opt 3, Opt 3B, RR west trav Nobo / Ohad & Bailey'''</big>

We found this section wild, beautiful and hard. I will write the general information, add our opinions, and at the end describe Option 4 which is EXP and I. I apologise for the long one.

Fees:
Non

Camp:
Camp 37h [30.5/543] - nice protected corral in the forest. Río San Martin close by for water.

Camp 37h [78.5/291] - semi sheltered, little mound is protecting from wind coming from the lake. River to the northeast was silty, found a small clear stream about 100m to the south west.

Camped at S 48.758705 W 072.633320. Protected Camp with stream near by, in an unmaintained forest, maybe not the best in high winds. Falling tree danger?

Camp 37h [62.2/262] (Arrollo Derrumbe), beatiful beach, we cowboyed on the beach there. Camp looks a bit lumpy, no water other than the lake.

Camp 37h [24.5/552] nice camp, water nearby, lots of mosquitos.

Fords:
Many fords, only three of note.
Ford 37h [90.1/263] (Rio Aro). It was quite strong. We crossed it closer to shore than shown in the files.
The fords on varient M were unpassable, we forded a bit upstream (S 48.661758 W 072.604474) and with a bit of BB and clambering got back to route.
Ford 37h [79.5/520] (Cascada) is an easy ford but very impressive with the waterfall and with higher stakes.

Water:
No problem.

Trail Conditions/Challenges:
The trail on the east traverse is much less clear and much steeper than the west with a lot of TL sections that feel like CC or light BB. Very easy to veer off route.

The route was often wet, many fords and bogs.

We would not recc Varient M. Unnecessary fords and risky fords, BB and clambering. Just go to RR, its not a time saver.

We encountered no one at Bahia Pescado

Opinions:
we found the east traverse very demanding with constant routefinding, light BB and very steep rollar coaster trail. The east traverse offers amazing views over Lago Ohiggins, with the lake snaking through the mountains. The beach walks are nice and the waterfall ford is very memorable. But over all the trail experience hindered our enjoyment of the views.

We were very happy with our decision to head inland on Option 4 and later Option 3, we feel like the views are nicer from higher up and we enjoyed the alpine experience and the glacial valley of 3.

The west traverse is nicer, the view is a bit less impressive then the east but conditions are much more pleasant.

Option 4:
We loosley followed the route on the files. I will write up a loose description of the route and attach an email address if you want our gpx.

From Pass 37h[68.1/492] ascend uphill north roughly following the ridgeline. The terrain is bluffy and low bush. No water here except tarns.
After passing west of the high point of the ridge (S 48.813329 W 072.704473) continue ascending north towards the gulley, you enter a forest, some of it easily traversable some less, after the gulley you continue north in a bog and then a bit of bb in forest. There may be campsite options in this part as it is flatter. after, you enter high alpine CC for almost the reminder of the route. Continue north towards the gulley of the pass. The Nav and CC is easy. Big snow patches in the pass. The rest is scree.
Descending was quick with the snow. Ascending SoBo would probably be exhausting with all the snow. The gully gets steep and you walk west on the south bank. We found various cow trails and camped before connecting to Opt3. Forded 100m upstream of ford waypoint and connected to Opt3.

Option 4 offered beautiful views over the lake, the bluffs were nice and once youre in alpine terrain the view opens up. And fitz roy accompanies the journey from afar. We very much enjoyed this Option and would reccomend it.

Attractiveness: 5/5
Difficulty: 5/5

==Season 2024/25==

*'''2025 Apr 5 to Apr 14 / 9 hiking days / SOBO / Hiking / Opt 1, 1B, RR, Var A, Var G / Michael and Kasia'''

QUICK NOTES:
Though it's almost impossible to choose a favorite GPT section, this may be ours. It felt as big and wild as some of the northern sections, and the demanding navigation made it really adventurous. We would definitely recommend budgeting more time for this section to really enjoy it, and to make the route-finding less frustrating. (I spent at least three days carrying the GPS in one hand all day because I had to check it so often there was no point in putting it back on the strap.) We also really enjoyed Opt 1 to Lago Negro. As a bonus, if you choose to do Opt 1 and then take the CC/BB Opt 1B to avoid backtracking, the rest of the route will seem easy by comparison!

CAMPS:

Night 01: -48.48213, -72.66873 (Camp Opt 1 [8.69], in the forest, some wind protection, water access is about 50 m away at the lake, or about 100 m further along there was a clear stream running across the trail)

Night 02: -48.52777, -72.72149 (Lake, Camp Opt 1 [16.2] (wind protected, easy water access)

Night 03: -48.53809, -72.67203 (flat, okay wind protection, nice views of lake and mountains, water from stream about 50 m away)

Night 04: -48.59170, -72.65789 (flat, wind protected, no view, water access is about 300 m away)

Night 05: Camp without water 40.3 (decent wind protection, had a kind of half-corral style wind barrier; there actually was water, at (-48.64095, -72.71988) about 70 m north of the campsite, it's just a little tricky to get to)

Night 06: Camp 49.2 Arollo Derrumbe (most of the site is a bit on a slope, but we did find a pretty flat spot next to the large willow tree just a bit up from the fire ring, good water access on the pebble beach, really nice place to see the sunset)

Night 07: Puesto 53.7 La Pampa (there was a flat area inside the corral at the western side, almost directly opposite the cottonwood trees, wind protection was good, water was from a shallow stream up the hill about 100 m, access was a little tricky)

Night 08: Camp 66.6 Vista Fitz Roy (we don't recommend this as a campsite. Water access is not good, there is no wind protection, if it's early in the season or has been raining there will likely be no place to put the tent that isn’t swampy. We found one dry seasonal lake bed a little below the fire ring that worked, but we imagine that it is often swampy or under water; we would recommend to make this a lunch or coffee break spot and camp a little further along the trail, maybe near the river around Camp 63.5 or 63.6)

Night 09: Stayed at Misael’s

WATER: there is a lot of water

Day 01 - Apr 5th

We booked the boat with Ruedas the day before, arranging for them to pick us up in Bahía Pescado on the 14th (their last sailing of the season). In the morning, we dropped off two boxes of resupply since we were planning to do 37, 38, and 39 together. We started hiking a little after 10:00. The gravel road out is kind of annoying. There was a surprising amount of traffic on it. At X 3.6 there were a couple of picnic tables and a trailhead to the Sendero Altavista trail, which is the beginning of Opt 1 (Lago Negro). We had originally planned to just do the western traverse along RR, but when we saw the sign we checked the wiki, and after reading Volker’s trip report we decided to go with Opt 1. The trail was generally in good shape and easy, though there were a number of muddy spots. The views were amazing and we were lucky to have sun and no wind, so it was very pleasant. Ford Opt 1 [11.5] was easy, mid calf and almost no current. On the other side of the river was a private property sign and a wire fence. The gate (also wire) was padlocked shut, so we lifted the bags over it and then climbed between the wires on a side section to the right in order to not damage the gate. We passed by the buildings, it looked like it was abandoned. We continued onto the lake and camped around the Camp 8.69 waypoint. We found a flattish spot in the woods just above the trail. There was a clear stream running across the trail about 100 m on that was a good water source, but the lake is easily accessible as well.

Day 02 - Apr 6th

We continued around Lago Negro. For the first km or so the trail was easy and in fairly good shape. But after that it oscillated between good to non-existant, open to bush bash. It was definitely slow going. Much of the trail is in the forest, and it is Valdivian rainforest. It is very dark inside and feels like a jungle. Then the trail climbed up onto more exposed areas. There were lots and lots of muddy and marshy sections. It was slow going to work around them and keep our feet dry, but we managed. Somewhere around km 11 the trail drops down to the lake. We put on water shoes and just walked along the bank for about 500 m to avoid all the bush bashing. If the lake level is low enough and the weather is good, we recommend it, it goes much faster. The trail then went up again. Just before Water 12.6 we stopped for lunch on a hilltop overlooking the lake. It was a really great view and a nice break spot. The trail went up and down a few more times. We were tempted towards the end to walk in the water again but decided against it. Looking down from above it seemed like the right call. There were a number of dead trees in the lake that would have been hard to maneuver around. We camped at the south end of the lake . There was a fire ring and the site was set back in the trees a bit so there was some wind protection. The beach was really nice on that end of the lake, and we wished we had time to take a zero day here and just enjoy the atmosphere.

Day 03 - Apr 7th

We took Option 1B up to reconnect with RR to avoid backtracking. It was very, very slow going. At first there seemed to be a bit of a trail, but that ended quite quickly. Nearly the entire route up is a CC/BB the whole way, and much of it was quite steep. It took us almost exactly 8 hours including a couple of short rests to make the 1.3 km up. It never felt unsafe, but it was a lot of work. On the bright side, that put all the route finding for the rest of the section in perspective. There were some amazing views at the top. We camped in the forest along the side of the larger lake that starts at around km 26.5 of Opt 1. We found a flat spot about half way between the beginning and the end of the lake that had a fire ring. There was a clear stream a little before it that was a good water source.

Day 04 - Apr 8th

We continued back toward RR. The fall colors and the light at that time of year were amazing. It was full sun and no wind that day. Somewhere around km 28.9 of Opt 1 we decided to CC southeast to skip a lobe of the trail. It worked out for us, however the area is a marsh and earlier in the season or after rain it might not be passable. At km 29.9 of Opt 1 there was an open field that would have been good for camping and a good stream for water. From the clearing we went CC to RR, similar to Var A, but further south. By staying to the right of the river and going uphill we managed fairly easily. The trail up to the pass was very steep and in sections had scree over hard packed earth, so we did a lot of CC on the way up as well. About half way up we stopped to rest for a couple of minutes. There were a couple of condors flying around. Kasia was about 7 meters away from me. One of the condors dipped to fly by her, maybe just 2 or 3 meters away! It was an absolutely enormous bird. At the top of the pass there is a plateau. There were a couple of small lakes and some streams. We stopped by one of the lakes for lunch. With sun and no wind it was very pleasant. The way down the other side was fairly easy to follow. The valley on the other side looked like it was out of a fairytale, and the fall colors really looked amazing. We wandered around for a while just to explore. About 50 m away from Ford 18.4 there was a large tree that had fallen across the river and made a good bridge. Camping on both sides of the river looked nice, there were flat grassy areas. I would have chosen to camp before crossing just because it was easier water access, but there was a fire ring on the far side. Ford 19.8 was dry when we passed. Ford 20.6 was just above the ankle. We had trouble finding camping around Ford 20.6 as much of the area is rocky, and a lot of the forest had shrubs instead of grass. We found a spot fairly far from the river, but it was flat and had good wind protection, which was good because the wind started over night and continued into the morning.

Day 05 - Apr 9th

We got up early to make as much distance as possible. It was windy and cold. Ford 21.6 was easy, it had a fair amount of current, but was below half calf. Camp 24.6 looked nice. It was inside an open forest and was a place that arrieros camp with a windwall and fire ring. At the Ford mark shortly after, the water was very shallow, but wide. I was able to drop a long branch across it to create a makeshift bridge. The first part of the way around the lake was through forest, but the lake level was fairly low, so by about a third of the way around we could walk on the beach the rest of the way. Camp 29.3 looked okay. It was in a clearing set back from the lake a bit. There was still a fair amount of wind coming through on the day we passed, though I imagine the direction of the wind makes a big difference. Ford, X 30.2 was knee deep but with very little current. Ford 31.7 was half calf with a moderate current. We were not really sure where Camp 37.0 was. It was not near water and there didn’t seem to be any flat place to camp. We don't recommend planning this one for camping if you can avoid it. The rest of the way to the pass was a bit challenging. It was incredibly windy on that side. There isn't really a trail for much of it and it goes back and forth across the river several times. About 100 m before Ford 38.8 was actually the first of several fords. After the fords there were some deep marshy areas. We crossed the pass and camped at Camp 40.3. It was a good spot. There was very little wind there. The wind wall at the site was set up almost like a corral. There's only room for one tent, and the X-Mid 2 just barely fit, but it did fit. We discovered that there is actually a water source there, about 70 m due north of the camp site. The way to it is kind of marshy/muddy, but I was able to access it without getting my feet wet. Earlier in the season that might not be possible.

Day 06 - Apr 10th

We started down early. It was fully overcast but an almost windless day. The muted grey of the clouds combined with the turquoise of the water and the oranges and reds of the trees made for spectacular scenery throughout the day. Despite the descent being listed as CC, a good bit of it actually followed a trail. About 500 m before the trailhead, we decided to do a complete CC heading south-southeast instead of southwest. We headed toward a grassy patch then cut more south, went down a steep animal path and across a marshy field before finally reconnecting with RR. I’m not sure it saved any time or distance, but it was fun to explore. Ford 43.6 was dry foot crossable, we stopped there for lunch. Ford 45.6 appeared a little tricky, but since we had read the reports from Tomas, Roman and Jonas, we were aware of the turn and it was no problem at all. The descent to Camp 39.2 was CC/BB. Towards the end it was possible to cut across the boulder field early and go directly to the camp site rather than to the lake and coming around along the beach. Arrollo Derrumbe was nice and had easy access to a pebble beach. We had an absolutely stunning sunset that night. We camped up next to a willow tree a little ways away from the fire ring because the ground was more level there.

Day 07 - Apr 11th

We were hoping to get to Camp Vista Fitz Roy, but it had rained in the night and even with our rain gear we got soaked just going through the brush. As we got to La Pampa it started to rain. We found a place up in the forest to take shelter to wait it out for a bit. When the rain stopped it was already late in the afternoon and we knew we were unlikely to make it. Reading through notes and looking at topo and satellite imagery we thought it would be fairly unlikely to find another camp at least until km 63.4, so we decided to just camp early. We found a flat and fairly wind protected spot inside the corral on the western side. It had stopped raining and some sun had come out so we strung up a line and hung some of our wet clothes to try to get them dry. For water we went back up the hill to the east about 100 m. Outside the fence there was a shallow stream flowing through a wetland area. It was a little tricky to access.

Day 08 - Apr 12th

We hiked over the pass and then down. There was no issue passing by Bahia Once Hermanos on the RR. It looked like Var E would take you directly to the house, but the RR stays outside the fenced areas of the property. We did not see anyone when we passed. We took Var G. The path wasn’t always clear, but this part of the peninsula was mostly low shrubs so it was easy to find a way. Ford 63.5 was half-calf, mild current. Both the camp before and the camp after the ford looked okay. The one after was cleaner. Water 65.9 was actually a ford similar to Ford 45.6. There was a lot of brush on both sides that encroached on the passage and made it a little tricky. This was also the last place to get running water if staying at Camp 66.6. We were actually fairly disappointed with this campsite (notes above in the Camps section). We would recommend camping elsewhere and just stopping for lunch or a break at this spot.

Day 09 - Apr 13th

It was a cold and windy day. It seemed that the wind had knocked most of the water off the bushes as we did not get nearly as wet as a few days prior. The route was often tricky to find. We got lost towards the top and ended up CCing a steep hill to get to the pass. There was a short little plateau and then it began to drop down the other side. It was even windier on the far side. Miseal was a very hospitable host. We talked for quite awhile. For dinner he made roasted lamb ribs, salad with greens from his garden, and a kind of deep fried yeasted bread cooked in lamb fat, which was really delicious. He explained that the bread was very similar to sopaipilla, with the main difference being that what he made is fried in animal fat and sopaipilla is fried in oil. We preferred his version to the more common sopaipilla. We slept on the floor in a side room that seemed to function as both a storage room and a guest room.

Day 10 - Air 14th

The boat arrived on time. We said goodbye to Misael and got on the boat. The ride was maybe 15 minutes. At the dock on the other side we took the boxes and walked to Ricardo and Maria's place.

*'''2025-MAR-20 to 2025-MAR-21 / 1 day / Hiking / SOBO / RR / Ivan, Jakub, Daniel'''

We skipped the Peninsula Florida. The most crucial part of this section is the boat transfer from Villa O'Higgins (Puerto Bahamóndez) to the opposite shore of Lago O'Higgins (Candelario Mancilla).

BOAT CROSSING:

There are two companies in Villa O'Higgins that transport tourists across the lake – Amigo Patagon (office here: -48.4615871, -72.5605656) and Las Ruedas (office here: -48.4640142, -72.5582920). We initially communicated with Amigo Patagon, but due to poor communication and unprofessionalism, we ended up purchasing tickets from Las Ruedas (55,000 CLP if bought online, 60,000 CLP at the office).

When purchasing a ticket, you are required to fill out a form, after which you will receive a document called "Salvo Conducto" via email. You will need this document at the border control when exiting Chile.

!!! Although the boat usually runs three times a week (Monday, Wednesday, Saturday), weather conditions can play a significant role. We arrived in Villa O'Higgins on Friday (March 14), missed the Saturday boat due to waiting for a package, and the next crossing was postponed until the following Friday due to strong winds.

We recommend starting the hike as soon as possible, as a large number of people travel by boat, and border control can take several hours, if you're on the end of the queue.

A well-maintained road, mostly through forest, leads to the Argentine border. After the first climb, the majestic Fitz Roy appears between the trees for the first time. Once in Argentina, the trail becomes narrower, with many boggy sections and small stream crossings.

Challenges: Patience

Bivouacking: Camping is only allowed in designated areas. The first official campsite is near the Argentine border control at Laguna del Desierto (-48.9996549, -72.8379285).

Water: There is plenty of water after Candelario Mancilla, with numerous small streams crossing the route.

Resupply: There are several shops in Villa O'Higgins. We chose the very well-stocked Supermercado Cordillera (-48.4668002, -72.5610119) for buying additional supplies. Directly across the street, there is a ferreteria where you can buy a gas cartrige.
There is no resupply on the end of this section.

'''25-03-10- 25-03-13 / 3,5 days / SOBO / OH1 - Exp 1b - OH1 - Exp. - RR / Volker'''

I did a bit of exploration, as I walked along Lago Ciervo and Laguna Negra and rejoined the RR first via a non-verified CC (OH1b) and later via a direct connection from S 48.537517° W 72.669037° to S 48.550910° W 72.639453° on the RR, which is not in the track files.

In Villa O‘Higgins I stayed at Puesto Canogas (+56 9 7107 6639), the owner, Carolina, is a local historian, she has published a book on the local crafts and the craftsmen and writes stories for children, based on oral tradition of southern Aysen. So for 45k you don‘t just get a nice room with breakfast, but also support the formation of collective memory in this area.

Day 1: I brought a parcel with food and some stuff to the Rueda office to ship it to the settler Misael Tosnado (+56 9 6518 4260) , whom I had asked, if I can stay with him until the next boat to Candelaria Mancilla arrives. Carolina brought me to the bridge over Rio Mayer, where I started around noon, by climbing a gate. The path along Lago Ciervo seems to be an abandoned Conaf trail. Heavy rain the night before turned it very muddy. After the ford at Rio Negro a locked gate. I found a way to slip under the fence in order not to destroy it by climbing. Very very muddy along the beautiful Laguna Negra. Camped at its western end on a protected place 5m into the forest (very windy on the beach)

Day 2: OH1b Exp. was steep CC with some BB, but not too difficult. After rejoining OH1 at S 48.535995° W 72.708453° I went WEBO, passed by a small Laguna and at a second, larger laguna (Laguna Candilla) turned right for a direct CC connection to the RR (very steep, a bit of BB and a bit of easy rock climbing to avoid more BB). When I arrived at the highest point at 1250m, it got very scenic. Then down on RR to Laguna Verde. Fords easy, but with exception of the two steep CC parts again very swampy. Camped 1km before Laguna Verde on a green spot besides the river.

Day 3: Again very swampy along Laguna Verde and then down to Lago O‘Higgins. As I had taken an option, that didn’t lead me along this huge lake, it was a magic moment, when I first saw its turqoise water and the whitecaps. Noone at the puesto, which belongs to Misaels brother. The ford before the refugio easy, however water over my knees. Camped on the indicated spot at the beach, which is protected against the strong wind from the lakeside, but not against the wind from the mountainside (fix the tent pegs with stones!) Nevertheless I prefered my tent to the refugio, which has no windows and is quite drafty.

Day 4: The quite overgrown trail with a lot of BB is sometimes difficult to find (if you don’t want to permanently use your device, look at the logs, they often indicate the way, where the path disappears on grassland). Only once I followed misleading cow trails and in order not to walk back 15 min or more did 100m of terrible BB. The trail goes up and down, often very steep - and with all the BB it’s quite physical - but always very scenic (stunning waterfall). It took me 10 hours of walking for 20km. Close to Misaels hut a ford through stagnant water. . Misael later said, it‘s just up to the knees, but I didn’t see this traverse, so it was up to my waistline (1,97m!). The day ended with a great meal, Misael had prepared. Instead of continuing with the Rueda boat to Candelaria Mancilla the Next day, I waited for a boat the next day, which took me to the mountain guide Leo Munoz at Rio Condor (+56 9 6904 9561) on the western (chilean) side of Lago O‘Higgins).

'''25-03-09- 25-03-12 / 3,5 days / SOBO / RR- SOBO - West Loop / Adrien, Valentin et Julien'''

Day 1: RH-TL which runs along the eastern part of Lake O'higgins. Camp (S 48° 35.190', W 072° 34.877) before the big climb up to the lake, well sheltered from the wind (behind the dead tree trunk), a river not far upstream. Miseal's advice: take the RR instead, it's prettier and easier.
Day 2: Difficult navigation after the pass (Portezuelo El Rose), wet trails and abundant swamps.
Day 3: Before the pass (Canadon Los Patos), abundant swamps, maybe better to go for it with wet shoes.
Day 4: Okay, the end is bushy, but it's doable.

Miseal: 35 euros for the day, 15 euros for a half, quality meat, and the Misael tortas are incredible. He's really nice, we had a good chat with him. Easy communication with the boats so they could pick us up at Bahia Pescado with extra food. No waiting list during this time.

'''2025-Mar-5 to 2025-Mar-8/ 3.5/ Hiking/ NOBO west traverse/ Timothée and Maëlle'''

Hiked with Lilian and Carla: had a great time, thanks guys!
After 3 days of rain and wind waiting at Candelario, we arranged a traverse to Bahia Pescado ( 40 000$ with amigo Patagon)
The boat left us in the evening, we slept at camp 66.0 (vista fitz roy): Nice spot.
2nd night: Arrollo Derrumbe: great.
3rd night camp 29.3/549 next to laguna verde: really nice spot but mosquitos.

First time on an unused trail of the GPT for us: much more challenging with a lot of section overgrown: bahia Pescado - camp vista fitz roy, around km 50, laguna verde...
Nothing terrible. It has never been real bush bashing.
The trail can be a few centimeter under the water when walking along laguna verde.
All Fords were easy to cross.
This is a very beautiful section, with absolutly nobody around and great views and hikes.
The wast day was a bit longer but much easier than the 2nd: easier terrain, and possible to hitchhike from Puerto Bahamondez to Villa O Higgins.

*'''5Mar2025 - 8Mar2025 / hiking NOBO / RR west traverse / 3 days + 1h / Lilian and Clara'''

Bahia pescado 18h30 after the boat, we began to hike directly as Misael was sadly not here and the weather was great.
Misael phone number if you want to contact him before +56 9 6518 4260.

Weather : it was hard to see a good weather window of more than 2 days for the next 10 days so we decided to go for the west traverse even with 1 rainy day and 2 partially cloudy (and not much wind). Rain was light on that day but with the overgrown parts, pants and shoes became very rapidly full of water. The other days were better than previous on YR. Garmin weather forecast was more reliable. Windy was good for wind prediction but not for the rain.

Navigation :
- Bahia Pescado to the pass 67.6 : trail not clear and partly overgrown but ok with gps. Improve a bit after the pass.

- Then mostly nice trail, we found it easier to follow than we thought before. Still some short overgrown parts, animal trails and wet/marshy parts (especially after these rainy days), need gps but it doesn't slowed us down that much.

- One part not clear around the short varD, we tried to follow RR but trail become invisible, maybe the variant is better ?

- CC after camp48.6 and after trail head 54.8 (not good number?) are not easy CC navigation ones. Need to zig zag between trees and bushes. For the 2nd one, around 540m altitude you will find a good trail (-48,64858, -72,73679), then navigation gets easier.

- All the CC parts after the pass 39.3 are often inconstant trails or CC in open landscape so it's easy.

Camp :
- 66.0 : large place for tents just down the waypoint. A bit wet after these rainy days but campable and awesome view on Fitz Roy and sunset.

- 48.6 : Arrollo derrumbe. Very nice and protected (even a bit from rain behind this huge tree). Water only from the lake.

- 105.5 laguna verde : very wind shelter and lake is very beautiful !! But lots of little flyes and anoying mosquitoes in the evening. Fresh water flowing in the lake 200m before the camp.

Fords : mostly easy under knee (even after one heavy rainy/snowy day the day before we began)
- 31.7 knee level fast flowing
- 30.2 rio san Martín was mid thighs (1m57) flowing slow.

Section attractiveness : it was awesome to feel alone around these magic landscapes. Even day 2 with little rain but big low cloudy roof was nice. Other days were better than expected so we were very happy to took decision to go for it !

* ''' 2025-MAR-05 > 07 / 2,5 jours / Randonnée / SOBO / RR / Pierre-Marie '''

Etape : GPT37+GPT38+GPT39
| Meteo : soleil, pluie le jour 2
| Eau : facile
| Neige : non
| Intérêt : 5/5
| Difficulté : 5/5
| Danger : marais, bush bashing

MAR-03 > 04: Repos Villa O'Higgins car mauvais temps.
J'ai reservé un bateau 60 000 CLP avec "Ruedas de la Patagonia" entre Bahía Pescado et Puerto Candelario Mancilla. Je leur ai laissé un colis avec 5j de nourriture pour les GPT38 et GPT39
Le concurrent c'est "Amigo Patagón", je ne sais pas si le service est identique. Il est un peu moins cher à ce que j'ai entendu. Je vais beaucoup mieux, le médecin m'a donné quelques médicaments à prendre si je retombe malade. Après la pluie je pensais que les torrents seraient en crue mais ils sont facile à passer. Pas de ford au km 19,8. Au km 20,6, 100m après le ford il y a un passage dans le bush pour rejoindre le banc de galets. Si la pluie n'a pas posé de problème pour les torrents, elle en pose un pour le lac et les sentiers. En effet une grande partie du sentier qui longe le lac est inondé dès le km 24,7. J'ai bien géré avec les flip-flop et j'ai gardé mes chaussures sèches en acceptant un peu de bush-bashing. Pendant la nuit le fleuve qui sort du lac a perdu à peine 4cm. Le sentier au bord du lac sera sûrement inondé 4 ou 5 jours. Pour le second col, le sentier, les camps ainsi que les marais étaient inondés. Impossible de garder les chaussures sèches surtout qu'il a commencé à pleuvoir dès 10h. Un peu de neige est tombée au col. La descente aussi se fait dans un sentier parfois inondé. Pas de ford au km 44,1. Il a cessé de pleuvoir vers 16h. Au km 53,7 je m'attendais à trouver une cabane mais il n'y a qu'un tas de planches 200m avant et une cabane minuscule en rondins 200m en hauteur. J'ai trouvé que le sentier était plutot envahi dès le km 64,2 et ce jusqu'au km 70. Contrairement aux étapes précédentes du GPT, la végétation est très piquante avec des petites branches très raide. Ca a vraiment ralenti ma progression même si souvent la végétation ne depasse pas les genoux. Au km 66,5 par exemple c'est tellement envahi que c'etait un ford, et le camp au km 66,6 était inondé.
Je me suis arreté chez Misael à Bahía Pescado pour attendre mon bateau du lendemain matin. Pour 7 000 CLP, on peut dormir à l'abri avec wifi, toilette chaude dans un seau. C'était top, il est très accueillant.

'''2025-FEB-25 to 2025-MAR-1 / 4.5 days / Hiking / SOBO / west traverse RR/ Nimrod & Tamar
'''

We took a ferry from Villa O'higgins to Bahia Pescado and hiked the west traverse NOBO.

There are 2 ferry companies taking tourists from Villa O'higgins to Candelario Mancilla and return.
Both wanted 55k clp pp.
To Bahia Pescado the price was different - Amigo Patagon asked for 70k and Ruedas de la Patagonia asked for 55k (same price for Mancilla).
We went with the pricy one because the other had seats only at noon and we had only 4 sunny days.
The ferries depart at 7:30. A ride from town to the port is included in the price and departs at 7:00.

It took about 1:30 hours.
Misael helped holding the ferry because there is no port.
We had mate and stayed with Misael for a couple of hours. We would recommend planning to stay in Bahia Pescado at least half a day if you have time.
He has wifi and you can contact him ahead. He also have a room for guests if you would like to spend the night there.

The trail's description in the manual was pretty accurate and we don't have much to say about it.
Hiking NOBO was nice because from Bahia Pescado the trail becomes better as you head north until the trailhead, and we think that CC[53.9/41.1+1.7] is easier going up.

We loved the scenery on the west side. The turquise lake with Fitzroy and the glaciers were spectacular.

All fords were easy and there were no snow on the passes.

'''2025-Feb-8 to 2025-Feb-13 / 6 days (indluding 1 zero) / Hiking / SOBO “X” route (Q circuit with a trip to Pass Canadon Los platos) / RR / Sean & Neele'''

We planned on doing the full 8 but weather and conditions changed our plans. We ended up doing the Q circuit as described in the manual with a trip to pass canadon Los platos as well (X route?). We felt the trip to the pass was worthwhile but Bahia San Martin was not. We had pretty mixed feelings about this section but we were unlucky with the weather which probably played a part. The trail is very overgrown in places. We didn't enjoy coming back on the eastern side of the northern circuit, in hindsight we'd have come over Portezuelo Los Corrales pass again as it has better views and better trail.

Ford 10.5-11.4km all about knee deep after a rainy day.

Pass 15km snow from around 800m up on North side was manageable going up wouldn't have been fun to go down. Was only about 5cm on the pass won't have lasted long.

Ford 21.6 was knee deep and pretty strong in the afternoon.

Fords 30.2 to 38.8km all fine.

*'''2025-Jan-27 to 2025-Jan-30 / 4 days hiking / SOBO Mix of East and West Traverse / RR + Variant G / Miaimzelt'''

Summary: Beforehand it i organized it with Ruedas de la Patagonia that they pick me up at Bahia Pescado and handeled them a supply package. Misael Tisnado was supposed to be at home the day i wanted to arrive in BP. Because of the unreliability of the ferry i took food for the full-8.

Note about the weather forcast: according to YR and Windy (ECMWF) i was supposed to get 10-30l/day of rain and also stormy wind. In reality i got a few showers and surprisingly lots of sun. The wind was indeed very strong. ECMWF was good for wind, but not for rain at the Peninsula.

I have mixed feelings about this section. The views are indeed impressive and some trails are very nice. But others are badly overgrown and i really struggled at some points. The biggest challenge for me was the bushbashing. Although wearing long hiking pants i got tons of bloody scars at my legs.

Day 1: Because of heavy rain the days before i decided to hike the eastern side of the northern circuit. According to other hikers, some rivercrossings at the western part can get nasty.
The first car took me to the end if the Carretera Austral, where i started. The beginning was a nice trail with beautiful views. Besides from a swamp without solid ground, where i needed to bushbash to the other side, it was fine. The CC down to the beach was fun, also the beachwalk. Very strong winds started. The CC up was a bit difficult, because the terrain was overgrown with bushes, but it was ok. The trail to the pass was mostly in ok to good conditions. Down from the pass was often wet, but never difficult. Laguna Verde is very beautiful, i camped at Camp {37H} [105.1/549] with good protection from the wind.

Day 2: Ford, X {37H} [30.7/575] (Rio San Martin) was easy and a bit about knee-deep. Ford {37H} [32.2/632] was a bit lower. Up to Pass {37H} [39.9/1006] (Canadon los Patos) it's mostly easy CC, sometimes there is a trace on the ground. I enjoyed it, the part i didn't like was the wetland before reaching the pass. The views are spectacular!
The trail down was clearly visible and sometimes very steep. The 2km CC it only a straight line in the track, but that's not the reality. It was very hard with the combination of crazy winds (pushed me aside many times, forcast said up to 95km/h), steep slope, loose rocks and lots of thorny bushes. The part between the end of CC and Trailhead {37H} [55.6/344] was the most difficult for me. It's divided by a swamp without solid ground and lots of thorny bushes. To get to the other side i followed an animal track up and tried to bushbash to the TH, which was stupid and dangerous. I stumbled down a small cliff (hidden by the vegetation) and was stuck between trees and bushes. I was really afraid, but could free myself. Later i found a small stream, in which i could walk to the TH.

The trail until Camp {37H} [49.1/262] (Arrollo Derrumbe) was nice and easy again. The camp provided good protection from the wind.

Day 3: Puesto {37H} [53.7/550] (La Pampa) is only the enclosure but it has good protection from the trees. The trail to Puesto {37H} [59.8/274] (Bahia Once Hermanos, Don Cocho) was the best part for me. Easygoing and scenic views most of the time.
It continued like this, but the quality of the trail worsened soon. It became more and more overgrown (mostly knee to hip high), but from time to time it was still nice walking. Down to Bahia Pescado i needed to check the GPS frequently, the trail was mostly overgrown. Overall it was ok to walk.
Unfortunately Misael was not at home because his boot home was delayed. So no WiFi, I needed to ask Ruedas de la Patagonia per Inreach. I assumed the ferry will be postponed because of the strong winds (little better than yesterday) and continued. The first CC was easy, also the beginning of the trail. After a gate the trail was completely covered under (sometimes thorny) vegetation, 1-2m high. The worst part was here: -48.826471, -72.676567. Badly overgrown bushbashing with muddy and wet ground. This was definitely over my limit! It took some time until it improved. The panorama-trail along the cliff was nice, but the wind was annoying.
Camped at Camp Without Water {37H} [76.1/464]. Needed to clear the small area (1 person tents only) from cow pies and small thorny vegetation before pitching my tent. Awesome protection from the wind! In the evening i got a message: the ferry will come the next day at 3:30pm.

Day 4: Continued in the same direction, but after Water {37H} [76.3/443] it was again overgrown all the time, this time only knee-high. Frequent check of the GPS was necessary because several animal trails are leading astray. After 40 minutes i turned around, because i wasn't in the mood to squeeze through bushes more than necessary. This time i bypasses the worst muddy-bushbashing at the rocky beach between Water {37H} [71.8/271] and Water {37H} [71.3/265]. This is what i recommend doing, at least it saves you from parts of the BB. Heavy rain started 1h before i reached BP. Spend the time with their two dogs and sheltered myself from the rain in the tiny vault toilet until the ferry arrived.

*'''2025-01-20 to 2025-01-22 / 3 days / Hiking & Packrafting / NOBO / RR, RP (Laguna Verde), RR / Manon, Robin, Lucie, Thomas'''

Day 1:
We left Isla Central with La Soberania (boat ~10 days for inhabitants of the lake). After a tour of the inhabitants, La Florida left us at Bahia Pescado around mid-day. We followed the RR from km 69 to ~km 60.

Day 2:
Continued the RR until km~33.

Day 3:
Continued the RR for a couple of km until the Laguna Verde. Laguna Verde was completely flat so we packrafted it (not engaged as you can follow the shore all the time): great moment ! Continued the RR (multiple easy fords - ankle/below knee height - after Laguna Verde) until Bahia Bahamondes where we hitchhicked to Villa O’Higgins.

* '''2025-Jan-07 to 2025-Jan-10 / 4 / Packrafting / SOBO / 37H-10A + 37H-10 + 37H-08 + 37H-08A + RR / Roman'''

Route: Started from villa o higgins to passo Mayer and crossed it to the argentinien border control by the route is published in GPT-36H. From there I went with with the Option 10A and the beginning of Option 10. I used GPS Informationen from someone I met a few weeks earlier and crossed via the mountains back to Option 10. After that i went with Option 8 and 08A to reach the shore of Lago o Higgins. From there I packrafted to villa o higgins and entered via the Rio Mosco border. Other options will be described at the end.

Weather: The first day was bmsunny with no clouds. Day 2 was expected to be bad. Rain and snow and strong wind throughout the day. Day 3/4 sunny close to no clouds.

I hired a private pickup from villa o higgins to passo Mayer (60.000 CLP) as the public bus (2.000 CLP) didn't matched my schedule (details: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/18983dhVDL/). From there I hiked to the Bridge {36H-14} [201.8/476] where I got a lift by a local all the way to Border Control AR {36H-14} [191.4/480]. Started hiking at 13:45 PM. The Bridge {36H-20A} [2.0/464] is ok to pass but not in the best condition (https://imgur.com/a/cli2uGn). After that it's Trail and CC. There is a Gate here -48.320875, -72.21669 and a Settler here: -48.327207, -72.216404. A ankle deep small river requires a Ford here -48.329369, -72.21814. There is another gate here -48.354017, -72.22336 is is also where the trial starts after the CC. Camp Without water: -48.382875, -72.208171. The Ford {36H-20A} [18.9/535] was knee deep and ok. Puesto {36H-20A} [21.4/564] was what i have seen only the enclusure. Ford {36H-20A} [21.5/562] was as anticipated challenging. As I was solo i opt for a short crossing with the packraft. If you walk along the river there are options to Ford - would still consider it challenging and hip deep if you don't go further up/downstream. I camped here -48.409553, -72.180312.

The next day started with rain and i went to Puesto {36H-20A} [23.2+0.4/581] fore some shelter. He was very friendly and helpful- stayed there until 12:00 PM when the rain stopped. He gave me Bread and something to drink. The hiking from there to this point -48.445516, -72.176228 was animal trails and CC trough the forest. Generally easy hiking with one steep gravel part. After that there was a nice trail until -48.46065, -72.150333. There is a steep downhill trough the forest. After a short traverse trough the forest a very steep part begins. Those are basically boulders 1-4m diameter in the forest covered with leaves. You will make 250m elevation in 1km. This is one of the crux if the section. After that i was caught in a 10min snow/rain storm. After that it's CC trough the forest until -48.490804, -72.148285 from where is open CC. I was faced with 2 hours of hiking in snow/small ice crystals until -48.541864, -72.199693 where I slept and camped. There was no wind protection. On the other side of the river was a forest with i guess way better spots. But the river had due to rain quite a lot of water and I didn't crossed it that day.

The next day the river crossing was easy a bit above knee and fast hiking. As it was Thursday and Friday it was a long day. After a long CC stretch there is a waterfall/cliffs at -48.638549, -72.395307 where you have to go around the right (west) and traverse the mountain before there is a steep section where you can hike down to the valley. After that it's CC until you hit the trail here -48.658808, -72.423893. It becomes CC here: -48.675658, -72.435116. After that CC and Animal trail trough the forest until you hit the trail again here -48.690092, -72.459724. From there its all trail with a gate here: -48.695736, -72.501378 to lago villa o higgins. I slept here -48.701069, -72.522333.

The next day i wanted to packraft back to villa o higgins. I thoroughly checked the weather before the trip and daily during the trip to get a feeling for the development as Friday was the only possible way to packraft northbound to villa o higgins. You have to packraft at least to "island" Ford {37H-08} [16.4/270] from where you could hike out. Alternately as soon as you reach -48.53111, -72.547087 this point you can walk along the beach (CC). I started Packrafting at 05:45 with 4km/h WNW wind with guest up to 12. This increased until 16:30 PM to 11 km/h 18km/h guests NW wind. Which enabled be to packraft the whole section with a average speed of 2.4 km/h (my packraft is normally 3.0 km/h). After that i hiked to Border Control AR {37H-08} [4.3/290]. The minor road was completely flooded and shitty to hike. There is a settler here -48.497027, -72.557765 which i mistake for the Gendarmería but he was very friendly and nice. The boarder guards where impressed and very friendly as apparently not many people to this route. From here one out i followed the 37H-08 to villa o higgins and got my entry stamp here Border Control CL {37H} [0.3/271] without a problem.

Alternative ways out: If the conditiones doesn't allow the NoBo rout via packraft you can continue hiking to Settler {37H-08} [57.0/271] (Estancia La Josephina) (https://www.instagram.com/estancia.lajosefina?igsh=MTkxM2N3azY5eGRwNg==). They offer to camp for free. Breakfast and Dinner 75 USD (they take credit card). Accommodation is 75 USD. From they offer a boat ride to Grupo Cocovi [Camp {37H-08} [6.2/259]] (where you would also end up with the packraft) for 400 USD. They also offer a boat service to puerto Cancha Rayada (-48.886707, -72.388161) for 150 USD. (NOTE - the Chilean boats are not allowed to enter the argentinien side so they can pick you up there. From there you can connect back to the GPT track. Alternately you can hike to the same point. Once there you either hitchhike out via RP31 to Tres Lagos or continue hiking around the lake. For the Border crossing to reach Candelario Mancilla you have to exit argentina here: Gendarmería Grupo Lago San Martin -49.12617, -72.49184 and enter Chile here Border Control CL {38} [1.0/308]. From there on everything is as normal. If you want to go to Argentina you need a Salvoconducto and need to leave again also at Border Control CL {38} [1.0/308]. This is all according to the Subcomisaría Villa O'Higgins (F) which whom I spoke about this. For all those options you need to take sufficient food - keep in mind you can also get something in the enstancias along the way.

Overall: It's a very remote section with beautiful views and i absolutely stunning enjoyed it. There are definitely some very steep parts of the hike which make it challenging - especially the nature of the route SoBo makes you extremely dependent on the weather. This has to be kept in mind and planned accordingly. I would reccomend this option for people with exploration spirit and an intrest in remote parts which have no problem taking the alternative options at the end of the trail.

Files (GPX and KMZ /// Tracks and Important Markers):
* https://1drv.ms/f/s!AqzLweJ3NZW5tI8mmMfzsXLi3RNR_Q

Legend:

* Red: Trail
* Light Red: Suggestions for better Trail (not hiked)
* Green: Open Cross Country
* Purple: No trail trough the forest bust fast hiking like Cross Country
* Blue: Packrafting

All tracks are also on Strava and general contact for questions: https://linktr.ee/RundW

* '''2024-Dec-31 to 2025-Jan-05 / 4.5 / Hiking / SOBO (Full 8 Circuit) / RR + Variant G / Roman'''

Route: Started in Villa O'Higgins at 12:00 PM and got 2 lifts all the way to Ferry {37H} [7.6/269] (Puerto Bahmondez). Started the hike followed the RR with Variant G. Ended at Ferry {37H} [7.6/269] (Puerto Bahmondez) and git directly a lift back to Ferry {37H} [7.6/269] (Puerto Bahmondez).

Weather: Before i started ther where 2 days of hevy rain (trees had blocked the road to the ferry) i followed the forecast closely (meteblue with the fitting weather models). After 10AM it was dry and the next 5 days were predicted blue sky and great weather with day 2 cloudy. I guess the hervy rain only effects the first 2 days in regards of Fords etc. all other points depend IMHO more on the season.

I left my packraft at El Mosco which brought my weight down to 11kg with food which allowed fast hiking. The descriptions in the manual are all very accurate - in just mainly want to add my impression also in context of thrle season.

I got 2 lifts which brought me right to Ferry {37H} [7.6/269] (Puerto Bahmondez). Ford {37H} [10.5/565] was knee deep and easy. I skipped Ford {37H} [11.2/567] and Ford {37H} [11.2/564] with walking on the right side which was ok. Jump Ford Ford {37H} [11.4/564]. Ford {37H} [11.4/567] was knee deep and easy. No snow at Pass {37H} [15.0/1159] (Portezuelo Los Corrales). For Ford, Camp {37H} [18.4/637] there is a tree https://imgur.com/a/df9DLeb -48.571747, -72.656732. Camp -48.57239, -72.657142. No water and no Ford at Ford {37H} [19.8/607]. Ford {37H} [20.6/586] was knee. Ford {37H} [21.6/575] was the trickiest one on the whole trail and close to the limit. As deep as my whole leg and 3-4 cm below hip (iam 179 cm). Fast flowing with volume and mid-range witth. Camped at Camp {37H} [24.6/552].

The beginning of the next day was tricky - high water of Lago Verde caused me to hike 250m in the lake to reach {37H} [24.4/548] (Lago Verde) everything was below knee. The following part until X {37H} [27.0/546] was annoying as some parts of the trail were ankle deep under water - if there was no space left i had todo light BB for a few meters. After X {37H} [27.0/546] good trail or easy walking on beach which was sufficient above the waterline. Ford Ford, X {37H} [30.2/575] (Rio San Martin) is easy - slow and wide flowing but deeper then I thought its above knee. Trail until Ford {37H} [31.7/632] also below knee. Trail animal trail and CC up to -48.637034, -72.691577 from there is a trail all the way to -48.648578, -72.736794. Needed to Ford here -48.640301, -72.709011. The other i jumped. A bit swampy up the hill but you can avoid wet feet. Down is steep and wet - trail tricky because wet. CC easy to Trailhead {37H} [54.8/344] ok to good trail -
condition - easy to follow check time to time GPS that you are correct as there a some animal traols which branch off - would even go so far so say some what maintained. Ford {37H} [43.6/444] easy below knee. Ford {37H} [45.6/404] nasty one - vegetation in the way and fording goes around the corner. You go 3-4m straight until vegetation blocks the way there you go left (upstream) towards the light for 4-5 m trail is on the right front. A bit deeper then ankle deep. CC was ok before Camp {37H} [48.6/262] (Arrollo Derrumbe) camped there.

Next day trail condition remains the same as stated above. Needed to Ford here -48.709878, -72.752919. Gate here -48.71032, -72.752736. Puesto {37H} [53.2/550] (La Pampa) was only the enclusure. Enjoyable hiking seen somebody at Puesto {37H} [59.2/274] (Bahia Once Hermanos, Don Cocho). Continued hiking took Variant G. Ford {37H} [63.5/375] below knee easy. Needed to Ford Water {37H} [65.9/343] which was a bit shitty as this was again dense vegetation while fording. Meet Bahia at Ford {37H} [69.3/255]. The Ford was very easy https://imgur.com/a/jBW6p35 at the current season. Now comes a short section which is a bit shitty as it was 20m of BB as the water runs down the trail and very dense vegetation here: -48.826471, -72.676567. Overall clear trail bit overgrown with vegetation hip to face from this point all the way to Water {37H} [71.8/292]. After that you get rewarded with IMHO the best part of the trail. Narrow at the cliffs with beautiful views the whole time https://imgur.com/a/zlbgnlx. Trail condition back to the old ok/good well visible even call this maintained. Water {37H} [75.7/443] steep canyon but looks more difficult then it is (at least when dry) camped at -48.834566, -72.625291 place for 1 2 tents no so wind protected but beautiful view!

The trail remains in good condition and good hiking apart the first section going down to the beach after the camp where I slept. Met Guillermo here -48.80081, -72.557165 while he was cleaning the trail with a chainsaw. He wants to clear the next 5km aswell (so the direction i was coming from). He and his family was very welcoming and nice. He mentioned that the Ford {37H} [90.1/263] (Rio Aro) can be challenging and the water can go above waist. He reccomend to cross in the early morning or evening as the water level are the lowest (see hikers manual). The CC section down from Pass {37H} [88.0/576] to Refuge {37H} [89.4/278] (Bahia Aro) was definetly CC. I was well advised to follow the reccomend GPT line. I found some freshly cut trees (max 1 month old) here: -48.758043, -72.556528. The Refuge {37H} [89.4/278] (Bahia Aro) had a destroyed window. As the satelite image looked worse than it was at Ford {37H} [69.3/255] i assumed that it should be possible and also better then the upcoming mentitioned difficult fords. Fording was between knee and waist hight. It's a long Ford but not so difficult if you look for a good line. Crossed it at 15:30 PM. Didn't needed to Ford {37H} [89.8/259] (Rio Aro). Water {37H} [91.0/276] has a small bridge (two blanks) and a gate. Here was another gate -48.733258, -72.556809. Camp Without Water here: -48.72741, -72.55783. Water {37H} [93.4/395] was actually a Ford. The section from Pass, Camp Without Water {37H} [93.9/422] to the lake is CC in a river bed. Found a trail from -48.712738, -72.555335 to -48.710717, -72.555519. The level of the lake was quite low (I assume because it's still early in the season) easy walking with 20-30m to spare to the shore. No water therefore no Ford at Ford {37H} [96.7/255]. The Ford {37H} [96.6/255] (Rio San Martin) was similar to the one before. Knee to waist hight. Long but absolutely doable corssed jt at 17:30 PM. Stayed at Camp {37H} [97.4/262] in the enclosure.

Day 5 was easy and fast hiking as described in the manual. The way up was in very good condition until GPT37H-L starts there the next 1 km was as described earlier hip to face high vegetation. The pass was easy to hike aswell the way down. Between Water {37H} [110.6/858] and Water {37H} [110.9/859] were 5 more spots you can call "water" or "ford" they can be all jumped the safe way would be to shortly ford them. There was water here -48.587975, -72.586089 and -48.540457, -72.595853. After that is was easy hiking all the way to X, Camp Without Water {37H} [8.9/349]. I got a lift directly at the Ferry {37H} [7.6/269] (Puerto Bahmondez) to Villa O'Higgins.

Overall: It's a beautiful section and I absolutely enjoyed it! I would strongly reccomend waiting for a good weather window. The trail was basically the whole time in a ok to good condition.

General contact for questions: https://linktr.ee/RundW

* '''2024-dic-24 to 2024-dic-28 / 4 days / Hiking / NOBO / RR west traverse / Celio, Amalia and Isabelle'''

We took the boat from Candelario Mancilla to Bahia Pescado the 24 of diciembre early in the morning and stayed the day at Bahia Pescado with Misael. We took a dayoff and helped misael on what he needed then we had some fresh trout and salad for Christmas!
For the boat we arrived at Candelario Mancilla with no reservation and were lucky to find out that they navigate the next day. Having cash to pay is better with no reservation. We payed 40000$ with Ruedas de la Patagonia.
Misael is currently alone at Bahia Pescado since Nicole broke is leg in August and he will be alone all the summer. It was very nice to spend some time with him and he is welcoming! Pan amasado and Cordero were delicious.
After the dayoff we left for the west traverse. The trail is mostly visible all the way and I think the hardest to follow is at the very start when you leave Bahia Pescado and go to the fisrt pass. The CC section before the Pass {37H} [39.9/1006] (Canadon los Patos) is easy to navigate and you find some trail.
The ford of the San Martín river at laguna Verde desagüe was just above knee deep but with low current.
The camp at arroyó derrumbe and laguna verde are amazing!
We thought that's an amazing hike, very diverse and with no difficulties when the weather is perfect has we had!

* '''2024-Nov-19 to 2024-Nov-26 / 7.5 / Hiking / SOBO (Full 8 Circuit) / RR / Jonas'''
Day 01: 19.11.2024
Walked the whole road from Villa O'Higgins to Puerto Bahamondes. Not too many cars. Was able to cross the bridge at the electric station without any problems didn't see anyone, there was a car though.
Trail was easy to follow afterwards. On ascent to the first pass I checked the GPS more regularly. Close to the top there were several snowfields. Around the pass was a large snowfield which needed to be crossed. It's hard to tell how long but I think between 500 - 1500 m. Walking on it was relatively easy. No snowshoes necessary at the current situation. Path was hard to find and follow afterwards due to several smaller snowfields. When entering the forest it was easier. Camped on the other side of Ford/Camp 18.4. there are two camps with a self made shelter/wind protection.

Day 02: 20.11.2024
Walking through the forest is amazing! Path was more or less easy to follow. Keep an eye on your GPS though. At around 21 km I could really figure out how the RR goes. Where it was supposed to be there was the river and next to it was too dense vegetation. Also on the over side of the river I couldn't make out where the trail is supposed to be. I headed west to the forest and after crossing a swamp and finding my way it was easy going.
Only had to actually ford three fords the whole day. Ford 21.6 was the first one. But the water never went above my knees.
Walking to Laguna Verde, I lost the track every now and then. At Laguna Verde it was mainly beach walking for me. The ford at 30.2 after Laguna Verde was the second one where I needed to take the boots off. Water was around knee high. Afterwards it was relatively easy to follow the track. Ford 31.7 was the third I needed to take the boots off. I forded a bit more upstream looking for an easy option with boots on.
From there until camp 36.5 it was mainly easy to follow trails. Only lost the track a couple times. There is no water directly at the camp.

Day 03: 21.11.2024
Way up to the pass had an amazing forest on the way. Trail was mainly easy to follow. Beginning of descent was easy to follow. On the CC sections I often got off track and usually stayed too high. I think ford 45.6 had an overgrown entry to the water. Exit door this ford can not be seen right away. It is a bit to the left (upstream).
Landscape was amazing! Some sections with thorns vegetation in the way.
Camped roughly 500 m after Pass/Camp not water 55.2.
Was hard to find a wind protected spot.

Day 04: 22.11.2024
At the beginning the trail was relatively easy to follow. Later I kept a close eye on the GPS. There was nothing special except the amazing landscape today. Passed Bahia Once Hermanos without seeing anyone.
Afterwards I lost the trail quite often. I was happy wearing robust long trousers! Trail was overgrown a lot. Sadly I didn't meet anyone at Bahia Pescado. Camped at Camp no Water 71.5.

Day 05: 23.11.2024
Short day. Nothing unusual. Trail was overgrown a lot. I think more than yesterday. Ford 79.1 Cascada was easy with not much water. It is a stunning waterfall!
Found a nice place at Lago O'Higgins and stayed there.

Day 06: 24.11.2024
Trail was the same as the last days. Not too hard to follow but better keep an eye on the GPS. Trails was overgrown a lot for the first part of the day. Got better later. The trail/CC part after pass 88.1 to ford 90.0 Rio Aro was hard to follow. Ford 90.0 was knee deep.
Ford 96.7 Rio San Martin was a bit more than knee deep in the afternoon. The current was kinda strong but not dangerous. Stayed close to Camp 96.9 between some trees.

Day 07: 25.11.2024
Way up to the pass was easy and nice. The river in the canyon looks super cool! Way down to the lake was mostly easy as well. Last km or so where the way splits I took the RR. It was overgrown a lot. Beach walking was nice. Way up to the pass was mainly easy to follow. Parts were overgrown. It took me longer on the plateau than expected, swampy and the small creeks were not always straight forward to pass. Way down was steep and overgrown but mainly easy to follow. Stayed on the shore about 350 m north of Camp 114.9.

Day 08: 26.11.2024
Last day of the hike was easy with some middy sections and some overgrown trail. Passed the hydro station without seeing anyone.
Right after the ferry I got a ride with three guys from the Armada. Stayed again in Hostal El Mosco. It's a really nice place.

It was a really nice trail! For me it was sometimes hard to stick to the GPX especially when walking on a slope. I was really lucky with the weather, only had real rain three times. It wasn't to warm but that was expected at the time of the year. It was interesting not meeting anyone for the whole time.

==Season 2023/24==
* '''2024-03-05 to 2024-03-15 / 5 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR west traverse to Bahia Pescado / Maggie & Julian'''

Trail attractiveness 5/5,
Difficulty 3/5

Day 1: Ferry {37H} [7.6/269] (Puerto Bahmondez) to (-48.6326, -72.6078):

We organized a ride to the end of the Carretera Austral the evening before.
The trail up the first pass was for the most part easy to locate and follow. On the way down we had to be more alert not to lose the trail.
We camped on the beach by Laguna Verde at (-48.6326, -72.6078). A little wind exposed, but not too terrible the night we slept there.

Day 2: (-48.6326, -72.6078) to Camp Without Water {37H} [39.7/931]:

The area right before the Pass {37H} [39.3/1006] (Canadon los Patos) was gorgeous but too windy and cold to stay for long.
Camp Without Water {37H} [39.7/931] has a wooden wind barrier and is in a forested area. It also features a beautiful view down to Lago O’Higgins. The last water source before the camp was at (-48.6410, -72.7160) near the pass.

Day 3: Camp Without Water {37H} [39.7/931] to Camp {37H} [48.6/262] (Arrollo Derrumbe):

This day had a long section of relatively easy cross-country descent. It still took us a bit longer than anticipated. We really liked the protected lakeside campsite and decided to end our day earlier, camp there and go for a swim.

Day 4: Camp {37H} [48.6/262] (Arrollo Derrumbe) to Camp {37H} [66.0/343] (Vista Fitzroy):

At (-48.7103, -72.7526) we found a newly constructed gate. It wasn’t built to be easily opened, but we could slip through the space between two trees. At first, it didn’t look like there was anyone at Puesto {37H} [59.2/274] (Bahia Once Hermanos, Don Cocho), but when we looked back after walking by, we saw a dog near the house. Camp {37H} [66.0/343] (Vista Fitzroy) is not a great option on windy AND rainy days. A lot of spots are rather exposed to the wind or in danger of flooding in heavier rain. (-48.8127, -72.7170) is a decent spot if it is dry.

Day 5: Camp {37H} [66.0/343] (Vista Fitzroy) to Settler {37H-H} [4.5/264] (Bahia Pescado, Nicole and Misael):

Depending on the water level of Lago O’Higgins, Variant H to Nicole and Misael could be difficult to follow. Is this the case, take a path a little higher up on the RR and then traverse over. We had very strong winds in Bahia Pescado our first night and unfortunately, the camping spot was not really protected from it.

Notes:

- We found Nicole and Misael to be incredibly welcoming hosts. We had such a good time, and they could use some help around the house, so we ended up taking the boat a few days later than planned. The ticket for the ferry was easily transferred to a later time, although this might not be the case in high season. On the other hand, the weather turned bad right after our decision to stay, and it was unclear if we would be stuck for a while.

- Based on reports from yr.no and windy, we expected decent amounts of rain every day. However, to our surprise, we received only light showers a few times throughout the 5 days. Our InReach weather reports also seemed unreliable in this area. According to Misael, the southern Peninsula tends to have better weather than Villa O’Higgins.

* '''2024-Feb-19 to 2024-Feb-23 / 5d / Hiking / SOBO / West Traverse / Andrew'''

This was a very challenging but rewarding section. A couple notes on logistics: The day before I left I arranged the ferry to pick me up from Bahia Pescado on February 24th to take me to Candelaria Mancilla. I also left a backpack with some extra food and possessions at the ferry office for them to bring on the ferry. Nicole and Miseal have starlink wifi, so it's easy to confirm the pickup details with the ferry once you get there. If you are traveling SOBO and don't have time for the full trek, this is the route I would recommend taking.

Day 1:

I started walking towards Puerto Bahmondes in the morning, nice views for a road walk. Got past the hydro station without any trouble, there were some workers on the dam but they didn't pay me any notice. Being my first truly wild hike on the GPT, this was definitely harder mentally and I lost the trail a few times. I got well off trail on one of the fords where I tried to find an easier crossing. Pro: found a big patch of calefate with plenty of ripe Berries. Con: had to bash a way through them and some mud to get back to the trail. Would just recommend crossing closer to the RR.

Going over the pass was physically exhausting, but I made it over and camped near the ford at km 18.4. The first camp after the pass is viable, but I decided to hike a bit further to the ford to camp somewhere a bit more sheltered.

Day 2:

Nice forest walking, lost the path a couple times but made it through. First ford was dry, but after I got stuck in a swamp and couldn't find a good path around so I just went through. Walked through the next ford, to clean my shoes and socks. This ford was shallow and an easy crossing. The 3rd ford was the most difficult, deeper water and more current.

I wasn't able to find the path at the northern terminus of the lake, but I walked parallel through the forest until I could join the well marked trail. There were a couple nice camping spots in the corrals near the lake. I stopped for a break but decided to push onwards to get a bit more distance because I wanted to camp near lago o'higgins the next day.

First ford was easy, 2nd ford was more difficult. Lots of burrs along the way. Camped in the forest across the ford at km 31.7, although I think there was a nicer spot before the ford.

Day 3:

Walked through the dead forest, and after a short period of time I found a visible trail.

I would recommend staying to the south of the creek as you approach the pass, impassable brush on the North side

Lost the trail near the ford (km38.9) before the pass, and had to push though some brush. The trail gets swampy approaching the pass. Stunning views appear over the pass, this view is a highlight of the GPT.

After the pass there's a steep descent through the forest and the long cross country parts were challenging and exhausting. I camped near the shore of Lago O'Higgins in a sheltered clearing (Arrollo Derrumbe km48.6) - the only water I could find was the lake which was a bit tricky in the high winds.

Day 4:

I came across a gate that I marked on my GPS tracks. Don't trust the easy trail after gate, you will need to divert left. Amazing views continued despite an hour of heavy rain. Camped just after the ford at km63.6. Both before and after the ford had viable campsites, but lots of cows and cow patties around. Note that if you camp after the ford you will need to duck through the gate in order to get water.

Day 5:

My last day was a short hike to Nicole and Miseal's house. We had a lovely time there before catching the ferry the next morning. I shared a delicious meal with them and two of their visiting friends, and bought some excellent bread.

* '''2024-Feb-10 to 2024-Feb-16 / 7d / Hiking / Travel Direction (SOBO) / OH-37H-01, OH-37H-09, new Trail, OH-37H-01A, OH-37-A (not existing anymore), RH, RR, OH-37H-K / Tom'''

I startet for 10 days with food for 12 days. I wanted to verify a few not yet verified OHs and EXP. Due to a little accident at RR km 96 I returned earlier as planned.

On day one I climbed Cierro Alta Vista. The junction to OH-CC&TL-A was easy to find. The track was not that accurate and you will find some better options by visual decisions. At 920m when the bush changes to wood go 30m west to the ledge and climb further up. 2-3 short sections where you use your hands, watch your steps especially with heavy backpacks. I pitched the tent near the small laguna on 1220m.

The next day was on new terrain straight to the west ridge of cierro Altavista. I didn't do the peak due to snow fall and heavy winds. Then downhill to pass 37H-01A 2.7/822. That's very demanding in snowy/rainy conditions and the pass is hard to approach through the bushes. I don't know If ever a person did this section.

The following OH-TL-V 37H-01A EBO is easy going but sometimes the track differs from the gps track. OH-37_A is completely owergrown and not visible anymore. I went further east back on RH and climbed the pass.

Ford 1 in the Laguna Verde Valley offers a log 50m upstream, ford 2 dry, ford 3 knee deep. Some 50m I hiked in the river since the shore was gone. RH to laguna Verde is not anymore the best option. Following the river (OH) and the horse tracks is easier. Pitched at 29.3 in the old corral.

I couldn't cross Rio San Martin due to heavy winds and strong current and decided to go back to OH and follow it SEBO towards Bahia San Martin on OH-TL&CC-V {37H-K} [0.0+1.8]. After a quick glance and seeing all the logs I changed my mind and went to RR. I followed RR-TL-I {37H} [117.0/104.5+0.2] resp tried to. Go 40m north and find a decent trail that connects to RR-CC-A {37H} [116.3/103.8+0.7] . I consider this A as a V. The challenge starts right after the RR-TL-I {37H} [115.4/102.9+0.9]. This is not anymore TL, it’s BB or swim (the track leads into the river). I was stuck in the bush 5m over the riverbed.
Somehow I could escape straight uphill onto OH-TL&CC-V {37H-K} [0.0+1.8]. (500m/h) was my pace :)

Right after the river crossing on east cost, the track pointed into the lago. I didn’t want to swim and decided to follow an huge animal path into the mountains. The worst decision on this day! Iended up in the rocks and stuck again (this was a bit scary) eventually after another 1.5 hours I was at the starting point, bleeding and exhausted. I decided to stay here. The goal was far away, a little behind rio Aro to do some Aro valley investigation the next day.

I changed my plans since my ankle was a little sprained and went back to Laguna Verde to find an appropriate alternative to RR where I was stuck in the bush the day before. I could verify a few trails. RR from this side towards towards the puesto is existing until the ford, but not much further downstream. The river ate 100-150m of RR. There is also a second ford closer to the puesto. The puesto was unmanned. OH-TL-I 37H-M from the puesto to west shore of rio San Martin is easy going.

At the end of the curve of RR-CC-A {37H} [116.3/103.8+0.7] I found a new connection. Turn exactly east CC for 60m , you’ll hit a not yet known connection trail to OH-TL&CC-V {37H-K} [0.0+1.8] . If coming from east coast pass the connection and keep to the right when TL splits 200 m off shore. You’ll end at the viejo corral.

On pass Portezuelo el Roce (RR-TL-V 111.7/948) I tried to climb the mountain SW of the pass. Unfortunately I couln'd find a pass through be woods behind the rock band. I tried the peak on the other side of the pass and made it to the top 1km S of the pass. All easy CC in loose rocks. Outstanding view from Laguna Verde to Villa O'Higgins and almost to Candelaria Mancilla.

* '''2024-Mar-25 to 2024-Mar-27 / 2.5 days hiking + 2.5 days waiting/ Hiking / SOBO / RR, West Traverse + OH G + H / Joscha'''

I combined Section 37, 38 and 39. It took me 10.5 days including 2.5 days waiting at Bahia Pescado for the ferry. I left a bag with food in Villa O'Higgins which the ferry brought me. And I could store food at the chilenian Border station. Therefore I never had to cary food for more than 5 days.

Day 1: RR [0.0-29.3]

I started hiking in Villa O'Higgins and got a hitch after about 2 km to Bahia Bahmondez. There was plenty of water all along the trail. The pass at km 15 was snow free. The ford at 21.6 was hard. At 4 pm the water was just below my crotch (I am 192 cm tall) and the current pretty strong. The RR along Laguna Verde is at times flooded by the Laguna.

Day 2: RR [29.3-48.6]

Plenty of water. Fords are max. knee hight. I really liked the camp at 48.6.

Day 3: RR [48.6-62.9] + OH37H-G + RR [63.5-69.1] + OH37H-H

Lots of Water and easy ford. I didn't see a puesto at km 53.2. Only some wood fences. I arrived at the House from Nicole and Misael in the afternoon. They were very friendly and welcoming. Originally I had planed to take the ferry on the next day, but due to bad weather it was delayed for two days. I spend those days with the family and they fed me completely for the two days. I paid her 30000 Pesos per day.

* '''24-Feb-28 to 2024-Mar-2 / 48 hours and a day of waiting / Hiking / SOBO / RR, West Traverse/ Tomáš'''

I arrived to Villa O'Higgins on a Tuesday evening. The forecast was dire so I wanted to skip the Florida peninsula but before I got my head around it, it was midnight. I stayed in Hostal Moscou, nobody there wanted to cross (a group of cyclist arrived from the ferry at 23:00, the boat waited for a late crossing back) or knew when the next boat would go, I tried whatsapping both companies but they did not respond. In the morning, I went to Rueda office to find out that the boat left at 7:00 and the next one would not go until Saturday, so I decided to do the West Traverse and hop on the ferry on Saturday from Bahia Pescada. Rueda won't reply to whatsapp outside office hours (9-13 and 14-21 I think) - they run it from the computer in their office. The other company replied back only in the afternoon. So if you are in a real hurry out of main season, turning up in the port really early would have worked, the boat apparently had 6 seats unoccupied. It was very easy to arrange to be picked from Bahia Pescada, I left the company a bag with stuff they then brought me. I paid them the full amount of 55,000 in cash, in retrospect I should have tried to negotiate it down (but they need to make a small detour to pick me up, so I might not have been succesful).

I got lucky to get a hitch around 13:00 one km out of town; the port seems to be a minor tourist attraction in itself. The route thereafter is indeed mostly cross country (trails much less clear than on GPT36 and TL&CC combinations tend to be on the CC side) and is indeed quite scenic. The missed boat turned out to be a blessing as I only got some clouds high up and then sun instead of the forecasted fog and some rain. I was later told the peninsula gets better weather than Villa O'Higgins, especially in its southern part (it also seems anything that is not heavy rain is a good forecast here). Ford at 19.8 was dry. Fords at 20.6 and 21.6 should be Fords Start/End, you follow a riverbed with a river. After that, you still follow a riverbed, but without a river, which found a new course to your right. These fords and the one at 30.2 were the only ones that I could not jump or go over on stones or logs. Lake was low at the end of summer and I just mostly followed the beach. Slept at the corral at 29.3.

CC&TL from 31.5 is again a riverbed, I kept the river to my left most of the time until I could cross it on a log. I did not find anything I would call a trail until the pass. Either I am blind or gate 45.4 does not exist. Ford 45.6 is annoying as it is about 20m-long strech of flooded trail that is overgrown, ankle deep though (and the stream is very bushy, you won't find a better way, I tried). Met two GPT hikers at camp 48.6 - very nice camp. The forecast was for heavy rain the next afternoon, so I pushed almost to puesto at 59.2, sleeping on a green flat about 0.5 km before it. It was a windy night despite finding a seemingly sheltered spot. It would have been better by the lake; near the puesto at Once Hermanos would have been perfect if it was not mostly occupied.

I got up with sunrise and started towards Bahia Pescado. The morning had better weather than expected, even with sun, so I ate breakfast for an hour and arrived around noon, just as the rain started. The family was there, I was invited inside, where it is dry, warm and with superfast internet, Starlink is wow! I was complimented on my Spanish as opposed to other GPT hikers, which was unexpected, I am like A2 and I thought everybody else is almost fluent! I managed to have a conversation for three hours though, even about the merits of various political systems. It was indeed very nice. It rained heavily on and off well into the night (snowed from 1000m up), so I slept on the floor. I was given lunch, a pie in the evening and one piece of bread (about 300g - I bought 2 more for 3000 each). I offered 20,000. I thought vegetable would be included too, but in the morning it was early and Nicole was not up so I did not get any, even though we talked about it the night before. She said she struggles with pricing. My advice is to probably deal with the business side of the visit early on and completely before darkness comes (I am not complaining though, it was lovely). Nicole said that since last year, more people are coming - I signed into a book and saw many familiar names from here, about 25 people in about 12 groups altogether! It seems most people actualy do write into the wiki, I always thought most did not. She said that she does not want it to become too popular, but the current level is fine and the money comes handy (I also think especially she enjoys company).

In the morning, I was told the day before to be ready at 7:45 through whatsapp, but the boat only came an hour later. Apparently it was not much delayed in Villa O'Higgins, not sure why the discrepancy. Luckily I could wait inside, the view for the boat is perfect.

Overall, the peninsula is really attractive. I actually preferred the inside of it, going along the coast was a bit too long. Also the trails are not in great condition, I often lost them and walked cross country. Nicole and Michel do not have many cattle and I think they do not need the trails to be perfect. I am glad I did not skip this section.

* '''2024-feb-20/ 5,5days / hiking / Full loop west - east/ RR / Lukas en Tess ; Nolwenn and Yannick (first half)'''

This is an incredible hike, (like most but still, doesn't get old!) Beautiful views, great camping spots and awesome people!
Very demanding because of cross country and overgrown vegetation. (Not bushbashing but sometimes not far from it)

Some recomendations:

-The view from the pass [39,3] is amazing and so is the route all the way down. If you only do half do this side!
-At the puesto {37H-E} km 69,2, this is where you would wait for the ferry. A young family that is very welcoming. Nicole makes super delicious bread and sells some vegetables. We payed for 4 people 15.000 for the salad, 18.000 for the bread and if you would camp there it would be 7.000 pp.
She also sells essential oils made from herbs and flowers out of the mountains around, ask her, its awesome!
-camp close to the beach, camp [78,1], best spot for a campfire we ever had. IF the weather allows and there isn't too much wind offcourse.
-puesto [84,1], is more like a Refuge. Guillermo is one of the most hospitable people we have met on the gpt, he is not always there but he leaves the puesto open for passerbys. If he's home you are in luck we where there early in the morning and before we knew it we had our pockets full of candy and cookies, a cup of hot milk, some rice porridge and some dried meat.
If he is not there feel free to use the stove, wood and utensils even the bed is to your disposal. He told us it's his family's tradition to keep an open door. If you happen to pass by leave him a letter or a note of appreciation, I'm sure that would make him very happy.
-Refuge [88,5] is noting much but it's still there and you could hide from the elements if necessary.

Plenty of water everywhere on the trail.

Fords where no problem this time of year but we heard ford [89,9] is the one to be weary of.

The waterlevel of the lake was really high at the end of summer and that caused problems crossing of the sandbanks on [69,4] and [96,1] the first we past with the boat of Nicole's husband, the second you can go around but...

DON'T RECOMMEND, because of going around the lake on km [96,1] we started folowing a trail that brought us on the south side of the river but it's imposible to cross because it's a huge canyon. We decided to stay on this side instead of turning back but the smal cow paths disappear and you end up bushbashing your way through. On top of that, there are some canyons that are perpendicular to the main river and the only way of crossing those is going a long way up. In the end we managed and it was an adventure, gave us a glimpse into what Jan has been doing all these years ;p

* '''2023-Dec-30 to 2024-Jan-02 / 4 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR / Stiina & Kris'''

We did the west traverse of the Florida Peninsula and definitely recommemd it to anyone, whether nobo or sobo. We prearranged the ferry to pick us up from Bahia Pescado, which meant we had ample time for the 68 kilometers. In all honesty - we expected much more difficulties and bushbashing but the route was surprisingly nice and straightforward.

We were lucky with great weather throughout, albeit some strong winds. We got no hitch out of Villa O'Higgins and thus did the whole roadwalk. The trail up the first pass was steep but easy to follow, views from the pass were magnificent. The snowpatches were not an issue. In the forest before the lake there was a lot of fallen trees, so extra time & effort was spent on climbing over them...then lots of soft sandy beachwalking + walking in the freezing cold lake as the "trail" was under water. The way up to the second pass was gradual and easy, the pass itself was swampy. Great views on the other side, too.

The way down starts with an easy to follow trail, then it sort of disappears (or, rather, there are very many to choose from) and you gotta make your way down to the coast. Some bushbashing involved here but not much. The rest of the coastal walk offers great views and lots of smaller climbs, but is generally easy to follow. The worst section is the last 11 kilometers between Bahia Once Hermanos and Bahia Bescado - the trail keeps disappearing and there is a lot of bushbashing, which for those in shorts is very painful. The settler family is amazingly welcoming, allowed us to camp up behind their house and had us over for dinner. We purchased some fresh bread and salad material from them. The ferry picked us up early the next morning right by the house.

* '''2023-Dec-22 to 2023-Dec-30 / 8.5 days / full 8 circuit / Villa O'Higgins - Villa O'Higgins / RR/ Alex & Christophe'''

This wasn't an easy hike but totally worth it!

The best landscape was, for us, the west part of the panorama trail (along Lago O'Higgins) but it was also a challenging part with a lot of bushes and up and down. The trail was although more difficult to find and more bushy than in the east part of the panorama trail.

There was still a lot of snow at Pass {37H} [15.0/1159] (Portezuelo Los Corrales) but it was easy to walk and navigate with a nice weather.

The Lake {37H} [24.4/548] (Lago Verde) was a bit high so you have to walk sometimes in the lake but it isn't a problem. It's way better to have the feet wet and cold than trying to go through the bushes.

We met the family Settler {37H-H} [4.5/264] (Bahia Pescado, Nicole and Misael) and it was a fantastic experience. We had maté and then bought them some vegetables for lunch. Be sure to visit them and to have some time for a little break with them!

For the 3 major fords, according to the advice of Misael we crossed Ford {37H} [79.0/520] (Cascada) early in the morning (at 6:30 AM) to be sure it was passable. We crossed Ford {37H} [89.8/259] (Rio Aro) in the early afternoon on a sunny day and it wasn't a good idea. The water isn't really clear and it's hard to find how deep it is. We manage to cross it but I (Christophe, 1.74m) was wet up to my hips. We also crossed Ford {37H} [96.6/255] (Rio San Martin) in the morning (7:30 AM) the next day close to the lake and it was ok (water up to mid-thigh and strong current).

On the second Pass {37H} [39.3/1006] (Canadon los Patos) and last Pass {37H} [111.7/948] (Portezuelo el Roce), it was quite swampy. Just put your fording shoes if you have some and don't try to keep your feet dry.

All in all, it was a fantastic adventurous section!

* '''2023-12-14 to 18: Fangwen and Tobi / 5 days (4 hiking) / NOBO / West traverse (Bahia Pescado to Villa O'Higgins).'''

This trip featured great views and a real feeling of adventure, but for us, it was also a challenging trip that brought us to our limits. The GPT manual already has lots of details, so we will mostly focus on our personal experience and some logistical aspects.

As far as we know, after Jan&Meylin and Jess&Paco last season, we are the first GPT hikers to explore the Florida peninsula in this new GPT section (previously, GPT 37H was just taking the ferry between Candelario Mansilla and Villa O'Higgins).

Day 1: we took the ferry from Candelario Mansilla to Bahia Pescado in the morning. There, we met the lovely family of Nicole, Misael and their three year old son, Facundo. We had a great time with them, and they were delighted to have visitors (the last visitors having passed half a year earlier). If you have the chance to spend a full day with them, we strongly recommend this, as it was a section highlight. We slept on their floor for the night.

Day 2: we started hiking just before noon, and camped at a wind-sheltered location at around km57.

Day 3: we hiked to the trailhead (km 54.8, beginning of the CC eastbound ascent to Canadon los Patos), and despite it being 6pm already, decided to push onwards towards the pass. Unfortunately, we took a bad route (hiking uphill first and then traversing in steep terrain) and had to turn around to spend the night at the trailhead.

Day 4: We started early with the hike up to the pass: this time, following the easier option of first traversing in the mellow terrain, and start going uphill only when we were already close to the pass. This worked much better, despite having to navigate between some cliffs on our way up. On the other side of the pass, we went on via some muddy swamps and river beds to stay at the camp km29.3 by the beautiful Laguna Verde -- a wonderful location for a camp and a highlight of the trip.

Day 5: we woke up early to make it to Villa O'Higgins in one day. The terrain was comparatively easy to walk on for the whole day. Before the pass (Portezuelo Los Corrales) there were some snow fields, some of which required some creative rerouting. To our great relief, the steep descent on the north side of the pass was entirely snow free. The rest of the trip was relatively easy walking. After 25km of hiking we reached Puerto Bahmondez. Half-way to Villa O'Higgins a car passed us and we were able to hitchhike.

Difficulties: as mentioned, this trip was quite challenging for us, despite the excellent conditions and our years of backcountry experience. In retrospect, this is something that probably many GPT hikers experience when they go on their first "wild" GPT section and find out what is considered a "trail" on the GPT. Technically, there were no substantial challenges for us. The river crossings were all at most knee deep, thanks to the good weather. (Also note that in bad weather, some of our campsites might be flooded). But the progress from Bahia Pescado to the first pass (Canadon los Patos) was frustratingly slow at times, since the trail was frequently overgrown with bushes (sometimes thorny ones), or covered in mud / water, or difficult to recognize such that we lost the trail and had to backtrack or bushwhack our way back to the trail. Psychologically, this was a tough experience for us. The crux of the trip was the CC section on the west side of Canadon los Patos. This 1.7km straight section took us almost two hours. After the pass, conditions were generally easier, progress faster and the terrain and views changed more often, which made hiking much more enjoyable. The last day, despite consisting of 28km of hiking almost felt easier than the previous days, as the terrain was easier to traverse than the overgrown trails along the coast of Lago O'Higgins.

We can definitely recommend 37H, but hikers unfamiliar with overgrown trails should be aware of the physical and mental challenge that the terrain poses.

Logistics: We combined sections 38 and 37 on our NOBO trip. For the (resupply) logistics regarding section 38, see our trip report on [[GPT38|that wiki page]].
We took the ferry from Candelario Mansilla heading to Villa O'Higgins, but we asked to be dropped off at Bahia Pescado (start of the West part of GPT 37). The ferry company (WhatsApp +56 9 6627 8836, https://www.turismoruedasdelapatagonia.cl) charged us 30.000 per person instead of the 50 or 60.000 (?) to Villa O'Higgins. We gave the captain a bag of extra food and belongings to be picked up in Villa O'Higgins after the section 37 hike. This worked out without problem (the company has apartments there, so pickup should be possible any time of the week).
If you can, get in touch with Nicole ahead of time, her full name is in the GPT manual, and with that you can find her Facebook account.
If you don't want to walk on the road the last 7km from Puerto Bahmondez to Villa O'Higgins, you can either try to hitchhike (cars were infrequent but the first one we tried took us) or arrange for a taxi with Roberto (WhatsApp +56 9 8193 5236).
There is some cellphone reception at Puerto Bahmondez. Ricardo in Candelario Mansilla should have some internet connectivity. Nicole's family recently got Starlink satellite internet, which works really well (better than in El Chalten and Villa O'Higgins). You can also charge your devices with them.

==Season 2022/23==

* '''2023-Mar-23-29 / 7 day / Hiking / NOBO / Candelario Mancilla to Villa O Higgins / Jess&Paco'''

We crossed the lago O Higgins the 23 after only one day waiting. It seems the only company still making transfer at that season (and until ebd of april) is Las Ruedas. As said below the cost is 60000 pesos including the car transfer from Bahia Bahamondez toVilla OHiggins. In el Chalten they told us we could have a 5000 pesos discount if paying cash but it seems that Las Ruedas policies changed. There is only 16 (maybe 17 if a couple gets separated) places on the boat. The crossing last 2h if the weather is good. They usually come to Candelario Mancilla mondays and thursday but it changes a lot with the weather. You get in the boat by order of registration at the border control. So no need to hurry or worry. There will be no competition between passengers to board. And everyone is very friendly and naturally respects order of arrivals Camping at Candelario Mancilla costs 5000. You cannot ressuply but Ricardo has some eggs and bread so you can extend your supplies for a few days.

After the settler at km 69, you have to ford between the lake O Higgins and a small inner lagoon. We werent able to pass because of water depth. It seems part of the beach have disappeared at that season. We add to climb and make a detour around the small lagoon. There are some animal trails to lead you.

Km 90 demanding Ford n°2
The refuge is closed and locked and you have to pass an unreferenced barrier to follow GPT track and get to the refuge.
We advice to cross just after reaching the beach after the refuge. If you dont you have to pass by a gravelled/sandy slope that will make your ankles suffer.
Km 96 demanding ford n°3
Before reaching the Ford we couldn't follow the GPT main track because it was completely flooded. So we add to follow the beach. But rocky shore makes some passes dangerous so we advice to climb just a little above the shore you will find animal trails that eventually get a few dozen meters above the river. Then you can ford but be carefull there is a lot of water and current. Fording at the extreme end of the river is also difficult because even if there is not much current, water depth can prevent you from crossing depending on the weather and the hour of the day. It was a really rainy day and we crossed at 12 approximatly.

* '''2023-Mar-04 / 1 day / RR / SOBO / RR / Villa O’Higgins - Candelario Mansilla by ferry / Ondrej'''

Had to wait for the boat for two days, most people I met there waited for 3-5 days. Two companies seem to be currently operating in the area: Las Ruedas (whatsapp: +56 9 6627 8836) and a guy named Pascual (+56 9 4296 4723) with his daughter Javier (+56 9 4403 6006). Both companies currently charge 60,000 CLP for the boat transfer. Las Ruedas has a faster boat and the ticket price includes a car transfer from O’Higgins to Puerto Bahamondes. With the other company, one has to pay 5 or 6,000 for the transport to the port.

When staying in the town, I was told that during the high season, it is best to whatsapp the companies a week in advance and reserve a spot to cut the waiting period. Otherwise, I suggest to go to their offices and add yourself to a waiting list as soon as you arrive. It is possible to drop in to their offices regularly to see if some people dropped of the waiting list and you can travel earlier (happened in my case).

Overall, Villa O’Higgins is a lovely place to rest and resupply while waiting for the boat. If you can bear the rain. I stayed at Hostal El Mosco - really nice and lively place. You’re going to meet mostly other travellers waiting for the boat too. The place has hot showers virtually all the time and a beautiful kitchen area. Camping is 9,000 CLP per night - bit on the pricy side but you can use all the hostel facilities such as kitchen and indoor showers. They also offer dorm and private rooms.

I found the Cordillera supermarket to be the best place for resupplying. They also sell camping canisters. The wifi is generally bad in the town apart from some companies that have a starlink connection. You can get such fast wifi for free from Copec gas station.

* '''2023-Feb-25 / 1 day / SOBO / Will '''

Getting the ferry wasn't really feasible when I was there. I was pretty far back on the waiting list, and conditions were nearly always too bad to sail. A few did make it across (they later told me it was pretty scary) but the rest of us gave up and bussed out. Thankfully I only spent the days there. Took 3.5 days to bus back up to Chile Chico and then down through Argentina.

Raining every day in Villa o Higgins.

* '''2023-Feb-13 / SOBO / Véronica & Zach '''

Waited in Villa O'Higgins for 5 days for the ferry, due to strong winds and rain. There are two ferry companies — one is Las Ruedas de la Patagonia which operates on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday if the weather is good. If the weather is bad, then the boat crossing may happen anytime there is a good weather window. They can take 16 passengers. The other company is very small and operates very infrequently, since they can only take 8 people at a time and require a longer weather window because their boat is slower. Both companies charge 60,000 clp per person. We recommend reserving AND paying for your ferry ticket as soon as you arrive in town. People who only reserve and don't pay are subject to being pushed off the passenger list if other people come and offer to pay beforehand.

* '''2023-Jan-18 to 2023-Jan-21 / 3.5 days / West Traverse / Iris, Alexis'''

We were able to get a boat ride to Bahia Pescado by asking Rudeas de Patagonia. We came at the end of the day and they sold us some remaining seats at a fair price (50k for 2). Earlier in the day, the price was 60k each.

When arriving at Bahia Pescado, we had difficulties to find the trail and struggled in the first ascent. We pitched the tent at Water {37H} [56.7/408]. The view all along and at the spot is stunning.

On the second day, the ascent through RH-CC-A {37H} [5.6/48.0+0.5] was tough because it was really hot and the path we found was in rocky former river stream.

Then, RR-CC-A {37H} [39.9/40.7+1.7] is even harder when going up. We suggest to continue to follow the shore a bit and going up straight instead of trying to do both at the same time. It looked easier when above.
We camped at Camp {37H} [36.5/776] but we did not find water nearby.

Third day was without any specificities except gorgeous landscapes and scenic views. Of note, Camp {37H} [114.9/268] is probably not available for the season as it is occupied by a dead cow. We found a suitable pitch a bit further on the beach (in an old corral).

The return to Bahia Bahamondes was straight forward. The beginning of the trail is easily lost and we checked our GPS quite often. Then, the trail is visible and beautiful. We were lucky to find a ride to Villa O'Higgins at the port and did not walk the last 7 kilometers.

Overall, we struggled a bit but had no real difficulties. The weather was excellent (even a bit too hot) and the rivers crossable easily. This hike was super beautiful and diverse. Also, we met nobody on the trail and it was really pleasant to feel diving into barely frequented nature.

* '''2023-Jan-07 to 2023-Jan-07 / 6 days / GPT37P(H): Peninsula La Florida. Full "8" route and side hikes (to Cerro Tres Frailes) / Clockwise / Alex Abramov '''

179 km, Solo.

An excellent route ranked in my top five favorites in Chile. Very scenic, varied, secluded, a real gem. In general, there are no problems with water or camps. Not particularly difficult, but the route has at least two quite demanding fords and many sections with complicated navigation and annoying thorny bushes (I always use my running shoes).

My choice of direction, clockwise, is due to trying challenging fords first.

I am somewhat skeptical about the length of the track by Jan, the discoverer of the area, I believe that the real classic “8” will be closer to 150 km
Crossing the Aro(s) River requires a lot of care, especially when passing alone. It can be extremely dangerous or impassable in the early season, I put some useful tips in the comment on the FB post.

* '''2022-Dec / SOBO / Yannic & Mirjam'''

We had to wait 8 days in O'Higgens because the ferry was postponed twice due to wind and the waiting list grew.

Currently, there is only one operator (Las Ruedas). It is best to contact them early via Whatsapp and reserve a ticket.

You can also drop by spontaneously the evening before departure. If someone has not paid, tickets will become available at short notice...

==Season 2021/22==

* '''2022-Mar-06 / 3.5 days / 37P: Península La Florida / Tobias Schorcht, Jonas Grünewald and Martin '''

Thank you Jan, for sending us your GPS-Trackfiles right on time. It would have been quite difficult, to make our way over the península without them, because there are numerous good visible cow trails around! We booked a “O’Higgins Glaciar Tour” (120000 Pesos p.P) and asked the captain (Markus), to drop us on our way back at Punta Pescado, where the settlers Nicole, Misael and there little son are living. They were happy to receive some fresh fruits and vegetables and invited us for lunch. Nicole and Misael are warm and welcoming people. We left in the afternoon and made our way to “los hermanos” where we camped. The settler who is living there, was not at home. Surprisingly, the weather was much better then expected. Locals told us, it’s always warmer (“up to 4 degrees”) and less rainy up here. We had no problems with navigation on our way back to Villa. There were no dangerous river crossings and numerous of potential camping spots. The views on the Lago O’Higgins and the near by mountains have been spectacular. We suggest to use gaiters, to avoid scratches of the sticky bushes. All in all, we recommend this hike!

==Season 2020/21==

==Season 2019/20==
* ''' NOTE: Previously, this section has been only the ferry crossin, some time between 2020 and 2022, the new route across Peninsula Florida was added. The logs below are just for the ferry.'''

* '''2020-Jan / NOBO / Oreste Marquis'''

I only had to wait for 2 days before the boat came, but some people waited 5! Bought my tickets in advance at Glaciares Expedicion if my memory is right. Book the trip for the two boat (Lago del Desierto and to Villa O’Higgins). I don’t recommend to book the one on Lago del desierto because it is actually super expensive (60 US$) and you can walk it pretty easily.

* '''2020-Jan / NOBO / Olrik'''

Bought the boat tickets in El Chalten. There are 2 options, Zona Austral which works with Ruedas de la Patagonia, and Expeditiones which works with Robinson Crusoe. Ruedas is cheaper, 54USD pp. Boat is just smaller. You can end up stuck for a long time in Candelario Mancilla so plan enough food. The only option is the paid campground which is 5000CLP. The carbineros will kick you out and redirect you to the campground. I would recommend to buy the boat ticket in advance as those with no tickets are not first when the boat comes. Transfer is 1h30.

* '''2019-Dec / NOBO / Matthieu'''

The official schedule is Monday, Wednesday and Saturday, From Villa to Candelario in the morning and back in the afternoon. But it is extremely dependant on the weather conditions, so it can actually be every days and every hours.

I waited three days in Candelario. Mandatory to take the camping there (5000 CLP per days, possibility to pay by card after leaving the camping with the capitan of the boat La Rueda, who is a friend of the camping owners). Take some food with you to spend a few days there, because there is litterally nothing. Possibility to buy eggs and bread from the woman of the camping. I personally had a good time there, making good fires for hot shower and cooking.

For the prices of the boat, I personally paid 35 000 with Ruedas, and I saw only two boats (Robinson Crusoe too). I would recommend NOT to take tickets from companies in El Chalten which sell them very expensive, sometimes double. You can buy it directly at the boat, possibility by card.
There is 16 places on each boat, so 32 for my crossing. My boat was almost empty after 4 days of no passage, so no stress.

* '''2020-Jan-10 / Lago O‘Higgins Motor Boat Crossing / Jan Dudeck'''

Currently 3 companies offer motor boat crossings of Lago O‘Higgins between Villa O‘Higgins and Candelario Mansilla. Prices for a crossing without a visit of Glacier O‘Higgins range from 36‘000 to 45‘000 CLP. These companies are:
1. RobinsonCrusoe (biggest and most expensive)
2. La Rueda
3. ???

Like in past years technical issues with the boats and weather (primarily wind) disrupt schedule departures and limit the capacity. This results in significant waiting times in both directions. Waiting 1 to 4 days is common but some people had to wait up to one week to get a seat in a boat. The biggest boat - La Quetru - is currently out of operation due to a motor damage.

Recommendations:

Be patient and don’t plan with a tight schedule if intending to cross the border between Villa O’Higgins and El Chalten

Southbound travelers can wait in Villa O‘Higgins where food is available and can be paid with credit cards. But enough cash should be carried as the next ATM is in Cochrane, a 6 hour drive north of Villa O’Higgins.

Northbound travelers should carry enough food and cash to wait several days in Candelario Mansilla. Only basic food can be purchased in Candelario Mansilla (Cash only). Consider purchasing a ferry ticket in advance in El Chalten.

Alternatively TAS offers occasionally flights for 70’000 CLP between an airfield next to the border and Villa O’Higgins.

* '''2019-Dec-11 / SOBO / Arnaud et Adriane'''

Be aware that you will maybe have to wait the ferry in Villa O'Higgins. It is very dependant on the weather conditions. We had to wait 4 days.

It was good to have a real rest after the section 36 and Villa O'Highins is a very quiet and nice village with many walks around if you still have energy.

We stayed at the Mosco hostel who has rooms, dorms and camping and the welcome and attention of the team there is perfect.

Only 2 companies offer the crossing of the lake. With robinson crusoe, it costs 45000clp/pers and the trip is 1h30 long. With La Rueda, it costs 40000clp/pers and it is 2h30 long.

* '''2019-Nov-11 / 1 day / NOBO / Ferry ride / Lea Geibel, Kevin Moe'''

There's two different ferry companies. We were told in El Chaltén that it runs every Saturday, Monday, and Wednesday 3 times a day, at 11:00, 14:00, and 19:00. Cost is $50 USD, can pay with card. We took the other ferry company (Robinson Crusoe) because it showed up at 10:30 and told us the winds were rising so the first company might not be coming. They charged us $47,500CP each at the yurt in Villa O'Higgins.

==Season 2018/19==

==Season 2017/18==

* '''Route description by Kara Davis after Season 2017/18 /uitk:'''

There are a couple of options to consider for transportation across O’Higgins/San Martin Lake. There is a large ferry which is the primary option for transport when it is functioning. The second option is a smaller ferry run by Marco Campo. This was the only option during the 2017/2018 season because the main ferry had broken down. Marco Campo frequently caused hikers difficulties for several reasons: the ferry only runs a few days a week; the ferry only seats around 15 people and is in high demand since crossing the lake is a part of the Carretera Austral; the waiting list is long and it was not uncommon for travelers to spend several days in Villa O’Higgins waiting for a seat; it does not run when the wind is strong so last minute cancellations were frequent; it’s expensive (~45.000CLP). If possible, try and make arrangements beforehand or be prepared to wait for several days in a primarily cash-functioning town without an ATM.

Comment by Jan Dudeck: Once the big ferry is repaired crossing the lake should be easier. The big ferry carries up to 100 passangers. Advance reservation is anyway recommended. If you are lucky enough to get spot on the ferry, board your ship at Puerto Bahamóndez. Marco Campos offers a shuttle from Villa O’Higgins for a price or you can road walk ~5 km. The ferry ride across Lago O’Higgins is notorious for being pretty choppy. It takes about 3 hours.

=Resupply and Accommodation=

==Resupply and Accommodation in nearby Towns==

*Calendario Mancilla consists of a single, small hospidaje and campground. Sometimes you can purchase meat or eggs from the owners, but there are very limited options for buying food.

==Resupply and Accommodation along the Route==

=Transport to and from Route=

February 2025:
There are 2 ferry companies taking tourists from Villa O'higgins to Candelario Mancilla and return. Both asked for 55k clp pp.

To Bahia Pescado the price is different :
* Amigo Patagon (+56 9 9476 8331) asked for 70k.
* Ruedas de la Patagonia (+56 9 6627 8836) asked for 55k (same price for Mancilla).

Both depart at 7:30 from the port.
The price includes a ride from Villa O'higgins to the port that departs at 7:00.
Ruedas de la Patagonia had another ride at 14:00.

The days differ according to the weather. Best way to know is contact and book ahead.

=Permits, Entry Fees and Right-of-Way Issues=

=Links to other Resources=

Retired Section Article [[GPT37H - Lago O'Higgins]]

=Images=

GPT33H (Torres de Avellano)

2026-02-14T11:41:46Z

Aymaynard: /* Season 2025/2026 */Made heading bold

'''[[GPTs|List of all GPT sections]]'''

= How to a add new entry =
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Add a new log entry always on top in the appropriate season sub-chapter and use format:


<nowiki>* '''</nowiki>'''Start Date to Finish Date (use Format YYYY-MMM-DD) / Duration in Days / Hiking or Packrafting / Travel Direction (SOBO for Southbound or NOBO Northbound) / Chosen Route and/or Option Name (RR for Regular Route) / Names or Alias'''<nowiki>'''</nowiki>

If you are packrafting, put the above info into HTML tags like this (if you follow a hiking route for part of the way, highlight only "packrafting", as above):


<nowiki>* '''</nowiki>'''YYYY-MMM-DD / X days / Packrafting / SOBO / RP / Your name'''<nowiki>'''</nowiki>.

Include remarks about your route useful for other hikers and packrafters, alerts, suggestions and personal perception of attractiveness and difficulties. Try to be specific. Do not be shy to fix obvious mistakes.

=Overview=
The GPT manual has an extensive description of this route and all its options.

=Section Log, Alerts and Suggestions=

==Season 2025/2026==

* '''GPT33H / 2026-01-17 to 2026-01-21/ 5 Days / SOBO / Hiking / 3B, RR, 8, 4 / Alex and Aoife.'''

Attractiveness: 5/5
Difficulty: 4 / 5 verging on 5/5 in the overgrown parts of Option 8 (Our day 4).

We chose to backtrack from the Pass to Option 08 and descend into Bahia Murta so we could go and see the Marble Caves.

Day 1:
Bus from Coyhaique at 0800. ( Bus Company, Don Carlos), 9k CLP To option 3B Trail Head.

Distance: 22km
Time: 1100- 1800
Water:
Water available at various points where the river passes under bridges. Small stream at eastern edge of campsite clearing.
Camp: -46.26492, -72.41280

Route:
Option 3b MR, easy walk to where it joins to the RR- along a gravel road. Nice views. Didn't see a single car only saw a friendly man on a horse.

Day 2:

Distance: 22km
Time: 07.45- 19.45
Water:
Lots of opportunities for water on the route. Water available on the pass from a stream
(We were there 2 days after heavy rainfall)

Route:
Easy start on MR until you find the TL that takes you through Lenga forrest. We followed cow tracks ( and poo) through the forest. Trail not always clear but easy enough to find.

Slow moving in boggy grassy sections. Crossed multiple streams. Took off shoes once.

Camp:
Plenty of camping options along the way. Upon reaching the pass we decided to camp there as we had a good forecast, good views and tired legs. Would only consider with nil wind forecast. Views were amazing, had a nice sunset.

* We saw a great campsite for maybe 3 tents on a sandy beach next to stream with some plunge pools and very sheltered at -46.409772, -72.498086

Day 3:

Distance: 14.31km
Time: 1100-1940
Water:
Plenty of options along the route. We prefer small clear streams rather than glacial rivers. No small streams at campsite But we had carried enough from earlier.

Route:
We followed the RR back down to the unmarked Puesto we had passed the previous day, near enough to:
Camp {33H} [52.7/953]
(-46.34585, -72.49821)
We then took option 8 all the way to the remains of a Puesto (-46.36573, -72.52865) and camped here. Trail easy enough to follow. Follow the cow poo and hoof prints.

Camp:
The remains of a Puesto (-46.36573, -72.52865) not many flat spots, by a river not a stream. If you continued a few hundred ms more there was a more idyllic location close to a stream.

Day 4:

Distance: 12.3km
Time: 0700- 1700
Water: plenty of water spots along the way.

Route:
Continued on option 8. Not far into this day the trail became a full body workout. An obstacle course requiring lots of maneuvering over many fallen trees, hard to follow path, very slow and tiring day. Track very overgrown in parts.

Camp:
'Camp? {33H-08} [8.1/462]'
(-46.410860, -72.612140) - waterfall not far from camp a bit further down the track at around: (-46.41242, -72.61436)

Day 5:

Distance: 8.45km
Time: 3hrs 20mins
Water: Few options early on, we filled up few km before TL meets the MR when there is a fence and a gate blocking the river.

Route:
Easy day , followed option 8 all the way to the gate at the PR on option 4.
Started early as was hoping to hitch a ride to the marble caves at Rio Tranquilo , we managed to and would recommend.

Upon completion of the cave tour we missed the bus to Chile Chico by only about 20 mins, we decided that was a sign to have some rest so we camped at ‘Bellavista: Hospedaje, Camping y Transporte’ 8k CLP p/p, it was fine. Kitchen access, showers etc. Quite busy.

* '''2026-01-17 to 2026-01-22 / 6 Days / Packrafting & Hiking / SOBO then NOBO / Opt 09, 08, RR, Var D, Opt 03 / Michel & Lisa'''

Summary: Another really beautiful section. It's a bit of a battle to get up to the Torres (either long road waking or bush bashing) but it's actually worth it. We took the packraft down Río Murta in very high flow and stashed things in Cruce Murta before venturing up to the Torres. There are definitely mice here as well so we made sure to always hang our food and had zero problems this way. Option 8 is both nice and deserted but also tough, especially for going in. As others have said it might be a better option to get out with lighter packs, due to the bushwhacking and the elevation gain on this route.

Day 1

We took the bus towards Chile Chico from Coyhaique at 8:00 from the bus terminal and got dropped off at River In {33H-09) [0.0/275] at around 12:15. There's an open, small hut that we used for shelter from the setting in rain. You could sleep in there as well. The river water levels were really high due to rain the previous two days and the flow fast - very different from what the satellite images show. Turbid, brown water instead of crystal clear, blueish. We started paddling and enjoyed the really fast flow (10 km/h and more when completely in the flow). At the same time it meant that we couldn't see much of what was going on below the water surface and we scratched over rocks a couple of times. There were hardly any rock islands visible and we floated over places that on satellite images are just rock - there was that much water. At times we were worried that the river could become dangerous in narrow stretches if there were sunken trees but nothing dangerous happened. We made the 36 km to Bridge (33H-04) [0.2/211] in only 3 h 20 min (excluding breaks). We took close by, at Residencial Patagonia [-46.44156, -72.71190] where the high water levels basically allowed us to float into their back yard. We stayed the night (20000 clp pp in a room, 8000 clp for camping) and stored our packraft in the alojamiento for going to the torres.

Day 2

We hitchhiked to Bahía Murta, bought some additional supplies and started hiking Option 8. The path is clear and easy to travel at first. After Ford {33H-08} [11.5/545] (Estero Sur) the trail becomes harder to follow with boggy sections and lots of fallen trees. There's considerable elevation gain up to Water (33H-08} [14.5/946], where you get the first nice views of the valley and start descending again. We continued to Camp (33H-08} [16.1/703] where we found a spot that's just big enough to put a 2 person tent and not exactly flat but good enough. All in all we did 22.3 km that day in 9 h 25 min, thanks to the bushwhacking which wasn't terrible but not exactly pleasant either.

Day 3

We continued from our camp and were positively surprised that the path actually got better after the first ~3-4 km with less fallen trees, a more visible path and less soggy ground. There are many more potential campsites along this section which are not marked in the track files, some of them I noted here:

* S46.376195° W72.537594°
* S46.354586° W72.516934°
* S46.348093° W72.501339° (camp with some tables and a view over an open (boggy) area with mountains in the background - looks like someone is trying to set something more commercial up here)
* S46.352356° W72.489023°

We got to RR at around 14:00 and continued for a while before taking a well deserved lunch break. We chose to follow Variant D which is more direct and leads to the first lagoon. If you're comfortable with hiking over rocks and boulders we would definitely recommend this over RR since the view of the towering mountains you get once you're at the lagoon is amazing (given good weather I suppose). There are no obvious camp spots at the lagoon itself but you can find level, sandy spots in the vicinity of you wanted to stay here. It can probably get pretty windy down here though. We continued to Camp {33H} [61.1/1167] and went for a swim in the second lagoon (yes, the weather was that good, haha - lucky us!) which is about 10 min walking from the camp. We didn't find a perfectly flat spot here but there are a couple options that are actually more than fine. The advantage of picking this site is that you're really sheltered from the wind, thanks to the trees. Water nearby and soft ground (vegetation) are added benefits. Some parts are quite wet so you might have to search around for a moment to find something suitable.

Day 4

We decided to have a relaxed day and just hiked up to the pass to see the actual Torres, which to be honest we found almost a bit underwhelming. Personally I much preferred the view down the valley from our camp and from the first lagoon. But you might get a better view from down in the valley from the lagoons (i.e. after descending from the pass, which we didn't do). Still, the Torres are impressive and it was definitely worth the walk up. From the valley bottom and the pass it looked like one could potentially climb up to one of the passes to the east to get a view down onto option 02 (-46.40615, -72.48187 or -46.40237, -72.48235) but it would be a scramble - we didn't try. Potentially it could even be possible to go down there to join option 02 with some bushwhacking, but that's really a shot into the blue. Maybe someone wants to try. ;)

Day 5

Since there was some bad weather forecast for the coming days we decided to hike out. Going down we decided to try the RR to be able to compare with variant D. RR was also fine but there was some trail finding through the forest required and some boggy sections as well. However, it might still be slightly faster than Variant D. Still, coming up I would highly recommend Variant D so you get the beautiful view from the lagoon. We came all the way to [-46.28395, -72.44366] in 6 h 50 min, where we camped. The spot is close to the road but invisible from there, nice and flat and wind protected. In the evening a pigmy owl came for a visit and sat in the tree next to us really close before it was detected by another bird and flew away - a pretty special encounter. Lots of mouse holes everywhere so we hung our food like always on this section just to be sure.

Day 6

We continued along the road, first nice and shady in the forest and then in the scorching heat of the sun. We saw a pigmy owl in the forest that allowed us to observe it for quite a while and then we even saw it catch some large insect (a firefly maybe?) which felt like another really special moment along the otherwise rather dull road.
We continued walking along the road until we were lucky to get picked up by one of the settlers who was driving to Villa Cerro Castillo with his wife. They were very friendly and explained a lot about their lifestyle living up in the mountain valley all year. They said that the flow of hikers to the Torres has really increased in the past few years and that some people seem to be setting up some gear for climbing up there with clients. They said that they didn't mind hikers coming to visit. :)

* ''' 2026-01-16 to 2026-01-20 / 5 days / Hiking / SOBO 3B, RR, H, K / Daniel.s '''

Not much to add to the previous entries (especially Dave and Siyuan and Emily and Kole)

Day 1 was a roadhike in the rain and cold for me, Camp at 38.5/1020 (-46.26492, -72.41280)

Day 2 started late (noon) due to snow and rain in the morning. Trail in good condition, CC quite wet due to rain. Camped at x with Option 8 (mice in the shelter!)

Day 3 perfect weather day, CC to pass very wet due to previous rain, wet feet again, otherwise straight forward. See D+S recommended exit point after pass. A lot of scrambling over granite blocks. Further down - as E+K mentioned boggy on both sides of the river, from about halfway it's probably better to stay left of the river. Camp at first Ford, like D+S.

Day 4 trail and MR to Puerto Avellano, river crossing where D+S suggested, a braided section, knee deep for me and immediate connection to MR on the other side.

Day 5 trail along the lake is energy consuming, it's 90% loose rock, sand and gravel. MR is steep and dusty in the beginning, great campsite at S 46.40217°, W 071.97845° near water.

* ''' 2025-Dec-13 to 2025-Dec-19 / 7 days / Hiking / SOBO RR, Opt 8 / Massa and Jacicek '''

We did not complete whole trail, but what we saw was really nice. Exit by opt 8 took us 2.5 days. No problems with water or Fords.

Day 1
Hiked from Villa Cerro Castillo to Lago Alto, we had lift for approx 5km.
The Rr from km 1.2 (after you walk off caretera austral) is through nice hills and very pretty, until you reach the minor road.
Camped on a hill alongside Lago Alto at [-46.17655, -72.32639], with a view on Laguna Verde, the spot is not flat and not well wind protected.

Day 2
Hiked through beautiful woods, as noted, camp x is fenced off and there are trespassing sings, however, there is also a ladder over the fence, so no problems there. Walked up to the Ford with Estero Alto and camped approx 200m before the ford km 36 [-46.25544, -72.38370 ] . Several spots with flat spaces there.

Day 3
Forded the Estero Alto river on km 36, ankle deep only. Beautiful section with large meadows. Camped at the end of the meadow alongside the stream on km 51 [-46.33183, -72.48916 ] .

Day 4
This day, we got awful weather, stopped approx 3km before Torres de Avellano. Camped in small spot in the forest, place for one tent, good wind protection [-46.37974, -72.49111 ] .

Day 5
Decided to turn back and head for Bahia Murta using opt 8. Camp at [-46.36514, -72.52866]. Path is recognizable and traversable.

Day 6
Fallen trees in the path, lots of ups and downs. Camped next to a Camp ? [11.6/548]. When we came, there were tents erected there, however nobody was present, we camped near the river, outside of the obvious camp. In the evening a guy came and we asked him if we can camp there and said yes. In the morning a local guide (different guy) came and said that it would be better to camp in the main camp, as there is a toilet, and to give him a heads up beforehand (www.guiasdelavellano.com).

Day 7
The path from Camp ? Is maintained, however parts are muddy.

* '''2025-12-27 to 2026-01-02 / 7 days / Hiking / SOBO / 3B + RR + H / Dave & Siyuan'''

We took 8 days of food with us from Villa Cerro Castillo and hoped we would get lifts at the start and the end. Luckily we did get lifts (32km in total) and spend 7 days on the trail.

Day 1 - 16km - 10:30-17:00
🚌 9.40am bus from Villa Cerro Castillo to start of Option 3B
🥾 Walked 1km, got a lift 🚗 for 6km to the RR, walked on the road for the rest of the day, a couple of gates, one easy ford. The public road ends at a locked gate at -46.26266, -72.35047.
⛺️ Camp at 38.5/1020 (-46.26492, -72.41280) the edge of this large clearing is sheltered from the wind with a stream nearby.

Day 2 - 20km - 09:00-19:00
🥾 Easy road walk and horse trail in the morning, then it gets harder in the forest as the trail isn’t obvious a the time. Many stream crossings and boggy sections but kept feet dry.
⛺️ Camp at 58.8/1020 (-46.39009, -72.49369) one tent spot, away from the wind, as recommended by Emily & Kole - thanks!

Day 3 - 11km - 09:00-20:00
🥾 The pass day. It was raining on and off the whole day and we didn’t get to see all the views. No snow on the way up and walked around one snow patch on the way down. Make sure you follow the RR and head left at the top of the pass (to approx -46.41859, -72.49544) so you descend on the rocky/bouldery patch in between the slippery steep slabs. Once we reached the bottom, we walked on the left bank of the river, 4 km of CC, BB and intermittent animal trails, slow going.
⛺️ Camp at 69.8/634 just before the ford.

Day 4 - 17.5km - 09:00-17:30
🥾 The day of river crossings of Rio Avellano and other side streams. The first main one at camp dropped a little bit overnight. It was up to our crotch deep. Fast current, manageable with careful footing. The second time crossing Rio Avellano, we crossed it here (-46.45641, -72.32730) a braided section. It was at knee deep. The river path probably changes every year as where we crossed didn’t look like what’s on satellite images.
⛺️ Camped at 87.4/454 (-46.46164, -72.24432) one tent tent, partially wind protected. It was 200m after a ford.

Day 5 - 15km 10:00-14:00 and 19:00-20.30
🥾 Easy walking on minor road towards the lake. Very windy and dusty. Spent a few hours at the disused port building at Puerto Avellano to shelter from the afternoon wind. Walked the last few kms after dinner.
⛺️ Campo Chico 102.4/212 (-46.48727, -72.10030) near the lake.

Day 6 - 14km - 08.15-16.15
🥾 A dusty day walking up and down hills along the shore through thorny bushes. Crossing a stream or creek every hour or two. Windy.
⛺️ Campsite 116.3/239 was full of thorns, except one tent spot near a boggy area (-46.42128, -71.98175).

Day 7 - 14km - 09:00-14.00 + hitchhiking
🥾 Walked along the shore then up on a dusty road. 14km to the road intersection between Puerto Ibanez and Levican. We found only two water sources between the lake and the road - both small streams: (-46.40371, -71.97566), and (-46.38677, -71.97407). Both might be dry in drought.
🚗 We waited at a bus stop shelter for 1.5h before the first car passed and picked us up. 🚌 We took a bus back to Coyhaique at night from Puerto Ibanez instead of staying there due to perfect bus timing and cheaper and wider resupply options in Coyhaique.

*'''2025-12-27 to 2026-01-02/ 7 days/ Hiking/ NOBO/ RR, Option 8, RR, Variant D/RR/ Option 3B/ Option 3/ Greg Carter, Tomas Martinec'''

Overall
The Torres de Avellano are spectacular, and it’s well worth the effort to access them.

Attraction: 5
Difficulty: 4

Important note: at Puesto Aguero (Day 1) we encountered an official looking sign requiring registration and payment of CLP 6,000 per person/ night, for Torres del Avellano. However Andre Aguero did not seek to enforce this. In the future this may be enforced regardless of the entry point into the area of the Torres.

Day 1
We got the 7am bus (CLP 10,500) from Cochrane which dropped us off at Cruce Murta at around 11am. From there we walked 3km to the trailhead of Option 8, where a new gate must be climbed.

The trail is steep and when it enters the forest there is a lot of fallen trees and branches, however most have been cleared up to a puesto which has been built at Camp? {33H-08} [11.6, 548]. This puesto is owned by a friendly guide (Andres Aguero), who takes clients on a private trail up to the Torres de Avellano from the puesto, on a 20km round trip. Andres has built a bridge over the Estero Sur, at [11.5, 545], so no ford is necessary there. We camped at the puesto for no cost. My tent had a hole in the morning, as did a number of food bags: hang your food here and all other camps!

Day 2
After the puesto the trail is not used or maintained, and it is very slow going with many fallen trees and branches. We left at 7am, pushed hard with a few quick breaks, and arrived at the intersection with the RR at 2:40pm, a distance of approximately 12km ie less than 2km/h.

There is another abandoned puesto at -46.36573, -72.52865, at approximately 19km.

It was not necessary to ford the Rio Resbalin at [15.6] or [15.8], we stayed on the southern side of the river.

At the RR intersection there is good camping at -46.34573, -72.49709, alongside a stream, near a corral. The nearby puesto was not occupied.

It was nice to meet David Brophy and Siyuan Hong passing through.

That afternoon, knowing that the next 2 days would be rainy, we did a quick return hike up the RR, to see the Torres in perfect visibility.

There is an established sheltered camp on the RR at -46.36762, -72.48672.

Day 3
Zero rest day, as it rained all day.

Day 4
With sunny weather forecast for the following day, we again hiked in light rain up the RR towards the Torres and camped at -46.39020, -72.49375, where there is space for a 2 man and 1 man tent. We could not find the camp others have mentioned at -46.39161, -72.49438.

Note: At about 58km it is easier to go up the slope to follow the cairns around the tree line, rather than follow the GPT eg cairns at -46.38167, -72.49209 and -46.38199, -72.49218.

Day 5
This day was perfect weather from beginning to end. Blue sky and little to no wind. The views of the Torres and the 2 lagunas were amazing, as are the views from the pass. The pass has no snow but there are a few patches of snow on the southern side of the pass, which are easy to avoid or walk across. We tried to get down to the 3rd laguna but went too far right and got stopped by steep slippery rock.

In the afternoon we returned to the previous camp at the RR intersection (-46.34573, -72.49709).

Day 6
We hiked out NOBO along the RR and camped beside a river, near the bridge over the river to the Settler [29.4/537], who wasn’t home. There are nice views on the hike out of snow-capped mountains.

Day 7
Hiked out on Option 3B, and hitched within minutes on Option 3 into Villa Cerro Castillo. There is plenty of tourist traffic on the Carretera Austral.

* ''' 2025-12-14 to 2025-12-15/ 2 days/ Hiking/ NOBO/ Option 1/Tomas Martinec'''

This was my first test with a multiday hike outside the main tourist routes like Torres del Paine and El Chalte. It also served as practical way to get from Chile Chico to Villa Cerro Castillo where I planned to continue with the Cerro Castillo trek.

The hike took me 2 days (about half of day of walking each day).

Challenges:
Lack of drinkable water at the plateau
Difficulty finding a suitable camping spot in the middle section

Day 1
I took the ferry from Chile Chico to Puerto Ibanez Ingeniero (very cheap, around 2500 CLP) and started hike around midday. The first day follows an old gravel road. Cars passed ocasionally and several drivers even offered me the lift.

The route offers some nice scenery, including a wattergall near the beginning and open landscapes in the higher sections.

Finding a place to camp was difficult to me. The Camp {33H-01} [12.5/666] is on private land and in the morning I saw many cows around. In the end, I slept near Settler {33H-01} [13.7/636].

I recommend carrying water from the lower parts of the route. In the upper section there are lagoons, but the water is stagnant. Personally, I wasn't comfortable drinking it, even with water filter.

Day 2
This day follows a proper trail, passing lakes, forests, and open terrain. The views are beautiful- both of surrounding mountains and down into the valley- and I enjoyed this section a lot.

The last 3 kms before entering to Villa Cerro Castillo are on an asphalt road, which is not very enjoyable.

'''2025-Dec-13 to 2025-Dec-18 / 6 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR, Var D, Var H, Var J, Opt 11, Opt 11G / Emily & Kole'''

Camps (all spots had space for two tents, relatively sheltered, and water nearby):

Day 1: -46.25533, -72.38371

Day 2: -46.39009, -72.49369

Day 3: -46.42604, -72.49970

Day 4: Refuge [98.4+0.2/211] (Puerto Avellano)

Day 5: -46.37248, -71.87165

Attractiveness - 5/5

Difficulty - 4/5

* Joined by Ohad for the roadwalk from Villa Cerro Castillo - thanks for the company! Hope you found your stove. Beautiful views of Cerro Castillo, Laguna Verde and Lago Alto. The camp at 32.0/700 is on private property, so we continued on to a flat spot on the river around 35km. There appeared to be good flat spots in the forest to the left of trail around 1km before 32.0.
* Timed our arrival to the Torres for a clear day. Took the ascent and descent (58.5km to 63.4) of the main pass slowly as it was covered in snow between knee to hip-height. Where possible we scrambled on the uncovered boulders to avoid post-holing. Took significant time. Variant D along the glacial lakes was nice, although it may require a bit more scrambling than RR. We met GPT hikers Bailey and Ed going NOBO on our ascent to the pass - a big thank you for the footsteps!
* The view of the Torres from the main Pass [61.9/1314] was great but the best viewpoint for us was from the lake by the Camp [63.4/995].
* After 64km, Kole followed game trail to the right of the river and Em to the left. Both options were boggy, with intermittent trail and lots of blowdowns. Wet feet. Slow going, but not too difficult. Trail was clear and easy to follow after 68.5km. Ran into settler Julio driving cattle shortly thereafter.
* We forded Rio Avellano 100m downstream of 81.2/490, at 46.45791, -72.31714. Very strong current, upper-thigh height, had to cross slowly, but manageable with careful footing.
* Slept on the floor of the refugio in Puerto Avellano. A table, some chairs, and wood burning stove inside. Didn’t notice any pests. There are a few spots for tents behind in the trees, but very wind exposed. Met the settler that lives nearby the following day.
* From the junction with the road [130.4/311] we took Option 11 into Levican and camped behind some bushes with good wind protection. We didn’t find any good spots on 11G, with the north shore being very windy. Started the road walk to Puerto Ibanez on the final day, but luckily got a hitch 3km out of Levican (around 8am), we rode with them all the way to Coyhaique (he turned out to be Julio’s brother).

'''GPT33 / 2025 Dec 12-16 / NOBO / RR / 5 days/ hiking // Bailey & Ed'''

General notes - another incredibly beautiful section. Had to take a few slow days approaching the pass because of high winds and snow.

Challenges - crossing snow boulder fields at the pass

Costs - paid 70,000 CLP for two people to be dropped off just before bridge [129.3/304], saving about 27 km of road walking. +56982463160

Difficulty - 4/5

Attractiveness - 5/5

Day 1

Caught the ferry from Chile chico, took about three hours leaving at 8 am. We went to the tourist office to ask about a taxi. Mostly on minor roads to camp

Camp 1

Nice campground, wind sheltered with water [116.3/239]

Day 2

Pretty good trail, connects to a minor road. Fords okay

Camp 2

Another nice campground, wind sheltered with water [82.8/479]

Day 3.

Short day mostly on a minor road. Fords okay

Camp 3

Camped next to ford [69.8/634] because the next campsite was noted without water. This campsite was nice, wind sheltered with water. We met Julio returning back after a days work. A lot of deadfall here though

Day 4

Started with walking in the river bed. The snow line started at the campground next to the lake. Previous trip report was useful mentioning stay right of the waterfall on the ascent to the pass. We tried staying in the forest and off the boulder field as long as we could. The snow was waist deep and very soft in areas. Mostly used rocks after the forest to ascend. On the descent we met col from salt lake city also hiking the GPT this season.

Camp 4

Camped at [32.0/700], a lot of cow poo around, but sheltered. Water across the fence

Day 5

Walked down the road to hitch. There's a bus shelter here to sit in and wait, protected from the wind. Waited an hour

==Season 2024/25==

'''2025-Mar-19 to 2025-Mar-23/ 5 days/ Hiking/ NOBO OH 8, RR, OH 3B/ Timothée and Maëlle'''
We started in bahia Murta by option 8 to reach RR. Then we simply went to the lake 63.4 ( viewpoint) SOBO, and then back to Villa Cerro Castillo NOBO. We had light rain on the 2 first days and then sun, but with really cold nights. We have good equipment ( sleeping bags -5, big down jackets...) but without it that section would have not been enjoyable.

Camps:
Camp1: 8.1 : Nice one, some wind protected spots, not perfectly flat, water nearby.

Camp2: 52.7: several possibilities, we slept 300 m ( on OH8) before the waypoint, near wood tables, in the forest so a bit sheltered.

Camp3: S 46° 24.552', W 072° 29.933' below the camp 61.2: we slept on the river sediments: dry but not sheltered. We had absolutely no wind but that was really cold( we think about -5°): we re late in the season and it s high.

Camp4: S 46° 15.319', W 072° 23.019'
There are several other possibilities before this point on the MR. Not really after. Nice spot, quit sheltered, with the river next to it.

Day1:
We were coming from Puerto Rio Tranquillo by hitchhiking, and started from Bahia Murta around 1pm under light rain. We hiked only 8km.

Day2: We reached the RR from our first camp.
Overall, OH 8 was quite exhausting. The trail is maintained, probably by local guides: we found a lot of prints of chainsaws, machettes... but there is a lot of elevation gain ( ups and downs) and there are still a lot of trunks that you need to pass over, around... It was also usually muddy. At least we got a good impression of the rainforest! On OH 8 the trail does not always follow the GPS track really closely, probably because of the constant falling trees and that the trail was recently maintained.

Day3: For day 3 and 4 we decided to stay on RR to enjoy the torres a bit longer. We went to the pass with the viewpoint, and then down to the lack 63.4 with light backpack. We found that going to the lack and then back worthed it as the view feels quite different from the lack. The descent is not so technical, but indeed you need to follow the track, or even a bit more to the left( downward) to avoid the granit slabs.

Day 4: We went back to camp 52.7 and continued on the trail and the MR until camp 4. From camp 3 (61km) to camp 52.7 the trail can be lost, especially in the forest. After that it is quite easy and fast.
Day5: We went down the MR and then took option 3B. After 2 km on that option we caught a lift to cerro castillo. ( so a half day)

In total we hiked for a duration of 4 days spread on 5 days. ( 2 half days in both ends)

Right of way issues:
A guide in Bahia murta told us that we might be asked to pay if we meet the owner of puestos on OH 8 or when arriving in Villa Cerro Castillo.
We met no one on OH8 but we met the settler at 29.4 who was very friendly and never mentionned anything about paying.

For day 3 and 4 we thought about doing à loop woth OH2. We were coming from the south of GPT, and since GPT40, Rio avellano is the first big river with strong current to ford that we met. After heavy rain this option is probably a bit tricky. That is also why we stayed on RR.

'''2025-MAR-13 to 2025-MAR-16 / 3.5 days / Hiking / NOBO / OH (8, partially, then followed the east bank of Estero Sur SOBO up to southwest side of Torres de Avellano) / Joppe O'''

- 13/3: Started around 2:30PM after hitching a ride from Villa Cerro Castillo to Bahia Murta. Walked up to the mentioned camp site 33h/462. The obvious esplanade doesn’t really have a very flat spot, if you go down one ‘level’ there is a truly horizontal spot and it’s a bit more away from the trail.

- 14/3: hiked up to the ford over Rio Estero Sur. The section after the last gate up to the ford is muddy. Met three British students who came back from the Torres. The ford is easy, there is a tree log over the water and a steel cable to help you negotiate it. Lunched at Puesto/Camp at 11.6/548. Then commenced the BB section of option 8 along Resbalin. I made it about 1km into it before giving up. I did not bring a machete but even if I had I would not have pushed through it. It was impossible to make out a trail at this point and because I carried too much stuff it was too arduous and not fun, so I went back to the puesto and read a book in the sun.

- 15/3: I decided to check if I could find the trail up the Estero Sur that the British group told me of. The trail is marked with blue ribbons, pink ribbons, red paint dots, machete cuts on the trees and with cairns (hitos) so it takes some getting used to to follow it. Got lost a couple of times on the way in. There are some trees to climb over but it’s a fun hike. The last section is very steep and partially equipped with ropes to hold on to. Nonetheless would not recommend this section in rain because it would be tricky with the mud etc. Very nice trail though with really pretty forest vegetation and views on the waterfalls coming from the lakes beneath the Torres and the surrounding mountains. Made it to the lower lake around 5PM and camped right next to it at the little ¨beach¨ enjoying the warmth of a small fire made of dead wood. The spot has views of the glacier and you can hear the ice break off now and then. Very cool.

- 16/3 Woke up to rain. Went back the way I came at 10AM, the first part down through the forest is steep and requires full focus. Trail was muddier than the day before after the rain but doable. At the puesto I met Martin Aguëro, the owner, who was there for the first time in almost a year. He told me that his grandson is a guide and is the one who marked the trail and put up the ropes with the intention of taking people there. After lunch I continued the return to Bahia Murta and arrived around 8:40PM. I stayed at the cabaña next to Virginia´s house across from the aerodromo, there are more options down the road but her house is the first one that you come past on the left hand side of the road. (I think there is also a camp ground if you want to save money but at this point I was ready for a night in a proper bed :D).

Other notes:

Both Antonio Quiroz and Martin Aguëro confirmed that the BB section after the puesto along Resbalin is in disuse. They said it was opened/used by the army some decades ago and was indeed used to bring cattle to the Avellano valley, as the manual on Section 33 states.

the next day I got a ride to the bus stop from Antonio Quiroz who is a cattle farmer. He told me that another way to get to the Estero Sur and above it is to take the high route above the tree line right from the mouth of the Resbalin Valley.

For water I had 2x1.5l Nalgenes with me but I just carried a cup on my belt and took a few every time I crossed a stream, carrying .5l just in case to limit weight.

'''2025-02-28 to 2025-03-4 / 5 days / Hiking / SOBO / Option 3, 3B, RR, E, H, I, partial 06, K / Tyson'''

Really beautiful section bookended by some unfortunate roadwalking. The roadwalk up and down to Puerto Ibanez was especially rough with nasty wind and rain ripping down the valley almost the whole way. But the views in the middle of the section made up for it. Pretty magical up top.

Day 1: [Option 3, 3B, RR] Caught the bus at Cafe Arbolitos in Villa Cerro Castillo. 2x buses (Sao Paulo and Bus Carolina?) show up anywhere from 9:30 - 11AM depending when they leave Coyhaique and road conditions etc). Sat up front with the driver for 2.5K pesos. Started walking the 3B road by 1045. There are a couple of bridges that you cross on the initial MR sections that are probably the easiest places to get water if you need it. Saw two climbers hiking back from the Torres who gave me some info on how best to descend the pass [62.0/1314] at the Torres. Beautiful walk up the valley to the first pass [44.4/1149], and after the pass in the CC section, especially in the evening light. Expect wet feet on the CC section. At [53.0/946] there are 2x puestos. After asking at the second, I set up my tent near the first puesto in time for another arriero to arrive and occupy the first. I asked again if my tent was ok there and he happily said no problema.

Day 2: [RR] To the Torres. Initial CC section took a little longer than expected with blowdown. I caught a little sun, and had probably 80% visibility of the Torres. Hung around the lakes there a bit, then went up the pass [62.0/1314] when it started raining in earnest. NOTE: On the way down the pass, once you are past the boulders, it is best to err on the side of staying too far left. It’s tempting to start crossing on the contour when you see a long ledge beneath you after the rock bald. I got cliffed out there and had to turn back. In better weather you might could scramble down but the GPX track is much better in wet and slippery conditions. In better weather I would have done a short day and stayed at the lakeside camp [63.4/995] (called the English camp by the climbers I met the day before?), but I decided to move on. Initially on the descent down Valle Ventisquero I followed some very nice game trail but it soon dissolved into a wet bushwhack. Thought for sure I would catch sight of a huemul with all the footprints that I was seeing, but nothing. Slept at the Camp Without Water [68.7/766]. It’s a corral that offers a nice opening with enough flat space for one tent, and plenty more not so flat space. Water is accessible down the hill. However, I recommend not stopping here and hiking another half hour to the Ford [69.8/634]. There is tons of flat space there, easy water, and you can check out the condition of the Ford.

Day 3: [RR, Option E] Down Lower Rio Avellano. Water was up with all the rain, but mostly just ~knee-high fords. I took Option E by accident but it was pleasant and very easy to follow. The Ford at [81.2/490] was too deep and fast to manage so I hiked upstream not quite a km where the river branched and found a spot that was about upper-thigh high. Stuck to Option H on the north side of the river to avoid additional fords. I took the cut-through Option I to get off the road a bit and noticed some nice flat gravel spots for camping that were free of prickly bushes. Hoping to take the Option 06 high route the next day, I pushed on past the Ford [89.5/545] but couldn’t find any open spots on the first bit of that option. So I went back to the gravel spots that I saw in Option I and camped there. NOTE as I found out the next day if you continue further up Option 06 to where you start seeing more mature tree stands you can find camp spots (without water) where cows bed down.

Day 4: [Option 06 partial, RR] Tempted by a bit of sun in the morning, I started climbing Option 06. Within an hour though it started raining and blowing, and after climbing halfway to the pass it turned to snow. Reluctantly I turned back but was immediately rewarded by a great big male huemul staring at me from about 10m away! Happily descended and started down the lower RR. After the Bridge [108.1/462] there is an old fallen down puesto [-46.457555, -72.044263] that shows up on OSM and satellite. Decent flat spot there, with water down the hill not too far away; camped there.

Day 5: [RR, Option K] Wind started up again. Got to X [130.4/311] in the afternoon and decided to push through to Puerto Ibanez. Spent the next few hours on a hellish road walk leaning into the wind and rain with not a single car going my way until I was almost to the Rio Claro bridge [147.7/211]. Was thrilled to get a hitch down to Puerto the rest of the way. Though the waterfall at Rio Ibanez is very cool, I think anyone who can figure out a ferry from Playa Levican to Chile Chico would be doing a great service to future hikers. I would gladly have paid to have skipped that bit of road on a day like that.

*'''2025-FEB-28 to 2025-MAR-01 / 1 day / Hiking / SOBO / RR+OH (var. A, 01A, 01) / Ivan, Jakub, Daniel'''

We chose variants A, 01A and 01, so it was easy section which leads mainly on a paved road. There is a nice view of Cerro Castillo on the beginning and a waterfall of Rio Ibáñez [148.4/212] was also worth it.

From the point X [1.3/328] to the point X [5.5/554] we ascent on the minor road. The rest of this section is on the paved road.

CHALLENGES: Monotonous walk on the paved road.

BIVOUACING: There is a fence along the road most of the time, but it's possible to find some quiet places on the pastures. We spent the only night here:

WATER: Water from the nearby lakes, eventually from Rio Ibáñez. There are almost no small streams close to the road.

RESUPPLY: There is a well stocked store in the center of Villa Cerro Castillo, called 'Janito'. Close to there is a stylish foodtruck made of two old buses. There are more opportunities in Puerto Ingeniero Ibáñez (at least 2 stores and even more restaurants).

'''2025-02-19 to 2025-02-23 / 5 days / Hiking / SOBO / option 3B, RR, variant C,H, / Thijmen Scholten'''</span

* I started hitchiking from Cerro Castillo, but barely any cars passed and Around 10.00 de bus came
* Took option 3 and first day is only road walking , the first part untill the last settler (30.8) is really really really boring ! Hitching did not work. You can get a taxi from Cero de Castillo's it will cost 70.000 pesos.
* Water: On option 3 and the road walks of the RR there is not much water. For the rest water is no problem
* Camping : Many camp places everywhere.
* Option C the Laguna is nice
* I camped at crosspoint to the Laguna (option C), nice place but many dead trees and branches so lookout where you put your tent when it's windy
* Around km 49 I followed the Osmo trail trough the forest instead of the presumely swampy grassland trail (it rained all night)
* It rained all day and also next day so I opted to take option 8 instead. But I am very glad I did continue on the RR because the view on the other side of the pass is beautiful!
* Scrambling down from the pass was ok even in the rain. Just be sure to follow the gpx carefully ! Otherwise you will end up at a ledge
* The camp site at the lake is very wind exposed my tent blew away. Decided to pack it again and camp down in the beautiful forest.
* As for the bushbash part. I followed the right side of the river (looking downstream). There was a trail which I lost often but easy to walk. Even saw campfire traces so probably it's used more often. I don't know if it's easier than the right side. But the BB/CC part took me less than 2 hours this side.
* The first official fjord (69.8) was already above my waist and very difficult (crossed it diagonal as supposed). It rained all night so probably the river is not only affected by glacial melt but also by rain alot.
* Talked to Roberto (he lives around km 80) and he confirmed the river was high due to the rain. He adviced me to cross at his house where the river has 3 arms. I did that and the crossing was just doable the water was untill my waist.
* Roberto also offered me to cross with his horse if it was impossible on foot.
* Took variant H to avoid crossing 2 more times
* The road walk has not alot of nice camping places. Found 1 grassy patch with water around 5km before the lake.
* When the hiking trail next to the lake starts , just go straight to the beach otherwise you have to bushbash.
* The trail next to the lake is sometimes covered by vegetation I break some branches to make a way. Is everyone does this (or with Macheti) the trail will stay walkable (look out for thorns).
* There is internet (Entel) from around halfway the trail.
* I Camped at the end of the trail (km 117.6) close to the lake, there is little stream there as well.
* Road walk to Ibanez is very very very boring as well.
* At water source 135.3 the creek is very small but there is a black hose laying around at the left side of the road which you can use to fill your bottle.
* After 3 hours the first car passed and I got a hitch to town.

'''25-02-19-25-02-23 / 4 days (interrupted)/ SOBO / OH 03B-RR/ Volker'''
Patagonia at its best (and its worst)

Day 0: After gpt32 and resupply in Villa Cerro Castillo too many people hitchhiking on the Carreterra, so I called Pedro Zuleta (+56 993 5786), who drove me for 20k to the start of 03B in the late afternoon. Walked until the pass at S 46.198129° W 72.357921° and camped there (nice place, but very windy).
Day 1: Light rain all the day long. Because of the weather I decided not to take the mountain route (OH07) and continued on the RR (though technically a MR, blocked for cars by fallen trees) and feels like a trail), one non-indicated (very easy) ford. With the rain getting heavier and only few feasible camp spots along the way, early camp at S 46.280118° W 72.435213°. Heavy rain all the night long.
Day 2: The day started with a non-indicated ford 50m behind my camp spot. All further river crossings (including the indicated ford at 52,0: dry feet, broken trees serving as a bridge). Weather better than forecasted, the light rain ceased during the morning and by noon the sun came out. Instead of following the track file and crossing the swampy meadow CC, I stayed on the left side, where a trail leads along the edge of the forest (not without stepping out on the meadow for the scenic view on Cerro los Pumas, which now came out of the clouds). A river bank at the end of the meadow allowed me to dry my tent and cook the warm meal I had skipped the evening before. After the puesto steep down and on the RR very nice along the river. After the steep ascent to the upper valley, though indicated as CC, the trail continues, partly along the river, partly more to the right, avoiding swamps. In the rocky parts, it‘s marked with cairns. My plan was to reach the indicated camp at 63,4, however a storm with hurricane-like blasts made the scrambling across rocks and broken trees very dangerous. Even in easy terrain I could hardly stand it. With a suicidal ford (one blast during the fording: game over) and 2km through wind-exposed rocky terrain ahead I found a flat spot in a wood at S 46.391614° W 72.494383°. Impossible to raise a tent without the protection of the dense wood! And it has to be a wood with young trees (many branches and even some trunks broke that night in forests with older and higher trees). Take this into account, when thinking about OH07 (and read the comments by Alexey, who opened up this route).
Day 3: Though the storm had subsided and the ford was doable, given the overall situation (3km of BB/CC, several fords, bad weather, possibly another storm in the afternoon and 90km ahead with a shortage of food, if slowed down too much by the conditions) I decided to walk back. Rain made the trail very swampy and slippery, 3 creeks, that I crossed dry feet the day before, now to be forded. Camped at the same spot as the day before.
Day 4: Rain the whole night long, not ceasing in the morning. I was very lucky: just arrived at the settler, where the MR gets passable for cars, when the same driver, who drove me to the start of 03B 4 days before, dropped 3 Chileans there (he had offered to drive me there for 70k) and gave me a free ride back to Villa CC.

* '''2025-02-19 to 2025-02-23 / 4,5 days / Hiking / SOBO / option 3B, RR, variant C,H, / Thijmen Scholten'''</span

* I started hitchiking from Cerro Castillo, but barely any cars passed and Around 10.00 de bus came
* Took option 3 and first day is only road walking , the first part untill the last settler (30.8) is really really really boring ! Hitching did not work. You can get a taxi from Cero de Castillo's it will cost 70.000 pesos.
* Water: On option 3 and the road walks of the RR there is not much water. For the rest water is no problem
* Camping : Many camp places everywhere.
* Option C the Laguna is nice
* I camped at crosspoint to the Laguna (option C), nice place but many dead trees and branches so lookout where you put your tent when it's windy
* Around km 49 I followed the Osmo trail trough the forest instead of the presumely swampy grassland trail (it rained all night)
* It rained all day and also next day so I opted to take option 8 instead. But I am very glad I did continue on the RR because the view on the other side of the pass is beautiful!
* Scrambling down from the pass was ok even in the rain. Just be sure to follow the gpx carefully ! Otherwise you will end up at a ledge
* The camp site at the lake is very wind exposed my tent blew away. Decided to pack it again and camp down in the beautiful forest.
* As for the bushbash part. I followed the right side of the river (looking downstream). There was a trail which I lost often but easy to walk. Even saw campfire traces so probably it's used more often. I don't know if it's easier than the right side. But the BB/CC part took me less than 2 hours this side.
* The first official fjord (69.8) was already above my waist and very difficult (crossed it diagonal as supposed). It rained all night so probably the river is not only affected by glacial melt but also by rain alot.
* Talked to Roberto (he lives around km 80) and he confirmed the river was high due to the rain. He adviced me to cross at his house where the river has 3 arms. I did that and the crossing was just doable the water was untill my waist.
* Roberto also offered me to cross with his horse if it was impossible on foot.
* Took variant H to avoid crossing 2 more times
* The road walk has not alot of nice camping places. Found 1 grassy patch with water around 5km before the lake.
* When the hiking trail next to the lake starts , just go straight to the beach otherwise you have to bushbash.
* The trail next to the lake is sometimes covered by vegetation I break some branches to make a way. Is everyone does this (or with Macheti) the trail will stay walkable (look out for thorns).
* There is internet (Entel) from around halfway the trail.
* I Camped at the end of the trail (km 117.6) close to the lake, there is little stream there as well.
* Road walk to Ibanez is very very very boring as well.
* At water source 135.3 the creek is very small but there is a black hose laying around at the left side of the road which you can use to fill your bottle.
* After 3 hours the first car passed and I got a hitch to town.

* ''' 2025-FEV-15 > 19 / 4 jours / Randonnée / SOBO / RR > 33-B > RR > 33-D > RR > 33-H > RR / Pierre-Marie '''

Etape : <strike>GPT31</strike>+GPT32+GPT33
| Meteo : soleil nuages et vent
| Eau : difficile au début
| Neige : non
| Intérêt : 5/5
| Difficulté : 4/5
| Danger : Rivière, éboulis

J'ai fais quelques courses et j'ai mangé au restaurant à Villa Cerro Castillo. Ensuite j'ai repris la randonnée. Attention l'eau est difficilement accessible car les lacs sont clôturés et en contrebas de la route. Sur la gravel road j'ai réussi à faire 4 km d'auto-stop. J'ai mal préparé ma randonnée et j'ai raté la 33-A. Mais je n'avais pas encore dépassé la 33-B alors je l'ai prise. Il y a un petit ruisseau devant le settler du km 0,7. Je n'ai pas pu faire de stop sur la gravel road car je n'ai vu aucun vehicule. Il y a un ford au km 36 quand le sentier traverse la rivière. Au km 52 un arbre permet de passer la rivière. Je suis passé par la 33-D pour aller voir les lacs. Je suis content d'avoir eu du soleil car la descente après le km 62 est vraiment raide sur des pierres lisse et des éboulis. Il n'y a pas de bush-bashing sur cette section du GPT. La descente après le lac se fait bien puis on entre dans un bois ou il n'y a pas de végétation au sol. Ensuite il faut suivre la rivière en marchand dans l'eau jusqu'au km 68,5 où la rivière se transforme en rapide et on trouve un sentier dans le sous-bois. Il faudrait trouver une autre couleur pour les sections de randonnées où on marche dans l'eau. Les fords des km 71,8, 73,5, 78,3 et 89,5 se font sans mettre les pieds dans l'eau. Le chemin est innondé au km 75,5, difficile à éviter car il est entouré de marais. Le ford du km 81,2 était dangereux car le courant était très fort même avec 60cm d'eau. Au km 98,5 il faut aller directement sur la plage. Le chemin le long du lac est parfois envahi par la végétation surtout dans les zones humide. A partir du km 130 c'est la gravel road peu frequentée X-735. J'ai eu du mal à faire de l'auto-stop mais j'ai reussi à faire les 15 derniers km avec un camion. Je n'ai pas pu m'arrêter à la cataracte du km 148,4, c'est mon seul regret car le vent était si violent que j'avais du mal à avancer.
FEV-20: Repos Coyhaique.

''' 2025-FEB-7 to 2025-FEB-15 / 8 hiking days / Hiking / SOBO / option 03B, RR, option 02 / Nimrod & Tamar '''

Good camps for bad weather (more info below): (-46.172528, -72.273827) Hut near km 52. puesto?[4.8/745] (-46.48726, -72.10065)

We think that its worth mentioning that if the weather is bad and you choose option 02 you should expect hard fords and having hard time following the trail until connecting back to RR.

Day 1:

Hitchhiked from Coyhaique - 3 rides 5 hours. Started walking at 17:00, camped at (-46.116414, -72216049). It was a little wind protected.

Day 02:

Rain all night and all day. Got a lift for 5 km by 2 chilean hikers that went to the Torres and back. Camped at: (-46.172528, -72.273827). Rain and wind all night and the camp location was well protected.

Day 03:

Finally sun came out, so we dried our gear. Camped at km 62. Great view and wind protection. The weather became bad again.

Day 04:

Started hailing in the morning and it should have became worse along the day. We climbed to the pass early in the morning. Got a glimpse of the Torres and made our way to camp at km 52. Near the camp there is an abandoned small hut where we stayed until the next day. The hut is well protected from rain and wind, and you can even make a fire inside.

Day 05:

Our Inreach forecast lied us (again...) and the rain didn't stop until evening. Took option 2 - Rio Avalleno. The river was swollen because of the rain and the fords were quite difficult for us. The trail was gone under the water in a lot of parts, and in some parts it was just CC. Track files was irrelevant in many parts. Camped at puesto?[4.8/745]. Like described before - it's actually a wooden built wall which protects from the wind. The wind was crazy and it gave us great wind protection to pitch our tent and to enjoy a fire.

Day 06:

Finally a nice day. Untill we connected to the RR the trail was in bad condition, and again the track files not very helpful. You can skip 2 fords at km 9 if you stick to the nice and visible trail on the east side.

Maria and Julio not at home. Camped at (-46.276123, -72.204873) There was some wind protection and no water.

Day 07:

At (-46.275422, -72.198820) we met Ricardo (we are not sure if he is a settler or a woreke), which kindly suggested to help us cross the Avellano on his horse back. The river was quite swollen from the rain but it's hard for us to say if it was crossable by foot. Camped at (-46.48726, -72.10065) by the small lake. The wind was strong and the campsite was well protected by the big rocks. We filtered water from the small lake/swamp. It might be flooded earlier in the season though.

Day 08:

Walked all the way to X[130.4/311] and camped near the junction. Not wind protected but the weather was good. There were a lot of water at variant N.

Woke up late and took the bus at 9:00. About one hour ride, 1000 clp. Times like MiaimZelt has written.

'''2025-Feb-02 to 2025-Jan-05 / 4 days / Hiking / SOBO / Hiking / Opt 3B, RR, Opt 8 / Tom'''

Day 1 - Rainy: I hitchhiked from Villa Castillo to the junction at the beginning of 3B. Great views, but if you can afford to pay for transportation to the end of the road, it's worth it. I camped at -46.2647991, -72.41223312025. Due to the rain, there were several streams, and some areas offered wind protection.

Day 2 - Rainy: A simple day, just following the route. Be mindful of the exit point from the road—I was focused on the rain and missed it. The Mallín (wetland) can be challenging at times, but nothing too difficult.

I arrived at Camp 57.2, where four students had waited for a day, hoping for clear skies.

Day 3 - Sunny: I started early, around 6:45 AM. It took about 2.5 hours to reach the viewpoint. Around -46.3870597, -72.4916724, there's a more recent landslide. Nothing too difficult, just loose rocks and fallen trees. Another 2.5 hours to return. On the same day, I started Opt 8 at 1 PM. This section took me 6.5 hours. It's a cattle trail, poorly marked—you really need to follow the GPS carefully, as there are many paths that lead nowhere. I recommend checking the contour lines since there is significant elevation gain. I arrived at Camp ? 11.6, which is Puesto Aguero—it appears to be in use, with sleeping bags and food inside. The camping area isn't ideal, as the ground retains a lot of moisture.

Day 4 - Rain/Sunny: I started at 2 PM when the rain stopped. The river was quite high, so unlike Michael and Kasia, I used the "punte" (a makeshift crossing). It's a fairly slender tree, but there's a rope to help with balance. I had no issues, but if the river were lower, I would have crossed directly through the water. At the beginning, the route is quite muddy but clear. The first half can be a bit more challenging at times, but the trail is well-marked towards the end. It took 4.5 hours to reach Bahía Muerta.

General Notes: From Route 7 to the Torres viewpoint, it's quite straightforward and well-marked. The difficult section is between Camp 57.2 and Camp ? 11.6. I know there's a route from Camp ? 11.6 to another viewpoint of the Torres, which is not included in current GPS tracks. It seems to be a trail that guides from Avellano Bahía Muerta are currently working on.

* '''2025 Jan / 4,5 days / SOBO / hiking/ opt. 3B, RR, opt. E / Al & Bee'''

It’s a beautiful route but it also consists of a considerable amount of road walking. The terrain before and after the Torres and some of the river crossings can be challenging depending on the conditions. This GPS track by Alex Chile on wikiloc was very helpful.

Day 01
We hitched a ride in the late afternoon from Villa Cerro Castillo along the Carretera Austral to the crossing with Camino Lago Lapparent (X at 18.6). From there on it’s a long way of gravel road walking. For camping we would not recommend the camp at 32.0 because it’s located on a fenced-off part of the trail. We camped in proximity to a small river at approximately (-46.25806, -72.38893).

Day 02
Late start, waiting out the rain in the morning. More road walking through the forest until X at 45.5. Then following a path through the forest on to an open valley with some cows. Some parts were boggy, at times it was easier to walk on the left side close to the forest. Some easy fording. Camp at 52.7 looked nice, lots of dead trees in that area. Route along river became more challenging at some point after X at 54.5 but it also started raining quite heavily then. Boulder fields to cross carefully, rocks were slippery in the rain. Behind the first boulder field, a stretch of (former) forest previously devastated by a storm, almost all trees uprooted. Reached the two lagoons as it was getting dark and camped at a beautiful spot close to camp at 61.2.

Day 03
The next morning peaks of the Torres were (still) covered in clouds, yet a beautiful sight. CC up to the pass at 62.0, beautiful views of the lagoon next to camp at 63.4 and the glacier. CC down the pass and through the boulder field required concentration but was fun, the weather was good. We were able to go around the snow field, which was then to our right. A bit further we encountered the same issue as described by MiaimZelt: our trails and the map didn’t match the terrain in the section with the waterfall. We also hiked down left of it. CC-descent close to lagoon and over boulder field. For the stretch along Rio Ventisquero to the trailhead we can really recommend the GPS track mentioned above. Countless (easy) river crossings, some riverbed walking, some boggy stretches. Nice horse trail after trailhead at 68.5. Fording at 69.8 was knee to thigh deep and manageable. After (easy) ford at 71.8 we took variant E because it seemed less overgrown. Easy horsetrail from there. Said hello to a settler. Camped right before ford at 81.2.

Day 04
Fords at 81.2 and particularly 81.4 were quite deep (thigh to hip high) and with strong current but manageable. Soon, easy walking on minor road. The road becomes bigger as you get closer to the lake. At the lake we enjoyed walking at the lake shore in the beginning before the path leads up to the hills. A perfectly windless day, the lake was extremely calm. The walk along and view of the lake was gorgeous and a highlight of the trail. Lots of creeks and beautiful waterfalls. We met two GPT-hikers heading the opposite direction and had a nice chat. Not many campsites available along the path. After a long day of walking we camped at 113.9.

Day 05
Late start, enjoying the lake in the morning. A little more ups and downs along the lake then ascended first on an overgrown minor road and then on one actually in use. Got water up the stream next to settler at 121.8. Along the last part of the dirt road we had a nice chat with local settlers who showed us some Calafate berry shrubs and offered us a ride to the junction with the road to Levican (X at 130.4). From there we had a transport.

'''2025-Jan-17 to 2025-Jan-21 / 5 days / Hiking / SOBO / OH03B RR + variant D + variant H / Sean & Neele'''

Took the bus at 10 from Villa Cerro Castillo to the start of Option 03B. We'd hope to hitch the dirt road but we literally saw only one car.

Bridge 25.7km - good place to get water

Camped just before junction for option C (46.5km roughly) by the stream in the woods. Great wind protection.

49km to 50.8km - track files go CC but on OSM there's a trail we followed it and it worked well. CC route looked wet and boggy in places.

Ford 52km - lots of downed trees so can cross with dry feet.

Took variant D - easy and beautiful would recommend it.

Pass 60km small patch of snow on South side no problem without spikes

Camped at camp 63.4km - very beautiful but no wind protection, we were lucky the wind was pretty calm.

CC & BB 64.3 + 4.2 - we just stuck with the stream the whole way down worked out well.

Ford 81.2km - about 550m before the waypoint the trail gets close to the river for us it looked easy at this point so we just crossed here. Just over knee deep at 4pm on a hot sunny day, no rain for the past few days.

Took variant H to skip the other 2 fords.

Camped at 93.3km (S 46° 28.690', W 072° 11.674') nice grassy area with a small stream.

98.5km - shortly after leaving the road RR take you through some bushwhacking but it's avoidable just go straight to the beach.

Camped on the beach around 116km

Road walked to 138.5km where we saw the first car of the day and got a hitch to Puerto Ibanez.

* '''2025 Jan 02 to Jan 11 / 10 hiking days / SOBO, NOBO, WEBO / Hiking / Opt 3B, RR, Opt 2, Opt 8 / Michael and Kasia'''

Quick notes:

A nice section with some great views and some good optionals. It is a fairly popular trail up to the Torres; we met 11 other hikers on the RR. Opt 2 is a really pretty and peaceful valley. Opt 8 is an adventurous alternative route, probably better to exit GPT33 than to enter it on full resupply weight.

CAMPS:

Night 01: -46.25532, -72.38365 (good water access, decent wind protection (look up before you set your tent, there were some widow makers), next to the road, no view)

Night 02: -46.34592, -72.49822 (Camp 57.2) (decent view, excellent water access, minimal wind protection, surrounded by dead trees, not safe in windy conditions, a lot of spots to choose from)

Night 03: -46.40655, -72.49601 (amazing view, decent water access, no wind protection)

Night 04: same as night 3

Night 05: -46.35732, -72.45379 (flat space for two tents, wind protected, just off the trail, water is a little ways away)

Night 06: -46.36802, -72.43937 (flat space for 2 tents, excellent wind protection, no view, water is a little ways away, accompanied by the sturdy arrieros shelter)

Night 07: same as night 6

Night 08: same as night 2

Night 09: -46.39734, -72.58201 (Camp ? 11.6) (not much truly flat space, but if you aren't picky there's lots of space, no wind protection, water is down a steep hill,next to the used puesto)

WATER:

On 3B and into RR on the road it was difficult to find at times. On all trail sections it was easy to find.

Day 01 - Jan 2nd

We got the bus from the terminal in Coyhaique. It was a bit of an ordeal. The buses hadn't been running for two days on account of the holiday, and we had not purchased tickets in advance. There was quite a line and it seemed they had been sold out much earlier. We went and talked to the driver after he finished loading most of the luggage. He said to give him a minute to check. He luckily had two empty seats to Cerro Castillo, and we paid him cash at the break point in Cerro Castillo, 8.000 pp, the normal price. He dropped us at the beginning of Opt 3B. There was a bus stop there. Opt 3B is a gravel road. There is some nice scenery, but overall it's a road walk. There isn't much traffic, but hitchhiking is possible. RR from km 24 where Opt 3B meets it is also gravel road until km 45.5. There isn't a huge grade and the road is in good condition, so it's easy if somewhat underwhelming walking. Water is not so easily accessible. All the little side creeks had dried up or were just water trickling through mud. Much of the time we were too high above the water, or it was fenced off. At km 24.9 there is an unmarked bridge. There was good water access there. There was also a very nice campsite there at (-46.21595, -72.34452). It had flat space for at least one tent, maybe two, trees and good water access close by. The next good water spot we found was at Settler 29.4. There was easy water access next to the bridge down to the barn. We didn't find water again until km 35.5 when we camped for the night. Camp 32.0 should be marked “Camp with No Water”. We did not see any water nearby or anything that looked like there is water at another time of year. At km 31.9 there was a locked gate with a No Trespassing sign, but a set of stairs to walk over the fence on the left hand side. The stairs were solid and in good condition. At km 32.9 was an easy open gate with a No Trespassing sign facing the other direction. It looked like someone had been working there recently, lots of fresh wood cuts, but we didn't see anyone. We camped just off the road at km 35.5 in a little clearing, just after a gate. There was access to the estero there.

Day 02 - Jan 3rd

We continued the road walk. The trail in the forest was very nice. The meadows were a little marshy but we moved through them fairly quickly. Ford 52.0 was easy, top of the calf and not much current. There was actually a fallen tree that could work as a bridge to do a dry foot crossing. We camped at Camp 52.7 next to a stream. This would not be a good site if it is windy. Fortunately we had a windless night. No issues finding water this day. We met three other hikers on their way out of Avellanos.

Day 03 - Jan 4th

The trail to the Trailhead 57.0 is easy to follow and, except in a few places, in good shape. There were a few places where it disappeared for a bit. Where they diverged, sometimes GPT track files were better, sometimes OSM, we just chose what seemed the most traveled. After Trailhead 57.0 the track is a little more difficult to follow. The OSM track was a little more accurate for the CC sections. There was only one ford at the end of the valley a little before it goes up into the woods, around km 59.3, just below the knee, not a strong current. The way through the woods at the end was difficult to follow. It is fairly overgrown in parts and we ended up walking a bit above the GPT track pushing through trees until the boulder field. We were trying to make it to Camp 61.2 above the pass. After the Trailhead 57.0 we did not see another suitable place to camp until close to Camp 61.2; everything was wet or on a slope, either covered in rock or trees. We camped at (-46.40655, -72.49601), about 400 m before Camp 61.2 in a flat area. There was no wind protection, but the night was calm. The site has a great view of the mountains and one of the lakes. We met five other hikers heading out over the course of the day.

Day 04 - Jan 5th

We did a packless day trip up to the pass to see the Torres. The weather was good, full sun and light wind. We spent about an hour on the pass. The Torres are nice; the one in the middle looked to us like it had the face of the rock eating monster from Neverending Story. As nice as the Torres were, we actually preferred the view on the mountains on the north side of the pass. On the way back down we looked at the area around Camp 61.2. We didn't really see any spaces suitable for a tent, certainly not for something the size of the X-Mid 2. There seemed to be a few options for bivys. There were strong gusts of wind in the night and part of our tent collapsed. We managed to get it back up and it stayed up for the rest of the night.

Day 05 - Jan 6th

We headed back NOBO on RR. We met Mia who was heading SOBO at the ford. It was nice to cross paths with another GPTer. At the X 54.5 we switched to Opt 2 Avellanos Bypass. We were interested to see the valley. The trail in places is in great shape, especially the higher areas, and in places non-existant, especially in low, wet areas, or where the river has washed it out. At one point we saw a huemul, our first one. It was walking up stream in the river very slowly and pausing often. We watched it for about 15 minutes before it finally got up on the hill on the opposite side and climbed into the trees. A little while later there was a huge waterfall coming down from one of the mountains. We camped in a sandy area under some trees a ways away from the river. All fords were more of a blessing in the scolding sun than a challenge. The riverbed moved in some places into the land where the GPS tracks were but it was very easy to navigate.

Day 06 - Jan 7th

We walked further downriver to Puesto ? 4.9. It is not actually a puesto, but a stopover half-shelter with fire pit for people driving animals. It was a great wind barrier, and a place to hang out on our rest/”waiting rain over” day. Just a few meters away we found a nice flat area with space for two tents that was very well wind protected and we were expecting 90 km/h winds to come next day. We left our packs and went further down river. The valley is really beautiful and has some great views. For a while the trail is in excellent condition, then it starts to disappear. It was not possible to follow the GPT track for all of it, but we found other paths. The river fords got increasingly more challenging as we went down stream. More drainages joined the river and added water. We turned around at Ford 8.2 and we noticed the increase in river level just over those few hours. The most difficult ford was mid-thigh with a good amount of current (at 6pm, earlier around 3 pm it was good 20 cm lower).

Day 07 - Jan 8th

We took a zero day. Rain and high wind all day. The camp site worked very well for inclement weather.

Day 08 - Jan 9th

We backtracked the rest of Opt 2 and arrived midday back at Camp 57.2. We were planning to exit 33H on Opt 8 but didn't want to start it the same day. We enjoyed a half rest day with sun and no wind at the campsite. We passed three other tents during the day.

Day 09 - Jan 10th

We started Opt 8 in the morning. For the first 7 km or so it is actually fairly easy to follow. The GPX tracks aren't always spot on, but we followed them as closely as we could and we managed to find the trail more often than not. The landslide seemed to be quite small and we just walked below it. The two fords at that point are just over a side stream, so probably dry foot crossable a little later in the season. Everything after that until Camp ? 11.6 where we stopped for the night was a bit of a challenge. In areas the trail is in excellent shape and then it just disappears into slopes of grass and blow downs. We would lose the track and CC for a while, finding it again a couple hundred meters on. I just walked with the Garmin in one hand for most of the way since I had to check it so frequently. The last few km to the campsite were very muddy. It ended up being a very long and very exhausting day. We did not see any serviceable campsites for our tent between the beginning and Camp ? 11.6. Camp ? 11.6 is a puesto with a sign saying it is called Puesto Agüero. There is also a sign saying “No Dejar Basura”, which we took to mean that the puesto is used, at least unofficially, for public camping, but just to pack your trash out. The site does not have good wind protection, but we had a windless night.

Day 10 - Jan 11th

Ford 11.5 had the same makeshift bridge that Maggie & Julien reported last season. We decided to ford instead of use the bridge. We forded a little lower than the waypoint. It was above the knee and with a fair amount of current. The path after the ford was generally very easy to follow. In the pastures we kept an eye on the GPS as there are animal trails that go all over, but in the forested areas it was very clear. It was very muddy for the first half and mostly dry for the second half. There are some nice views of the river along the way, and of the valley toward the end of the section. The MR at the end has been extended further up the valley and now starts about 1.5 km sooner than indicated in the track files. We walked into Puerto Murta around 18:30. We had no particular difficulty with Opt 8, and it was not overgrown enough that we wished we had a machete at any point. Though it doesn't look like it from the elevation profile in Gaia, due to the constant ups and downs there is an enormous amount of cumulative elevation gain and loss. For this reason we think that this is a much better option for exiting the section, so the pack can be as light as possible.

* '''2025 Jan 4th to Jan 9th / 5.5 hiking days / SOBO / Hiking / Opt 3B, RR, Opt D & E & H / MiaimZelt'''

This section indeed is a real gem, but also challenging. Weather was hot and sunny, too warm in my opinion.

Day 1: Wanted to hitchhike from Villa Cerro Castillo to the start of Opt 3B, but then a bus came an took me. Mostly boring hiking along a minor road.

Day 2: Continued along the minor road, soon it got smaller and wasn't passable for cars anymore. At -46.254893, -72.381462 is a new fence, theoretically it could be opened, but you need to be strong. I crawled under it... Here -46.260122, -72.397627 is a large rather open field with lot's of flat space to pitch a tent. Water nearby. -46.260547, -72.400255 small building, which was unoccupied. The horsetrail is in good condition. Camped here: -46.352094, -72.488826, but there is only space for small tents.

Day 3: The ascend in the forest was also in good condition. Later you have to sharpen your eyes and look for the cairns. Met Kasia and Michael, was nice to meet other GPT hikers. Option D is marked with cairns, but there is no trail and i had to cross the river 2 more times. Especially the first lake is a real gem.
Hike up to the pass was not difficult, just take your time.
Way down is more challenging. I had to cross a large and steep patch of snow, which was ok without microspikes. Than you have to climb down a steep slope with lots of boulders, but they have good traction. The middle part was the hardest, because both smartphone and Garmin didn't show my correct position and wanted me to hike down a small waterfall. According to the smartphone there had to be a lake, but there was a forest instead, which wasn't shown neither on the Garmin nor on the Smartphone. Hiked down left of the waterfall, which looked much safer. The last part before you arrive at the glacier lagoon, is a large field of XXL-boulders which you have to cross. The views at the lake were awesome!
The bushbashing was mostly easy or at least not difficult. The worst was the stretch along Rio Ventisquero to the Trailhead. In the beginning i tried to walk in the riverbed, which often means to walk in the river, not just crossing the river. But when a 2nd river was added, the water was up to middle thigh and had a stromg current - not a good idea to continue this way. Hiked at the left side in the forest instead. Sometimes there was a vague animal trail, but it disappeared very often. This was really annoying with a lot of bushbashing. Camped at Camp Without Water {33H} [68.7/766].

Day 4: Crossing of Rio Ventisquero was just up to my knees and not diffucult. Enjoyed the horsetrail along Rio Avellano, but i took Option E, because the RR was i overgrown in this area. Option E is in better condition. Didn't met Maria & Julio, later i saw to guys on horseback. Ford {33H} [81.4/492] was up to my crotch (i'm 1.74cm) and had a strong current, but i made it. My feet had traction, but couldn't place my trekkingpoles correctly due to the strong current. You have to cross 3 times here, but the other two were easy.
The Minor road is not like a real road, it's more a 4x4 track used by horses with sandy ground and vegetation in the middle. It's hard to find a camp at this minor road, because of the thorny vegetation. Camped here: -46.478173, -72.19456. It's a patch of flat gras with enough space for several tents, has a small stream and good protection from the wind.

Day 5: According to my Inreach the wind gusts should reach up to 101km/h. Was indeed very windy, but fortunately it came from the back and the wind was warm. The trail along Lago General Carrera is very scenic and mostly visible, but also strenuous. Some (fortunately very short parts) are badly overgrown - a machete would be useful. Almost every plant in this area has thorns. The ups and downs a very steep, which i didn't like in the heat. Lot's of water. Used Camp {33H} [116.3/239] which has a great protection from the wind. But be aware of the thorny plants while searching where to pitch you tent - there are only 2 places without them.

Day 6: The last stretch until the minor road was much faster. The first part of the minor road has vegetation on it and isn't used by cars. Brought all the water from the lake, but it wasn't necessary. Small streams here: -46.403664, -71.975755 and next to the road at Settler {33H} [121.8/643]. The settler wasn't at home and the wooden gates were locked, had to climb over them. There are several minor roads, not just one. Bridge {33H} [129.3/304] is a deep canyon, didn't see a possibility to get water there. Walked two hours along the road between Levican and Puerto Ibañez, until i got a hitch.

* '''Dec 6-11 / 03B + RR SOBO / wiiiim'''

Great route, still early season, weather was sunny but still cold, rivers were low, the infamous crossing of the lower rio Avellano just above knee height.
The crux of the route was the South side of the pass, sections of snow, I crossed later in the day when it was softer, avoided most of the snow on the East rock flank, but around 1200m the rock slabs were wet & the gullies in between were filled with snow. A bit of a maze, it took some time and back tracking, I used micro spikes but its probably okay without, I think knowing how to self arrest on snow with hiking poles is always a good skill to have, lots of videos exist on that.
Laguna la Plaza is a short/easy side trip well worth it, the North side of the pass is fast going & pretty well indicated (ciarns), on the South side section of CC once on the valley floor it seems easier to wade through the (spectacular) river.
I was pleasantly surprised with the walk along the lake, it’s really different and beautiful.
I was lucky to get a ride out from the MR to Puerto Ibáñez quite quickly from around -46.36065, -71.90255 but it’s usually very quiet.

At -46.26604, -72.41735 there is an established rock bivvy that could also fit a medium size tent.

Overall I would probably recommend the regular route NOBO to cut out most of the start/end road sections: organise a ride from Puerto Ibanez to the trail head (it will be worth the money) and on the other end the finish of 03B on the carretera austral will have plenty of traffic to hitch a ride

• '''2024-Dec-09 to 2024-Dec-10 / 2 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR + Opt.A + Opt.01A + Opt.01/ Julien'''

Following the road to Puerto Ibáñez
Just a little difficulty about finding water because most of lakes and rivers are private now.

* '''2024-Nov-28 to 30 / 3 day / Hiking / Circuit / GPT33H Option 5 and 5A Valle Miller from Puerto Alarcon to Valle Jaramillo and return to Puerto Sanchez / Meylin Ubilla and Jan Dudeck'''

The Cordillera de Avallano between Rio Ibanez and Lago General Carrera is one of the hidden treasures of Patagonia. And Valle Miller is one possible entrance into this mountain range.

After packrafting to Puerto Alarcon we packed our packrafting gear and hiked up Valle Miller along the minor road to the bridge over Rio Miller to crossing “X {33H-05} [7.8/611]”. There are numerous possible camp sites and water sources along this minor road.

A few hundred meters after crossing “X {33H-05} [7.8/611]” is the last pasture with suitable camp sites.

Valle Jaramillo is a very scenic side valley of Valle Miller that can be explored in one day.

This side valley has no distinct trail but the forest is reasonably open. Therefore ascending and descending through the forest is not really bush bashing but just a slalom around the numerous fallen trees.

Once the open terrain is reached, hikers can see the very scenic valley with some remaining smaller glaciers.

The cross country walk to the 1679 m high pass is very rewarding in good weather. From an altitude of 1400 m the terrain was in parts covered by snow fields as we visited this early in the season.

We returned to Puerto Sanchez which is the alternative starting Point for hikers.

==Season 2023/24==

* '''2024 Mar 22 to 2024 Mar 28 / 7 days / Hiking / NOBO / RR / Maddi, Tom and Jordan'''

Day 1: Got the public bus from Puerto Ibanez to Levican for about 1000CLP each. We were the only ones on the bus and the driver dropped us at the trailhead. After walking along the road for a while we miraculously got a hitch in the back of a pick up for a couple of kms. Trail down to the lake was a little confusing but just head down and you'll hit the main trail eventually. Trail along the lake has plenty of up and down but nothing too strenuous. We had a perfect, windless day with not too much sun so it was pretty easy going, plenty of spots to get water once down near the lake. The notes said there was some scary exposure but we didn't really encounter any along this section, the path is pretty solid and clearly used by horses. Set up camp on the lake on the small rocky beach at (-46.47634,-72.08138). Just enough room for our Zpacks Triplex and Jordan's free standing tent. Jordan caught a fish that night but chucked it back.

Day 2: Great sunrise over the lake but then it started to rain. Jordan caught another fish which the boys had for breakfast. Walked along the lake in light rain until the old road where we went up the steep hill and started inland. One apple tree along this section but the apples weren't great. Followed the disused road until the end and then started along the track. Hit our first ford at about (-46.46161,-72.24620) which was above the knee on me (174cm tall) and quite fast flowing/muddy from all the rain. Tom slipped climbing up the bank here and fell backwards into the water but somehow avoided getting swept away. Kept walking along until we hit the refugio, unfortunately it was locked. Set up camp next to it so we could use the porch for shelter then went to scout the next ford just past it. This one was way too high and fast to cross so we were hoping it would go down overnight. Rio Avellano also looked impossible but that was a problem for the next day.

Day 3: Luckily the tributary into the Rio Avellano had gone down significantly overnight and we were able to cross without issues, although it was still fairly fast flowing at about knee height. Had a go at crossing the Rio Avellano just after this ford where it is marked on the GPX and others had mentioned it was doable but we had no luck, even employing the three astern. Decided to try the settler's place up on the hill to see if we could get help crossing but noone seemed to be around. Kept following the track along the river, hoping for a place to cross. Jordan somehow manage to cross using the eddies formed by a large tree that had fallen into the river. He had to come back across to help me get over with Tom but it was a near miss. Water level just below hip and quite fast flowing. Massive relief to make it across and get to enjoy the sun a bit. Had lunch near Maria and Julio's but still didn't run into anyone other than sheep. Enjoyed an awesome section walking along through ankle deep water in the autumn colours with snowy peaks in the background. Hit another fairly fast flowing ford, just above the knee, but manageable now we were getting good at crossing 3 astern. Thought we would make it to camp just below the towers but unfortunately hit another ford that even Jordan couldn't cross. Much higher consequence with huge rapids downstream and the water level above the hip. Tried to walk upstream a km or so to see if we could cross but ends up high above the river as it enters a canyon section. Scrambled back down and camped for the night on the track in the forest with the hope of lower water in the morning.

Day 4: Water was much lower in the morning and we were able to cross with no issues. Still over the knee and fast flowing but the group of 3 works wonders. Headed into the forest and up past the old corral then into the swampy section. This was super rough going as the swamp was over the knee in parts. We constantly switched between climbing between the tangle of tree or wading through the swamp. It was raining lightly and getting quite cold by this point. We made it to a clearing along the river at about 11am but the towers were in complete fog and I was shivering hard. Decided to set up camp in the forest and try for the towers the next day in the hope of more visibility. Found a nice camp spot in the forest at (-46.42932,-72.49572) with easy access to the river for water. Snuggled down to try to warm up all afternoon, only emerging for meals.

Day 5: Set off through the forest up towards the towers. Says bush bashing but was actually pretty easy walking up the hill. Towers still in a bit of cloud but made it up there mid morning and spent some time scrambling around the lake to take a look around. Camp site in the rocks was flooded from yesterday so glad we didn't try to get up there to camp. Scramble over the boulder field and up to the pass isn't too bad, although some snow patches made it a bit slippery. Cool granite slabs on the way up. Super windy once we got over the pass so hurried down the valley. No navigation issues but definitely got wet feet walking along the river. Camped at the refugio.

Day 6: Hiked along clear trail until we got to the minor road. Hoped to get a rare hitch but didn't really see anyone. Decided to hike along the river just before the bridge toward Lago Lapparent to find somewhere to camp. Found a few awesome spots along the crystal clear water for our last night.

Day 7: Headed back to the road and followed it back to the Carretera Austral. Got a hitch in about 15 minutes all the way to Coyhaique but there is a bus stop there if you can time it right.

* '''2024-02-23 to 2024-02-27 / 5 days / Hiking / SOBO / OH03B + RR + OH08 / Maggie & Julian '''

Trail attractiveness: 4/5;
Difficulty: 3/5
(keep in mind that this is our first GPT hike)

Day 1: ‘GPT33H-03B start’ to (-46.2570, -72.3711):

We entered from Carretera Austral at Laguna Verde (Option 03B) after being dropped off by the morning bus from Coyhaique (heading to Cochrane). Arrived at the crossroads at 11:30am with Don Carlos bus.
Whole day was walking on roads and relatively easy to make distance.
At (-46.2671, -72.3561) there was a sign reading "se prohibe la entrada al predio" and a locked gate with a ladder to climb over the side. There is a campsite (Camp, X {33H} [32.0/700]) pinned shortly after, but we decided to keep going because of the sign. At (-46.2621, -72.3613) there is an end to the property (same sign facing opposite direction, no gate). We camped on an area used for chopping wood at (-46.2570, -72.3711). Short scramble down to the river.

Day 2: (-46.2570, -72.3711) to Camp {33H} [52.7/953]:

Large part of the day was also road walking, afterwards trails and some cross country.
Camped by Camp {33H} [52.7/953]. Camping around Puesto {33H} [53.0/946] has better mountain views, Puesto itself was being used, possibly for guided horseback trekking.

Day 3: Camp {33H} [52.7/953] to Pass {33H} [62.0/1314] and back:

We left our tent set up and most things at Camp. The way up was sometimes hard to find. Trail markers made more sense on the return. Had an extended lunch a little after Pass {33H} [62.0/1314] and then returned the way we had come.

Day 4: Camp {33H} [52.7/953] to Camp ? {33H-08} [11.6/548]:

Probably hardest day in navigation, trail disappeared often, but manageable.
The former landslide section at (-46.3853, -72.5520) did not pose any difficulties for us as the water level was not too high and the main river flow now goes near the northwestern side of the valley. We just had to step over the remaining side stream. With more water some fording might still be necessary, but I imagine you could get away with staying near the southeastern bank for this section.
At Camp ? {33H-08} [11.6/548] there is a puesto that seems to be in use, but we saw no one and camped a little lower near the river.

Day 5: Camp ? {33H-08} [11.6/548] to ‘GPT33H-08 start’:

Right after camp there was a makeshift bridge to cross the stream (tree and rope, very rickety).
Trail seemed to be used and maintained on this part of option 08.
Shortly before Camp {33H-08} [6.9/435] there was a previously washed-out section with a new path already laid out. In heavy rainfall this could wash out again but should not pose a big hindrance.

Notes:

- RR + option 08 is a great short alternative without much backtracking.

- Our hitch out of Puerto Murta happened to be local members of an association that wants to bring more tourism to their town and the Torres del Avellano. If their plans are fruitful, traffic and trail maintenance may increase on option 08.

- We organized the transport of our non-trekking items from Coyhaique to Puerto Río Tranquilo by encomienda. Ines, the lady working at the Sao Paulo bus office in Coyhaique terminal was kind enough to hold our boxes until we arrived and called her from Puerto Rio Tranquilo. Our things arrived the day after we called at around 1pm. We shipped a rather large quantity of items (enough items to fill 50L bag) for 12000 CLP. Sao Paulo bus Coyhaique telephone: +56 672 255 726

* '''30/01/2024 - 01/02/2024 / 3 days, 78 km / Options 06 and 07 / Alex + Andrey'''
South bound (east bound).
“Mountain route”,

a combination of Options 06 and 07 which are now passed and confirmed.

Difficulty: Difficult/Very Difficult

Most of the route is off-trail
Thanks to Jan for the suggested routes and clues.
Short resume:

This mountain route is a more difficult and demanding alternative to the regular route but can be an interesting option for those looking for a challenge.
The combination with a regular route allows to form a full-fledged “eight”, a trip of 6-10 days.

Option 07 is a shorter, although more difficult, alternative to the regular route in case the Avellano River cannot be forded NOBO.
Notes and recommendations.

Option 07:

All fords do not pose any significant difficulty.
Due to the height and southern exposure the areas between Pass 1 and Pass 2 (Pass {33H-07} [17.0/1755]) and descents from Pass 2 in the early to mid-season have extensive areas of snow where microspikes or crampons may be required.
The main difficulty on the descent is overcoming several side washouts, which are small but deep and steep canyons.

Option 06:

There is no water during the first 4-5 hours of ascent to the valley.
The open area of the upper valley at Camp 2 and beyond throughout the ridge is a resort for very strong winds. Setting up camp may be difficult or impossible. A strong hiker can combine and complete this section in one day.
The predominant wind exposure makes passage from west to east highly recommended.
The last reliable source of water is before reaching High Pass 3. Further east there is no water until the junction with the regular route, except for temporary streams from seasonal snow.

The track and additional information are here:
https://www.wikiloc.com/hiking-trails/avellano-mountain-route-chilean-patagonia-160489118

* '''2024-Mar-04 to 2024-Mar-08 / 4.5 days / Hiking / SOBO / OH 03B + RR + OH D + K / Joscha'''

Day 1: OH33H-03B + RR [24.2-41.2]

I tried to hitch from Villa Cerro Castillo to the start of OH33H-03B. After 1 hour a Bus arrived and took me to the start for 2000 Pesos. The Bus runs from Cohayique to Chile Chico on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. It starts in Coyhaique at 9 am and stopps in Villa Cerro Castillo at around 10:30 am. From the brigde at km 25.7 until km 35.8 there is no water on the RR. You walk close to some rivers but I didn't check if its possible to acces them. After km 35.8 there is plenty of water. At km 38.5 is a big flat field for camping with a creek next to it. I camped just before the crossing of the river at km 41.2.

Day 2: RR [41.2-58.3] + OH33H-D + RR [61.0-63.4]

There was plenty of water all along the trail. Camping possible at -46.291963, -72.470389 just before the Pass (km 44.4), at the start of OH33H-C and along the CC section from km 49.0 to 50.8. I can recommend OH33H-D. I especially liked the first Laguna. Camp 63.4 has awesome views, but is only slightly wind protected and the spots are only good for small tents.

Day 3: RR [63.4-93.2]

I stayed inside the riverbed for the last 2.5 km of the CC&BB section. I had to cross the river about 20 times, but its the fastest and easiest way. The ford at km 83.6 was just below my crotch (I am 191 cm) and the current was pretty strong at around 5 pm. It would have been difficult for smaller persons. All the other fords today were at max. knee hight. There is plenty of water all along the route. I camped next to the RR on a flat, grassy field at km 93.2.

Day 4: RR [93.2-116.3]

Plenty of water along this part of the RR.

Day 5: RR [116.3-119.6] + OH33H-K + RR [122.6-141.0]

OH33H-K is easy to walk but does not offer any great views. If you choose OH33H-K, than there is no water between km 117.5 and 138.5 (at km 135.2 is a water marker, but I didn't see any as I walked by. Maybe I missed it, because I wasn't looking for it). There is water at km 140.3. I got a hitch from km 141.0 to Puerto Ibanez. But there are very few cars on the road, so don't count on getting a hitch.

* '''2024-Feb-12 to 2024-Feb-16 / 4.5 days / Hiking / SOBO / Option 03B, RR, Variant C, E, H, K / Tomáš & Natalie'''
There was a queue of three hitchhiker groups who did not get picked up while we were doing our shopping, so we opted to hire a taxi for 15000 to the start of 03B (Pedro Zuleta: +56 993 5786 68). Somehow, during our arranging of the taxi, all three groups left. Roadwalking to option 07 was uneventful. Tomáš got a hitch (he eats lunch too slowly so Natalie got ahead) for about 5 km from a family which was exploring in a car. About 500 m before the diversion to option 07, there is a locked gate with a sign saying the property is private, but one can go over a ladder. At the gate, we met a local with a key who has a house on Option 07, if we got him right. He gave us a ride of 500 m. The start of option 7 is actually a road.

The MR at 24.2 is in a bad shape due to erosion after ford at about 12 km in. Tomáš made a bridge out of a log but managed to jump into the water while doing it. Enjoy the bridge while it lasts as did a Frenchman we met there. He did the circuit NOBO based on Wikiloc. He said he keeps coming across GPT, but could not figure out how to get the GPS route. We told him to talk to Jan. Maybe he will come back the next season.

On the way to the Torres, we met 3 pairs of Chilean hikers going back. Tomáš went to Laguna La Plaza (option C). Lake is grey but the valley is nice enough to justify the short detour. It is no BB, there is a trail in the forest and above the tree line a vague trail or easy CC. The Torres are indeed magnificent. One can easily walk on the sloped polished slab falling into the far side of the second lake before the pass - it is an exhilirating detour. Going down from the pass, when the GPX turns right, Tomáš actually managed to walk over one of the ledges above the GPX and liked it. Just be extremely careful with moss and water, they can make the stones extremely slippery, but he survived that without falling. About 100 m before the lake, there is a at-least-a-ton heavy swing in the form of a loose boulder. Enjoy if you can find it. Camp 63.4 is literally awesome. We had a very warm almost windless night there.

After the boulder field under camp 63 we loss the rest of the elevation on the right side of the creek and then when the swamp appeared on the right we went to the left and stayed on that side (North) for the entire BB/CC. There is a vague trail most of the way, but is has many many logs over it. It took us 3 hours to walk to the trailhead. We kept our feet dry and were in the shade, but it would have been quicker and far less tiring just following the riverbed and constantly crossing the river.

Ford at 69.8 around noon was slightly above the knees. Ford it diagonally as the trail wants you to - it is shallower that way (ie a little further down than where the trail spits you out). Greeted grandfather, Maria and Julio and their three kids and had a short talk with the grandfather, nice to see the whole family working together on projects. From their place, the trail sort of is wide enough for a car (there is one at their place) but we think it is never or virtually never used by cars. Ford at 81.4 at six in the afternoon was 5 cm under our crotches (we are about 1.70), we forded about 100 upstream of GPX. The river was strong but we did not feel it was dangerous for us. We forded the widest part of the river just before a dead end fence (if you are coming from the other direction, after the grey river and around the dead end ford you will see the widest part of the river).The day was hot and despite not covering even 20 km, we felt superexhausted. Strong sun and spikees got to us!

We camped about 4 km along the road, shortly after the second (both jumpable) ford. It must be a good place to camp, as Tomáš, who went back to the big ford where he left his sandals the previous day, met a GPT hiker going NOBO who apparently slept in a hearing distance from us. The hiker first started to come to Patagonia decades ago, before it was overrun. Tomáš sadly never asked his name. Met the grandfather again, coming back from the port, horses are fast!

The road is not used by cars but stiĺl quite ugly. Around middle, near option 6, there are two shortcuts (400 and 50 metres) to the zigzags, three of which were marked by cairns by Tomáš. Please add the fourth cairn. Puesto 98.3 is a settler. He offered Natalie to come inside and rest but she didn't feel right stopping at that moment and kind of got the "heeby jeebies" from him. Met another pair of GPT hikers, doing just 33. The stretch along the coast is beautiful and very Mediterranean. All day the lake was without waves, even that can happen. Slept at Lake 113.8: nicer, with water and less buggy than camp 200 m earlier (just beware if the wind picks, up the waves can be very loud).

Variant K misses last water but is easy to follow, nicer than a road and involves only three very easy fence hops. Reached the bus stop for Puerto Ibanez around three. Got lucky and received a hitch from two British tourists to Puerto Ibanez. The shops there are larger than expected and stock overpriced pesto and gnocchi, Tomáš is almost as joyful as cherries make him!

Nat's Notes:

- For views I would prefer this NOBO. I suffered a new type of "look back" syndrom on most of the route. Plus, if you are walking the lake shore in the afternoon, the sun should be on your downhills and not your uphills (it was insanely hot when we did it and without a whisper of wind).

- In the section notes for km24-45 I think what was meant was that from roughly km36-45, "there are many small streams and camping spots", this is indeed true. However, between km 24-36 and option 3 there are NO longer many STREAMS to drink from, I remember only one slightly decent one and both sides of the road are fenced so if you want to camp or drink water from the main river, then you must jump the fences (cow panels or barb) or ask a settler. Also, strange to say, there is very little shade and can get uncomfortably hot...

- Intersection 45 is not hard to miss anymore, it is marked with an orange ribbon around a tree and a large cairn on your left.

- On Trail#9 (ascent before the first two alpine lakes) I took Veronicas advice about going into the woods where the RR is but rather than trying to follow the GPS, I followed what seemed to be a trail along the creek with some cairns here and there. Eventually it ends above the trees but you should be able to make your way back to the RR once the "coast is clear", ie. no more trees. If you want to walk along the lake then you should do the CC up the boulder field on Variant D.

- Going down from the pass was no problem, like everyone says, "just follow the gps". However with that said, it is very tempting to make your own way bcs there are many good looking ledge systems but after reading Wills experience, I backed away from the temptation and followed the GPS. I also slipped on some wet moss on RR.

- So much water everywhere except for the lake camping, if you are smart you will fill up on one of the many streams before getting to the lake...

- When doing the BB/CC section, after the initial elevation loss from the lake, there isn't much drinking water apart from the river until near the end of the BB. I think you could make "makeshift" camps. I was tempted to cross the river early to avoid crossing it at km69 but once again I remembered what Will wrote last year about the thorns and cliffs so I don't think that's a good idea.

- Not a fan of the lakeside gate locking technique (remember how it looks before you open it;)

- I surprisingly really enjoyed the lake stretch, it seemed it is where Pantagonia meets the Mediterranean/Arizona. The trail is in good shape, just a few overgrown roses and thorny bushes here and there (regretted shorts only a little bit). If you are coming from the north and still have your sand gaiters, this will be a good time to reuse them :). No exposure, wish there was more wind the day we were there. I am usually the biggest hater of "PUDs" - thanks for the new word - but these were not annoying. These PUDs are just a few large hills rather than a bunch of steep micro hills like gpt22 or the valley bottoms in Argentina. Water is at pretty much every "notch" in the hillside.

- Water is at the bottom of the MR~117.5 and there is still water at the top 119.9 RR (easier to grab it a little higher up).

* '''2024-Jan-30 to 2024-Feb-4 / 6 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR / Yannick & Nolwenn & Tess & Lukas'''

- Trail condition : gpx easy to follow / between km 63,7 and km 68,5 we mostly stayed on the left of the river
- Water : easy to find plenty of rivers and lagunas
- Camping spot : easy to find and the one at km 68.7 is nice // the refugio near the lake at km 98.5 is perfect - make fire, sleep inside, we even could ask for some bread
- Weather : some rainy and cloudy days but overall the weather was ok
- River crossing :at km 69.8 we crossed the river early in the morning and the current was strong and the water up to the middle of the thighs but manageable // at km 81,2 the river was strong and up to our hips, we crossed it in the rain, it was also manageable for us that already jave a little bit of experience
- Resupply : in Villa Cerro Castillo and in Chile Chico ( a bulk shop just opened in front of the camping Nandu) // at km 76,7 we could buy some bread, cheese and eggs at Maria and Julio's house
- Overall : we absolutely loved this section ! The views are spectacular and really diverse from one day to another // we got a hitchike at the end on the gravel road to go to Puerto Ibanez.

* '''01.27.2024 / 5 days / Hiking / SoBo / RR + Option 8 to Bahía Murta / Milton Cea + 4 more'''

Considering that we would venture to make this route a journey from Villa Cerro Castillo to Bahía Murta, we have decided to pay Pedro Zuleta, who is dedicated to transportation in the surrounding areas (+56 9 9357 8668), to take us to the entrance of the route at the registration booth. There, we encountered a pair of muleteers who did not pay much attention to our passing, however, we spoke with them to ask for their permission and inquire about the condition of the path.

We started with the regular route, a bit late, and for that reason, we camped the first night at Mallín Grande, which is a very good option, as watching the sunrise in this beautiful place is worthwhile.

Starting early the next day, we reached the "Los puestos" sector and from there, leaving our camp set up, we headed towards the towers. We were only able to reach the first lagoon at the base of the massif, as we went a bit late and our conversation with some other hikers we met extended. I would recommend leaving early to take advantage of the views from the portezuelo lookout.

The next day we began the crossing through the "Río Resbalón" Valley, as the locals call it, following an animal trail that sometimes tends to get lost among new vegetation or fallen trees, accompanied by other hikers who decided to join the journey.
It is a part of the route that can be slightly complex if you do not have a good reading of the surroundings, finding the animal traffic trail, and considering that you navigate through a forest that can easily disorient. This changes when you already walk with the "Resbalin/Resbalón" river to your right, as it is quite useful to follow its course. Always on the left side of the river.
On the way, there are some fallen trees and abandoned muleteer posts that can be used as camping space if necessary, although I would not recommend camping in this old forest.
Upon reaching the point of the road collapse, the crossing of the scree can be done at the level of its arrival, but to continue the route, you must climb a few meters up the mountain until you find the entrance to the continuation of the route. This point took some time from us, and we decided to camp near the river, towards the rock beach in the middle of a young forest with a mossy floor, very comfortable and restorative. We also decided to place some pircas at this point, as there was no mark to help resume the path towards Murta, since the difference in height was noticeable and it can be easy to believe that the path continues by the river side, but no, from here the path separates from the river and goes up the mountain.

Finally, after this last abandoned stretch, where the vegetation is abundant in some parts, we ended up arriving at the Puesto de Los Agüeros and decided to spend a night there, as we were very tired from constantly finding the route. It's worth mentioning that we couldn't find a GPS track before the trip.

The next day, after a night of intense rain, we took the official route traced from "Bahía Murta" at opossite direction and arrived in the town at dusk.
If you want the track and the Waypoints of the journey, feel free to write to me at '''milton.1902@gmail.com''' =)

* '''From 2023-01-20 to 2023-01-21 // 1,5 day // Hiking // NOBO // option 1 Valle Ibanez // Quentin Clavel'''

When I arrived in Puerto Ingeniero Ibàñez, I had to make a choice, as the weather window were pretty short. I had only 3 days and a half ahead of nice weather followed by one entire week of rain.

So I made the hard choice to skip Torres del Avelano, and go straight to Cerro Castillo by the OPT1 to explore the NP of CERRO CASTILLO.

This section was not so bad. Even if it was gravel road until the Lago tamango, I had nice views, and was not too bored from this stretch, but well yeah, it's gravel road for 30 km, so of course it was not all the time so funny aha !

Then I went to the small track along Lago tamango. Very quiet, pretty well marked thanks to these sticks with red and white colours on top, and with some scenic views.

You'll end up at the parking of the touristic sendero sitio archeologico de manos pintadas (Paredón de las Manos (1000CLP for children's, 2000CLP for adults. From Tuesday to Sunday 10h00-17h00). Then it's gravel road, following by 1,3 km on the carretera austral to reach Villa cerro castillo.

I was expecting worse for this section. Quite happy about it. That's a nice alternative if, for a reason, you want or have to skip Torres de Avelano

* '''2024-Jan- 14 to 2024-Jan-16/ 3 days/hiking/SOBO/ 33h/ 33h-b/33h-a/ 33h-P/Paulina'''

At first, I wanted to do RR, but as the recent reports about the river crossing where not very encouraging, I decided to play it safelty, so I just mixed some sections.
I started in Villa Cerro Castillo, till X 33h [ 5.5/554] it was a very peaceful, nice trail, with beautiful views on Cerra Castillo. There were some fence crossing, but not very annoying.
After the intersection, so once I joined the road X-725, it was less interesting, walk on a gravel road. I think this part of RR is better to hitch-hike ( it's possible and not very difficult to catch a car on this way).
Once I reached the big lakes ( beautiful views!) and some wanderful camping spots [ S 46.17790 W 072.32049] between Lago Alto and Lago Lapparet, I took 33h-b. At the beginning the trail was l crossing a forest used by locals as wood supply, but later ( around the place where it joined 33h-a), the landscape was amazing! Especially the part with lakes and settlers.

The last section was on 33h-01A. The cannion of Rio Claro and later the waterfall are beautiful, but for some hikers a long distance on gravel road on this section can be annoying so it's probably better to hitch-hike ( not a lot of cars but still possible).

I bought my ticket for ferry from Puerto Ibanez to Chile Chico without any problem 1h30 before the ferry departure.

The mix of these 4 sections + hitch-hiking it's a good option for bad weather or high river level on RR. Some parts are very beautiful, and the less interesting parts ( long distances on gravel roads) it's possible to cover by car.

* '''2024-01-02 to 2024-01-07 / 6 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR & Options: 03, 03B, 04C, 04 & Variant E / Roman'''

Route: Hitchhiked along Option 03 to X {33H-03} [18.6/315]. Hiked via Option 03B to X {33H} [24.2/462] and than continued RR to Ford, X {33H} [71.8/602]. Here used Variant E and back to RR all the way to Settler {33H} [85.0/462] (Luis Diaz). Continued on Option 04C to X {33H-04} [73.9/559]. From here used option 04 all to way to Bahía Murta.

Decided to go SoBo to get the tricky parts done with a good weather forecast. Hitchhiked along Option 03 because it's easier to get a lift. Was at X {33H-03} [18.6/315] 12:35 PM. From there it's a super easy to hike street all the way to X {33H} [45.5/1088] via Option 03C and than 03. Sadly there where no cars going in the correct direction. Towards the end (last 5km) there are some rivers crossing the street, nothing bad, you can get over them dry feet if jumping on the rocks. Continued the RR, the trail is clearly visible and easy to hike all the way to Camp {33H} [52.7/953]. Arrived there at 09:30 PM. It's a awsome place to pitch a tent! It was absolutely woth it to go for such a long day. Met 2 locals who went with a truck all the way to this point: -46.26754, -72.419667. Met also Cy & GG (see GPT 23). We continued the next day. Trail was in a good condition and CC was easy no snow up to the pass Pass {33H} [62.0/1314]. Absolutely beautiful view! There is some snow on the south side on the way down. It's mostly melted to you can decide if you want the first 150-200m of elevation go down in snow or trough the boulders. It was a sunny day therefore quite easy to get down to the lake. From there we went down a boulder field to the BB (Bush bashing) section (400m). This is trivial - no macheta required. It's just walking trough the forest. From there the CC&BB is at the beginning easy. We found a animal trail on the southern side of the river. Than the swamp started which was annoying. We started, after finishing the swamp section, to walk in the river bed around here -46.438037, -72.469247 which was fast progress but wet feet. Jumped on the trail and camped at Camp Without Water {33H} [68.7/766]. There is a lot of water at the river and it's just a 10 minute walk so we filled the bottles. The Camp is good, stayed there with 3 tents. Continued the next day (it was moderate rain during the night and at the morning) to the X, Ford {33H} [69.8/634]. This was at the limit what is safely possible. Fast flowing river - hip deep (iam 180). From there on the trail was clearly visible and easy to hike fast. Continued the RR and did Variant E. Check you GPS, we didn’t intend to do it we just followed the most clearly visible trail and ended up at the Puesto {33H-E} [0.8/619] so we continued. The statement from above is still valid all the way to Settler {33H} [85.0/462] (Luis Diaz) for the RR ;). After that is a easy trail, at Settler {33H} [76.7/535] (Maria & Julio) I met Julio and they had a car there to the trail from this point on is even easier. I split up here with Cy & GG because of different plans and it was questionable if the Ford at Ford {33H} [81.2/490] (Rio Avellano) is even possible so I wanted to speed up. Reached the point around 05:00 PM. It was not possible to Ford - way to deep and to much current! So I used my packraft and crossed the river. Got in the water here: -46.456627, -72.320677 and followed than the RR. Ford {33H} [81.4/492] was also impossible by foot. Used the same tactic and crossed it by boat. Got in the water here: -46.453523, -72.316373 and crossed by boat. After that easy trail and continued the RR. Ford {33H} [83.6/467] (Rio Avellano) was also absolutely impossible so also did it by boat. After that I camped here: -46.463767, -72.26597.

interim conclusion: if the weather is not stable (I knew it wasn't [would reccomend checking with meteoblue] go SoBo and be aware that the crossing can be impossible - I would reccomend bringing you packraft so you habe more options even though it's the H route. Otherwise you have to wait, potentially for days or you need the help of a local (this is how Cy & GG managed it).

Next day continued 04C. The trail to the pass is clearly visible and beautiful to hike. From there it's hard to find a few times because of a lot of animal tracks. Follow the GPS. The trail is again visible from this point on: -46.486009, -72.212428. Trail condition generally good with some bushes hanging in the trail. Reached X {33H-04} [73.9/559]. Same here a lot if animal trail - follow the GPS. The trail is clearly visible from this point on: -46.49591, -72.205307 up to Bahía Murta. Condition is good. The Pass {33H-04} [71.5/958] is definetly a highlight. Camped at Camp {33H-04} [66.2/209] - great place. Next day was long no changes on the trail condition - good and easy - hiked to Ford, Camp {33H-04} [37.5/259]. Camping there is a bit tricky to find a good place but manageable. Met a guy at the gosttown Puerto Cristal. The trail is according to him also used by tourists groups. I asked before the trial if there is a ferry connection - there is none only one company goes there by boat for tourist. Maybe you can arrange a transfer ( https://turismopuertocristal.cl/ very fast response time via WhatsApp 10 minutes). The Pass {33H-04} [43.3/840] is also a highlight. The Ford, Camp {33H-04} [37.5/259] is challenging hip deep. After that it's easy road walk to Bahía Murta. Got a lift at -46.520007, -72.636049.

Overall: I would recommend SoBo because the difficult sections are at the beginning and weather dependent. Go if you have a few stable non rainy days. Bring you packraft to have more options for fording. The entry via Option 03 & 03B is in my opinion easy due to hitchhiking & ou find a grop and book a lift The views are amazing at the passes. The BB is trivial. BB&CC is annoying but done within 2 hours. The Option 4 is absolutely beautiful and if you are a bit luckier than me avoids a lot of road walking. Would definitely reccomend the section. The reason for me to go with Option 04 is to easy connect to 82P.

Contact: https://linktr.ee/RundW

* '''2023-12-22 / 3 days / RR / SOBO / Anh'''

Just a quick info: The first part of RR is not marked but very easy to hike. After the pass (km 62) I had a hard time with the 2km CC. At first the snowfields were very steep (60 slope). The snow thickness was only 20-80cm, underneath are very big steep boulders and the melting snow makes the hollows big. Then there are the streams under the snowfields. I was a few times with a foot in it, fortunately not whole body. I had to go up and down in the forest, on the edge, on the rocks... My goal was to be safe, it took me 2 hours to cover the 2km.

==Season 2022/23==
* '''2023-Mar-30 to 2023-Mar-31 / 1.5 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR + Option 1 / Martin & Helena'''

We started from Villa Cerro Castillo around 11 AM and took ferry from the port the next day at noon. The former RR trail follows path of Sendero de Chile, and starting with no expectations we were quite impressed with what it offers, especially all the amazing views of Cerro Castillo. It's definitely a good short alternative to the Torres del Avellano detour that we were forced to skip. Trail is easy to follow and you can find many camp spots along the way. There are many small shops in Puerto Ibáñez. Knowing the ferry schedule we went directly to the port where were just a few others in this time of the year.

Contact: @martin_hanzelka @helenneka

* '''26/02/2023 - 02/03/2023 / RR SOBO with emergency exit on a boat on Lago General Carrera / Louis, Rémi & Noé :'''

Day 1 - From Lago Verde - 15.5km - +700m/-300m We first hitchiked from Villa Cerro Castillo to Lago Verde on the Carretera Austral. We hiked then the gravel road until the camp next to the free check in point, in the forest.

Day 2 - Laguna La Plazza - 16.5km - +800m/-500m We kept going on the minor road before the well maintained horse trail. We took option to the Laguna La Plazza and we camped there but the weather was quite bad with a lot of wind. Would recommend to camp in the pasture down there in these conditions.

Day 3 - Lagunas before the pass - 17km - +1000m/-900m The trail was still very easy to follow this day. A bit of cross country at the end but nothing difficult as there are kerns. There is a spot to pitch tents next to the second lake, between it and the waypoint "camp" (that we didn't find btw). Very nice there and without the clouds, the view should be incredible.

Day 4 - CC until diversion @km69.8 - 14km - +500m/-1100m The troubles began for us this day. Noé injured his knee just after the pass. With Rémi, we alternated carrying his bag in addition to ours. That's why we hadn't moved a lot. The bush bashing is demanding and under the rain, fording is a real challenge. I would recommend you to be south of the Rio after the diversion/ford. We camped on the north side, a few hundred meters after the div.

Day 5 - Lago General Carrera - 30km - +700m/-1000m As we were a bit late, we decided to walk directly to the lake. We forded the Rio in order to be south of it and we found the horse trail, it was easier then ! We crossed the Rio a last time @km81.2, still manageable with the rain but a bit hard (water until the hips, we are 1m80 tall) with a strong current. Then, the minor road. We didn't leave it until the lake. A bit of ups and downs but the road is nice so it is fast. Here, at the lake. There is mobile coverage and so we contacted numeros given on the PDF on WhatsApp to find a boat to bring us back to civilisation. With the third bag to carry, it was too hard for us to keep hiking. I let you the contact of Jairo, that can bring you back to Puerto Tranquilo... for 400.000 CLP... we didn't had the choice as the settler living just in front of the lake wasn’t there. Jairo : +56 9 6633 9507 He transported us the next day.

* '''2023-Feb-21-27 / NOBO / RR + Option 3B / Ondrej and Bara / Puerto Ibanez - Vila Cerro Castillo / 6.5 days'''

Gorgerous section. Unfortunately, we were struck by bad weather mid-way which took out the joy and brought a few very difficult moments for us.

We went NOBO and on the 3rd day camped in the valley close to Maria & Julio (76.7 km). It started raining early morning and while the rain stopped around midday, it was enough to turn streams into rivers and cross country paths into swamps. We were unable to ford the river at km 69.8 at two different places. To continue, we decided to make a risky choice and bush-bash upstream on the other side of the river, hoping to ford it in an upper section and rejoin the trail. This eventually worked out. We forded the river at -46.43642, -72.45456 and rejoined the trail. This 1.2km diversion took us about 2 hours. Bush-bashing through forest was okay but in the middle of the diversion we struggled through 300m of thorny bushes which took forever to get across.

From around 1000m of altitude, we had fresh snow on the slopes. This made the boulder field more challenging than we wanted (fortunately still manageable). We crossed the exposed pass at km62.0 and continued on the other side, firstly through snow and then again through muddy cross country parts until we joined the trailhead at km 57.0. Afterwards the trail was easy all the way until the end.

We also met Anna and Christopher going the opposite direction - really great to meet fellow hikers!

* '''2023-Feb-20-24 / NOBO / RR shortend on the road sections / Zohar / Road to Levicán - Carterra Austeral / 5 days'''

I tried to shorten the section because of the upcoming bad weather, which hit on the last day, but I was lucky to catch a ride out with a family that came to collect wood from their land.

I arrived on Monday to pureto Ibañez spoke with the van to levicán that left at 17.40 to Levicán got off on the way where the rout leave the main road and walked till the shore of Lago General Carrera. Day 2 I followed the horse trail along the lake, which was very visible and easy to follow. Then, I followed a miner till I found a stable campsite. Day 3 was the hardest. I was determined to sleep at the base of the torres, so I had a lot of trail to cover, and the route was hard to follow, but the direction was clear. Day 4 started with a beautiful sun rise on the clear torres de avellano. The bolder field wasn't as hard as I itentenly thought, but be careful. After the pass, I met 4 young hikers going to the torres and back. Day 5 was wet, but at least on a minor road and about 9 km before the road, I was picked up and taken to Villa Cerro Castillo.

I don't advise doing the section in 5 days thay where long, big days, and it is better to enjoy the surroundings. if the weather was better, I would have taken 7 days. This section is beautiful and highly recommended

* '''20.02. - 24.02.23 / Anna & Christopher / SOBO, Villa Cerro Castillo - Puerto Ibáñez'''

In the afternoon we started hitchhiking the Carretera Austral to where Option 3B starts. There were lots of people trying to hitchhike directly from Villa Cerro Castillo, so we figuered to have a better chance if we walk further up the Carretera Austral. We soon got lucky. That day we walked the dirtroad until km 4.4 and camped there next to a small stream.

The next day was mostly easy walking on dirtroads until the crossing at km 45.5 (which is relatively easy to miss!). We camped at km 49 at the edge of the forest.

The next day the weather turned bad once we reached the section with all the boulders on the ascent to the pass. We did some unnecessary climbing by not sticking to the main route. When descending we lost the main route again and briefly tried to descend without it, which we soon realised is a bad idea, so we climbed back up to where we lost it. We spent the night at the camp at km 63.4.

The next morning we woke up with a clear blue sky and finally saw the Torres del Avellano. Really amazing rock formations. The following bushbashing part seemed ok to us, we had worse ones on the GPT so far ;). First we walked on to the right of the river following a good animal path. Once it ended we changed to the left side and stayed there. About 2/3 of the route is a realtively good path and the rest was some easy BB and climbing over fallen trees. Luckily the ford at km 69.8 was easy to cross. We took variant E from where on the trail was in a great condition and we could walk pretty fast. The river crossing at km 81.1 was more demanding and went almost up to Annas hips (1,63m). We camped soon after that at approx. km 81.5.

We continued on variant H the easy trail on the dirtroad until the lake, where it gets more demanding (we underestimated the continous ups and downs). The views are amazing though. It gets pretty windy next to the lake. We camped at a tiny spot at km 109.3 next to a small stream.

On the final day we walked to the bus station (6 pm) and took the ferry to Chile Chico the same day (8 pm). This section was great :)

* '''11-18 February 2023 / Maks&Gabi / SOBO / RR, 33H-E, 33H-H ( hichhiking from km136 to Puerto Ibanez)'''

We started from Villa Cerro Castillo. If you can, try not to skip the first part of road walking. It's beautiful with the view over Lagunas and Cerro Castillo. The terrain is also different than in later parts of the section.

There are some problems - lot of fences and gates on the first 5 km. Then many aggressive dogs and limited access to water (steep descents and fences around the lakes). The camping spots, marked on track files, can be hard to access (private properties with new fences). We camped by the bridge around 25km (the bridge is not marked).

We than waited half a day for the rain to stop. The rest of the road is also well maintained with occasional river crossing (all easy).

The next trail part (until km 57) is mostly visible. Some problem can occur by the CC part, especially during heavy rain - it was all floded. We weren't exactly expecting it, but it was snowing and the temperature during the night was about -4. Next day we waited until 11 am to dry our stuff, as the sun finally came out.

As Veronica wrote, when going up to the pass try to follow the cairns (33H-D). The part between the lakes and the pass is quite easy.

Going down from the pass we followed the GPS and we found it quite manageable (actually for us it seemed to be much easier going SOBO than NOBO at that point, even though it was slippery and with a lot of small streams going down the rock). We reached the camp at km 63.4 at 4 pm. First 400 m of BB is easy as the forest is not overgrown. It's getting worse in the valley. If possible try to be close to the river. We were fording it multiple times. Finally we stayed at the left side of the river, bushbashing for the next 3 km (that's where the trail starts). We slept next to the ford at km 69.8.

We forded the river in the morning. It's possible, but the current was strong (for us it was the worst ford on this section with water above our knees - I'm 175 cm). After the next ford we followed 33H-E as we couldn't find the entrance to the RR. It's a very well maintained path with a big puesto nearby.

After fords at km 81 we followed 33H-H as we didn't want to cross the river anymore. For those of you, who are planning to go there during the next few days, be carefull - somewhere around km 91 there is a fresh dead cow near to the water.

The lake part's quite exhausting. We were blessed with sunny and windless weather so we found it astonishing and not so dangerous. We started our last day at camp km 113.8 . Ascent on the road (117.5) is ok and there was water on km 119.9 (small stream). The rest of the road walking is easy (with occasional fences) but there's no water on km 135.2 (water on 129.3 is hard to access).

We hitchhiked from km 136 to Puerto Ibanez. During the weekend there is only one ferry a day (Saturday morning and Sunday evening).

* '''8 to 13 of February 2023 / Will / SOBO from Laguna Verde / 6 data'''

This one was an ordeal for me, I don't recommend starting with a week straight of rain in the forecast. At first I appreciated the ambiance after six completely dry weeks in the north, but after a few days it started to get me down. Thankfully to keep my morale up I encountered some kind settlers, a few pairs of GPT hikers, and some sun in the final stretch.

The rains never got too heavy, generally off and on light rain. The temperatures were fairly cold from the nearly constant cloud cover.

To start out I hitched out of Villa Cerro Castillo to Laguna Verde, teaming up with some of the many hitchhikers. The initial road walk was beautiful, some podcasts helped me power through the rest.

The pass was tough in the rain, but manageable. Things were slippery but there's enough to grab onto in the boulder fields to keep you stable, as long as you're focused and moving slowly. The ascent was nice boulder field the whole way, on the decent things looked scarier. Instead of boulders there was a lot of large smooth slab with water flowing down. The gpx route there was good, following boulders and vegetation around the slab. Things only felt dangerous once, when I went slightly off the track and ended up trapped between a cliff and a water slide. After some scary experimentation I found that I could get good traction on the waterslide using a crab walk technique, on my back with hands and feet and butt all resting on the slab. This let me traverse the waterslide back to safety.

The little bush bashing section after the pass was easy, I camped in there. Things got bad again once I got back out to the river and the cross country+bush bashing marker. My feet got worryingly numb after a bunch of river crossings and marshland traversal, I tried to stick to the woods after that.

I then took two big questionable detours from the tracks, staying to the south of the rio avellano and avoiding crossing it all the way until I reached the lake. I'll quickly describe them here but they were both uncomfortable and not worth it unless the river is impassable. The cold and rain seem to damage my decision making quite a bit, I refused to backtrack or to take breaks to think things through.

To skip the crossing at 69.8 I stayed in the woods south of the river starting at around km 67.5. Initially nice cow path, followed by a tricky wooded boulder field, followed by a horrific stretch crawling over thorny bushes. Eventually I made my way up to the base of some cliffs where things got a bit easier. Following the cliffs I reached a cow path, leading to some open woods through which I rejoined the trail around km 70.5. Never thought I'd be so happy to find cow poop.

I dropped a blue and black stone bracelet somewhere before or during the 71.8 river crossing, let me know if you come across it!

Some of the minor streams merging into the river were tough to cross. 71.8 was up to my thighs with a strong current.

To skip the first major crossing of the Rio Avellano at 81.2 I followed some horse trail to the big white rock hill, and climbed to the top. The rock was super grippy even in the rain. I then traversed along the slope to the east, staying between an elevation of 700 and 750m. There was some cow path making it easier to walk, I wonder how they get up there. A few tough bushy sections descending and climbing out of crevasses/streams before I got to a gradual stream at -46.46385, -72.30601 which I scrambled down to the river.

I ran into the settlers Luis and Jaqueline at their house by the river. They generously took me in for the night and gave me a chance to dry out some of my stuff.

From there I followed option 4C down to the lake, hoping that the river crossing there would be less scary with the river fanned out wider. The option was decent trail over some low passes to the lake, though at times it was hard to follow. It's tough to choose where to cross the river because you can't see the bottom through the silt. I decided to cross near the gpx line where it was wide with lots of debris and sand bars to rest in between the channels. At the worst points it was crotch deep and powerful, the rocks under my feet sliding back from the force. Pretty scary.

I camped in the willow grove by campo chico, and the next day (Monday) I raced to the bus stop at 130.4. It turns out that the bus is now at 6pm, I got there just in time. I took the bus to Puerto Ibáñez and got straight on the 8pm ferry to Chile Chico.

A small cut on my ankle ended up getting infected, I'm now in town out of commission with a ton of swelling. Should have been more careful!

* '''Feb 12 Direct Route SOBO 1 day Frank'''

I walked straight from Villa Cerro Castillo to Puerto Ibanez in one long day. A few KM out on a dirt road there is a museum on your left & a short trail on the right which goes to some rock paintings. You pass by a lake with good views of Cerro Castillo. Salto Rio Ibanez waterfall is impressive.

*Helen and Craig + (Caro and Ali)
5th-10th February NoBo<- only direction to do it! So pretty!

almost got stung by the ferry from Chile chico. Make sure when you go to the office as the online booking doesn't seen to be working, that you specify your a foot passenger. And if they refuse ask to be put on the waiting list for the next ferry (which means you'll get on just fine) pretty sure you could probably just turn up and ask very nicely and they would let you across. Looked in to the boats from Carlos and Pascual to join 33 missing the coast section from levican but Carlos is not in the area at the moment and Pascuals boat is currently non functional, sad times but the coastal section I would have been sad to miss!

-Decided to do Torres del avellano northbound. Highly recommend doing it this way and thankyou to the others who pointed out this point before us. Veiws were great and much easier to get over the bolder scramble going up.

-We walked in a group of 4 so payed for a transfere to levican and a pick up from lago lapparent. 60,000 each time.
-Phone signal from Puerto del avellano to levican
-The river valleys of avellano and venti were incredibly beautiful to the south.
-Route was better marked and easier to navigate than exsepted. Very Easy going apart from km 68.7-62. if you've done GPT 40 or 37, then you'll find 33 delightfully a breeze. (We did have good weather, in bad weather even just a little rain I imagine a very diffence and worse exsperience)
-In the BB/CC river valley of Rio avellano walk on the north shore of the river rather than going to the south. The forest is mostly easily passable or can hop out to the river valley to walk more freely. The south side of the river is calf/ knee high swampy bush bashing which leads to very cold feet and frustration.
-keep eyes peeled for humels! We spotted a male humel on the bushbash/cross country section and had the most amazing sighting!

* '''22 to 26 of January 2023 / Véronica / GPT33H RR SOBO / via GPT33H-03B / 4.5 days'''

Route: Villa Cerro Castillo - Laguna Verde (Río Alto valley) - Upper Río Avellano valley - Torres del Avellano viewpoint - Lower Río Avellano valley - Lago General Carrera - Puerto Ingeniero Ibáñez

Simply beautiful section. Lots of excellent info is written about it in the Hiker's Manuel too. I only met 4 other hikers, with two of them being northbounding GPT hikers! Great to meet you, Yannic and Mirjam :)

From Villa Cerro Castillo I hitched easily on the Carretera Austral to Laguna Verde, where Option 3B begins. I wanted to cut some of the initial road walking because poor weather was incoming the next day and I wanted to try and beat it to have a chance at seeing the Torres. The road walk in the Río Alto valley was actually quite pleasant and scenic. There is a little self-registration booth across the road from the settler at km 30.8, where hikers are asked to "check in" before proceeding down the private road towards the Río Avellano valley. There is no charge.

The camp at 52.7 km is very nice with a little stream running through, lots of dead wood around to make a fire, and relatively sheltered. There is an old puesto/refuge there too that is open and has a fireplace. Could be a good spot to hole up if the weather is bad.

When you diverge from the Río Avellano valley to head up the pass, don't try and follow the GPS. Instead take the path of least resistance (or the path that looks the clearest) through the woods and across the rocks near the river. There are occasional cairns to mark the way too, although not always obvious to spot. Only the last cross-country section before the pass did I follow closely with the GPS, as it goes across a boulder field and the GPS line seemed to be the easiest way up to the pass.

On the south side of the pass is where you finally see the Torres del Avellano proper. Absolutely incredible, and I managed to get the great views only a couple of hours before the rain started and clouds engulfed everything.

I followed the GPS track closely going down through the granite boulder field, since it guided a safe way around the steeper cliffs. It was slow going down through the boulders, but it didn't feel unsafe as the rocks were grippy and solid.

The initial "bushbashing" segment at km 63.9 was very easy through a mature forest. I didn't follow the GPS here, just followed an old animal trail alongside a creek until it joined with Río Ventisquero. Again, the CC&BB section starting at km 64.4 was quite easy at first. I forded the river multiple times to walk along whichever side looked easier/less swampy. About midway through this section though it got tougher because Río Ventisquero got silty and the flow increased, so that I didn't want to ford it much anymore, so I stuck to the left (north) side of the river, mostly in the forest. There were some areas of unavoidable blowdowns and marshy terrain, and everything was wet from the rain coming down too.

When I reached the waypoint X, Ford at 69.8 km, I camped there for the night because Río Ventisquero was a torrent and looked unsafe to ford. There are a few nice, flat places to pitch a tent in this area, under large mature trees. Early the next morning, it was very cold and still raining, and I couldn't tell if the river had gone down at all or not. There was fresh snow higher on the mountaintops. I ended up fording the river slightly downstream from where the trail crosses it, and the water came up just below my hips (I'm 165 cm). The water is silty so you can't see the bottom, but the rocks underneath had surprisingly good traction, which I was grateful for because the current was strong.

It might be better to take Option 33H-E than the regular route. That trail looked well-maintained and clear, whereas the RR between 71.8 and 73.5 km was hard to follow and overgrown at times. There were no signs of life at the homestead of Maria and Julio when I passed through.

I was strategic when I forded Río Avellano at km 81.2, crossing multiple branches at their shallowest points. The water went midway up my thighs at the deepest point. Afterwards though I didn't want to cross it two more times, so I took Option 33H-H which stayed north of the river.

The refugio at km 98.5+0.2 on the shore of Lago General Carrera is nice and clean. There is a woodstove and some tables and chairs. It was crazy windy when I got there though, and I can't reccomend it as a good place to camp unless you sleep inside the refuge — the wind gusts were coming from all directions and there wasn't a spot that was sheltered outdoors. Further along the path at Campo Chico, there is a grove of mature willow trees that is probably a much better camp spot.

Very beautiful hiking along Lago General Carrera, but it was wildly windy for me that day. At times it was hard to stay on the trail due to the strong gusts trying to blow me off the path. Lots of water sources.

RH-MR&CC-V {33H} [19.5/118.0+4.6] is all minor road, no cross-country involved at all. I met the settler at km 121.8, he kindly let me pass through his property (and many gates) no problem.

I got to the minor road from Levican (waypoint at 130.4) at 7:40 a.m. on a Thursday. There is a little bus shelter there to protect from the wind. It was very cold and windy when I got there, and I waited until almost noon, hoping to hitch a ride. Not a single car passed by that whole time. So I resigned myself to the road walk, walked for about an hour in extremely windy conditions, and then a car finally came by and picked me up and drove me into Puerto Ibáñez :) Very grateful!!!

* '''2023 Jan / Yannic & Mirjam / Northbound'''

From Puerto Ibanez we made the first kilometres to junction 130.4 by car stop. Then we hiked on to Camp 113.4. We didn't stay at the location, but a little further ahead where the river flows into the lake. Along the lake was nice with a lot of ups and downs and then we camped somewhere on the side of the Minor Road. Along the Rio Avellano we stayed on the northern side so that we only had to cross the river once (at 81.2). The water came up to my waist (I am 180 cm). Surprisingly, there was another Ford at 69.8. Again, very strong current and loose ground, so it was difficult to find a good footing. Right after this Ford we spent the night in the forest.

On the climb at the start of the cross country section (at trailhead 68.5) be sure to get the right entry point as there are several small streams coming down the valley. We thought we saw a trail further into the forest that we could follow. Unfortunately, this was a mistake and led to us having to bush bash back onto the trail for a few hundred metres. In general, the trail was mostly better close to the river than deeper in the forest. The camping spot at the Torres was incredible and worth getting up for sunrise. The climb up the pass was very doable with the GPS tracks and not too difficult. On the other side of the pass, the trail got surprisingly good. We met a group of horses that were probably trekking to the lakes. Because the weather got worse, we took option 03 on the Carretera Austral and stopped at Ceroo Castillo.

*GPT section 33 7 days, 84 miles, 14K ft ascent Dec. 21 to 27, 2022 David and Erika NOBO

Ferry from Chili Chico runs just once a week (Mondays at 8:00 am) we missed it by hours and were stuck at the hotel California in Chili Chico for a day. “You can enter any time you like but you can never leave” got to be the feeling after residential bus after residential bus filled with residents and would not take us. Eventually got to Sierra Castillo and then hitched to Puerto Inginiero Ibanez. The tourist office there got her husband to give us a lift further 24 km to the end of the road. Well worth the 25,000 pesos. Road hike from there straightforward but new gates are being installed at the last road (NOBO) before you hit Lago General Carrera. Lots of wind. Last Refugio on the lake is legitimate. Good place to camp. Lower Rio Avellano was fordable. We thought we could avoid the 2nd and 3rd ford by taking the path over the hill. Don’t. It doesn’t go…Don’t worry, it gets worse. Ultimately, you’ll be hiking through the river all the way to Torres de Avellano. Note on that. The route takes you up to the lake. Beautiful, but then you go through a 2 km boulder field. We found the start of a trial before exiting the river that seems to lead right up to the pass. Might go, we don’t know. Instead, we took the boulder route, broke through a snow bridge, and put a deep gauge in Erika’s leg. Could have used stiches but had no sutures. Might be worth investigating.

*'''2022 Nov, NoBo, Option 1, Alice and Florian'''

We chose to do the option 1 taking the sendero de chile from Puerto Ibañez to Cerro castillo. Most of it is a trail road (first 25km, and the last 4) so it is quite tiring for the knees as some point. But it seems quite easy to do hitchhiking at least on the first 25 km if needed. Nevertheless it is quite a nice road. You first arrive to a very nice waterfall after 5km, them walk through a canyon with nice scenic views. The 10km pass through a forest trail near lakes, it is really nice as well.

* '''2022 Nov / GPT33H Option 11 and Parts of Regular Route / Meylin Ubilla and Jan Dudeck'''

GPT33H/GPT34P: Northern coast of Lago General Carrera from Puerto Sanchez to Levican (packrafting and hiking)

From 2022-Nov-20 to 2022-Nov-24 we (Meylin Ubilla, Jan Dudeck) packrafted and hiked in 5 days from Puerto Sanchez to Levican along the northern coast of Lago General Carrera.

This lake is infamous for the frequent strong gusty wind, therefore packrafting requires a careful monitoring of the weather to depart only onto the lake when a period with calmer conditions is approaching. Luckily, there is reasonable good mobile phone coverage what facilities checking the weather and wind forecast frequently.

Given the wind conditions any packrafting attempt on Lago General Carrera requires to my opinion:

- decked packraft, a longer tandem is strongly preferable (faster, more stable) - a sail (to get quicker to an exit point) - packrafting experience in the region (to anticipate typical weather and wind patterns) - smartphone with entel SIM card or entel rooming - YR weather App, Windy weather App

The predominant wind is eastbound therefore only eastbound packrafting is advisable.

I’m left with the impression that wind gets generally stonger towards the east (towards Levican and Puerto Ingeniero Ibáñez) and that calm periods are more frequent and longer towards the west (Puerto Tranquilo, Puerto Sanchez).

Also, calmer conditions are more likely in the early morning just after sunrise but strong wind all night is also common.

During a previous hike in February 2020 we experienced an entire summer day with barely any wind but such days are as frequent as unicorns and no travel plan should be build on exceptional favorable circumstances.

There is a trail along the northern shore but due to the steep coast there are sections of up to 13 km on the lake without a connection from the shoreline to this trail.

Emergency exits are more frequent along the coast but using such an exit means waiting for the wind to calm down what can take days. Therefore it is generally favorable to exit the water only in a location from where the trail can be reached easily.

We packrafted most of the distance from Puerto Sanchez to the Avellano river delta on 3 mornings in about 9 hours on the water but from there we hiked in two days to Levican because we had no similar promising calm weather windows in following early mornings. In hindsight the wind remained manageable in the morning hours till about noon but there was no point in reversing our decision to hike (and we urgently needed some exercise to get used to hike with heavy backpacks again).

Crossing from Puerto Tranquilo to Puerto Sanchez is reasonable feasible by packraft in calm weather (typically either very early in the morning or later in the evening). The crossing is 3 km wide and best started 1 km north of Puerto Tranquilo in a hidden bay with a nice protected spot to pitch a tent (46.6146°S / 72.6838°W · 210 m). If preparing the packraft at the beach of Puerto Tranquilo officials may stop packrafters as there are numerous restrictions and requirements applicable (in example accompanying motor boat with two licensed boat drivers).

Packrafters should depart in north-eastern direction to compensate for a south-eastern wind drift in case wind increases.

A very nice protected camp site is approximately 8 km from the recommended exit point near Puerto Tranquilo.

GPT33H: Bus Levican - Puerto Ingeniero Ibanez

The last 26 km from Levican to Puerto Ingeniero Ibanez are rather dull road walking. Therefore hikers that arrive at the right day and time can take the subsidized bus.

Monday and Friday only: 08:00 Puerto Ingeniero Ibanez -> Levican 09:00 Levican -> Puerto Ingeniero Ibanez 18:00 Puerto Ingeniero Ibanez -> Levican 19:00 Levican -> Puerto Ingeniero Ibanez Price: 1000 CLP

Transport at other times can be arranged for a substantially higher cost (estimated 40‘000 to 60‘000 CLP per vehicle).

Paty: +56 9 9506 3176

Luis: +56 9 8648 4075

==Season 2021/22==

* '''2022 Feb: 10-14, SoBo, RR, Kris&Stiina'''

Even though the first few days out of town is a road walk, the first part of it is actually really scenic and worth walking, the lakes are just very beautiful one the way. The second part was mostly in the forest and our feet, knees and hips were already hurting from all the road walking but once we got on trail it got better right away. The trail was surprisingly well maintained I would even say better than in Cerro Castillo National Park. Another unexpected surprise was the amount of people that we met on the trail a total of about 25 people in different size groups were hiking to see Torres de Avellano. We really didn’t expect that, there also seemed to be some sort of backpack hauling and guiding service that the local arrieros were offering. We unfortunately didn’t manage to talk to them to find out, but it seems that the place is getting popular. Which is not a surprise because it’s very very beautiful there, probably is correct what the manual says, that it’s going to be the next Torres del Paine, time will tell.

On day 3 about 2-3km before the pass the trail disappeared and the going got tougher and tougher, mostly just bolder hopping up and over the pass. The descent was pretty steep on large granite slabs which offered plenty of good grip but I am not sure how well would it work in wet conditions. I think the pass is doable in not good weather conditions but only if one feels very confident in own abilities on wet rocks. Also it’s a good idea to follow the gps on the way down because otherwise you end up on a cliff edge and have to track back up. The ground finally eases up once you enter the forest, but then starts the bushwhacky part all the way until ford/div at 69,7km.

That was as far as we could make it that day because the river was pretty fast in the evening. So we decided to camp right there and cross it in the morning when the flow would be a bit more manageable and our decision payed off. In the morning the river was about 10cm lower than the evening before, so if you ar a shorter person it could save you. The flow was pretty strong and water was still about hips deep. Both of us crossed it together by standing in a line, me in front and Stiina supporting me from behind, it worked great. After that it was easy cruising for the next 32km, however we had to cross that river once again at 81,2km. It was still challenging but we managed to do it the traditional way one by one, facing upstream. But the current was still very strong and pushing our feet out from under us, challenging our balance. After that we didn’t want to cross it two more times as gps suggested so we just stayed on the left coast all the way to the lake. There were some cow trails to follow and also to bypass the cliffs it was no problem.

The lake is really beautiful with all the islands and it wasn’t too windy when we arrived. We camped about a kilometer from Campo Chico on the rocky stream bed and managed to cook on the fire that night without causing fire hazard. And there were apple, pear and plum trees at the 98,3km, plums were very ripe but the apples and pears still need a week or two to get ready, but it was a very nice treat nevertheless.

Next day was Monday which meant that we could avoid the 26km road walk at the end of the section which we were determined to do. We had 30km to goto get to the road junction were the bus is passing by and according to the manual the bus would pass there some time after 20:00 which is when it starts from Levican. So we pushed the whole day over the steep, sandy, bushy terrain and made it to the junction by 19:00, great, we thought. But after bus didn’t show up we called the phone nr that Janna & Matthias had provided and it turned out that the bus actually leaves Levican at 18:00 and is long gone. But the bus driver was nice enough to offer us a ride to Puerto Ibañez, however for a hefty 45.000 pesos. We were out of food, out of water and pretty spent from getting ourselves there so we accepted the offer. The car ride showed that it would be a pretty dull road walk aswell if we would have had to do it so in the end it all worked out and we got to town just as we wanted.

The town was a bit disappointing, people were somehow not very helpful and also all accommodations were full, but we managed to camp at Las Cabañitas about a km out of town. The next day we went to the port to catch the ferry to Chile Chico, but due to strong winds all ferries were canceled and nobody could even give us a guess of when the ferries would restart. We didn’t want to spend another day in Puerto Ibañez so we hitched back to Villa Cerro Castillo in hopes to get bus or a hitch around the lake. There are definitely daily buses to Cochrane.

In the end our plans changed and we decided that we are content with our experience on GPT this season, so we left it at that. Thanks for kicking our butts GPT and showing us beauty we haven’t seen before! :)

For more stories of the trail, pictures, videos and in case you want to ask us anything you can find us on Instagram: @smallfootprint_bigadventures

* '''GPT 33H Option 4 (Puerto Cristal)/ Torres de Avellano/ Packrafting Route / 2022 Feb-4 / 7 days / Tobias Schorcht and Jonas Grünewald'''

I started Packrafting from Puerto Tranquilo to Puerto Sanches in the calm morning hours. Since Jonas doesn‘t have a Packraft, we booked a full Marvel Caves Tour by boat for him and asked the Captain, to leave him in Puerto Sanches, which was possible without any extra paying. We hiked northbounded along Lago Vidal Gormez and visited the left behind abandoned village Puerto Cristal. It was an impressive experience to see the old facilities of the Mining Company! The good visible trail is partly overgrown with spiky bushes and contains a lot of altitude. We have been rewarded with stunning views on the Lago General Carrera and recommend this option anyway. We went up to the Torres with good weather knowing, that some wind and rain have been predicted for the night. It took us many hours to cross the valley (-46,43300, -72,48867) because we mainly followed the “cow-trails” through the forest and wetland (as an alternative to walk up the river). We reached the camp (-46,42178, -72,50672) late and sheltered the spot with rocks against the wind. You are welcome to use our cozy spot free of charge 😉. Took the trail from the Torres down to Cerro Castillo without difficulties.

We have to say, that this part of the GPT was challenging but absolutely worth the struggle.

Disfrutas las cosas 🙏

* '''NoBo, January 2022, 6.5 days, Participants: Janna & Matthias'''

Day 1: We took the ferry from Chile Chico to Puerto Ibañez (ferry schedule online).There still runs a government-subsidised bus (+56 9 89448847) between Puerto Ibañez and Levicàn on Mondays and Fridays at 8am & 5pm (summer). We decided to spend the afternoon rain relaxing at the pizzeria in Puerto Ibañez and then catch the bus. We called and found out that the bus stop is now in front of the Supermercado Jelvez. The driver let us off at Div 130.4/311 at about 6pm ($1000 per person cash) and we hiked for another hour or so. At bridge 129.3/304 you cannot get water (a kind of gorge), maybe at the marked "Water?" about 15min downstream. We had enough with us and camped sheltered from the wind between the monoculture trees (S 46.377764 W 71.922459).

Day 2: We continued through / over many gates and past empty houses down to the water. Attention if NoBo: at gate 122.6/628 there are two gates - the GPT splits behind the left one, so take that one. The first water before the lake and two good camps at the lake are marked. The path along Lago Carrera was easy to find, sandy and rough in places but we could follow old riders' tracks. We really enjoyed the fantastic view over the lake and had a tábano-free time thanks to the strong wind. About 2 km before Campo Chico (S 46.478295 W 72.086034) we found a west wind-protected and very nice camping spot.

Day 3: Further camping possibilities would be as already described on wikiexplora at Campo Chico and at Puerto Avellano. Along the lake there are streams/rivers for drinking water every 1-2h. There is a wild apple tree on the trail here: S 46.487073 W 72.102247 in case you come by at the right time of year. After Puerto Avellano there is about 15km of a former mine road that is easy to follow. We had a wonderful view of the mountains the whole day. The first two Fords are easy to pass with little water. Water sources again every 1-2h. Our camp 3 was here: S 46.457910 W 72.299412 - beautiful, next to the water, sheltered from the wind.

Day 4: Ford-day - in total we forded rivers more than 20 times, all of them were easy to knee deep except Río Avellano at 81.2/490 which reached almost to our hips and required a lot of effort. We met and chatted with settler Maria who was on her way to have some work done. At Div/Ford 69.7/634 the mountain peaks remained hidden in the clouds and the weather forecast was not so sparkling why we opted for the bypass (option 2) which is also very nice to walk with imposing mountain massifs on both sides, enchanted fairytale forests, a waterfall and easy-to-find cow tracks. Only the large swamp around S 46.386387 W 72.422623 was very unpleasant and foul-smelling, about shin deep. It may be worth looking for a path along the water there. Camp 4: S 46.371434 W 72.432519, quiet and nice under curious observation of two horses on the other side of the river.

Day5: At Div 54.5/841 we checked the weather again but as it still looked bad and everything in the valley further up was already in fog we finally decided against the Torres. At this Div there was an unmarked Ford when coming from option 2. If NoBo hiking directly after this Div take the path higher up the hill and not the marked route directly along the water, because the latter is slipped and to climb. At Puesto 53.0/946 (if NoBo) do not go through the gate but continue on the east side. A Horse Trail runs along the eastern edge of Mallin Grande. Our Camp 5 was here: S 46.281253 W 72.436128.

Day 6: Continued on the gravel road, passing many settlers and pastures. The Estero Alto flows much lower than the road, there is water at Bridge 25.7/454 and otherwise only at the lakes. There is a fence almost everywhere to the left and right of the road. To get to Camp 16.9+0.3/598 you have to climb over a locked gate (S 46.178222 W 72.312583). The two buildings in the pasture are a ruin (S 46.182635 W 72.311414) and a stable (S 46.183119 W 72.310509).

Day 7: Continued along the gravel road we almost missed Div 5.5/554 where a sandy path continues. The path is blocked by a wire fence at S 46.143124 W 72.184071 but a little further to the right you can slip through. No problems to get to Villa Cerro Castillo

==Season 2020/21==

* '''February 2021 from Bahía Murta to Torres del Avellano to Carretera Austral / Northbound, 5 days. Valle Resfalín/Resfalón (Option 8) + Mirador Torres del Avellano + Regular Hike + Escape to Carretera Austral (Option 3B) + Hitchhiking to Villa Cerro Castillo'''

Day 1: Bahia Murta to Camp #5 (Camp ? @33H-08-#005) / 11.5 km / 6 hours

The hike started at Bahía Murta, on a steep hillside. We used the GPS tracks to find the path, and from there on it’s pretty easy to follow the path (when in doubt, we checked the GPS). It’s a very nice hike, and at the end of the day it’s necessary to cross the river. We both had trekking sandals, which came in handy every time we had to cross a river. Just after the river there is a camp option. We found a nice spot on the other side of the wooden fence, but there are many more options up the small hill. It was a perfect place for sleeping, with the soothing sound of the river.

Day 2: Camp #5 (Camp ? @33H-08-#005) to Regular Route at Mallín Quemado (Camp ? @33H-08-#010) / 11.7 km / 8 hours

This was one of the longest days for us, mainly because we underestimated how much time it takes to walk through a path that’s been reclaimed by nature. The day started with a steep uphill, where we lost the path for a while and then had to check the GPS to find it again. There are streams on the way where it’s possible to refill the water bottles. About a third way in, at (-46.38537, -72.55201), the path collapsed, probably washed out by the river. We took a look around and decided it was way safer to cross the river than to continue on the collapsed path (it was late February, so the river was not so full). We crossed to the other side, and 100m ahead crossed back. This is definitively the trickiest part of the day (although a bit farther ahead we found ourselves in the middle of a caterpillar forest...not really pleasant). Just after the crossing the are two camp sites (Camp ? @33H-08-#008 and Camp ? @33H-08-#009), but we would recommend keep going as the second part of the day is definitively easier than the first. Farther ahead we found two more camp site options: at (-46.36768, -72.53116) on this side of the river and at (-46.36722, -72.53088) on the other side of the river. We considered sleeping there, because we were exhausted, but in the end we decided to keep going as we still had some hours of daylight left. This was the right choice, because that way we could sleep at Mallín Quemado and then the next day do the day trip to Torres del Avellano. Mallín Quemado is the name the locals use for the big forest area that was “burned” by the ashes of Volcan Hudson. It’s near (Puesto @33H-53.0) and it’s a perfect place for sleeping. We decided to boil the water from the small stream, because there were some cattle grazing around.

Day 3: Camp #10 (Camp ? @33H-08-#010) to Mirador Laguna y Torres del Avellano and back to Camp #10 / 7.1 km (each way) / 3 hours (each way)

We started early and with a lot of motivation to go and see the Torres del Avellano. Sadly the day was a bit cloudy, but nonetheless it was totally worth it: the views from up there are breathtaking! A lot of glaciers and superstreams with the purest water you can ask for. When we arrived back at the camp, we met the first person in 3 days: Francisco, a teacher from Puerto Aysen. He came up the other way, from Villa Cerro Castillo, and was planning on going to Torres del Avellano on the next day, and then head back to Villa Cerro Castillo.

Day 4: Camp #10 (Camp ? @33H-08-#010) to Camp at (-46.26244, -72.35118) / 21.6 km / 8 hours

Another long day, but without any difficult parts. This section of the hike is way more popular than Valle Resfalín/Resfalón, so the path is way easier to follow. The first section, until the car road, is really beautiful. We even saw some (semi) wild horses! We knew that once the car road started there wouldn’t be so many camp site options, so we kept our eyes open. The car road goes through a narrow valley, and then comes a steep down hill. At the bottom of the hill, on the left side, there is a small meadow, where it’s possible to pitch a tent (-46.26244, 72.35118). Water is available 100m down a steep hill.

Day 5: Camp at (-46.26244, -72.35118) to Carretera Austral / 14.8 km / 4 hours

Following the main car road to Carretera Austral it’s impossible to get lost. We didn’t find any stream on the way, but in case of needing water there are many houses. Just be sure to ask nicely :) Once on the Carretera Austral we hitchhiked to Villa Cerro Castillo. We only had to wait for 30 minutes to get a ride, and considering that we did this during covid times...not too bad. We also had the backup plan of Francisco, who would be driving to Villa Cerro Castillo later that day. Funny enough, we ran into Francisco by chance in Villa Cerro Castillo and he invited us to an ice cream. It was a nice way of ending the trip.

We are extremely grateful to Jan and all the people from wikiexplora for making this adventure possible!

==Season 2019/20==

*'''Section 33: RR(New!) from Ibáñez. Exit via Option 8 to Bahía Murta.'''
Westbound. 11 days. Party (3): Mum, Sis and I.

Ibáñez y Península Levican: Continuing our extended stay in Chile we caught a government subsidised bus from Cerró Castillo to Ibáñez where we learnt after a somewhat lengthy process: talking to the ticket office, boat personnel and then the carabineros (an officer and then his jefe!), everyone passing the buck; that without a certificado de salud (not available in town, and only online) we couldn't board the vessel. The upside was that the Naviera Austral had fantastic baños (yes! they were open!) and the cleaning lady let us have a quick body wash and even do a little laundry before she had to close up. There was also limited WiFi connectivity (only WhatsApp would work) and powerpoints where we could charge our things. It also happens that we bumped into a Zulema Amoroz who was born in Fachinal, most likely a relative of Carloz Amoros who offers the boat service from Fachinal across the lake (we contacted him but no boats were allowed on the lake). If you hang around near where the ferry docks you might find her selling coffee and alfajores.

We quickly decided to walk the new Section 33 Jan recently published, but end in Bahía Murta instead (i.e. explore option 8). Some effort was exhausted trying to organise a lift out to Península Levican. We did find someone for $30k, (it seemed a little steep but that's roughly what to expect), but it wouldn't be till the following day and we needed to get out of town to spend the night. We stocked up on food and started out on foot on the old RR (now Option 1) camping before we reached Río Ibáñez.

I had a little concern about water on the way to Levican, but there are two or three good streams along the way: (-46.31022, -71.97272) (-46.32470, -71.96457) (-46.34091, -71.94069)

In Puerto Ray a lady (also named Zulema!) warmed up to us and let us camp in her fruit orchard. In the morning we bought some eggs and 'bread' from them. Her husband was tanning a chivo hide; he had such a jolly step!

Along Lago General Carrera: We went back to the junction (Div Levican @33H-131.4) where a good emergency shelter exists. The road is still very clear from here, but don't expect any traffic. I think it was a rare sight that we saw an old Mercedes truck full of wood lumbering (pun intended ;) out. The rd deviates a little from the track files maybe due to the pine plantations. There are many new rds., so take care you don't go the wrong way. Taking the RR you will pass through a locked gate (-46.38234, -71.96692), after this keep an eye out for a gate on the left. It's not in the track files and we didn't look for it, so maybe it's not there. The issue we had was that the road continues up the hill, deviating from the RR around (-46.38448, -71.97642). Here you should already be on the small road on the other side of the fence (someone traveling towards Levican/Ibáñez will find this easier to scope I imagine). Though it's not recommended to cross fences, we carefully crossed instead of heading back. A very minor Rd continues down to a dilapidated puesto and a couple of portóns. The road didn't seem to continue as indicated in the track files... but I wasn't following my gps. We CCed across a field until we encountered another road that led back to the RR.

You will finally encounter your first reliable water source since Levican (-46.40196, -71.97831), especially if you are heading towards Ibáñez, make sure you fill up here!

The two camps in the track files at km117 and km114 were the best we saw. The next obvious choice would be around Campo Chico I think, quite a bit further along. Plenty of water along the lake and we had plenty of apples seeing we were walking so late in the walking season. Amazing autumn colours! The track is also in good shape, someone had very recently 'cleaned' the way! The refugio at Los Álamos was a very welcome sight, a great place to spend a night (it's there because of the high winds possible on the lake). The nearby settler was resonably friendly and his dog Puestero even more so! He told us that it was him who 'cleaned' the track along Lago General. It made our walking so much easier! Thanks Armando!

Valle Avellano y Ventisquiero: The old mining road through Valle Avellano was easy to follow. The road actually continues significantly further than indicated in the track files. Taking Variation F to avoid extra crossings of the river we found the road ended about here: (-46.45730, -72.30207). There is an unmarked ford here: (-46.46107, -72.24636)

We took Variation D and just caught Maria and Julio before they headed out with their kids on a horse ride. We bought some bread from them. They called it a tortilla, but I think my Mexican friends would strongly argue the point ;)

Easy walking up into Valle Ventisquiero. Read Jan's track notes. They are quite thorough. The trail to remeet Río Avellano is a little unused (also as mentioned in his write up), but easy to follow. Some good camping before the river. We met some gouchos using the puesto, they were not overly friendly; I think a little scared because of the virus. They pointed out a nearby shelter we could use made from a very old technique using U-shaped logs (I met a carpenter in Murta who told me a little about it).

Option 8: Valle Resbalín/Resfalón(?): It was snowing in the morning. We decided to take Option 8 to Bahía Murta. This meant less road walking and involved a part marked as 'I' (investigation) which would be nice to document. It appears that this route down Valle Resbalín (or "Resfalón" as some locals in Murta told me it was named... anyone know?) is no longer used; quite overgrown, vague and in places difficult to detect at all. Sometimes all we could see was the occasional chainsawed log; and in some chutes: machete marks. Water was plentiful. There was a very old but partially functional puesto en route.

There is a junction ('div') here: (-46.37495, -72.53695). The trail heading up the side valley actually looked quite distinct. I'm not sure what it's name is, or what's up there, but the water was a nice glacier blue and it had a higher flow than the 'main' named river.

The only tricky spot to find the track was where it was washed away by the river, about here: (-46.38527, -72.55201). I cut steps in the bank, crossed, and dropped a rope down for the others. It would be much safer to walk in the river. We explored options to bypass via skirting around in the bosque, but they didn't seem practical. The nearby camp site marked in the track files (Camp ? @33H-08-#008) is not really good. Better to camp 200m upstream If camping around here. We camped at the confluence with Estero Sur, which is the best spot to camp we saw in the entire valley. From this point down the valley, the track is in use: plenty of fresh signs of cattle (maybe they graze in the side valleys?). Ford Estero Sur (-46.39815, -72.58224) and follow the track down the valley with ease. There is camping at (Camp ? @33H-08-#004) but better 300m down the valley near a corral. 50m down valley of (Camp ? @33H-08-#002) camping is possible next to the vague ruins of an old puesto. Further down the valley are several grassy areas good for camping, the most obvious is here (-46.43778, -72.65597) in the vicinity of the old puesto. The track (as opposed to Rd) continues much further than indicated in the track files. The road only starts about here (-46.44697, -72.66655) once you are nearly in Murta. We rested a full day in Murta and I happened to run into Felepé who we'd meet before the trip in Cerró Castillo. Loco!

Thanks Jan for making this trip possible, Tobias Hellwig for recommending the reroute, and all the people on wikiexplora who explored and documented the tracks.

If anyone has any information on the history of Valle Resbalín/Resfalón(?), the mining prospectors in Valle Avellano, or the settlers that abandoned the coast of Lago General Carrera, I'd love to read a bit.

I hope this helps someone. Thanks!

Oh! and we're back in Cochrane now and planning to be in Coyhaique in a week or so. Cheers.

* '''BE AWARE THAT THE BELOW LOGS refer to Option 1 and not to the new Regular Route:'''
Until 2019 the Regular Route followed the Sendero de Chile in the vicinity of Rio Ibañez what is now Option 1. Tobias Hellwig suggested to reroute the GPT via the Torres de Avellano to incorporate this hidden treasure. This proposed new route was investigated and documented in February 2020 by the founders of the GPT. By this time multiple segments of this new route were already published on Wikiexplora by other authors. Only the route from Kilometer 62.2 to 69.9 remained undocumented and had to be researched and ground-proved.

* '''10 Mar 2020 / RH SOBO / Ty / 1 day'''

Super easy in general. I was able to get a hitch for like the last 10 kilometers. There’s a lot of different trail you can wander off on at the start of the sendero de Chile, so just be aware of your navigation at the start. The only good easily accessible water I found was between the two lakes before the intersection where you start walking the road. The ferry to Chile Chico leaves around 8 and takes a couple hours. Otherwise the next ferry leaves at 11 am....but make sure to confirm these times yourself. When arriving in Chile Chico, I climbed up to the viewpoint/mirador close to the ferry landing and found a place protected on the wind and slept on the ground. There is also an abandoned house marked in I-overlander that has an area in a room big enough for a 2 person tent. It’s on your right just before the climb up to the mirador.

* '''Jan 2020 / RH Northbound / Matthieu / 2 days'''

No technical difficulties on this part. However, I was stopped, when the GPT leave the road to go between the two lakes, by a sign : área protegida, ingreso no permitido. For me, it was cristal clear, so I just continued the road, disappointed. I spoke to one of the settler not far, who told me that it was only for cars and it s ok for walkers, and that it is part of the "Sendero de Chile". So the way seems open finally. Anyway, there is another little path just before the lago Ardillas that goes north, and join the GPS tracks above the Valley Ibanez. Well maintained, in the hills, lots of cows, good experience.

* '''2019 Jan/ Olrik / Northbound'''

From Ibanez you walk on a dirt road to the entrance of a Reserva Natural. You are on the Sendero de Chile so it is well marked. In the reserva the trail is easy to follow and there was no one. You end up in Cerro Castillo. We did it in 2.5 days but could be done in 1 day if beginning early.

* '''2019-Nov-28/ Lea Geibel/ 1 day / Northbound / Regular Hiking Route (Puerto Ibañez to Villa Cerro Castillo)'''

After arriving with the ferry at 10.30 a.m., the section can be hiked in one day (around 8 hours of walking). Most of the section is on a dirt road with very little traffic. The part that is following a trail is marked with posts with red / white rings on them. Occasionally the trail is not very visible but numerous animals tracks are usually heading in the right direction before eventually meeting up with a trail marker again.

=Resupply and Accommodation=

==Resupply and Accommodation in nearby Towns==

*2025 / Michael & Kasia:
If entering or exiting via Opt 8 or Opt 4, Bahía Murta (Puerto Murta) has several places that rent cabañas or camping space. There are at least 5 shops in town. The two largest both had tall skinny gas recharge canisters (Minimercado Gemaniar 3.000, Minimercado Estribo 4.000), but no screw type for backpacking stoves. Minimarket Gemaniar across from the tourist information office had generally the best prices and a good selection. The panadería across from the plaza had good pan amasado.

*Section GPT33H starts in Villa Cerro Castillo and terminates in Puerto Ingeniero Ibañez (Resupply information see GPT34H). Hikers that continue southbound may also resupply in Chile Chico after the ferry crossing of Lago General Carrera (Resupply information see GPT35).

*Several shops sell food and camping gas canisters.

*Restaurants offer filling meals.

*Accommodation is provided by hostels, cabañas and camp sites in these towns.

*Hikers that walk GPT33H and its adjacent sections with continuous footsteps can resupply in Cerro Castillo, Puerto Ingeniero Ibañez and Chile Chico and do not need to leave the route to resupply.

==Resupply and Accommodation along the Route==

*There is no plannable resupply along the entire Regular Route but some food may be obtained at the two homestead farms on the route.

[Settler (Maria & Julio) @33H-76.9]: Maria and Julio are one of the few settlers that still make cheese for sale in such a remote location. If you are short on foot you might also ask if they may sell some bread, milk or meat.

[Settler (Luis Diaz) @33H-85.2]: Luis : When passing his home consider a visit. You may also ask if he has bread or meat to sell.

[Puesto @33H-98.5]: The puesto 250 m north of Puerto Avellano is rarely occupied by their owners but the fruit trees might provide some well desired vitamins in summer and early autumn.

=Transport to and from Route=

*2025 / MiaimZelt
Subsidized bus between Puerto Ibañez and Levican every Monday & Friday: Ibañez/levican 8:15 & 17:00, Levican/ibañez 9:00 & 18:00.
Transportes Freddy Morales (+56 9 9506 2906)

*2023 / Maks&Gabi
We hitchhiked from km 136 near Levican to Puerto Ibanez. During the weekend there is only one ferry a day (Saturday morning and Sunday evening).

*2023 / Louis, Rémi & Noé :
Here, at the lake. There is mobile coverage and so we contacted numerus given on the PDF on WhatsApp to find a boat to bring us back to civilisation. I let you the contact of Jairo, that can bring you back to Puerto Tranquilo... for 400.000 CLP.. Jairo : +56 9 6633 9507

*Most buses to Villa Cerro Castillo leave Coyhaique in the morning around 08:00 and pass Villa Cerro Castillo approximately 1:30 hours later. In the opposite direction buses pass Cerro Castillo in the early afternoon.

*Puerto Ingeniero Ibañez has regular public transportation to Coyhaique (1:45 hour by bus) and Chile Chico (2:15 hour by ferry). The ferry over Lago General Carrera that connects Puerto Ingeniero Ibanez with Chile Chico does two round trips each day, one in the morning and one the evening. Buses to and from Coyhaique operate synchronized to these ferries.
Best Call Buses Alejandro: +56 9 7652 9546

*Subsidized bus from Puerto Ingeniero Ibañez to Levicán: Monday and Friday, Approx. 1’000 CLP Morning round trip: Leaving Puerto Ingeniero Ibañez at 08:00, arriving in Levican around 09:00 and returning immediately to Ibañez around 09:00 and arriving at Ibanez around 10:00. Evening round trip: Leaving Puerto Ingeniero Ibañez at 17:00, arriving in Levican around 18:00 and returning to Ibañez at 18:00 arriving at Ibanez at 19:00.

*Private transport from Puerto Ingeniero Ibañez to Levicán: Anytime, Approx. 35´000 CLP
Try to call Luis: +56 9 8648 4075

*Combining GPT35 with GPT33H

Northbound hikers may consider connecting GPT35 directly with GPT33H by exiting Parque Patagonia towards Fachinal and crossing Lago General Carrera by motorboat from Fachinal to the Desembocadura Rio Avellano. Here Lago General Carrera is only 3.5 km wide and a motorboat crossing does not take more than 20 minutes. Unfortunately, in summer this requires some patience as the normally strong wind often impedes this. In the morning or the evening the wind occasionally calms down but rarely during the day.

Carlos Amoroz, a settler in Fachinal owns a motorboat and offers this service on request. Pascual Diaz, a tour operator from Mallin Grande, can also provide this service but he must first haul his motorboat the 42 km on trailer from Mallin Grande to Fachinal what makes his service substantially more expensive.

Settler with motorboat in Fachinal (Location: -46.5568°S / -72.2120°W) Name: Carlos Amoroz Mobile: +56-9-76267029 Price: Approx. 30’000 CLP for 2 persons

Tour operator with motorboat in Mallin Grande Name: Pascual Diaz (Company: “Kalem Patagonia”) Mobile: +56-9-7391 7881 Price: Presumably more expensive and advance notice required

This section combination of GPT35 with GPT33H seems more practical in northbound direction as hikers can first talk directly to the settler with the motorboat in Fachinal, resupply in Chile Chico (by taking a motorized transport from Fachinal to Chile Chico and back) and then cross Lago General Carrera with a refilled backpack. While waiting for the wind to calm down hikers can pitch their tent at a nice wind protected camp site on the shore of Lago General Carrera.

Thanks to the reasonably good mobile phone coverage in Fachinal hikers can check the weather and wind forecast and call the settler with the motorboat when approaching Fachinal. This permits hikers to anticipate or discard a motorboat crossing on arrival.

Hikers that attempt a more complicated southbound crossing of Lago General Carrera should make arrangements with the settler with the motorboat at least one or two weeks before arriving at Puerto Avellano, test communication devices (i.e. InReach to mobile phone), agree on the precise pick-up location (Puerto Avellano or Desembocadura Rio Avellano) and carry enough food to wait some time in Puerto Avellano. Hikers should be prepared that the wind may not calm down while waiting several days in Puerto Avellano. In this case the motorboat transfer should canceled, and the hiker should walk out to Puerto Ingeniero Ibañez before the food reserves deplete. There is mobile phone coverage at Puerto Avellano (entel if I recall correctly).

=Permits, Entry Fees and Right-of-Way Issues=

*To my knowledge paddling on Lago General Carrera requires a permit from the Armada de Chile but complying with all requirements might not be possible even for a well equipped packrafter (i.e. distress signal rockets).

=Links to other Resources=

Retired Section Article [[GPT33H - Puerto Ibañez]]

Retired Section Article [[GPT33H - Torres del Avellano]]

For additional information see the Wikiexplora Articles:

[[Península de Levican - El Avellano]]

[[Torres del Avellano]]

[[Laguna La Plaza]]

For more information see the Wikiexplora Article:

[[Puerto Cristal]]

For more information see the Wikiexplora Articles:

[[Valle Miller]]

[[Estero Jaramillo]]

A part of this route is described in the Wikiexplora Article:

[[Mirador Este de las Torres de Avellano]]

=Images=

GPT33H (Torres de Avellano)

2026-02-14T11:40:35Z

Aymaynard: /* Season 2025/2026 */Added an entry log

'''[[GPTs|List of all GPT sections]]'''

= How to a add new entry =
You need to be logged in to save your edits (and on mobile view, you need to be logged in to start editing).

Add a new log entry always on top in the appropriate season sub-chapter and use format:


<nowiki>* '''</nowiki>'''Start Date to Finish Date (use Format YYYY-MMM-DD) / Duration in Days / Hiking or Packrafting / Travel Direction (SOBO for Southbound or NOBO Northbound) / Chosen Route and/or Option Name (RR for Regular Route) / Names or Alias'''<nowiki>'''</nowiki>

If you are packrafting, put the above info into HTML tags like this (if you follow a hiking route for part of the way, highlight only "packrafting", as above):


<nowiki>* '''</nowiki>'''YYYY-MMM-DD / X days / Packrafting / SOBO / RP / Your name'''<nowiki>'''</nowiki>.

Include remarks about your route useful for other hikers and packrafters, alerts, suggestions and personal perception of attractiveness and difficulties. Try to be specific. Do not be shy to fix obvious mistakes.

=Overview=
The GPT manual has an extensive description of this route and all its options.

=Section Log, Alerts and Suggestions=

==Season 2025/2026==

GPT33H / 2026-01-17 to 2026-01-21/ 5 Days / SOBO / Hiking / 3B, RR, 8, 4 / Alex and Aoife.

Attractiveness: 5/5
Difficulty: 4 / 5 verging on 5/5 in the overgrown parts of Option 8 (Our day 4).

We chose to backtrack from the Pass to Option 08 and descend into Bahia Murta so we could go and see the Marble Caves.

Day 1:
Bus from Coyhaique at 0800. ( Bus Company, Don Carlos), 9k CLP To option 3B Trail Head.

Distance: 22km
Time: 1100- 1800
Water:
Water available at various points where the river passes under bridges. Small stream at eastern edge of campsite clearing.
Camp: -46.26492, -72.41280

Route:
Option 3b MR, easy walk to where it joins to the RR- along a gravel road. Nice views. Didn't see a single car only saw a friendly man on a horse.

Day 2:

Distance: 22km
Time: 07.45- 19.45
Water:
Lots of opportunities for water on the route. Water available on the pass from a stream
(We were there 2 days after heavy rainfall)

Route:
Easy start on MR until you find the TL that takes you through Lenga forrest. We followed cow tracks ( and poo) through the forest. Trail not always clear but easy enough to find.

Slow moving in boggy grassy sections. Crossed multiple streams. Took off shoes once.

Camp:
Plenty of camping options along the way. Upon reaching the pass we decided to camp there as we had a good forecast, good views and tired legs. Would only consider with nil wind forecast. Views were amazing, had a nice sunset.

* We saw a great campsite for maybe 3 tents on a sandy beach next to stream with some plunge pools and very sheltered at -46.409772, -72.498086

Day 3:

Distance: 14.31km
Time: 1100-1940
Water:
Plenty of options along the route. We prefer small clear streams rather than glacial rivers. No small streams at campsite But we had carried enough from earlier.

Route:
We followed the RR back down to the unmarked Puesto we had passed the previous day, near enough to:
Camp {33H} [52.7/953]
(-46.34585, -72.49821)
We then took option 8 all the way to the remains of a Puesto (-46.36573, -72.52865) and camped here. Trail easy enough to follow. Follow the cow poo and hoof prints.

Camp:
The remains of a Puesto (-46.36573, -72.52865) not many flat spots, by a river not a stream. If you continued a few hundred ms more there was a more idyllic location close to a stream.

Day 4:

Distance: 12.3km
Time: 0700- 1700
Water: plenty of water spots along the way.

Route:
Continued on option 8. Not far into this day the trail became a full body workout. An obstacle course requiring lots of maneuvering over many fallen trees, hard to follow path, very slow and tiring day. Track very overgrown in parts.

Camp:
'Camp? {33H-08} [8.1/462]'
(-46.410860, -72.612140) - waterfall not far from camp a bit further down the track at around: (-46.41242, -72.61436)

Day 5:

Distance: 8.45km
Time: 3hrs 20mins
Water: Few options early on, we filled up few km before TL meets the MR when there is a fence and a gate blocking the river.

Route:
Easy day , followed option 8 all the way to the gate at the PR on option 4.
Started early as was hoping to hitch a ride to the marble caves at Rio Tranquilo , we managed to and would recommend.

Upon completion of the cave tour we missed the bus to Chile Chico by only about 20 mins, we decided that was a sign to have some rest so we camped at ‘Bellavista: Hospedaje, Camping y Transporte’ 8k CLP p/p, it was fine. Kitchen access, showers etc. Quite busy.

* '''2026-01-17 to 2026-01-22 / 6 Days / Packrafting & Hiking / SOBO then NOBO / Opt 09, 08, RR, Var D, Opt 03 / Michel & Lisa'''

Summary: Another really beautiful section. It's a bit of a battle to get up to the Torres (either long road waking or bush bashing) but it's actually worth it. We took the packraft down Río Murta in very high flow and stashed things in Cruce Murta before venturing up to the Torres. There are definitely mice here as well so we made sure to always hang our food and had zero problems this way. Option 8 is both nice and deserted but also tough, especially for going in. As others have said it might be a better option to get out with lighter packs, due to the bushwhacking and the elevation gain on this route.

Day 1

We took the bus towards Chile Chico from Coyhaique at 8:00 from the bus terminal and got dropped off at River In {33H-09) [0.0/275] at around 12:15. There's an open, small hut that we used for shelter from the setting in rain. You could sleep in there as well. The river water levels were really high due to rain the previous two days and the flow fast - very different from what the satellite images show. Turbid, brown water instead of crystal clear, blueish. We started paddling and enjoyed the really fast flow (10 km/h and more when completely in the flow). At the same time it meant that we couldn't see much of what was going on below the water surface and we scratched over rocks a couple of times. There were hardly any rock islands visible and we floated over places that on satellite images are just rock - there was that much water. At times we were worried that the river could become dangerous in narrow stretches if there were sunken trees but nothing dangerous happened. We made the 36 km to Bridge (33H-04) [0.2/211] in only 3 h 20 min (excluding breaks). We took close by, at Residencial Patagonia [-46.44156, -72.71190] where the high water levels basically allowed us to float into their back yard. We stayed the night (20000 clp pp in a room, 8000 clp for camping) and stored our packraft in the alojamiento for going to the torres.

Day 2

We hitchhiked to Bahía Murta, bought some additional supplies and started hiking Option 8. The path is clear and easy to travel at first. After Ford {33H-08} [11.5/545] (Estero Sur) the trail becomes harder to follow with boggy sections and lots of fallen trees. There's considerable elevation gain up to Water (33H-08} [14.5/946], where you get the first nice views of the valley and start descending again. We continued to Camp (33H-08} [16.1/703] where we found a spot that's just big enough to put a 2 person tent and not exactly flat but good enough. All in all we did 22.3 km that day in 9 h 25 min, thanks to the bushwhacking which wasn't terrible but not exactly pleasant either.

Day 3

We continued from our camp and were positively surprised that the path actually got better after the first ~3-4 km with less fallen trees, a more visible path and less soggy ground. There are many more potential campsites along this section which are not marked in the track files, some of them I noted here:

* S46.376195° W72.537594°
* S46.354586° W72.516934°
* S46.348093° W72.501339° (camp with some tables and a view over an open (boggy) area with mountains in the background - looks like someone is trying to set something more commercial up here)
* S46.352356° W72.489023°

We got to RR at around 14:00 and continued for a while before taking a well deserved lunch break. We chose to follow Variant D which is more direct and leads to the first lagoon. If you're comfortable with hiking over rocks and boulders we would definitely recommend this over RR since the view of the towering mountains you get once you're at the lagoon is amazing (given good weather I suppose). There are no obvious camp spots at the lagoon itself but you can find level, sandy spots in the vicinity of you wanted to stay here. It can probably get pretty windy down here though. We continued to Camp {33H} [61.1/1167] and went for a swim in the second lagoon (yes, the weather was that good, haha - lucky us!) which is about 10 min walking from the camp. We didn't find a perfectly flat spot here but there are a couple options that are actually more than fine. The advantage of picking this site is that you're really sheltered from the wind, thanks to the trees. Water nearby and soft ground (vegetation) are added benefits. Some parts are quite wet so you might have to search around for a moment to find something suitable.

Day 4

We decided to have a relaxed day and just hiked up to the pass to see the actual Torres, which to be honest we found almost a bit underwhelming. Personally I much preferred the view down the valley from our camp and from the first lagoon. But you might get a better view from down in the valley from the lagoons (i.e. after descending from the pass, which we didn't do). Still, the Torres are impressive and it was definitely worth the walk up. From the valley bottom and the pass it looked like one could potentially climb up to one of the passes to the east to get a view down onto option 02 (-46.40615, -72.48187 or -46.40237, -72.48235) but it would be a scramble - we didn't try. Potentially it could even be possible to go down there to join option 02 with some bushwhacking, but that's really a shot into the blue. Maybe someone wants to try. ;)

Day 5

Since there was some bad weather forecast for the coming days we decided to hike out. Going down we decided to try the RR to be able to compare with variant D. RR was also fine but there was some trail finding through the forest required and some boggy sections as well. However, it might still be slightly faster than Variant D. Still, coming up I would highly recommend Variant D so you get the beautiful view from the lagoon. We came all the way to [-46.28395, -72.44366] in 6 h 50 min, where we camped. The spot is close to the road but invisible from there, nice and flat and wind protected. In the evening a pigmy owl came for a visit and sat in the tree next to us really close before it was detected by another bird and flew away - a pretty special encounter. Lots of mouse holes everywhere so we hung our food like always on this section just to be sure.

Day 6

We continued along the road, first nice and shady in the forest and then in the scorching heat of the sun. We saw a pigmy owl in the forest that allowed us to observe it for quite a while and then we even saw it catch some large insect (a firefly maybe?) which felt like another really special moment along the otherwise rather dull road.
We continued walking along the road until we were lucky to get picked up by one of the settlers who was driving to Villa Cerro Castillo with his wife. They were very friendly and explained a lot about their lifestyle living up in the mountain valley all year. They said that the flow of hikers to the Torres has really increased in the past few years and that some people seem to be setting up some gear for climbing up there with clients. They said that they didn't mind hikers coming to visit. :)

* ''' 2026-01-16 to 2026-01-20 / 5 days / Hiking / SOBO 3B, RR, H, K / Daniel.s '''

Not much to add to the previous entries (especially Dave and Siyuan and Emily and Kole)

Day 1 was a roadhike in the rain and cold for me, Camp at 38.5/1020 (-46.26492, -72.41280)

Day 2 started late (noon) due to snow and rain in the morning. Trail in good condition, CC quite wet due to rain. Camped at x with Option 8 (mice in the shelter!)

Day 3 perfect weather day, CC to pass very wet due to previous rain, wet feet again, otherwise straight forward. See D+S recommended exit point after pass. A lot of scrambling over granite blocks. Further down - as E+K mentioned boggy on both sides of the river, from about halfway it's probably better to stay left of the river. Camp at first Ford, like D+S.

Day 4 trail and MR to Puerto Avellano, river crossing where D+S suggested, a braided section, knee deep for me and immediate connection to MR on the other side.

Day 5 trail along the lake is energy consuming, it's 90% loose rock, sand and gravel. MR is steep and dusty in the beginning, great campsite at S 46.40217°, W 071.97845° near water.

* ''' 2025-Dec-13 to 2025-Dec-19 / 7 days / Hiking / SOBO RR, Opt 8 / Massa and Jacicek '''

We did not complete whole trail, but what we saw was really nice. Exit by opt 8 took us 2.5 days. No problems with water or Fords.

Day 1
Hiked from Villa Cerro Castillo to Lago Alto, we had lift for approx 5km.
The Rr from km 1.2 (after you walk off caretera austral) is through nice hills and very pretty, until you reach the minor road.
Camped on a hill alongside Lago Alto at [-46.17655, -72.32639], with a view on Laguna Verde, the spot is not flat and not well wind protected.

Day 2
Hiked through beautiful woods, as noted, camp x is fenced off and there are trespassing sings, however, there is also a ladder over the fence, so no problems there. Walked up to the Ford with Estero Alto and camped approx 200m before the ford km 36 [-46.25544, -72.38370 ] . Several spots with flat spaces there.

Day 3
Forded the Estero Alto river on km 36, ankle deep only. Beautiful section with large meadows. Camped at the end of the meadow alongside the stream on km 51 [-46.33183, -72.48916 ] .

Day 4
This day, we got awful weather, stopped approx 3km before Torres de Avellano. Camped in small spot in the forest, place for one tent, good wind protection [-46.37974, -72.49111 ] .

Day 5
Decided to turn back and head for Bahia Murta using opt 8. Camp at [-46.36514, -72.52866]. Path is recognizable and traversable.

Day 6
Fallen trees in the path, lots of ups and downs. Camped next to a Camp ? [11.6/548]. When we came, there were tents erected there, however nobody was present, we camped near the river, outside of the obvious camp. In the evening a guy came and we asked him if we can camp there and said yes. In the morning a local guide (different guy) came and said that it would be better to camp in the main camp, as there is a toilet, and to give him a heads up beforehand (www.guiasdelavellano.com).

Day 7
The path from Camp ? Is maintained, however parts are muddy.

* '''2025-12-27 to 2026-01-02 / 7 days / Hiking / SOBO / 3B + RR + H / Dave & Siyuan'''

We took 8 days of food with us from Villa Cerro Castillo and hoped we would get lifts at the start and the end. Luckily we did get lifts (32km in total) and spend 7 days on the trail.

Day 1 - 16km - 10:30-17:00
🚌 9.40am bus from Villa Cerro Castillo to start of Option 3B
🥾 Walked 1km, got a lift 🚗 for 6km to the RR, walked on the road for the rest of the day, a couple of gates, one easy ford. The public road ends at a locked gate at -46.26266, -72.35047.
⛺️ Camp at 38.5/1020 (-46.26492, -72.41280) the edge of this large clearing is sheltered from the wind with a stream nearby.

Day 2 - 20km - 09:00-19:00
🥾 Easy road walk and horse trail in the morning, then it gets harder in the forest as the trail isn’t obvious a the time. Many stream crossings and boggy sections but kept feet dry.
⛺️ Camp at 58.8/1020 (-46.39009, -72.49369) one tent spot, away from the wind, as recommended by Emily & Kole - thanks!

Day 3 - 11km - 09:00-20:00
🥾 The pass day. It was raining on and off the whole day and we didn’t get to see all the views. No snow on the way up and walked around one snow patch on the way down. Make sure you follow the RR and head left at the top of the pass (to approx -46.41859, -72.49544) so you descend on the rocky/bouldery patch in between the slippery steep slabs. Once we reached the bottom, we walked on the left bank of the river, 4 km of CC, BB and intermittent animal trails, slow going.
⛺️ Camp at 69.8/634 just before the ford.

Day 4 - 17.5km - 09:00-17:30
🥾 The day of river crossings of Rio Avellano and other side streams. The first main one at camp dropped a little bit overnight. It was up to our crotch deep. Fast current, manageable with careful footing. The second time crossing Rio Avellano, we crossed it here (-46.45641, -72.32730) a braided section. It was at knee deep. The river path probably changes every year as where we crossed didn’t look like what’s on satellite images.
⛺️ Camped at 87.4/454 (-46.46164, -72.24432) one tent tent, partially wind protected. It was 200m after a ford.

Day 5 - 15km 10:00-14:00 and 19:00-20.30
🥾 Easy walking on minor road towards the lake. Very windy and dusty. Spent a few hours at the disused port building at Puerto Avellano to shelter from the afternoon wind. Walked the last few kms after dinner.
⛺️ Campo Chico 102.4/212 (-46.48727, -72.10030) near the lake.

Day 6 - 14km - 08.15-16.15
🥾 A dusty day walking up and down hills along the shore through thorny bushes. Crossing a stream or creek every hour or two. Windy.
⛺️ Campsite 116.3/239 was full of thorns, except one tent spot near a boggy area (-46.42128, -71.98175).

Day 7 - 14km - 09:00-14.00 + hitchhiking
🥾 Walked along the shore then up on a dusty road. 14km to the road intersection between Puerto Ibanez and Levican. We found only two water sources between the lake and the road - both small streams: (-46.40371, -71.97566), and (-46.38677, -71.97407). Both might be dry in drought.
🚗 We waited at a bus stop shelter for 1.5h before the first car passed and picked us up. 🚌 We took a bus back to Coyhaique at night from Puerto Ibanez instead of staying there due to perfect bus timing and cheaper and wider resupply options in Coyhaique.

*'''2025-12-27 to 2026-01-02/ 7 days/ Hiking/ NOBO/ RR, Option 8, RR, Variant D/RR/ Option 3B/ Option 3/ Greg Carter, Tomas Martinec'''

Overall
The Torres de Avellano are spectacular, and it’s well worth the effort to access them.

Attraction: 5
Difficulty: 4

Important note: at Puesto Aguero (Day 1) we encountered an official looking sign requiring registration and payment of CLP 6,000 per person/ night, for Torres del Avellano. However Andre Aguero did not seek to enforce this. In the future this may be enforced regardless of the entry point into the area of the Torres.

Day 1
We got the 7am bus (CLP 10,500) from Cochrane which dropped us off at Cruce Murta at around 11am. From there we walked 3km to the trailhead of Option 8, where a new gate must be climbed.

The trail is steep and when it enters the forest there is a lot of fallen trees and branches, however most have been cleared up to a puesto which has been built at Camp? {33H-08} [11.6, 548]. This puesto is owned by a friendly guide (Andres Aguero), who takes clients on a private trail up to the Torres de Avellano from the puesto, on a 20km round trip. Andres has built a bridge over the Estero Sur, at [11.5, 545], so no ford is necessary there. We camped at the puesto for no cost. My tent had a hole in the morning, as did a number of food bags: hang your food here and all other camps!

Day 2
After the puesto the trail is not used or maintained, and it is very slow going with many fallen trees and branches. We left at 7am, pushed hard with a few quick breaks, and arrived at the intersection with the RR at 2:40pm, a distance of approximately 12km ie less than 2km/h.

There is another abandoned puesto at -46.36573, -72.52865, at approximately 19km.

It was not necessary to ford the Rio Resbalin at [15.6] or [15.8], we stayed on the southern side of the river.

At the RR intersection there is good camping at -46.34573, -72.49709, alongside a stream, near a corral. The nearby puesto was not occupied.

It was nice to meet David Brophy and Siyuan Hong passing through.

That afternoon, knowing that the next 2 days would be rainy, we did a quick return hike up the RR, to see the Torres in perfect visibility.

There is an established sheltered camp on the RR at -46.36762, -72.48672.

Day 3
Zero rest day, as it rained all day.

Day 4
With sunny weather forecast for the following day, we again hiked in light rain up the RR towards the Torres and camped at -46.39020, -72.49375, where there is space for a 2 man and 1 man tent. We could not find the camp others have mentioned at -46.39161, -72.49438.

Note: At about 58km it is easier to go up the slope to follow the cairns around the tree line, rather than follow the GPT eg cairns at -46.38167, -72.49209 and -46.38199, -72.49218.

Day 5
This day was perfect weather from beginning to end. Blue sky and little to no wind. The views of the Torres and the 2 lagunas were amazing, as are the views from the pass. The pass has no snow but there are a few patches of snow on the southern side of the pass, which are easy to avoid or walk across. We tried to get down to the 3rd laguna but went too far right and got stopped by steep slippery rock.

In the afternoon we returned to the previous camp at the RR intersection (-46.34573, -72.49709).

Day 6
We hiked out NOBO along the RR and camped beside a river, near the bridge over the river to the Settler [29.4/537], who wasn’t home. There are nice views on the hike out of snow-capped mountains.

Day 7
Hiked out on Option 3B, and hitched within minutes on Option 3 into Villa Cerro Castillo. There is plenty of tourist traffic on the Carretera Austral.

* ''' 2025-12-14 to 2025-12-15/ 2 days/ Hiking/ NOBO/ Option 1/Tomas Martinec'''

This was my first test with a multiday hike outside the main tourist routes like Torres del Paine and El Chalte. It also served as practical way to get from Chile Chico to Villa Cerro Castillo where I planned to continue with the Cerro Castillo trek.

The hike took me 2 days (about half of day of walking each day).

Challenges:
Lack of drinkable water at the plateau
Difficulty finding a suitable camping spot in the middle section

Day 1
I took the ferry from Chile Chico to Puerto Ibanez Ingeniero (very cheap, around 2500 CLP) and started hike around midday. The first day follows an old gravel road. Cars passed ocasionally and several drivers even offered me the lift.

The route offers some nice scenery, including a wattergall near the beginning and open landscapes in the higher sections.

Finding a place to camp was difficult to me. The Camp {33H-01} [12.5/666] is on private land and in the morning I saw many cows around. In the end, I slept near Settler {33H-01} [13.7/636].

I recommend carrying water from the lower parts of the route. In the upper section there are lagoons, but the water is stagnant. Personally, I wasn't comfortable drinking it, even with water filter.

Day 2
This day follows a proper trail, passing lakes, forests, and open terrain. The views are beautiful- both of surrounding mountains and down into the valley- and I enjoyed this section a lot.

The last 3 kms before entering to Villa Cerro Castillo are on an asphalt road, which is not very enjoyable.

'''2025-Dec-13 to 2025-Dec-18 / 6 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR, Var D, Var H, Var J, Opt 11, Opt 11G / Emily & Kole'''

Camps (all spots had space for two tents, relatively sheltered, and water nearby):

Day 1: -46.25533, -72.38371

Day 2: -46.39009, -72.49369

Day 3: -46.42604, -72.49970

Day 4: Refuge [98.4+0.2/211] (Puerto Avellano)

Day 5: -46.37248, -71.87165

Attractiveness - 5/5

Difficulty - 4/5

* Joined by Ohad for the roadwalk from Villa Cerro Castillo - thanks for the company! Hope you found your stove. Beautiful views of Cerro Castillo, Laguna Verde and Lago Alto. The camp at 32.0/700 is on private property, so we continued on to a flat spot on the river around 35km. There appeared to be good flat spots in the forest to the left of trail around 1km before 32.0.
* Timed our arrival to the Torres for a clear day. Took the ascent and descent (58.5km to 63.4) of the main pass slowly as it was covered in snow between knee to hip-height. Where possible we scrambled on the uncovered boulders to avoid post-holing. Took significant time. Variant D along the glacial lakes was nice, although it may require a bit more scrambling than RR. We met GPT hikers Bailey and Ed going NOBO on our ascent to the pass - a big thank you for the footsteps!
* The view of the Torres from the main Pass [61.9/1314] was great but the best viewpoint for us was from the lake by the Camp [63.4/995].
* After 64km, Kole followed game trail to the right of the river and Em to the left. Both options were boggy, with intermittent trail and lots of blowdowns. Wet feet. Slow going, but not too difficult. Trail was clear and easy to follow after 68.5km. Ran into settler Julio driving cattle shortly thereafter.
* We forded Rio Avellano 100m downstream of 81.2/490, at 46.45791, -72.31714. Very strong current, upper-thigh height, had to cross slowly, but manageable with careful footing.
* Slept on the floor of the refugio in Puerto Avellano. A table, some chairs, and wood burning stove inside. Didn’t notice any pests. There are a few spots for tents behind in the trees, but very wind exposed. Met the settler that lives nearby the following day.
* From the junction with the road [130.4/311] we took Option 11 into Levican and camped behind some bushes with good wind protection. We didn’t find any good spots on 11G, with the north shore being very windy. Started the road walk to Puerto Ibanez on the final day, but luckily got a hitch 3km out of Levican (around 8am), we rode with them all the way to Coyhaique (he turned out to be Julio’s brother).

'''GPT33 / 2025 Dec 12-16 / NOBO / RR / 5 days/ hiking // Bailey & Ed'''

General notes - another incredibly beautiful section. Had to take a few slow days approaching the pass because of high winds and snow.

Challenges - crossing snow boulder fields at the pass

Costs - paid 70,000 CLP for two people to be dropped off just before bridge [129.3/304], saving about 27 km of road walking. +56982463160

Difficulty - 4/5

Attractiveness - 5/5

Day 1

Caught the ferry from Chile chico, took about three hours leaving at 8 am. We went to the tourist office to ask about a taxi. Mostly on minor roads to camp

Camp 1

Nice campground, wind sheltered with water [116.3/239]

Day 2

Pretty good trail, connects to a minor road. Fords okay

Camp 2

Another nice campground, wind sheltered with water [82.8/479]

Day 3.

Short day mostly on a minor road. Fords okay

Camp 3

Camped next to ford [69.8/634] because the next campsite was noted without water. This campsite was nice, wind sheltered with water. We met Julio returning back after a days work. A lot of deadfall here though

Day 4

Started with walking in the river bed. The snow line started at the campground next to the lake. Previous trip report was useful mentioning stay right of the waterfall on the ascent to the pass. We tried staying in the forest and off the boulder field as long as we could. The snow was waist deep and very soft in areas. Mostly used rocks after the forest to ascend. On the descent we met col from salt lake city also hiking the GPT this season.

Camp 4

Camped at [32.0/700], a lot of cow poo around, but sheltered. Water across the fence

Day 5

Walked down the road to hitch. There's a bus shelter here to sit in and wait, protected from the wind. Waited an hour

==Season 2024/25==

'''2025-Mar-19 to 2025-Mar-23/ 5 days/ Hiking/ NOBO OH 8, RR, OH 3B/ Timothée and Maëlle'''
We started in bahia Murta by option 8 to reach RR. Then we simply went to the lake 63.4 ( viewpoint) SOBO, and then back to Villa Cerro Castillo NOBO. We had light rain on the 2 first days and then sun, but with really cold nights. We have good equipment ( sleeping bags -5, big down jackets...) but without it that section would have not been enjoyable.

Camps:
Camp1: 8.1 : Nice one, some wind protected spots, not perfectly flat, water nearby.

Camp2: 52.7: several possibilities, we slept 300 m ( on OH8) before the waypoint, near wood tables, in the forest so a bit sheltered.

Camp3: S 46° 24.552', W 072° 29.933' below the camp 61.2: we slept on the river sediments: dry but not sheltered. We had absolutely no wind but that was really cold( we think about -5°): we re late in the season and it s high.

Camp4: S 46° 15.319', W 072° 23.019'
There are several other possibilities before this point on the MR. Not really after. Nice spot, quit sheltered, with the river next to it.

Day1:
We were coming from Puerto Rio Tranquillo by hitchhiking, and started from Bahia Murta around 1pm under light rain. We hiked only 8km.

Day2: We reached the RR from our first camp.
Overall, OH 8 was quite exhausting. The trail is maintained, probably by local guides: we found a lot of prints of chainsaws, machettes... but there is a lot of elevation gain ( ups and downs) and there are still a lot of trunks that you need to pass over, around... It was also usually muddy. At least we got a good impression of the rainforest! On OH 8 the trail does not always follow the GPS track really closely, probably because of the constant falling trees and that the trail was recently maintained.

Day3: For day 3 and 4 we decided to stay on RR to enjoy the torres a bit longer. We went to the pass with the viewpoint, and then down to the lack 63.4 with light backpack. We found that going to the lack and then back worthed it as the view feels quite different from the lack. The descent is not so technical, but indeed you need to follow the track, or even a bit more to the left( downward) to avoid the granit slabs.

Day 4: We went back to camp 52.7 and continued on the trail and the MR until camp 4. From camp 3 (61km) to camp 52.7 the trail can be lost, especially in the forest. After that it is quite easy and fast.
Day5: We went down the MR and then took option 3B. After 2 km on that option we caught a lift to cerro castillo. ( so a half day)

In total we hiked for a duration of 4 days spread on 5 days. ( 2 half days in both ends)

Right of way issues:
A guide in Bahia murta told us that we might be asked to pay if we meet the owner of puestos on OH 8 or when arriving in Villa Cerro Castillo.
We met no one on OH8 but we met the settler at 29.4 who was very friendly and never mentionned anything about paying.

For day 3 and 4 we thought about doing à loop woth OH2. We were coming from the south of GPT, and since GPT40, Rio avellano is the first big river with strong current to ford that we met. After heavy rain this option is probably a bit tricky. That is also why we stayed on RR.

'''2025-MAR-13 to 2025-MAR-16 / 3.5 days / Hiking / NOBO / OH (8, partially, then followed the east bank of Estero Sur SOBO up to southwest side of Torres de Avellano) / Joppe O'''

- 13/3: Started around 2:30PM after hitching a ride from Villa Cerro Castillo to Bahia Murta. Walked up to the mentioned camp site 33h/462. The obvious esplanade doesn’t really have a very flat spot, if you go down one ‘level’ there is a truly horizontal spot and it’s a bit more away from the trail.

- 14/3: hiked up to the ford over Rio Estero Sur. The section after the last gate up to the ford is muddy. Met three British students who came back from the Torres. The ford is easy, there is a tree log over the water and a steel cable to help you negotiate it. Lunched at Puesto/Camp at 11.6/548. Then commenced the BB section of option 8 along Resbalin. I made it about 1km into it before giving up. I did not bring a machete but even if I had I would not have pushed through it. It was impossible to make out a trail at this point and because I carried too much stuff it was too arduous and not fun, so I went back to the puesto and read a book in the sun.

- 15/3: I decided to check if I could find the trail up the Estero Sur that the British group told me of. The trail is marked with blue ribbons, pink ribbons, red paint dots, machete cuts on the trees and with cairns (hitos) so it takes some getting used to to follow it. Got lost a couple of times on the way in. There are some trees to climb over but it’s a fun hike. The last section is very steep and partially equipped with ropes to hold on to. Nonetheless would not recommend this section in rain because it would be tricky with the mud etc. Very nice trail though with really pretty forest vegetation and views on the waterfalls coming from the lakes beneath the Torres and the surrounding mountains. Made it to the lower lake around 5PM and camped right next to it at the little ¨beach¨ enjoying the warmth of a small fire made of dead wood. The spot has views of the glacier and you can hear the ice break off now and then. Very cool.

- 16/3 Woke up to rain. Went back the way I came at 10AM, the first part down through the forest is steep and requires full focus. Trail was muddier than the day before after the rain but doable. At the puesto I met Martin Aguëro, the owner, who was there for the first time in almost a year. He told me that his grandson is a guide and is the one who marked the trail and put up the ropes with the intention of taking people there. After lunch I continued the return to Bahia Murta and arrived around 8:40PM. I stayed at the cabaña next to Virginia´s house across from the aerodromo, there are more options down the road but her house is the first one that you come past on the left hand side of the road. (I think there is also a camp ground if you want to save money but at this point I was ready for a night in a proper bed :D).

Other notes:

Both Antonio Quiroz and Martin Aguëro confirmed that the BB section after the puesto along Resbalin is in disuse. They said it was opened/used by the army some decades ago and was indeed used to bring cattle to the Avellano valley, as the manual on Section 33 states.

the next day I got a ride to the bus stop from Antonio Quiroz who is a cattle farmer. He told me that another way to get to the Estero Sur and above it is to take the high route above the tree line right from the mouth of the Resbalin Valley.

For water I had 2x1.5l Nalgenes with me but I just carried a cup on my belt and took a few every time I crossed a stream, carrying .5l just in case to limit weight.

'''2025-02-28 to 2025-03-4 / 5 days / Hiking / SOBO / Option 3, 3B, RR, E, H, I, partial 06, K / Tyson'''

Really beautiful section bookended by some unfortunate roadwalking. The roadwalk up and down to Puerto Ibanez was especially rough with nasty wind and rain ripping down the valley almost the whole way. But the views in the middle of the section made up for it. Pretty magical up top.

Day 1: [Option 3, 3B, RR] Caught the bus at Cafe Arbolitos in Villa Cerro Castillo. 2x buses (Sao Paulo and Bus Carolina?) show up anywhere from 9:30 - 11AM depending when they leave Coyhaique and road conditions etc). Sat up front with the driver for 2.5K pesos. Started walking the 3B road by 1045. There are a couple of bridges that you cross on the initial MR sections that are probably the easiest places to get water if you need it. Saw two climbers hiking back from the Torres who gave me some info on how best to descend the pass [62.0/1314] at the Torres. Beautiful walk up the valley to the first pass [44.4/1149], and after the pass in the CC section, especially in the evening light. Expect wet feet on the CC section. At [53.0/946] there are 2x puestos. After asking at the second, I set up my tent near the first puesto in time for another arriero to arrive and occupy the first. I asked again if my tent was ok there and he happily said no problema.

Day 2: [RR] To the Torres. Initial CC section took a little longer than expected with blowdown. I caught a little sun, and had probably 80% visibility of the Torres. Hung around the lakes there a bit, then went up the pass [62.0/1314] when it started raining in earnest. NOTE: On the way down the pass, once you are past the boulders, it is best to err on the side of staying too far left. It’s tempting to start crossing on the contour when you see a long ledge beneath you after the rock bald. I got cliffed out there and had to turn back. In better weather you might could scramble down but the GPX track is much better in wet and slippery conditions. In better weather I would have done a short day and stayed at the lakeside camp [63.4/995] (called the English camp by the climbers I met the day before?), but I decided to move on. Initially on the descent down Valle Ventisquero I followed some very nice game trail but it soon dissolved into a wet bushwhack. Thought for sure I would catch sight of a huemul with all the footprints that I was seeing, but nothing. Slept at the Camp Without Water [68.7/766]. It’s a corral that offers a nice opening with enough flat space for one tent, and plenty more not so flat space. Water is accessible down the hill. However, I recommend not stopping here and hiking another half hour to the Ford [69.8/634]. There is tons of flat space there, easy water, and you can check out the condition of the Ford.

Day 3: [RR, Option E] Down Lower Rio Avellano. Water was up with all the rain, but mostly just ~knee-high fords. I took Option E by accident but it was pleasant and very easy to follow. The Ford at [81.2/490] was too deep and fast to manage so I hiked upstream not quite a km where the river branched and found a spot that was about upper-thigh high. Stuck to Option H on the north side of the river to avoid additional fords. I took the cut-through Option I to get off the road a bit and noticed some nice flat gravel spots for camping that were free of prickly bushes. Hoping to take the Option 06 high route the next day, I pushed on past the Ford [89.5/545] but couldn’t find any open spots on the first bit of that option. So I went back to the gravel spots that I saw in Option I and camped there. NOTE as I found out the next day if you continue further up Option 06 to where you start seeing more mature tree stands you can find camp spots (without water) where cows bed down.

Day 4: [Option 06 partial, RR] Tempted by a bit of sun in the morning, I started climbing Option 06. Within an hour though it started raining and blowing, and after climbing halfway to the pass it turned to snow. Reluctantly I turned back but was immediately rewarded by a great big male huemul staring at me from about 10m away! Happily descended and started down the lower RR. After the Bridge [108.1/462] there is an old fallen down puesto [-46.457555, -72.044263] that shows up on OSM and satellite. Decent flat spot there, with water down the hill not too far away; camped there.

Day 5: [RR, Option K] Wind started up again. Got to X [130.4/311] in the afternoon and decided to push through to Puerto Ibanez. Spent the next few hours on a hellish road walk leaning into the wind and rain with not a single car going my way until I was almost to the Rio Claro bridge [147.7/211]. Was thrilled to get a hitch down to Puerto the rest of the way. Though the waterfall at Rio Ibanez is very cool, I think anyone who can figure out a ferry from Playa Levican to Chile Chico would be doing a great service to future hikers. I would gladly have paid to have skipped that bit of road on a day like that.

*'''2025-FEB-28 to 2025-MAR-01 / 1 day / Hiking / SOBO / RR+OH (var. A, 01A, 01) / Ivan, Jakub, Daniel'''

We chose variants A, 01A and 01, so it was easy section which leads mainly on a paved road. There is a nice view of Cerro Castillo on the beginning and a waterfall of Rio Ibáñez [148.4/212] was also worth it.

From the point X [1.3/328] to the point X [5.5/554] we ascent on the minor road. The rest of this section is on the paved road.

CHALLENGES: Monotonous walk on the paved road.

BIVOUACING: There is a fence along the road most of the time, but it's possible to find some quiet places on the pastures. We spent the only night here:

WATER: Water from the nearby lakes, eventually from Rio Ibáñez. There are almost no small streams close to the road.

RESUPPLY: There is a well stocked store in the center of Villa Cerro Castillo, called 'Janito'. Close to there is a stylish foodtruck made of two old buses. There are more opportunities in Puerto Ingeniero Ibáñez (at least 2 stores and even more restaurants).

'''2025-02-19 to 2025-02-23 / 5 days / Hiking / SOBO / option 3B, RR, variant C,H, / Thijmen Scholten'''</span

* I started hitchiking from Cerro Castillo, but barely any cars passed and Around 10.00 de bus came
* Took option 3 and first day is only road walking , the first part untill the last settler (30.8) is really really really boring ! Hitching did not work. You can get a taxi from Cero de Castillo's it will cost 70.000 pesos.
* Water: On option 3 and the road walks of the RR there is not much water. For the rest water is no problem
* Camping : Many camp places everywhere.
* Option C the Laguna is nice
* I camped at crosspoint to the Laguna (option C), nice place but many dead trees and branches so lookout where you put your tent when it's windy
* Around km 49 I followed the Osmo trail trough the forest instead of the presumely swampy grassland trail (it rained all night)
* It rained all day and also next day so I opted to take option 8 instead. But I am very glad I did continue on the RR because the view on the other side of the pass is beautiful!
* Scrambling down from the pass was ok even in the rain. Just be sure to follow the gpx carefully ! Otherwise you will end up at a ledge
* The camp site at the lake is very wind exposed my tent blew away. Decided to pack it again and camp down in the beautiful forest.
* As for the bushbash part. I followed the right side of the river (looking downstream). There was a trail which I lost often but easy to walk. Even saw campfire traces so probably it's used more often. I don't know if it's easier than the right side. But the BB/CC part took me less than 2 hours this side.
* The first official fjord (69.8) was already above my waist and very difficult (crossed it diagonal as supposed). It rained all night so probably the river is not only affected by glacial melt but also by rain alot.
* Talked to Roberto (he lives around km 80) and he confirmed the river was high due to the rain. He adviced me to cross at his house where the river has 3 arms. I did that and the crossing was just doable the water was untill my waist.
* Roberto also offered me to cross with his horse if it was impossible on foot.
* Took variant H to avoid crossing 2 more times
* The road walk has not alot of nice camping places. Found 1 grassy patch with water around 5km before the lake.
* When the hiking trail next to the lake starts , just go straight to the beach otherwise you have to bushbash.
* The trail next to the lake is sometimes covered by vegetation I break some branches to make a way. Is everyone does this (or with Macheti) the trail will stay walkable (look out for thorns).
* There is internet (Entel) from around halfway the trail.
* I Camped at the end of the trail (km 117.6) close to the lake, there is little stream there as well.
* Road walk to Ibanez is very very very boring as well.
* At water source 135.3 the creek is very small but there is a black hose laying around at the left side of the road which you can use to fill your bottle.
* After 3 hours the first car passed and I got a hitch to town.

'''25-02-19-25-02-23 / 4 days (interrupted)/ SOBO / OH 03B-RR/ Volker'''
Patagonia at its best (and its worst)

Day 0: After gpt32 and resupply in Villa Cerro Castillo too many people hitchhiking on the Carreterra, so I called Pedro Zuleta (+56 993 5786), who drove me for 20k to the start of 03B in the late afternoon. Walked until the pass at S 46.198129° W 72.357921° and camped there (nice place, but very windy).
Day 1: Light rain all the day long. Because of the weather I decided not to take the mountain route (OH07) and continued on the RR (though technically a MR, blocked for cars by fallen trees) and feels like a trail), one non-indicated (very easy) ford. With the rain getting heavier and only few feasible camp spots along the way, early camp at S 46.280118° W 72.435213°. Heavy rain all the night long.
Day 2: The day started with a non-indicated ford 50m behind my camp spot. All further river crossings (including the indicated ford at 52,0: dry feet, broken trees serving as a bridge). Weather better than forecasted, the light rain ceased during the morning and by noon the sun came out. Instead of following the track file and crossing the swampy meadow CC, I stayed on the left side, where a trail leads along the edge of the forest (not without stepping out on the meadow for the scenic view on Cerro los Pumas, which now came out of the clouds). A river bank at the end of the meadow allowed me to dry my tent and cook the warm meal I had skipped the evening before. After the puesto steep down and on the RR very nice along the river. After the steep ascent to the upper valley, though indicated as CC, the trail continues, partly along the river, partly more to the right, avoiding swamps. In the rocky parts, it‘s marked with cairns. My plan was to reach the indicated camp at 63,4, however a storm with hurricane-like blasts made the scrambling across rocks and broken trees very dangerous. Even in easy terrain I could hardly stand it. With a suicidal ford (one blast during the fording: game over) and 2km through wind-exposed rocky terrain ahead I found a flat spot in a wood at S 46.391614° W 72.494383°. Impossible to raise a tent without the protection of the dense wood! And it has to be a wood with young trees (many branches and even some trunks broke that night in forests with older and higher trees). Take this into account, when thinking about OH07 (and read the comments by Alexey, who opened up this route).
Day 3: Though the storm had subsided and the ford was doable, given the overall situation (3km of BB/CC, several fords, bad weather, possibly another storm in the afternoon and 90km ahead with a shortage of food, if slowed down too much by the conditions) I decided to walk back. Rain made the trail very swampy and slippery, 3 creeks, that I crossed dry feet the day before, now to be forded. Camped at the same spot as the day before.
Day 4: Rain the whole night long, not ceasing in the morning. I was very lucky: just arrived at the settler, where the MR gets passable for cars, when the same driver, who drove me to the start of 03B 4 days before, dropped 3 Chileans there (he had offered to drive me there for 70k) and gave me a free ride back to Villa CC.

* '''2025-02-19 to 2025-02-23 / 4,5 days / Hiking / SOBO / option 3B, RR, variant C,H, / Thijmen Scholten'''</span

* I started hitchiking from Cerro Castillo, but barely any cars passed and Around 10.00 de bus came
* Took option 3 and first day is only road walking , the first part untill the last settler (30.8) is really really really boring ! Hitching did not work. You can get a taxi from Cero de Castillo's it will cost 70.000 pesos.
* Water: On option 3 and the road walks of the RR there is not much water. For the rest water is no problem
* Camping : Many camp places everywhere.
* Option C the Laguna is nice
* I camped at crosspoint to the Laguna (option C), nice place but many dead trees and branches so lookout where you put your tent when it's windy
* Around km 49 I followed the Osmo trail trough the forest instead of the presumely swampy grassland trail (it rained all night)
* It rained all day and also next day so I opted to take option 8 instead. But I am very glad I did continue on the RR because the view on the other side of the pass is beautiful!
* Scrambling down from the pass was ok even in the rain. Just be sure to follow the gpx carefully ! Otherwise you will end up at a ledge
* The camp site at the lake is very wind exposed my tent blew away. Decided to pack it again and camp down in the beautiful forest.
* As for the bushbash part. I followed the right side of the river (looking downstream). There was a trail which I lost often but easy to walk. Even saw campfire traces so probably it's used more often. I don't know if it's easier than the right side. But the BB/CC part took me less than 2 hours this side.
* The first official fjord (69.8) was already above my waist and very difficult (crossed it diagonal as supposed). It rained all night so probably the river is not only affected by glacial melt but also by rain alot.
* Talked to Roberto (he lives around km 80) and he confirmed the river was high due to the rain. He adviced me to cross at his house where the river has 3 arms. I did that and the crossing was just doable the water was untill my waist.
* Roberto also offered me to cross with his horse if it was impossible on foot.
* Took variant H to avoid crossing 2 more times
* The road walk has not alot of nice camping places. Found 1 grassy patch with water around 5km before the lake.
* When the hiking trail next to the lake starts , just go straight to the beach otherwise you have to bushbash.
* The trail next to the lake is sometimes covered by vegetation I break some branches to make a way. Is everyone does this (or with Macheti) the trail will stay walkable (look out for thorns).
* There is internet (Entel) from around halfway the trail.
* I Camped at the end of the trail (km 117.6) close to the lake, there is little stream there as well.
* Road walk to Ibanez is very very very boring as well.
* At water source 135.3 the creek is very small but there is a black hose laying around at the left side of the road which you can use to fill your bottle.
* After 3 hours the first car passed and I got a hitch to town.

* ''' 2025-FEV-15 > 19 / 4 jours / Randonnée / SOBO / RR > 33-B > RR > 33-D > RR > 33-H > RR / Pierre-Marie '''

Etape : <strike>GPT31</strike>+GPT32+GPT33
| Meteo : soleil nuages et vent
| Eau : difficile au début
| Neige : non
| Intérêt : 5/5
| Difficulté : 4/5
| Danger : Rivière, éboulis

J'ai fais quelques courses et j'ai mangé au restaurant à Villa Cerro Castillo. Ensuite j'ai repris la randonnée. Attention l'eau est difficilement accessible car les lacs sont clôturés et en contrebas de la route. Sur la gravel road j'ai réussi à faire 4 km d'auto-stop. J'ai mal préparé ma randonnée et j'ai raté la 33-A. Mais je n'avais pas encore dépassé la 33-B alors je l'ai prise. Il y a un petit ruisseau devant le settler du km 0,7. Je n'ai pas pu faire de stop sur la gravel road car je n'ai vu aucun vehicule. Il y a un ford au km 36 quand le sentier traverse la rivière. Au km 52 un arbre permet de passer la rivière. Je suis passé par la 33-D pour aller voir les lacs. Je suis content d'avoir eu du soleil car la descente après le km 62 est vraiment raide sur des pierres lisse et des éboulis. Il n'y a pas de bush-bashing sur cette section du GPT. La descente après le lac se fait bien puis on entre dans un bois ou il n'y a pas de végétation au sol. Ensuite il faut suivre la rivière en marchand dans l'eau jusqu'au km 68,5 où la rivière se transforme en rapide et on trouve un sentier dans le sous-bois. Il faudrait trouver une autre couleur pour les sections de randonnées où on marche dans l'eau. Les fords des km 71,8, 73,5, 78,3 et 89,5 se font sans mettre les pieds dans l'eau. Le chemin est innondé au km 75,5, difficile à éviter car il est entouré de marais. Le ford du km 81,2 était dangereux car le courant était très fort même avec 60cm d'eau. Au km 98,5 il faut aller directement sur la plage. Le chemin le long du lac est parfois envahi par la végétation surtout dans les zones humide. A partir du km 130 c'est la gravel road peu frequentée X-735. J'ai eu du mal à faire de l'auto-stop mais j'ai reussi à faire les 15 derniers km avec un camion. Je n'ai pas pu m'arrêter à la cataracte du km 148,4, c'est mon seul regret car le vent était si violent que j'avais du mal à avancer.
FEV-20: Repos Coyhaique.

''' 2025-FEB-7 to 2025-FEB-15 / 8 hiking days / Hiking / SOBO / option 03B, RR, option 02 / Nimrod & Tamar '''

Good camps for bad weather (more info below): (-46.172528, -72.273827) Hut near km 52. puesto?[4.8/745] (-46.48726, -72.10065)

We think that its worth mentioning that if the weather is bad and you choose option 02 you should expect hard fords and having hard time following the trail until connecting back to RR.

Day 1:

Hitchhiked from Coyhaique - 3 rides 5 hours. Started walking at 17:00, camped at (-46.116414, -72216049). It was a little wind protected.

Day 02:

Rain all night and all day. Got a lift for 5 km by 2 chilean hikers that went to the Torres and back. Camped at: (-46.172528, -72.273827). Rain and wind all night and the camp location was well protected.

Day 03:

Finally sun came out, so we dried our gear. Camped at km 62. Great view and wind protection. The weather became bad again.

Day 04:

Started hailing in the morning and it should have became worse along the day. We climbed to the pass early in the morning. Got a glimpse of the Torres and made our way to camp at km 52. Near the camp there is an abandoned small hut where we stayed until the next day. The hut is well protected from rain and wind, and you can even make a fire inside.

Day 05:

Our Inreach forecast lied us (again...) and the rain didn't stop until evening. Took option 2 - Rio Avalleno. The river was swollen because of the rain and the fords were quite difficult for us. The trail was gone under the water in a lot of parts, and in some parts it was just CC. Track files was irrelevant in many parts. Camped at puesto?[4.8/745]. Like described before - it's actually a wooden built wall which protects from the wind. The wind was crazy and it gave us great wind protection to pitch our tent and to enjoy a fire.

Day 06:

Finally a nice day. Untill we connected to the RR the trail was in bad condition, and again the track files not very helpful. You can skip 2 fords at km 9 if you stick to the nice and visible trail on the east side.

Maria and Julio not at home. Camped at (-46.276123, -72.204873) There was some wind protection and no water.

Day 07:

At (-46.275422, -72.198820) we met Ricardo (we are not sure if he is a settler or a woreke), which kindly suggested to help us cross the Avellano on his horse back. The river was quite swollen from the rain but it's hard for us to say if it was crossable by foot. Camped at (-46.48726, -72.10065) by the small lake. The wind was strong and the campsite was well protected by the big rocks. We filtered water from the small lake/swamp. It might be flooded earlier in the season though.

Day 08:

Walked all the way to X[130.4/311] and camped near the junction. Not wind protected but the weather was good. There were a lot of water at variant N.

Woke up late and took the bus at 9:00. About one hour ride, 1000 clp. Times like MiaimZelt has written.

'''2025-Feb-02 to 2025-Jan-05 / 4 days / Hiking / SOBO / Hiking / Opt 3B, RR, Opt 8 / Tom'''

Day 1 - Rainy: I hitchhiked from Villa Castillo to the junction at the beginning of 3B. Great views, but if you can afford to pay for transportation to the end of the road, it's worth it. I camped at -46.2647991, -72.41223312025. Due to the rain, there were several streams, and some areas offered wind protection.

Day 2 - Rainy: A simple day, just following the route. Be mindful of the exit point from the road—I was focused on the rain and missed it. The Mallín (wetland) can be challenging at times, but nothing too difficult.

I arrived at Camp 57.2, where four students had waited for a day, hoping for clear skies.

Day 3 - Sunny: I started early, around 6:45 AM. It took about 2.5 hours to reach the viewpoint. Around -46.3870597, -72.4916724, there's a more recent landslide. Nothing too difficult, just loose rocks and fallen trees. Another 2.5 hours to return. On the same day, I started Opt 8 at 1 PM. This section took me 6.5 hours. It's a cattle trail, poorly marked—you really need to follow the GPS carefully, as there are many paths that lead nowhere. I recommend checking the contour lines since there is significant elevation gain. I arrived at Camp ? 11.6, which is Puesto Aguero—it appears to be in use, with sleeping bags and food inside. The camping area isn't ideal, as the ground retains a lot of moisture.

Day 4 - Rain/Sunny: I started at 2 PM when the rain stopped. The river was quite high, so unlike Michael and Kasia, I used the "punte" (a makeshift crossing). It's a fairly slender tree, but there's a rope to help with balance. I had no issues, but if the river were lower, I would have crossed directly through the water. At the beginning, the route is quite muddy but clear. The first half can be a bit more challenging at times, but the trail is well-marked towards the end. It took 4.5 hours to reach Bahía Muerta.

General Notes: From Route 7 to the Torres viewpoint, it's quite straightforward and well-marked. The difficult section is between Camp 57.2 and Camp ? 11.6. I know there's a route from Camp ? 11.6 to another viewpoint of the Torres, which is not included in current GPS tracks. It seems to be a trail that guides from Avellano Bahía Muerta are currently working on.

* '''2025 Jan / 4,5 days / SOBO / hiking/ opt. 3B, RR, opt. E / Al & Bee'''

It’s a beautiful route but it also consists of a considerable amount of road walking. The terrain before and after the Torres and some of the river crossings can be challenging depending on the conditions. This GPS track by Alex Chile on wikiloc was very helpful.

Day 01
We hitched a ride in the late afternoon from Villa Cerro Castillo along the Carretera Austral to the crossing with Camino Lago Lapparent (X at 18.6). From there on it’s a long way of gravel road walking. For camping we would not recommend the camp at 32.0 because it’s located on a fenced-off part of the trail. We camped in proximity to a small river at approximately (-46.25806, -72.38893).

Day 02
Late start, waiting out the rain in the morning. More road walking through the forest until X at 45.5. Then following a path through the forest on to an open valley with some cows. Some parts were boggy, at times it was easier to walk on the left side close to the forest. Some easy fording. Camp at 52.7 looked nice, lots of dead trees in that area. Route along river became more challenging at some point after X at 54.5 but it also started raining quite heavily then. Boulder fields to cross carefully, rocks were slippery in the rain. Behind the first boulder field, a stretch of (former) forest previously devastated by a storm, almost all trees uprooted. Reached the two lagoons as it was getting dark and camped at a beautiful spot close to camp at 61.2.

Day 03
The next morning peaks of the Torres were (still) covered in clouds, yet a beautiful sight. CC up to the pass at 62.0, beautiful views of the lagoon next to camp at 63.4 and the glacier. CC down the pass and through the boulder field required concentration but was fun, the weather was good. We were able to go around the snow field, which was then to our right. A bit further we encountered the same issue as described by MiaimZelt: our trails and the map didn’t match the terrain in the section with the waterfall. We also hiked down left of it. CC-descent close to lagoon and over boulder field. For the stretch along Rio Ventisquero to the trailhead we can really recommend the GPS track mentioned above. Countless (easy) river crossings, some riverbed walking, some boggy stretches. Nice horse trail after trailhead at 68.5. Fording at 69.8 was knee to thigh deep and manageable. After (easy) ford at 71.8 we took variant E because it seemed less overgrown. Easy horsetrail from there. Said hello to a settler. Camped right before ford at 81.2.

Day 04
Fords at 81.2 and particularly 81.4 were quite deep (thigh to hip high) and with strong current but manageable. Soon, easy walking on minor road. The road becomes bigger as you get closer to the lake. At the lake we enjoyed walking at the lake shore in the beginning before the path leads up to the hills. A perfectly windless day, the lake was extremely calm. The walk along and view of the lake was gorgeous and a highlight of the trail. Lots of creeks and beautiful waterfalls. We met two GPT-hikers heading the opposite direction and had a nice chat. Not many campsites available along the path. After a long day of walking we camped at 113.9.

Day 05
Late start, enjoying the lake in the morning. A little more ups and downs along the lake then ascended first on an overgrown minor road and then on one actually in use. Got water up the stream next to settler at 121.8. Along the last part of the dirt road we had a nice chat with local settlers who showed us some Calafate berry shrubs and offered us a ride to the junction with the road to Levican (X at 130.4). From there we had a transport.

'''2025-Jan-17 to 2025-Jan-21 / 5 days / Hiking / SOBO / OH03B RR + variant D + variant H / Sean & Neele'''

Took the bus at 10 from Villa Cerro Castillo to the start of Option 03B. We'd hope to hitch the dirt road but we literally saw only one car.

Bridge 25.7km - good place to get water

Camped just before junction for option C (46.5km roughly) by the stream in the woods. Great wind protection.

49km to 50.8km - track files go CC but on OSM there's a trail we followed it and it worked well. CC route looked wet and boggy in places.

Ford 52km - lots of downed trees so can cross with dry feet.

Took variant D - easy and beautiful would recommend it.

Pass 60km small patch of snow on South side no problem without spikes

Camped at camp 63.4km - very beautiful but no wind protection, we were lucky the wind was pretty calm.

CC & BB 64.3 + 4.2 - we just stuck with the stream the whole way down worked out well.

Ford 81.2km - about 550m before the waypoint the trail gets close to the river for us it looked easy at this point so we just crossed here. Just over knee deep at 4pm on a hot sunny day, no rain for the past few days.

Took variant H to skip the other 2 fords.

Camped at 93.3km (S 46° 28.690', W 072° 11.674') nice grassy area with a small stream.

98.5km - shortly after leaving the road RR take you through some bushwhacking but it's avoidable just go straight to the beach.

Camped on the beach around 116km

Road walked to 138.5km where we saw the first car of the day and got a hitch to Puerto Ibanez.

* '''2025 Jan 02 to Jan 11 / 10 hiking days / SOBO, NOBO, WEBO / Hiking / Opt 3B, RR, Opt 2, Opt 8 / Michael and Kasia'''

Quick notes:

A nice section with some great views and some good optionals. It is a fairly popular trail up to the Torres; we met 11 other hikers on the RR. Opt 2 is a really pretty and peaceful valley. Opt 8 is an adventurous alternative route, probably better to exit GPT33 than to enter it on full resupply weight.

CAMPS:

Night 01: -46.25532, -72.38365 (good water access, decent wind protection (look up before you set your tent, there were some widow makers), next to the road, no view)

Night 02: -46.34592, -72.49822 (Camp 57.2) (decent view, excellent water access, minimal wind protection, surrounded by dead trees, not safe in windy conditions, a lot of spots to choose from)

Night 03: -46.40655, -72.49601 (amazing view, decent water access, no wind protection)

Night 04: same as night 3

Night 05: -46.35732, -72.45379 (flat space for two tents, wind protected, just off the trail, water is a little ways away)

Night 06: -46.36802, -72.43937 (flat space for 2 tents, excellent wind protection, no view, water is a little ways away, accompanied by the sturdy arrieros shelter)

Night 07: same as night 6

Night 08: same as night 2

Night 09: -46.39734, -72.58201 (Camp ? 11.6) (not much truly flat space, but if you aren't picky there's lots of space, no wind protection, water is down a steep hill,next to the used puesto)

WATER:

On 3B and into RR on the road it was difficult to find at times. On all trail sections it was easy to find.

Day 01 - Jan 2nd

We got the bus from the terminal in Coyhaique. It was a bit of an ordeal. The buses hadn't been running for two days on account of the holiday, and we had not purchased tickets in advance. There was quite a line and it seemed they had been sold out much earlier. We went and talked to the driver after he finished loading most of the luggage. He said to give him a minute to check. He luckily had two empty seats to Cerro Castillo, and we paid him cash at the break point in Cerro Castillo, 8.000 pp, the normal price. He dropped us at the beginning of Opt 3B. There was a bus stop there. Opt 3B is a gravel road. There is some nice scenery, but overall it's a road walk. There isn't much traffic, but hitchhiking is possible. RR from km 24 where Opt 3B meets it is also gravel road until km 45.5. There isn't a huge grade and the road is in good condition, so it's easy if somewhat underwhelming walking. Water is not so easily accessible. All the little side creeks had dried up or were just water trickling through mud. Much of the time we were too high above the water, or it was fenced off. At km 24.9 there is an unmarked bridge. There was good water access there. There was also a very nice campsite there at (-46.21595, -72.34452). It had flat space for at least one tent, maybe two, trees and good water access close by. The next good water spot we found was at Settler 29.4. There was easy water access next to the bridge down to the barn. We didn't find water again until km 35.5 when we camped for the night. Camp 32.0 should be marked “Camp with No Water”. We did not see any water nearby or anything that looked like there is water at another time of year. At km 31.9 there was a locked gate with a No Trespassing sign, but a set of stairs to walk over the fence on the left hand side. The stairs were solid and in good condition. At km 32.9 was an easy open gate with a No Trespassing sign facing the other direction. It looked like someone had been working there recently, lots of fresh wood cuts, but we didn't see anyone. We camped just off the road at km 35.5 in a little clearing, just after a gate. There was access to the estero there.

Day 02 - Jan 3rd

We continued the road walk. The trail in the forest was very nice. The meadows were a little marshy but we moved through them fairly quickly. Ford 52.0 was easy, top of the calf and not much current. There was actually a fallen tree that could work as a bridge to do a dry foot crossing. We camped at Camp 52.7 next to a stream. This would not be a good site if it is windy. Fortunately we had a windless night. No issues finding water this day. We met three other hikers on their way out of Avellanos.

Day 03 - Jan 4th

The trail to the Trailhead 57.0 is easy to follow and, except in a few places, in good shape. There were a few places where it disappeared for a bit. Where they diverged, sometimes GPT track files were better, sometimes OSM, we just chose what seemed the most traveled. After Trailhead 57.0 the track is a little more difficult to follow. The OSM track was a little more accurate for the CC sections. There was only one ford at the end of the valley a little before it goes up into the woods, around km 59.3, just below the knee, not a strong current. The way through the woods at the end was difficult to follow. It is fairly overgrown in parts and we ended up walking a bit above the GPT track pushing through trees until the boulder field. We were trying to make it to Camp 61.2 above the pass. After the Trailhead 57.0 we did not see another suitable place to camp until close to Camp 61.2; everything was wet or on a slope, either covered in rock or trees. We camped at (-46.40655, -72.49601), about 400 m before Camp 61.2 in a flat area. There was no wind protection, but the night was calm. The site has a great view of the mountains and one of the lakes. We met five other hikers heading out over the course of the day.

Day 04 - Jan 5th

We did a packless day trip up to the pass to see the Torres. The weather was good, full sun and light wind. We spent about an hour on the pass. The Torres are nice; the one in the middle looked to us like it had the face of the rock eating monster from Neverending Story. As nice as the Torres were, we actually preferred the view on the mountains on the north side of the pass. On the way back down we looked at the area around Camp 61.2. We didn't really see any spaces suitable for a tent, certainly not for something the size of the X-Mid 2. There seemed to be a few options for bivys. There were strong gusts of wind in the night and part of our tent collapsed. We managed to get it back up and it stayed up for the rest of the night.

Day 05 - Jan 6th

We headed back NOBO on RR. We met Mia who was heading SOBO at the ford. It was nice to cross paths with another GPTer. At the X 54.5 we switched to Opt 2 Avellanos Bypass. We were interested to see the valley. The trail in places is in great shape, especially the higher areas, and in places non-existant, especially in low, wet areas, or where the river has washed it out. At one point we saw a huemul, our first one. It was walking up stream in the river very slowly and pausing often. We watched it for about 15 minutes before it finally got up on the hill on the opposite side and climbed into the trees. A little while later there was a huge waterfall coming down from one of the mountains. We camped in a sandy area under some trees a ways away from the river. All fords were more of a blessing in the scolding sun than a challenge. The riverbed moved in some places into the land where the GPS tracks were but it was very easy to navigate.

Day 06 - Jan 7th

We walked further downriver to Puesto ? 4.9. It is not actually a puesto, but a stopover half-shelter with fire pit for people driving animals. It was a great wind barrier, and a place to hang out on our rest/”waiting rain over” day. Just a few meters away we found a nice flat area with space for two tents that was very well wind protected and we were expecting 90 km/h winds to come next day. We left our packs and went further down river. The valley is really beautiful and has some great views. For a while the trail is in excellent condition, then it starts to disappear. It was not possible to follow the GPT track for all of it, but we found other paths. The river fords got increasingly more challenging as we went down stream. More drainages joined the river and added water. We turned around at Ford 8.2 and we noticed the increase in river level just over those few hours. The most difficult ford was mid-thigh with a good amount of current (at 6pm, earlier around 3 pm it was good 20 cm lower).

Day 07 - Jan 8th

We took a zero day. Rain and high wind all day. The camp site worked very well for inclement weather.

Day 08 - Jan 9th

We backtracked the rest of Opt 2 and arrived midday back at Camp 57.2. We were planning to exit 33H on Opt 8 but didn't want to start it the same day. We enjoyed a half rest day with sun and no wind at the campsite. We passed three other tents during the day.

Day 09 - Jan 10th

We started Opt 8 in the morning. For the first 7 km or so it is actually fairly easy to follow. The GPX tracks aren't always spot on, but we followed them as closely as we could and we managed to find the trail more often than not. The landslide seemed to be quite small and we just walked below it. The two fords at that point are just over a side stream, so probably dry foot crossable a little later in the season. Everything after that until Camp ? 11.6 where we stopped for the night was a bit of a challenge. In areas the trail is in excellent shape and then it just disappears into slopes of grass and blow downs. We would lose the track and CC for a while, finding it again a couple hundred meters on. I just walked with the Garmin in one hand for most of the way since I had to check it so frequently. The last few km to the campsite were very muddy. It ended up being a very long and very exhausting day. We did not see any serviceable campsites for our tent between the beginning and Camp ? 11.6. Camp ? 11.6 is a puesto with a sign saying it is called Puesto Agüero. There is also a sign saying “No Dejar Basura”, which we took to mean that the puesto is used, at least unofficially, for public camping, but just to pack your trash out. The site does not have good wind protection, but we had a windless night.

Day 10 - Jan 11th

Ford 11.5 had the same makeshift bridge that Maggie & Julien reported last season. We decided to ford instead of use the bridge. We forded a little lower than the waypoint. It was above the knee and with a fair amount of current. The path after the ford was generally very easy to follow. In the pastures we kept an eye on the GPS as there are animal trails that go all over, but in the forested areas it was very clear. It was very muddy for the first half and mostly dry for the second half. There are some nice views of the river along the way, and of the valley toward the end of the section. The MR at the end has been extended further up the valley and now starts about 1.5 km sooner than indicated in the track files. We walked into Puerto Murta around 18:30. We had no particular difficulty with Opt 8, and it was not overgrown enough that we wished we had a machete at any point. Though it doesn't look like it from the elevation profile in Gaia, due to the constant ups and downs there is an enormous amount of cumulative elevation gain and loss. For this reason we think that this is a much better option for exiting the section, so the pack can be as light as possible.

* '''2025 Jan 4th to Jan 9th / 5.5 hiking days / SOBO / Hiking / Opt 3B, RR, Opt D & E & H / MiaimZelt'''

This section indeed is a real gem, but also challenging. Weather was hot and sunny, too warm in my opinion.

Day 1: Wanted to hitchhike from Villa Cerro Castillo to the start of Opt 3B, but then a bus came an took me. Mostly boring hiking along a minor road.

Day 2: Continued along the minor road, soon it got smaller and wasn't passable for cars anymore. At -46.254893, -72.381462 is a new fence, theoretically it could be opened, but you need to be strong. I crawled under it... Here -46.260122, -72.397627 is a large rather open field with lot's of flat space to pitch a tent. Water nearby. -46.260547, -72.400255 small building, which was unoccupied. The horsetrail is in good condition. Camped here: -46.352094, -72.488826, but there is only space for small tents.

Day 3: The ascend in the forest was also in good condition. Later you have to sharpen your eyes and look for the cairns. Met Kasia and Michael, was nice to meet other GPT hikers. Option D is marked with cairns, but there is no trail and i had to cross the river 2 more times. Especially the first lake is a real gem.
Hike up to the pass was not difficult, just take your time.
Way down is more challenging. I had to cross a large and steep patch of snow, which was ok without microspikes. Than you have to climb down a steep slope with lots of boulders, but they have good traction. The middle part was the hardest, because both smartphone and Garmin didn't show my correct position and wanted me to hike down a small waterfall. According to the smartphone there had to be a lake, but there was a forest instead, which wasn't shown neither on the Garmin nor on the Smartphone. Hiked down left of the waterfall, which looked much safer. The last part before you arrive at the glacier lagoon, is a large field of XXL-boulders which you have to cross. The views at the lake were awesome!
The bushbashing was mostly easy or at least not difficult. The worst was the stretch along Rio Ventisquero to the Trailhead. In the beginning i tried to walk in the riverbed, which often means to walk in the river, not just crossing the river. But when a 2nd river was added, the water was up to middle thigh and had a stromg current - not a good idea to continue this way. Hiked at the left side in the forest instead. Sometimes there was a vague animal trail, but it disappeared very often. This was really annoying with a lot of bushbashing. Camped at Camp Without Water {33H} [68.7/766].

Day 4: Crossing of Rio Ventisquero was just up to my knees and not diffucult. Enjoyed the horsetrail along Rio Avellano, but i took Option E, because the RR was i overgrown in this area. Option E is in better condition. Didn't met Maria & Julio, later i saw to guys on horseback. Ford {33H} [81.4/492] was up to my crotch (i'm 1.74cm) and had a strong current, but i made it. My feet had traction, but couldn't place my trekkingpoles correctly due to the strong current. You have to cross 3 times here, but the other two were easy.
The Minor road is not like a real road, it's more a 4x4 track used by horses with sandy ground and vegetation in the middle. It's hard to find a camp at this minor road, because of the thorny vegetation. Camped here: -46.478173, -72.19456. It's a patch of flat gras with enough space for several tents, has a small stream and good protection from the wind.

Day 5: According to my Inreach the wind gusts should reach up to 101km/h. Was indeed very windy, but fortunately it came from the back and the wind was warm. The trail along Lago General Carrera is very scenic and mostly visible, but also strenuous. Some (fortunately very short parts) are badly overgrown - a machete would be useful. Almost every plant in this area has thorns. The ups and downs a very steep, which i didn't like in the heat. Lot's of water. Used Camp {33H} [116.3/239] which has a great protection from the wind. But be aware of the thorny plants while searching where to pitch you tent - there are only 2 places without them.

Day 6: The last stretch until the minor road was much faster. The first part of the minor road has vegetation on it and isn't used by cars. Brought all the water from the lake, but it wasn't necessary. Small streams here: -46.403664, -71.975755 and next to the road at Settler {33H} [121.8/643]. The settler wasn't at home and the wooden gates were locked, had to climb over them. There are several minor roads, not just one. Bridge {33H} [129.3/304] is a deep canyon, didn't see a possibility to get water there. Walked two hours along the road between Levican and Puerto Ibañez, until i got a hitch.

* '''Dec 6-11 / 03B + RR SOBO / wiiiim'''

Great route, still early season, weather was sunny but still cold, rivers were low, the infamous crossing of the lower rio Avellano just above knee height.
The crux of the route was the South side of the pass, sections of snow, I crossed later in the day when it was softer, avoided most of the snow on the East rock flank, but around 1200m the rock slabs were wet & the gullies in between were filled with snow. A bit of a maze, it took some time and back tracking, I used micro spikes but its probably okay without, I think knowing how to self arrest on snow with hiking poles is always a good skill to have, lots of videos exist on that.
Laguna la Plaza is a short/easy side trip well worth it, the North side of the pass is fast going & pretty well indicated (ciarns), on the South side section of CC once on the valley floor it seems easier to wade through the (spectacular) river.
I was pleasantly surprised with the walk along the lake, it’s really different and beautiful.
I was lucky to get a ride out from the MR to Puerto Ibáñez quite quickly from around -46.36065, -71.90255 but it’s usually very quiet.

At -46.26604, -72.41735 there is an established rock bivvy that could also fit a medium size tent.

Overall I would probably recommend the regular route NOBO to cut out most of the start/end road sections: organise a ride from Puerto Ibanez to the trail head (it will be worth the money) and on the other end the finish of 03B on the carretera austral will have plenty of traffic to hitch a ride

• '''2024-Dec-09 to 2024-Dec-10 / 2 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR + Opt.A + Opt.01A + Opt.01/ Julien'''

Following the road to Puerto Ibáñez
Just a little difficulty about finding water because most of lakes and rivers are private now.

* '''2024-Nov-28 to 30 / 3 day / Hiking / Circuit / GPT33H Option 5 and 5A Valle Miller from Puerto Alarcon to Valle Jaramillo and return to Puerto Sanchez / Meylin Ubilla and Jan Dudeck'''

The Cordillera de Avallano between Rio Ibanez and Lago General Carrera is one of the hidden treasures of Patagonia. And Valle Miller is one possible entrance into this mountain range.

After packrafting to Puerto Alarcon we packed our packrafting gear and hiked up Valle Miller along the minor road to the bridge over Rio Miller to crossing “X {33H-05} [7.8/611]”. There are numerous possible camp sites and water sources along this minor road.

A few hundred meters after crossing “X {33H-05} [7.8/611]” is the last pasture with suitable camp sites.

Valle Jaramillo is a very scenic side valley of Valle Miller that can be explored in one day.

This side valley has no distinct trail but the forest is reasonably open. Therefore ascending and descending through the forest is not really bush bashing but just a slalom around the numerous fallen trees.

Once the open terrain is reached, hikers can see the very scenic valley with some remaining smaller glaciers.

The cross country walk to the 1679 m high pass is very rewarding in good weather. From an altitude of 1400 m the terrain was in parts covered by snow fields as we visited this early in the season.

We returned to Puerto Sanchez which is the alternative starting Point for hikers.

==Season 2023/24==

* '''2024 Mar 22 to 2024 Mar 28 / 7 days / Hiking / NOBO / RR / Maddi, Tom and Jordan'''

Day 1: Got the public bus from Puerto Ibanez to Levican for about 1000CLP each. We were the only ones on the bus and the driver dropped us at the trailhead. After walking along the road for a while we miraculously got a hitch in the back of a pick up for a couple of kms. Trail down to the lake was a little confusing but just head down and you'll hit the main trail eventually. Trail along the lake has plenty of up and down but nothing too strenuous. We had a perfect, windless day with not too much sun so it was pretty easy going, plenty of spots to get water once down near the lake. The notes said there was some scary exposure but we didn't really encounter any along this section, the path is pretty solid and clearly used by horses. Set up camp on the lake on the small rocky beach at (-46.47634,-72.08138). Just enough room for our Zpacks Triplex and Jordan's free standing tent. Jordan caught a fish that night but chucked it back.

Day 2: Great sunrise over the lake but then it started to rain. Jordan caught another fish which the boys had for breakfast. Walked along the lake in light rain until the old road where we went up the steep hill and started inland. One apple tree along this section but the apples weren't great. Followed the disused road until the end and then started along the track. Hit our first ford at about (-46.46161,-72.24620) which was above the knee on me (174cm tall) and quite fast flowing/muddy from all the rain. Tom slipped climbing up the bank here and fell backwards into the water but somehow avoided getting swept away. Kept walking along until we hit the refugio, unfortunately it was locked. Set up camp next to it so we could use the porch for shelter then went to scout the next ford just past it. This one was way too high and fast to cross so we were hoping it would go down overnight. Rio Avellano also looked impossible but that was a problem for the next day.

Day 3: Luckily the tributary into the Rio Avellano had gone down significantly overnight and we were able to cross without issues, although it was still fairly fast flowing at about knee height. Had a go at crossing the Rio Avellano just after this ford where it is marked on the GPX and others had mentioned it was doable but we had no luck, even employing the three astern. Decided to try the settler's place up on the hill to see if we could get help crossing but noone seemed to be around. Kept following the track along the river, hoping for a place to cross. Jordan somehow manage to cross using the eddies formed by a large tree that had fallen into the river. He had to come back across to help me get over with Tom but it was a near miss. Water level just below hip and quite fast flowing. Massive relief to make it across and get to enjoy the sun a bit. Had lunch near Maria and Julio's but still didn't run into anyone other than sheep. Enjoyed an awesome section walking along through ankle deep water in the autumn colours with snowy peaks in the background. Hit another fairly fast flowing ford, just above the knee, but manageable now we were getting good at crossing 3 astern. Thought we would make it to camp just below the towers but unfortunately hit another ford that even Jordan couldn't cross. Much higher consequence with huge rapids downstream and the water level above the hip. Tried to walk upstream a km or so to see if we could cross but ends up high above the river as it enters a canyon section. Scrambled back down and camped for the night on the track in the forest with the hope of lower water in the morning.

Day 4: Water was much lower in the morning and we were able to cross with no issues. Still over the knee and fast flowing but the group of 3 works wonders. Headed into the forest and up past the old corral then into the swampy section. This was super rough going as the swamp was over the knee in parts. We constantly switched between climbing between the tangle of tree or wading through the swamp. It was raining lightly and getting quite cold by this point. We made it to a clearing along the river at about 11am but the towers were in complete fog and I was shivering hard. Decided to set up camp in the forest and try for the towers the next day in the hope of more visibility. Found a nice camp spot in the forest at (-46.42932,-72.49572) with easy access to the river for water. Snuggled down to try to warm up all afternoon, only emerging for meals.

Day 5: Set off through the forest up towards the towers. Says bush bashing but was actually pretty easy walking up the hill. Towers still in a bit of cloud but made it up there mid morning and spent some time scrambling around the lake to take a look around. Camp site in the rocks was flooded from yesterday so glad we didn't try to get up there to camp. Scramble over the boulder field and up to the pass isn't too bad, although some snow patches made it a bit slippery. Cool granite slabs on the way up. Super windy once we got over the pass so hurried down the valley. No navigation issues but definitely got wet feet walking along the river. Camped at the refugio.

Day 6: Hiked along clear trail until we got to the minor road. Hoped to get a rare hitch but didn't really see anyone. Decided to hike along the river just before the bridge toward Lago Lapparent to find somewhere to camp. Found a few awesome spots along the crystal clear water for our last night.

Day 7: Headed back to the road and followed it back to the Carretera Austral. Got a hitch in about 15 minutes all the way to Coyhaique but there is a bus stop there if you can time it right.

* '''2024-02-23 to 2024-02-27 / 5 days / Hiking / SOBO / OH03B + RR + OH08 / Maggie & Julian '''

Trail attractiveness: 4/5;
Difficulty: 3/5
(keep in mind that this is our first GPT hike)

Day 1: ‘GPT33H-03B start’ to (-46.2570, -72.3711):

We entered from Carretera Austral at Laguna Verde (Option 03B) after being dropped off by the morning bus from Coyhaique (heading to Cochrane). Arrived at the crossroads at 11:30am with Don Carlos bus.
Whole day was walking on roads and relatively easy to make distance.
At (-46.2671, -72.3561) there was a sign reading "se prohibe la entrada al predio" and a locked gate with a ladder to climb over the side. There is a campsite (Camp, X {33H} [32.0/700]) pinned shortly after, but we decided to keep going because of the sign. At (-46.2621, -72.3613) there is an end to the property (same sign facing opposite direction, no gate). We camped on an area used for chopping wood at (-46.2570, -72.3711). Short scramble down to the river.

Day 2: (-46.2570, -72.3711) to Camp {33H} [52.7/953]:

Large part of the day was also road walking, afterwards trails and some cross country.
Camped by Camp {33H} [52.7/953]. Camping around Puesto {33H} [53.0/946] has better mountain views, Puesto itself was being used, possibly for guided horseback trekking.

Day 3: Camp {33H} [52.7/953] to Pass {33H} [62.0/1314] and back:

We left our tent set up and most things at Camp. The way up was sometimes hard to find. Trail markers made more sense on the return. Had an extended lunch a little after Pass {33H} [62.0/1314] and then returned the way we had come.

Day 4: Camp {33H} [52.7/953] to Camp ? {33H-08} [11.6/548]:

Probably hardest day in navigation, trail disappeared often, but manageable.
The former landslide section at (-46.3853, -72.5520) did not pose any difficulties for us as the water level was not too high and the main river flow now goes near the northwestern side of the valley. We just had to step over the remaining side stream. With more water some fording might still be necessary, but I imagine you could get away with staying near the southeastern bank for this section.
At Camp ? {33H-08} [11.6/548] there is a puesto that seems to be in use, but we saw no one and camped a little lower near the river.

Day 5: Camp ? {33H-08} [11.6/548] to ‘GPT33H-08 start’:

Right after camp there was a makeshift bridge to cross the stream (tree and rope, very rickety).
Trail seemed to be used and maintained on this part of option 08.
Shortly before Camp {33H-08} [6.9/435] there was a previously washed-out section with a new path already laid out. In heavy rainfall this could wash out again but should not pose a big hindrance.

Notes:

- RR + option 08 is a great short alternative without much backtracking.

- Our hitch out of Puerto Murta happened to be local members of an association that wants to bring more tourism to their town and the Torres del Avellano. If their plans are fruitful, traffic and trail maintenance may increase on option 08.

- We organized the transport of our non-trekking items from Coyhaique to Puerto Río Tranquilo by encomienda. Ines, the lady working at the Sao Paulo bus office in Coyhaique terminal was kind enough to hold our boxes until we arrived and called her from Puerto Rio Tranquilo. Our things arrived the day after we called at around 1pm. We shipped a rather large quantity of items (enough items to fill 50L bag) for 12000 CLP. Sao Paulo bus Coyhaique telephone: +56 672 255 726

* '''30/01/2024 - 01/02/2024 / 3 days, 78 km / Options 06 and 07 / Alex + Andrey'''
South bound (east bound).
“Mountain route”,

a combination of Options 06 and 07 which are now passed and confirmed.

Difficulty: Difficult/Very Difficult

Most of the route is off-trail
Thanks to Jan for the suggested routes and clues.
Short resume:

This mountain route is a more difficult and demanding alternative to the regular route but can be an interesting option for those looking for a challenge.
The combination with a regular route allows to form a full-fledged “eight”, a trip of 6-10 days.

Option 07 is a shorter, although more difficult, alternative to the regular route in case the Avellano River cannot be forded NOBO.
Notes and recommendations.

Option 07:

All fords do not pose any significant difficulty.
Due to the height and southern exposure the areas between Pass 1 and Pass 2 (Pass {33H-07} [17.0/1755]) and descents from Pass 2 in the early to mid-season have extensive areas of snow where microspikes or crampons may be required.
The main difficulty on the descent is overcoming several side washouts, which are small but deep and steep canyons.

Option 06:

There is no water during the first 4-5 hours of ascent to the valley.
The open area of the upper valley at Camp 2 and beyond throughout the ridge is a resort for very strong winds. Setting up camp may be difficult or impossible. A strong hiker can combine and complete this section in one day.
The predominant wind exposure makes passage from west to east highly recommended.
The last reliable source of water is before reaching High Pass 3. Further east there is no water until the junction with the regular route, except for temporary streams from seasonal snow.

The track and additional information are here:
https://www.wikiloc.com/hiking-trails/avellano-mountain-route-chilean-patagonia-160489118

* '''2024-Mar-04 to 2024-Mar-08 / 4.5 days / Hiking / SOBO / OH 03B + RR + OH D + K / Joscha'''

Day 1: OH33H-03B + RR [24.2-41.2]

I tried to hitch from Villa Cerro Castillo to the start of OH33H-03B. After 1 hour a Bus arrived and took me to the start for 2000 Pesos. The Bus runs from Cohayique to Chile Chico on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. It starts in Coyhaique at 9 am and stopps in Villa Cerro Castillo at around 10:30 am. From the brigde at km 25.7 until km 35.8 there is no water on the RR. You walk close to some rivers but I didn't check if its possible to acces them. After km 35.8 there is plenty of water. At km 38.5 is a big flat field for camping with a creek next to it. I camped just before the crossing of the river at km 41.2.

Day 2: RR [41.2-58.3] + OH33H-D + RR [61.0-63.4]

There was plenty of water all along the trail. Camping possible at -46.291963, -72.470389 just before the Pass (km 44.4), at the start of OH33H-C and along the CC section from km 49.0 to 50.8. I can recommend OH33H-D. I especially liked the first Laguna. Camp 63.4 has awesome views, but is only slightly wind protected and the spots are only good for small tents.

Day 3: RR [63.4-93.2]

I stayed inside the riverbed for the last 2.5 km of the CC&BB section. I had to cross the river about 20 times, but its the fastest and easiest way. The ford at km 83.6 was just below my crotch (I am 191 cm) and the current was pretty strong at around 5 pm. It would have been difficult for smaller persons. All the other fords today were at max. knee hight. There is plenty of water all along the route. I camped next to the RR on a flat, grassy field at km 93.2.

Day 4: RR [93.2-116.3]

Plenty of water along this part of the RR.

Day 5: RR [116.3-119.6] + OH33H-K + RR [122.6-141.0]

OH33H-K is easy to walk but does not offer any great views. If you choose OH33H-K, than there is no water between km 117.5 and 138.5 (at km 135.2 is a water marker, but I didn't see any as I walked by. Maybe I missed it, because I wasn't looking for it). There is water at km 140.3. I got a hitch from km 141.0 to Puerto Ibanez. But there are very few cars on the road, so don't count on getting a hitch.

* '''2024-Feb-12 to 2024-Feb-16 / 4.5 days / Hiking / SOBO / Option 03B, RR, Variant C, E, H, K / Tomáš & Natalie'''
There was a queue of three hitchhiker groups who did not get picked up while we were doing our shopping, so we opted to hire a taxi for 15000 to the start of 03B (Pedro Zuleta: +56 993 5786 68). Somehow, during our arranging of the taxi, all three groups left. Roadwalking to option 07 was uneventful. Tomáš got a hitch (he eats lunch too slowly so Natalie got ahead) for about 5 km from a family which was exploring in a car. About 500 m before the diversion to option 07, there is a locked gate with a sign saying the property is private, but one can go over a ladder. At the gate, we met a local with a key who has a house on Option 07, if we got him right. He gave us a ride of 500 m. The start of option 7 is actually a road.

The MR at 24.2 is in a bad shape due to erosion after ford at about 12 km in. Tomáš made a bridge out of a log but managed to jump into the water while doing it. Enjoy the bridge while it lasts as did a Frenchman we met there. He did the circuit NOBO based on Wikiloc. He said he keeps coming across GPT, but could not figure out how to get the GPS route. We told him to talk to Jan. Maybe he will come back the next season.

On the way to the Torres, we met 3 pairs of Chilean hikers going back. Tomáš went to Laguna La Plaza (option C). Lake is grey but the valley is nice enough to justify the short detour. It is no BB, there is a trail in the forest and above the tree line a vague trail or easy CC. The Torres are indeed magnificent. One can easily walk on the sloped polished slab falling into the far side of the second lake before the pass - it is an exhilirating detour. Going down from the pass, when the GPX turns right, Tomáš actually managed to walk over one of the ledges above the GPX and liked it. Just be extremely careful with moss and water, they can make the stones extremely slippery, but he survived that without falling. About 100 m before the lake, there is a at-least-a-ton heavy swing in the form of a loose boulder. Enjoy if you can find it. Camp 63.4 is literally awesome. We had a very warm almost windless night there.

After the boulder field under camp 63 we loss the rest of the elevation on the right side of the creek and then when the swamp appeared on the right we went to the left and stayed on that side (North) for the entire BB/CC. There is a vague trail most of the way, but is has many many logs over it. It took us 3 hours to walk to the trailhead. We kept our feet dry and were in the shade, but it would have been quicker and far less tiring just following the riverbed and constantly crossing the river.

Ford at 69.8 around noon was slightly above the knees. Ford it diagonally as the trail wants you to - it is shallower that way (ie a little further down than where the trail spits you out). Greeted grandfather, Maria and Julio and their three kids and had a short talk with the grandfather, nice to see the whole family working together on projects. From their place, the trail sort of is wide enough for a car (there is one at their place) but we think it is never or virtually never used by cars. Ford at 81.4 at six in the afternoon was 5 cm under our crotches (we are about 1.70), we forded about 100 upstream of GPX. The river was strong but we did not feel it was dangerous for us. We forded the widest part of the river just before a dead end fence (if you are coming from the other direction, after the grey river and around the dead end ford you will see the widest part of the river).The day was hot and despite not covering even 20 km, we felt superexhausted. Strong sun and spikees got to us!

We camped about 4 km along the road, shortly after the second (both jumpable) ford. It must be a good place to camp, as Tomáš, who went back to the big ford where he left his sandals the previous day, met a GPT hiker going NOBO who apparently slept in a hearing distance from us. The hiker first started to come to Patagonia decades ago, before it was overrun. Tomáš sadly never asked his name. Met the grandfather again, coming back from the port, horses are fast!

The road is not used by cars but stiĺl quite ugly. Around middle, near option 6, there are two shortcuts (400 and 50 metres) to the zigzags, three of which were marked by cairns by Tomáš. Please add the fourth cairn. Puesto 98.3 is a settler. He offered Natalie to come inside and rest but she didn't feel right stopping at that moment and kind of got the "heeby jeebies" from him. Met another pair of GPT hikers, doing just 33. The stretch along the coast is beautiful and very Mediterranean. All day the lake was without waves, even that can happen. Slept at Lake 113.8: nicer, with water and less buggy than camp 200 m earlier (just beware if the wind picks, up the waves can be very loud).

Variant K misses last water but is easy to follow, nicer than a road and involves only three very easy fence hops. Reached the bus stop for Puerto Ibanez around three. Got lucky and received a hitch from two British tourists to Puerto Ibanez. The shops there are larger than expected and stock overpriced pesto and gnocchi, Tomáš is almost as joyful as cherries make him!

Nat's Notes:

- For views I would prefer this NOBO. I suffered a new type of "look back" syndrom on most of the route. Plus, if you are walking the lake shore in the afternoon, the sun should be on your downhills and not your uphills (it was insanely hot when we did it and without a whisper of wind).

- In the section notes for km24-45 I think what was meant was that from roughly km36-45, "there are many small streams and camping spots", this is indeed true. However, between km 24-36 and option 3 there are NO longer many STREAMS to drink from, I remember only one slightly decent one and both sides of the road are fenced so if you want to camp or drink water from the main river, then you must jump the fences (cow panels or barb) or ask a settler. Also, strange to say, there is very little shade and can get uncomfortably hot...

- Intersection 45 is not hard to miss anymore, it is marked with an orange ribbon around a tree and a large cairn on your left.

- On Trail#9 (ascent before the first two alpine lakes) I took Veronicas advice about going into the woods where the RR is but rather than trying to follow the GPS, I followed what seemed to be a trail along the creek with some cairns here and there. Eventually it ends above the trees but you should be able to make your way back to the RR once the "coast is clear", ie. no more trees. If you want to walk along the lake then you should do the CC up the boulder field on Variant D.

- Going down from the pass was no problem, like everyone says, "just follow the gps". However with that said, it is very tempting to make your own way bcs there are many good looking ledge systems but after reading Wills experience, I backed away from the temptation and followed the GPS. I also slipped on some wet moss on RR.

- So much water everywhere except for the lake camping, if you are smart you will fill up on one of the many streams before getting to the lake...

- When doing the BB/CC section, after the initial elevation loss from the lake, there isn't much drinking water apart from the river until near the end of the BB. I think you could make "makeshift" camps. I was tempted to cross the river early to avoid crossing it at km69 but once again I remembered what Will wrote last year about the thorns and cliffs so I don't think that's a good idea.

- Not a fan of the lakeside gate locking technique (remember how it looks before you open it;)

- I surprisingly really enjoyed the lake stretch, it seemed it is where Pantagonia meets the Mediterranean/Arizona. The trail is in good shape, just a few overgrown roses and thorny bushes here and there (regretted shorts only a little bit). If you are coming from the north and still have your sand gaiters, this will be a good time to reuse them :). No exposure, wish there was more wind the day we were there. I am usually the biggest hater of "PUDs" - thanks for the new word - but these were not annoying. These PUDs are just a few large hills rather than a bunch of steep micro hills like gpt22 or the valley bottoms in Argentina. Water is at pretty much every "notch" in the hillside.

- Water is at the bottom of the MR~117.5 and there is still water at the top 119.9 RR (easier to grab it a little higher up).

* '''2024-Jan-30 to 2024-Feb-4 / 6 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR / Yannick & Nolwenn & Tess & Lukas'''

- Trail condition : gpx easy to follow / between km 63,7 and km 68,5 we mostly stayed on the left of the river
- Water : easy to find plenty of rivers and lagunas
- Camping spot : easy to find and the one at km 68.7 is nice // the refugio near the lake at km 98.5 is perfect - make fire, sleep inside, we even could ask for some bread
- Weather : some rainy and cloudy days but overall the weather was ok
- River crossing :at km 69.8 we crossed the river early in the morning and the current was strong and the water up to the middle of the thighs but manageable // at km 81,2 the river was strong and up to our hips, we crossed it in the rain, it was also manageable for us that already jave a little bit of experience
- Resupply : in Villa Cerro Castillo and in Chile Chico ( a bulk shop just opened in front of the camping Nandu) // at km 76,7 we could buy some bread, cheese and eggs at Maria and Julio's house
- Overall : we absolutely loved this section ! The views are spectacular and really diverse from one day to another // we got a hitchike at the end on the gravel road to go to Puerto Ibanez.

* '''01.27.2024 / 5 days / Hiking / SoBo / RR + Option 8 to Bahía Murta / Milton Cea + 4 more'''

Considering that we would venture to make this route a journey from Villa Cerro Castillo to Bahía Murta, we have decided to pay Pedro Zuleta, who is dedicated to transportation in the surrounding areas (+56 9 9357 8668), to take us to the entrance of the route at the registration booth. There, we encountered a pair of muleteers who did not pay much attention to our passing, however, we spoke with them to ask for their permission and inquire about the condition of the path.

We started with the regular route, a bit late, and for that reason, we camped the first night at Mallín Grande, which is a very good option, as watching the sunrise in this beautiful place is worthwhile.

Starting early the next day, we reached the "Los puestos" sector and from there, leaving our camp set up, we headed towards the towers. We were only able to reach the first lagoon at the base of the massif, as we went a bit late and our conversation with some other hikers we met extended. I would recommend leaving early to take advantage of the views from the portezuelo lookout.

The next day we began the crossing through the "Río Resbalón" Valley, as the locals call it, following an animal trail that sometimes tends to get lost among new vegetation or fallen trees, accompanied by other hikers who decided to join the journey.
It is a part of the route that can be slightly complex if you do not have a good reading of the surroundings, finding the animal traffic trail, and considering that you navigate through a forest that can easily disorient. This changes when you already walk with the "Resbalin/Resbalón" river to your right, as it is quite useful to follow its course. Always on the left side of the river.
On the way, there are some fallen trees and abandoned muleteer posts that can be used as camping space if necessary, although I would not recommend camping in this old forest.
Upon reaching the point of the road collapse, the crossing of the scree can be done at the level of its arrival, but to continue the route, you must climb a few meters up the mountain until you find the entrance to the continuation of the route. This point took some time from us, and we decided to camp near the river, towards the rock beach in the middle of a young forest with a mossy floor, very comfortable and restorative. We also decided to place some pircas at this point, as there was no mark to help resume the path towards Murta, since the difference in height was noticeable and it can be easy to believe that the path continues by the river side, but no, from here the path separates from the river and goes up the mountain.

Finally, after this last abandoned stretch, where the vegetation is abundant in some parts, we ended up arriving at the Puesto de Los Agüeros and decided to spend a night there, as we were very tired from constantly finding the route. It's worth mentioning that we couldn't find a GPS track before the trip.

The next day, after a night of intense rain, we took the official route traced from "Bahía Murta" at opossite direction and arrived in the town at dusk.
If you want the track and the Waypoints of the journey, feel free to write to me at '''milton.1902@gmail.com''' =)

* '''From 2023-01-20 to 2023-01-21 // 1,5 day // Hiking // NOBO // option 1 Valle Ibanez // Quentin Clavel'''

When I arrived in Puerto Ingeniero Ibàñez, I had to make a choice, as the weather window were pretty short. I had only 3 days and a half ahead of nice weather followed by one entire week of rain.

So I made the hard choice to skip Torres del Avelano, and go straight to Cerro Castillo by the OPT1 to explore the NP of CERRO CASTILLO.

This section was not so bad. Even if it was gravel road until the Lago tamango, I had nice views, and was not too bored from this stretch, but well yeah, it's gravel road for 30 km, so of course it was not all the time so funny aha !

Then I went to the small track along Lago tamango. Very quiet, pretty well marked thanks to these sticks with red and white colours on top, and with some scenic views.

You'll end up at the parking of the touristic sendero sitio archeologico de manos pintadas (Paredón de las Manos (1000CLP for children's, 2000CLP for adults. From Tuesday to Sunday 10h00-17h00). Then it's gravel road, following by 1,3 km on the carretera austral to reach Villa cerro castillo.

I was expecting worse for this section. Quite happy about it. That's a nice alternative if, for a reason, you want or have to skip Torres de Avelano

* '''2024-Jan- 14 to 2024-Jan-16/ 3 days/hiking/SOBO/ 33h/ 33h-b/33h-a/ 33h-P/Paulina'''

At first, I wanted to do RR, but as the recent reports about the river crossing where not very encouraging, I decided to play it safelty, so I just mixed some sections.
I started in Villa Cerro Castillo, till X 33h [ 5.5/554] it was a very peaceful, nice trail, with beautiful views on Cerra Castillo. There were some fence crossing, but not very annoying.
After the intersection, so once I joined the road X-725, it was less interesting, walk on a gravel road. I think this part of RR is better to hitch-hike ( it's possible and not very difficult to catch a car on this way).
Once I reached the big lakes ( beautiful views!) and some wanderful camping spots [ S 46.17790 W 072.32049] between Lago Alto and Lago Lapparet, I took 33h-b. At the beginning the trail was l crossing a forest used by locals as wood supply, but later ( around the place where it joined 33h-a), the landscape was amazing! Especially the part with lakes and settlers.

The last section was on 33h-01A. The cannion of Rio Claro and later the waterfall are beautiful, but for some hikers a long distance on gravel road on this section can be annoying so it's probably better to hitch-hike ( not a lot of cars but still possible).

I bought my ticket for ferry from Puerto Ibanez to Chile Chico without any problem 1h30 before the ferry departure.

The mix of these 4 sections + hitch-hiking it's a good option for bad weather or high river level on RR. Some parts are very beautiful, and the less interesting parts ( long distances on gravel roads) it's possible to cover by car.

* '''2024-01-02 to 2024-01-07 / 6 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR & Options: 03, 03B, 04C, 04 & Variant E / Roman'''

Route: Hitchhiked along Option 03 to X {33H-03} [18.6/315]. Hiked via Option 03B to X {33H} [24.2/462] and than continued RR to Ford, X {33H} [71.8/602]. Here used Variant E and back to RR all the way to Settler {33H} [85.0/462] (Luis Diaz). Continued on Option 04C to X {33H-04} [73.9/559]. From here used option 04 all to way to Bahía Murta.

Decided to go SoBo to get the tricky parts done with a good weather forecast. Hitchhiked along Option 03 because it's easier to get a lift. Was at X {33H-03} [18.6/315] 12:35 PM. From there it's a super easy to hike street all the way to X {33H} [45.5/1088] via Option 03C and than 03. Sadly there where no cars going in the correct direction. Towards the end (last 5km) there are some rivers crossing the street, nothing bad, you can get over them dry feet if jumping on the rocks. Continued the RR, the trail is clearly visible and easy to hike all the way to Camp {33H} [52.7/953]. Arrived there at 09:30 PM. It's a awsome place to pitch a tent! It was absolutely woth it to go for such a long day. Met 2 locals who went with a truck all the way to this point: -46.26754, -72.419667. Met also Cy & GG (see GPT 23). We continued the next day. Trail was in a good condition and CC was easy no snow up to the pass Pass {33H} [62.0/1314]. Absolutely beautiful view! There is some snow on the south side on the way down. It's mostly melted to you can decide if you want the first 150-200m of elevation go down in snow or trough the boulders. It was a sunny day therefore quite easy to get down to the lake. From there we went down a boulder field to the BB (Bush bashing) section (400m). This is trivial - no macheta required. It's just walking trough the forest. From there the CC&BB is at the beginning easy. We found a animal trail on the southern side of the river. Than the swamp started which was annoying. We started, after finishing the swamp section, to walk in the river bed around here -46.438037, -72.469247 which was fast progress but wet feet. Jumped on the trail and camped at Camp Without Water {33H} [68.7/766]. There is a lot of water at the river and it's just a 10 minute walk so we filled the bottles. The Camp is good, stayed there with 3 tents. Continued the next day (it was moderate rain during the night and at the morning) to the X, Ford {33H} [69.8/634]. This was at the limit what is safely possible. Fast flowing river - hip deep (iam 180). From there on the trail was clearly visible and easy to hike fast. Continued the RR and did Variant E. Check you GPS, we didn’t intend to do it we just followed the most clearly visible trail and ended up at the Puesto {33H-E} [0.8/619] so we continued. The statement from above is still valid all the way to Settler {33H} [85.0/462] (Luis Diaz) for the RR ;). After that is a easy trail, at Settler {33H} [76.7/535] (Maria & Julio) I met Julio and they had a car there to the trail from this point on is even easier. I split up here with Cy & GG because of different plans and it was questionable if the Ford at Ford {33H} [81.2/490] (Rio Avellano) is even possible so I wanted to speed up. Reached the point around 05:00 PM. It was not possible to Ford - way to deep and to much current! So I used my packraft and crossed the river. Got in the water here: -46.456627, -72.320677 and followed than the RR. Ford {33H} [81.4/492] was also impossible by foot. Used the same tactic and crossed it by boat. Got in the water here: -46.453523, -72.316373 and crossed by boat. After that easy trail and continued the RR. Ford {33H} [83.6/467] (Rio Avellano) was also absolutely impossible so also did it by boat. After that I camped here: -46.463767, -72.26597.

interim conclusion: if the weather is not stable (I knew it wasn't [would reccomend checking with meteoblue] go SoBo and be aware that the crossing can be impossible - I would reccomend bringing you packraft so you habe more options even though it's the H route. Otherwise you have to wait, potentially for days or you need the help of a local (this is how Cy & GG managed it).

Next day continued 04C. The trail to the pass is clearly visible and beautiful to hike. From there it's hard to find a few times because of a lot of animal tracks. Follow the GPS. The trail is again visible from this point on: -46.486009, -72.212428. Trail condition generally good with some bushes hanging in the trail. Reached X {33H-04} [73.9/559]. Same here a lot if animal trail - follow the GPS. The trail is clearly visible from this point on: -46.49591, -72.205307 up to Bahía Murta. Condition is good. The Pass {33H-04} [71.5/958] is definetly a highlight. Camped at Camp {33H-04} [66.2/209] - great place. Next day was long no changes on the trail condition - good and easy - hiked to Ford, Camp {33H-04} [37.5/259]. Camping there is a bit tricky to find a good place but manageable. Met a guy at the gosttown Puerto Cristal. The trail is according to him also used by tourists groups. I asked before the trial if there is a ferry connection - there is none only one company goes there by boat for tourist. Maybe you can arrange a transfer ( https://turismopuertocristal.cl/ very fast response time via WhatsApp 10 minutes). The Pass {33H-04} [43.3/840] is also a highlight. The Ford, Camp {33H-04} [37.5/259] is challenging hip deep. After that it's easy road walk to Bahía Murta. Got a lift at -46.520007, -72.636049.

Overall: I would recommend SoBo because the difficult sections are at the beginning and weather dependent. Go if you have a few stable non rainy days. Bring you packraft to have more options for fording. The entry via Option 03 & 03B is in my opinion easy due to hitchhiking & ou find a grop and book a lift The views are amazing at the passes. The BB is trivial. BB&CC is annoying but done within 2 hours. The Option 4 is absolutely beautiful and if you are a bit luckier than me avoids a lot of road walking. Would definitely reccomend the section. The reason for me to go with Option 04 is to easy connect to 82P.

Contact: https://linktr.ee/RundW

* '''2023-12-22 / 3 days / RR / SOBO / Anh'''

Just a quick info: The first part of RR is not marked but very easy to hike. After the pass (km 62) I had a hard time with the 2km CC. At first the snowfields were very steep (60 slope). The snow thickness was only 20-80cm, underneath are very big steep boulders and the melting snow makes the hollows big. Then there are the streams under the snowfields. I was a few times with a foot in it, fortunately not whole body. I had to go up and down in the forest, on the edge, on the rocks... My goal was to be safe, it took me 2 hours to cover the 2km.

==Season 2022/23==
* '''2023-Mar-30 to 2023-Mar-31 / 1.5 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR + Option 1 / Martin & Helena'''

We started from Villa Cerro Castillo around 11 AM and took ferry from the port the next day at noon. The former RR trail follows path of Sendero de Chile, and starting with no expectations we were quite impressed with what it offers, especially all the amazing views of Cerro Castillo. It's definitely a good short alternative to the Torres del Avellano detour that we were forced to skip. Trail is easy to follow and you can find many camp spots along the way. There are many small shops in Puerto Ibáñez. Knowing the ferry schedule we went directly to the port where were just a few others in this time of the year.

Contact: @martin_hanzelka @helenneka

* '''26/02/2023 - 02/03/2023 / RR SOBO with emergency exit on a boat on Lago General Carrera / Louis, Rémi & Noé :'''

Day 1 - From Lago Verde - 15.5km - +700m/-300m We first hitchiked from Villa Cerro Castillo to Lago Verde on the Carretera Austral. We hiked then the gravel road until the camp next to the free check in point, in the forest.

Day 2 - Laguna La Plazza - 16.5km - +800m/-500m We kept going on the minor road before the well maintained horse trail. We took option to the Laguna La Plazza and we camped there but the weather was quite bad with a lot of wind. Would recommend to camp in the pasture down there in these conditions.

Day 3 - Lagunas before the pass - 17km - +1000m/-900m The trail was still very easy to follow this day. A bit of cross country at the end but nothing difficult as there are kerns. There is a spot to pitch tents next to the second lake, between it and the waypoint "camp" (that we didn't find btw). Very nice there and without the clouds, the view should be incredible.

Day 4 - CC until diversion @km69.8 - 14km - +500m/-1100m The troubles began for us this day. Noé injured his knee just after the pass. With Rémi, we alternated carrying his bag in addition to ours. That's why we hadn't moved a lot. The bush bashing is demanding and under the rain, fording is a real challenge. I would recommend you to be south of the Rio after the diversion/ford. We camped on the north side, a few hundred meters after the div.

Day 5 - Lago General Carrera - 30km - +700m/-1000m As we were a bit late, we decided to walk directly to the lake. We forded the Rio in order to be south of it and we found the horse trail, it was easier then ! We crossed the Rio a last time @km81.2, still manageable with the rain but a bit hard (water until the hips, we are 1m80 tall) with a strong current. Then, the minor road. We didn't leave it until the lake. A bit of ups and downs but the road is nice so it is fast. Here, at the lake. There is mobile coverage and so we contacted numeros given on the PDF on WhatsApp to find a boat to bring us back to civilisation. With the third bag to carry, it was too hard for us to keep hiking. I let you the contact of Jairo, that can bring you back to Puerto Tranquilo... for 400.000 CLP... we didn't had the choice as the settler living just in front of the lake wasn’t there. Jairo : +56 9 6633 9507 He transported us the next day.

* '''2023-Feb-21-27 / NOBO / RR + Option 3B / Ondrej and Bara / Puerto Ibanez - Vila Cerro Castillo / 6.5 days'''

Gorgerous section. Unfortunately, we were struck by bad weather mid-way which took out the joy and brought a few very difficult moments for us.

We went NOBO and on the 3rd day camped in the valley close to Maria & Julio (76.7 km). It started raining early morning and while the rain stopped around midday, it was enough to turn streams into rivers and cross country paths into swamps. We were unable to ford the river at km 69.8 at two different places. To continue, we decided to make a risky choice and bush-bash upstream on the other side of the river, hoping to ford it in an upper section and rejoin the trail. This eventually worked out. We forded the river at -46.43642, -72.45456 and rejoined the trail. This 1.2km diversion took us about 2 hours. Bush-bashing through forest was okay but in the middle of the diversion we struggled through 300m of thorny bushes which took forever to get across.

From around 1000m of altitude, we had fresh snow on the slopes. This made the boulder field more challenging than we wanted (fortunately still manageable). We crossed the exposed pass at km62.0 and continued on the other side, firstly through snow and then again through muddy cross country parts until we joined the trailhead at km 57.0. Afterwards the trail was easy all the way until the end.

We also met Anna and Christopher going the opposite direction - really great to meet fellow hikers!

* '''2023-Feb-20-24 / NOBO / RR shortend on the road sections / Zohar / Road to Levicán - Carterra Austeral / 5 days'''

I tried to shorten the section because of the upcoming bad weather, which hit on the last day, but I was lucky to catch a ride out with a family that came to collect wood from their land.

I arrived on Monday to pureto Ibañez spoke with the van to levicán that left at 17.40 to Levicán got off on the way where the rout leave the main road and walked till the shore of Lago General Carrera. Day 2 I followed the horse trail along the lake, which was very visible and easy to follow. Then, I followed a miner till I found a stable campsite. Day 3 was the hardest. I was determined to sleep at the base of the torres, so I had a lot of trail to cover, and the route was hard to follow, but the direction was clear. Day 4 started with a beautiful sun rise on the clear torres de avellano. The bolder field wasn't as hard as I itentenly thought, but be careful. After the pass, I met 4 young hikers going to the torres and back. Day 5 was wet, but at least on a minor road and about 9 km before the road, I was picked up and taken to Villa Cerro Castillo.

I don't advise doing the section in 5 days thay where long, big days, and it is better to enjoy the surroundings. if the weather was better, I would have taken 7 days. This section is beautiful and highly recommended

* '''20.02. - 24.02.23 / Anna & Christopher / SOBO, Villa Cerro Castillo - Puerto Ibáñez'''

In the afternoon we started hitchhiking the Carretera Austral to where Option 3B starts. There were lots of people trying to hitchhike directly from Villa Cerro Castillo, so we figuered to have a better chance if we walk further up the Carretera Austral. We soon got lucky. That day we walked the dirtroad until km 4.4 and camped there next to a small stream.

The next day was mostly easy walking on dirtroads until the crossing at km 45.5 (which is relatively easy to miss!). We camped at km 49 at the edge of the forest.

The next day the weather turned bad once we reached the section with all the boulders on the ascent to the pass. We did some unnecessary climbing by not sticking to the main route. When descending we lost the main route again and briefly tried to descend without it, which we soon realised is a bad idea, so we climbed back up to where we lost it. We spent the night at the camp at km 63.4.

The next morning we woke up with a clear blue sky and finally saw the Torres del Avellano. Really amazing rock formations. The following bushbashing part seemed ok to us, we had worse ones on the GPT so far ;). First we walked on to the right of the river following a good animal path. Once it ended we changed to the left side and stayed there. About 2/3 of the route is a realtively good path and the rest was some easy BB and climbing over fallen trees. Luckily the ford at km 69.8 was easy to cross. We took variant E from where on the trail was in a great condition and we could walk pretty fast. The river crossing at km 81.1 was more demanding and went almost up to Annas hips (1,63m). We camped soon after that at approx. km 81.5.

We continued on variant H the easy trail on the dirtroad until the lake, where it gets more demanding (we underestimated the continous ups and downs). The views are amazing though. It gets pretty windy next to the lake. We camped at a tiny spot at km 109.3 next to a small stream.

On the final day we walked to the bus station (6 pm) and took the ferry to Chile Chico the same day (8 pm). This section was great :)

* '''11-18 February 2023 / Maks&Gabi / SOBO / RR, 33H-E, 33H-H ( hichhiking from km136 to Puerto Ibanez)'''

We started from Villa Cerro Castillo. If you can, try not to skip the first part of road walking. It's beautiful with the view over Lagunas and Cerro Castillo. The terrain is also different than in later parts of the section.

There are some problems - lot of fences and gates on the first 5 km. Then many aggressive dogs and limited access to water (steep descents and fences around the lakes). The camping spots, marked on track files, can be hard to access (private properties with new fences). We camped by the bridge around 25km (the bridge is not marked).

We than waited half a day for the rain to stop. The rest of the road is also well maintained with occasional river crossing (all easy).

The next trail part (until km 57) is mostly visible. Some problem can occur by the CC part, especially during heavy rain - it was all floded. We weren't exactly expecting it, but it was snowing and the temperature during the night was about -4. Next day we waited until 11 am to dry our stuff, as the sun finally came out.

As Veronica wrote, when going up to the pass try to follow the cairns (33H-D). The part between the lakes and the pass is quite easy.

Going down from the pass we followed the GPS and we found it quite manageable (actually for us it seemed to be much easier going SOBO than NOBO at that point, even though it was slippery and with a lot of small streams going down the rock). We reached the camp at km 63.4 at 4 pm. First 400 m of BB is easy as the forest is not overgrown. It's getting worse in the valley. If possible try to be close to the river. We were fording it multiple times. Finally we stayed at the left side of the river, bushbashing for the next 3 km (that's where the trail starts). We slept next to the ford at km 69.8.

We forded the river in the morning. It's possible, but the current was strong (for us it was the worst ford on this section with water above our knees - I'm 175 cm). After the next ford we followed 33H-E as we couldn't find the entrance to the RR. It's a very well maintained path with a big puesto nearby.

After fords at km 81 we followed 33H-H as we didn't want to cross the river anymore. For those of you, who are planning to go there during the next few days, be carefull - somewhere around km 91 there is a fresh dead cow near to the water.

The lake part's quite exhausting. We were blessed with sunny and windless weather so we found it astonishing and not so dangerous. We started our last day at camp km 113.8 . Ascent on the road (117.5) is ok and there was water on km 119.9 (small stream). The rest of the road walking is easy (with occasional fences) but there's no water on km 135.2 (water on 129.3 is hard to access).

We hitchhiked from km 136 to Puerto Ibanez. During the weekend there is only one ferry a day (Saturday morning and Sunday evening).

* '''8 to 13 of February 2023 / Will / SOBO from Laguna Verde / 6 data'''

This one was an ordeal for me, I don't recommend starting with a week straight of rain in the forecast. At first I appreciated the ambiance after six completely dry weeks in the north, but after a few days it started to get me down. Thankfully to keep my morale up I encountered some kind settlers, a few pairs of GPT hikers, and some sun in the final stretch.

The rains never got too heavy, generally off and on light rain. The temperatures were fairly cold from the nearly constant cloud cover.

To start out I hitched out of Villa Cerro Castillo to Laguna Verde, teaming up with some of the many hitchhikers. The initial road walk was beautiful, some podcasts helped me power through the rest.

The pass was tough in the rain, but manageable. Things were slippery but there's enough to grab onto in the boulder fields to keep you stable, as long as you're focused and moving slowly. The ascent was nice boulder field the whole way, on the decent things looked scarier. Instead of boulders there was a lot of large smooth slab with water flowing down. The gpx route there was good, following boulders and vegetation around the slab. Things only felt dangerous once, when I went slightly off the track and ended up trapped between a cliff and a water slide. After some scary experimentation I found that I could get good traction on the waterslide using a crab walk technique, on my back with hands and feet and butt all resting on the slab. This let me traverse the waterslide back to safety.

The little bush bashing section after the pass was easy, I camped in there. Things got bad again once I got back out to the river and the cross country+bush bashing marker. My feet got worryingly numb after a bunch of river crossings and marshland traversal, I tried to stick to the woods after that.

I then took two big questionable detours from the tracks, staying to the south of the rio avellano and avoiding crossing it all the way until I reached the lake. I'll quickly describe them here but they were both uncomfortable and not worth it unless the river is impassable. The cold and rain seem to damage my decision making quite a bit, I refused to backtrack or to take breaks to think things through.

To skip the crossing at 69.8 I stayed in the woods south of the river starting at around km 67.5. Initially nice cow path, followed by a tricky wooded boulder field, followed by a horrific stretch crawling over thorny bushes. Eventually I made my way up to the base of some cliffs where things got a bit easier. Following the cliffs I reached a cow path, leading to some open woods through which I rejoined the trail around km 70.5. Never thought I'd be so happy to find cow poop.

I dropped a blue and black stone bracelet somewhere before or during the 71.8 river crossing, let me know if you come across it!

Some of the minor streams merging into the river were tough to cross. 71.8 was up to my thighs with a strong current.

To skip the first major crossing of the Rio Avellano at 81.2 I followed some horse trail to the big white rock hill, and climbed to the top. The rock was super grippy even in the rain. I then traversed along the slope to the east, staying between an elevation of 700 and 750m. There was some cow path making it easier to walk, I wonder how they get up there. A few tough bushy sections descending and climbing out of crevasses/streams before I got to a gradual stream at -46.46385, -72.30601 which I scrambled down to the river.

I ran into the settlers Luis and Jaqueline at their house by the river. They generously took me in for the night and gave me a chance to dry out some of my stuff.

From there I followed option 4C down to the lake, hoping that the river crossing there would be less scary with the river fanned out wider. The option was decent trail over some low passes to the lake, though at times it was hard to follow. It's tough to choose where to cross the river because you can't see the bottom through the silt. I decided to cross near the gpx line where it was wide with lots of debris and sand bars to rest in between the channels. At the worst points it was crotch deep and powerful, the rocks under my feet sliding back from the force. Pretty scary.

I camped in the willow grove by campo chico, and the next day (Monday) I raced to the bus stop at 130.4. It turns out that the bus is now at 6pm, I got there just in time. I took the bus to Puerto Ibáñez and got straight on the 8pm ferry to Chile Chico.

A small cut on my ankle ended up getting infected, I'm now in town out of commission with a ton of swelling. Should have been more careful!

* '''Feb 12 Direct Route SOBO 1 day Frank'''

I walked straight from Villa Cerro Castillo to Puerto Ibanez in one long day. A few KM out on a dirt road there is a museum on your left & a short trail on the right which goes to some rock paintings. You pass by a lake with good views of Cerro Castillo. Salto Rio Ibanez waterfall is impressive.

*Helen and Craig + (Caro and Ali)
5th-10th February NoBo<- only direction to do it! So pretty!

almost got stung by the ferry from Chile chico. Make sure when you go to the office as the online booking doesn't seen to be working, that you specify your a foot passenger. And if they refuse ask to be put on the waiting list for the next ferry (which means you'll get on just fine) pretty sure you could probably just turn up and ask very nicely and they would let you across. Looked in to the boats from Carlos and Pascual to join 33 missing the coast section from levican but Carlos is not in the area at the moment and Pascuals boat is currently non functional, sad times but the coastal section I would have been sad to miss!

-Decided to do Torres del avellano northbound. Highly recommend doing it this way and thankyou to the others who pointed out this point before us. Veiws were great and much easier to get over the bolder scramble going up.

-We walked in a group of 4 so payed for a transfere to levican and a pick up from lago lapparent. 60,000 each time.
-Phone signal from Puerto del avellano to levican
-The river valleys of avellano and venti were incredibly beautiful to the south.
-Route was better marked and easier to navigate than exsepted. Very Easy going apart from km 68.7-62. if you've done GPT 40 or 37, then you'll find 33 delightfully a breeze. (We did have good weather, in bad weather even just a little rain I imagine a very diffence and worse exsperience)
-In the BB/CC river valley of Rio avellano walk on the north shore of the river rather than going to the south. The forest is mostly easily passable or can hop out to the river valley to walk more freely. The south side of the river is calf/ knee high swampy bush bashing which leads to very cold feet and frustration.
-keep eyes peeled for humels! We spotted a male humel on the bushbash/cross country section and had the most amazing sighting!

* '''22 to 26 of January 2023 / Véronica / GPT33H RR SOBO / via GPT33H-03B / 4.5 days'''

Route: Villa Cerro Castillo - Laguna Verde (Río Alto valley) - Upper Río Avellano valley - Torres del Avellano viewpoint - Lower Río Avellano valley - Lago General Carrera - Puerto Ingeniero Ibáñez

Simply beautiful section. Lots of excellent info is written about it in the Hiker's Manuel too. I only met 4 other hikers, with two of them being northbounding GPT hikers! Great to meet you, Yannic and Mirjam :)

From Villa Cerro Castillo I hitched easily on the Carretera Austral to Laguna Verde, where Option 3B begins. I wanted to cut some of the initial road walking because poor weather was incoming the next day and I wanted to try and beat it to have a chance at seeing the Torres. The road walk in the Río Alto valley was actually quite pleasant and scenic. There is a little self-registration booth across the road from the settler at km 30.8, where hikers are asked to "check in" before proceeding down the private road towards the Río Avellano valley. There is no charge.

The camp at 52.7 km is very nice with a little stream running through, lots of dead wood around to make a fire, and relatively sheltered. There is an old puesto/refuge there too that is open and has a fireplace. Could be a good spot to hole up if the weather is bad.

When you diverge from the Río Avellano valley to head up the pass, don't try and follow the GPS. Instead take the path of least resistance (or the path that looks the clearest) through the woods and across the rocks near the river. There are occasional cairns to mark the way too, although not always obvious to spot. Only the last cross-country section before the pass did I follow closely with the GPS, as it goes across a boulder field and the GPS line seemed to be the easiest way up to the pass.

On the south side of the pass is where you finally see the Torres del Avellano proper. Absolutely incredible, and I managed to get the great views only a couple of hours before the rain started and clouds engulfed everything.

I followed the GPS track closely going down through the granite boulder field, since it guided a safe way around the steeper cliffs. It was slow going down through the boulders, but it didn't feel unsafe as the rocks were grippy and solid.

The initial "bushbashing" segment at km 63.9 was very easy through a mature forest. I didn't follow the GPS here, just followed an old animal trail alongside a creek until it joined with Río Ventisquero. Again, the CC&BB section starting at km 64.4 was quite easy at first. I forded the river multiple times to walk along whichever side looked easier/less swampy. About midway through this section though it got tougher because Río Ventisquero got silty and the flow increased, so that I didn't want to ford it much anymore, so I stuck to the left (north) side of the river, mostly in the forest. There were some areas of unavoidable blowdowns and marshy terrain, and everything was wet from the rain coming down too.

When I reached the waypoint X, Ford at 69.8 km, I camped there for the night because Río Ventisquero was a torrent and looked unsafe to ford. There are a few nice, flat places to pitch a tent in this area, under large mature trees. Early the next morning, it was very cold and still raining, and I couldn't tell if the river had gone down at all or not. There was fresh snow higher on the mountaintops. I ended up fording the river slightly downstream from where the trail crosses it, and the water came up just below my hips (I'm 165 cm). The water is silty so you can't see the bottom, but the rocks underneath had surprisingly good traction, which I was grateful for because the current was strong.

It might be better to take Option 33H-E than the regular route. That trail looked well-maintained and clear, whereas the RR between 71.8 and 73.5 km was hard to follow and overgrown at times. There were no signs of life at the homestead of Maria and Julio when I passed through.

I was strategic when I forded Río Avellano at km 81.2, crossing multiple branches at their shallowest points. The water went midway up my thighs at the deepest point. Afterwards though I didn't want to cross it two more times, so I took Option 33H-H which stayed north of the river.

The refugio at km 98.5+0.2 on the shore of Lago General Carrera is nice and clean. There is a woodstove and some tables and chairs. It was crazy windy when I got there though, and I can't reccomend it as a good place to camp unless you sleep inside the refuge — the wind gusts were coming from all directions and there wasn't a spot that was sheltered outdoors. Further along the path at Campo Chico, there is a grove of mature willow trees that is probably a much better camp spot.

Very beautiful hiking along Lago General Carrera, but it was wildly windy for me that day. At times it was hard to stay on the trail due to the strong gusts trying to blow me off the path. Lots of water sources.

RH-MR&CC-V {33H} [19.5/118.0+4.6] is all minor road, no cross-country involved at all. I met the settler at km 121.8, he kindly let me pass through his property (and many gates) no problem.

I got to the minor road from Levican (waypoint at 130.4) at 7:40 a.m. on a Thursday. There is a little bus shelter there to protect from the wind. It was very cold and windy when I got there, and I waited until almost noon, hoping to hitch a ride. Not a single car passed by that whole time. So I resigned myself to the road walk, walked for about an hour in extremely windy conditions, and then a car finally came by and picked me up and drove me into Puerto Ibáñez :) Very grateful!!!

* '''2023 Jan / Yannic & Mirjam / Northbound'''

From Puerto Ibanez we made the first kilometres to junction 130.4 by car stop. Then we hiked on to Camp 113.4. We didn't stay at the location, but a little further ahead where the river flows into the lake. Along the lake was nice with a lot of ups and downs and then we camped somewhere on the side of the Minor Road. Along the Rio Avellano we stayed on the northern side so that we only had to cross the river once (at 81.2). The water came up to my waist (I am 180 cm). Surprisingly, there was another Ford at 69.8. Again, very strong current and loose ground, so it was difficult to find a good footing. Right after this Ford we spent the night in the forest.

On the climb at the start of the cross country section (at trailhead 68.5) be sure to get the right entry point as there are several small streams coming down the valley. We thought we saw a trail further into the forest that we could follow. Unfortunately, this was a mistake and led to us having to bush bash back onto the trail for a few hundred metres. In general, the trail was mostly better close to the river than deeper in the forest. The camping spot at the Torres was incredible and worth getting up for sunrise. The climb up the pass was very doable with the GPS tracks and not too difficult. On the other side of the pass, the trail got surprisingly good. We met a group of horses that were probably trekking to the lakes. Because the weather got worse, we took option 03 on the Carretera Austral and stopped at Ceroo Castillo.

*GPT section 33 7 days, 84 miles, 14K ft ascent Dec. 21 to 27, 2022 David and Erika NOBO

Ferry from Chili Chico runs just once a week (Mondays at 8:00 am) we missed it by hours and were stuck at the hotel California in Chili Chico for a day. “You can enter any time you like but you can never leave” got to be the feeling after residential bus after residential bus filled with residents and would not take us. Eventually got to Sierra Castillo and then hitched to Puerto Inginiero Ibanez. The tourist office there got her husband to give us a lift further 24 km to the end of the road. Well worth the 25,000 pesos. Road hike from there straightforward but new gates are being installed at the last road (NOBO) before you hit Lago General Carrera. Lots of wind. Last Refugio on the lake is legitimate. Good place to camp. Lower Rio Avellano was fordable. We thought we could avoid the 2nd and 3rd ford by taking the path over the hill. Don’t. It doesn’t go…Don’t worry, it gets worse. Ultimately, you’ll be hiking through the river all the way to Torres de Avellano. Note on that. The route takes you up to the lake. Beautiful, but then you go through a 2 km boulder field. We found the start of a trial before exiting the river that seems to lead right up to the pass. Might go, we don’t know. Instead, we took the boulder route, broke through a snow bridge, and put a deep gauge in Erika’s leg. Could have used stiches but had no sutures. Might be worth investigating.

*'''2022 Nov, NoBo, Option 1, Alice and Florian'''

We chose to do the option 1 taking the sendero de chile from Puerto Ibañez to Cerro castillo. Most of it is a trail road (first 25km, and the last 4) so it is quite tiring for the knees as some point. But it seems quite easy to do hitchhiking at least on the first 25 km if needed. Nevertheless it is quite a nice road. You first arrive to a very nice waterfall after 5km, them walk through a canyon with nice scenic views. The 10km pass through a forest trail near lakes, it is really nice as well.

* '''2022 Nov / GPT33H Option 11 and Parts of Regular Route / Meylin Ubilla and Jan Dudeck'''

GPT33H/GPT34P: Northern coast of Lago General Carrera from Puerto Sanchez to Levican (packrafting and hiking)

From 2022-Nov-20 to 2022-Nov-24 we (Meylin Ubilla, Jan Dudeck) packrafted and hiked in 5 days from Puerto Sanchez to Levican along the northern coast of Lago General Carrera.

This lake is infamous for the frequent strong gusty wind, therefore packrafting requires a careful monitoring of the weather to depart only onto the lake when a period with calmer conditions is approaching. Luckily, there is reasonable good mobile phone coverage what facilities checking the weather and wind forecast frequently.

Given the wind conditions any packrafting attempt on Lago General Carrera requires to my opinion:

- decked packraft, a longer tandem is strongly preferable (faster, more stable) - a sail (to get quicker to an exit point) - packrafting experience in the region (to anticipate typical weather and wind patterns) - smartphone with entel SIM card or entel rooming - YR weather App, Windy weather App

The predominant wind is eastbound therefore only eastbound packrafting is advisable.

I’m left with the impression that wind gets generally stonger towards the east (towards Levican and Puerto Ingeniero Ibáñez) and that calm periods are more frequent and longer towards the west (Puerto Tranquilo, Puerto Sanchez).

Also, calmer conditions are more likely in the early morning just after sunrise but strong wind all night is also common.

During a previous hike in February 2020 we experienced an entire summer day with barely any wind but such days are as frequent as unicorns and no travel plan should be build on exceptional favorable circumstances.

There is a trail along the northern shore but due to the steep coast there are sections of up to 13 km on the lake without a connection from the shoreline to this trail.

Emergency exits are more frequent along the coast but using such an exit means waiting for the wind to calm down what can take days. Therefore it is generally favorable to exit the water only in a location from where the trail can be reached easily.

We packrafted most of the distance from Puerto Sanchez to the Avellano river delta on 3 mornings in about 9 hours on the water but from there we hiked in two days to Levican because we had no similar promising calm weather windows in following early mornings. In hindsight the wind remained manageable in the morning hours till about noon but there was no point in reversing our decision to hike (and we urgently needed some exercise to get used to hike with heavy backpacks again).

Crossing from Puerto Tranquilo to Puerto Sanchez is reasonable feasible by packraft in calm weather (typically either very early in the morning or later in the evening). The crossing is 3 km wide and best started 1 km north of Puerto Tranquilo in a hidden bay with a nice protected spot to pitch a tent (46.6146°S / 72.6838°W · 210 m). If preparing the packraft at the beach of Puerto Tranquilo officials may stop packrafters as there are numerous restrictions and requirements applicable (in example accompanying motor boat with two licensed boat drivers).

Packrafters should depart in north-eastern direction to compensate for a south-eastern wind drift in case wind increases.

A very nice protected camp site is approximately 8 km from the recommended exit point near Puerto Tranquilo.

GPT33H: Bus Levican - Puerto Ingeniero Ibanez

The last 26 km from Levican to Puerto Ingeniero Ibanez are rather dull road walking. Therefore hikers that arrive at the right day and time can take the subsidized bus.

Monday and Friday only: 08:00 Puerto Ingeniero Ibanez -> Levican 09:00 Levican -> Puerto Ingeniero Ibanez 18:00 Puerto Ingeniero Ibanez -> Levican 19:00 Levican -> Puerto Ingeniero Ibanez Price: 1000 CLP

Transport at other times can be arranged for a substantially higher cost (estimated 40‘000 to 60‘000 CLP per vehicle).

Paty: +56 9 9506 3176

Luis: +56 9 8648 4075

==Season 2021/22==

* '''2022 Feb: 10-14, SoBo, RR, Kris&Stiina'''

Even though the first few days out of town is a road walk, the first part of it is actually really scenic and worth walking, the lakes are just very beautiful one the way. The second part was mostly in the forest and our feet, knees and hips were already hurting from all the road walking but once we got on trail it got better right away. The trail was surprisingly well maintained I would even say better than in Cerro Castillo National Park. Another unexpected surprise was the amount of people that we met on the trail a total of about 25 people in different size groups were hiking to see Torres de Avellano. We really didn’t expect that, there also seemed to be some sort of backpack hauling and guiding service that the local arrieros were offering. We unfortunately didn’t manage to talk to them to find out, but it seems that the place is getting popular. Which is not a surprise because it’s very very beautiful there, probably is correct what the manual says, that it’s going to be the next Torres del Paine, time will tell.

On day 3 about 2-3km before the pass the trail disappeared and the going got tougher and tougher, mostly just bolder hopping up and over the pass. The descent was pretty steep on large granite slabs which offered plenty of good grip but I am not sure how well would it work in wet conditions. I think the pass is doable in not good weather conditions but only if one feels very confident in own abilities on wet rocks. Also it’s a good idea to follow the gps on the way down because otherwise you end up on a cliff edge and have to track back up. The ground finally eases up once you enter the forest, but then starts the bushwhacky part all the way until ford/div at 69,7km.

That was as far as we could make it that day because the river was pretty fast in the evening. So we decided to camp right there and cross it in the morning when the flow would be a bit more manageable and our decision payed off. In the morning the river was about 10cm lower than the evening before, so if you ar a shorter person it could save you. The flow was pretty strong and water was still about hips deep. Both of us crossed it together by standing in a line, me in front and Stiina supporting me from behind, it worked great. After that it was easy cruising for the next 32km, however we had to cross that river once again at 81,2km. It was still challenging but we managed to do it the traditional way one by one, facing upstream. But the current was still very strong and pushing our feet out from under us, challenging our balance. After that we didn’t want to cross it two more times as gps suggested so we just stayed on the left coast all the way to the lake. There were some cow trails to follow and also to bypass the cliffs it was no problem.

The lake is really beautiful with all the islands and it wasn’t too windy when we arrived. We camped about a kilometer from Campo Chico on the rocky stream bed and managed to cook on the fire that night without causing fire hazard. And there were apple, pear and plum trees at the 98,3km, plums were very ripe but the apples and pears still need a week or two to get ready, but it was a very nice treat nevertheless.

Next day was Monday which meant that we could avoid the 26km road walk at the end of the section which we were determined to do. We had 30km to goto get to the road junction were the bus is passing by and according to the manual the bus would pass there some time after 20:00 which is when it starts from Levican. So we pushed the whole day over the steep, sandy, bushy terrain and made it to the junction by 19:00, great, we thought. But after bus didn’t show up we called the phone nr that Janna & Matthias had provided and it turned out that the bus actually leaves Levican at 18:00 and is long gone. But the bus driver was nice enough to offer us a ride to Puerto Ibañez, however for a hefty 45.000 pesos. We were out of food, out of water and pretty spent from getting ourselves there so we accepted the offer. The car ride showed that it would be a pretty dull road walk aswell if we would have had to do it so in the end it all worked out and we got to town just as we wanted.

The town was a bit disappointing, people were somehow not very helpful and also all accommodations were full, but we managed to camp at Las Cabañitas about a km out of town. The next day we went to the port to catch the ferry to Chile Chico, but due to strong winds all ferries were canceled and nobody could even give us a guess of when the ferries would restart. We didn’t want to spend another day in Puerto Ibañez so we hitched back to Villa Cerro Castillo in hopes to get bus or a hitch around the lake. There are definitely daily buses to Cochrane.

In the end our plans changed and we decided that we are content with our experience on GPT this season, so we left it at that. Thanks for kicking our butts GPT and showing us beauty we haven’t seen before! :)

For more stories of the trail, pictures, videos and in case you want to ask us anything you can find us on Instagram: @smallfootprint_bigadventures

* '''GPT 33H Option 4 (Puerto Cristal)/ Torres de Avellano/ Packrafting Route / 2022 Feb-4 / 7 days / Tobias Schorcht and Jonas Grünewald'''

I started Packrafting from Puerto Tranquilo to Puerto Sanches in the calm morning hours. Since Jonas doesn‘t have a Packraft, we booked a full Marvel Caves Tour by boat for him and asked the Captain, to leave him in Puerto Sanches, which was possible without any extra paying. We hiked northbounded along Lago Vidal Gormez and visited the left behind abandoned village Puerto Cristal. It was an impressive experience to see the old facilities of the Mining Company! The good visible trail is partly overgrown with spiky bushes and contains a lot of altitude. We have been rewarded with stunning views on the Lago General Carrera and recommend this option anyway. We went up to the Torres with good weather knowing, that some wind and rain have been predicted for the night. It took us many hours to cross the valley (-46,43300, -72,48867) because we mainly followed the “cow-trails” through the forest and wetland (as an alternative to walk up the river). We reached the camp (-46,42178, -72,50672) late and sheltered the spot with rocks against the wind. You are welcome to use our cozy spot free of charge 😉. Took the trail from the Torres down to Cerro Castillo without difficulties.

We have to say, that this part of the GPT was challenging but absolutely worth the struggle.

Disfrutas las cosas 🙏

* '''NoBo, January 2022, 6.5 days, Participants: Janna & Matthias'''

Day 1: We took the ferry from Chile Chico to Puerto Ibañez (ferry schedule online).There still runs a government-subsidised bus (+56 9 89448847) between Puerto Ibañez and Levicàn on Mondays and Fridays at 8am & 5pm (summer). We decided to spend the afternoon rain relaxing at the pizzeria in Puerto Ibañez and then catch the bus. We called and found out that the bus stop is now in front of the Supermercado Jelvez. The driver let us off at Div 130.4/311 at about 6pm ($1000 per person cash) and we hiked for another hour or so. At bridge 129.3/304 you cannot get water (a kind of gorge), maybe at the marked "Water?" about 15min downstream. We had enough with us and camped sheltered from the wind between the monoculture trees (S 46.377764 W 71.922459).

Day 2: We continued through / over many gates and past empty houses down to the water. Attention if NoBo: at gate 122.6/628 there are two gates - the GPT splits behind the left one, so take that one. The first water before the lake and two good camps at the lake are marked. The path along Lago Carrera was easy to find, sandy and rough in places but we could follow old riders' tracks. We really enjoyed the fantastic view over the lake and had a tábano-free time thanks to the strong wind. About 2 km before Campo Chico (S 46.478295 W 72.086034) we found a west wind-protected and very nice camping spot.

Day 3: Further camping possibilities would be as already described on wikiexplora at Campo Chico and at Puerto Avellano. Along the lake there are streams/rivers for drinking water every 1-2h. There is a wild apple tree on the trail here: S 46.487073 W 72.102247 in case you come by at the right time of year. After Puerto Avellano there is about 15km of a former mine road that is easy to follow. We had a wonderful view of the mountains the whole day. The first two Fords are easy to pass with little water. Water sources again every 1-2h. Our camp 3 was here: S 46.457910 W 72.299412 - beautiful, next to the water, sheltered from the wind.

Day 4: Ford-day - in total we forded rivers more than 20 times, all of them were easy to knee deep except Río Avellano at 81.2/490 which reached almost to our hips and required a lot of effort. We met and chatted with settler Maria who was on her way to have some work done. At Div/Ford 69.7/634 the mountain peaks remained hidden in the clouds and the weather forecast was not so sparkling why we opted for the bypass (option 2) which is also very nice to walk with imposing mountain massifs on both sides, enchanted fairytale forests, a waterfall and easy-to-find cow tracks. Only the large swamp around S 46.386387 W 72.422623 was very unpleasant and foul-smelling, about shin deep. It may be worth looking for a path along the water there. Camp 4: S 46.371434 W 72.432519, quiet and nice under curious observation of two horses on the other side of the river.

Day5: At Div 54.5/841 we checked the weather again but as it still looked bad and everything in the valley further up was already in fog we finally decided against the Torres. At this Div there was an unmarked Ford when coming from option 2. If NoBo hiking directly after this Div take the path higher up the hill and not the marked route directly along the water, because the latter is slipped and to climb. At Puesto 53.0/946 (if NoBo) do not go through the gate but continue on the east side. A Horse Trail runs along the eastern edge of Mallin Grande. Our Camp 5 was here: S 46.281253 W 72.436128.

Day 6: Continued on the gravel road, passing many settlers and pastures. The Estero Alto flows much lower than the road, there is water at Bridge 25.7/454 and otherwise only at the lakes. There is a fence almost everywhere to the left and right of the road. To get to Camp 16.9+0.3/598 you have to climb over a locked gate (S 46.178222 W 72.312583). The two buildings in the pasture are a ruin (S 46.182635 W 72.311414) and a stable (S 46.183119 W 72.310509).

Day 7: Continued along the gravel road we almost missed Div 5.5/554 where a sandy path continues. The path is blocked by a wire fence at S 46.143124 W 72.184071 but a little further to the right you can slip through. No problems to get to Villa Cerro Castillo

==Season 2020/21==

* '''February 2021 from Bahía Murta to Torres del Avellano to Carretera Austral / Northbound, 5 days. Valle Resfalín/Resfalón (Option 8) + Mirador Torres del Avellano + Regular Hike + Escape to Carretera Austral (Option 3B) + Hitchhiking to Villa Cerro Castillo'''

Day 1: Bahia Murta to Camp #5 (Camp ? @33H-08-#005) / 11.5 km / 6 hours

The hike started at Bahía Murta, on a steep hillside. We used the GPS tracks to find the path, and from there on it’s pretty easy to follow the path (when in doubt, we checked the GPS). It’s a very nice hike, and at the end of the day it’s necessary to cross the river. We both had trekking sandals, which came in handy every time we had to cross a river. Just after the river there is a camp option. We found a nice spot on the other side of the wooden fence, but there are many more options up the small hill. It was a perfect place for sleeping, with the soothing sound of the river.

Day 2: Camp #5 (Camp ? @33H-08-#005) to Regular Route at Mallín Quemado (Camp ? @33H-08-#010) / 11.7 km / 8 hours

This was one of the longest days for us, mainly because we underestimated how much time it takes to walk through a path that’s been reclaimed by nature. The day started with a steep uphill, where we lost the path for a while and then had to check the GPS to find it again. There are streams on the way where it’s possible to refill the water bottles. About a third way in, at (-46.38537, -72.55201), the path collapsed, probably washed out by the river. We took a look around and decided it was way safer to cross the river than to continue on the collapsed path (it was late February, so the river was not so full). We crossed to the other side, and 100m ahead crossed back. This is definitively the trickiest part of the day (although a bit farther ahead we found ourselves in the middle of a caterpillar forest...not really pleasant). Just after the crossing the are two camp sites (Camp ? @33H-08-#008 and Camp ? @33H-08-#009), but we would recommend keep going as the second part of the day is definitively easier than the first. Farther ahead we found two more camp site options: at (-46.36768, -72.53116) on this side of the river and at (-46.36722, -72.53088) on the other side of the river. We considered sleeping there, because we were exhausted, but in the end we decided to keep going as we still had some hours of daylight left. This was the right choice, because that way we could sleep at Mallín Quemado and then the next day do the day trip to Torres del Avellano. Mallín Quemado is the name the locals use for the big forest area that was “burned” by the ashes of Volcan Hudson. It’s near (Puesto @33H-53.0) and it’s a perfect place for sleeping. We decided to boil the water from the small stream, because there were some cattle grazing around.

Day 3: Camp #10 (Camp ? @33H-08-#010) to Mirador Laguna y Torres del Avellano and back to Camp #10 / 7.1 km (each way) / 3 hours (each way)

We started early and with a lot of motivation to go and see the Torres del Avellano. Sadly the day was a bit cloudy, but nonetheless it was totally worth it: the views from up there are breathtaking! A lot of glaciers and superstreams with the purest water you can ask for. When we arrived back at the camp, we met the first person in 3 days: Francisco, a teacher from Puerto Aysen. He came up the other way, from Villa Cerro Castillo, and was planning on going to Torres del Avellano on the next day, and then head back to Villa Cerro Castillo.

Day 4: Camp #10 (Camp ? @33H-08-#010) to Camp at (-46.26244, -72.35118) / 21.6 km / 8 hours

Another long day, but without any difficult parts. This section of the hike is way more popular than Valle Resfalín/Resfalón, so the path is way easier to follow. The first section, until the car road, is really beautiful. We even saw some (semi) wild horses! We knew that once the car road started there wouldn’t be so many camp site options, so we kept our eyes open. The car road goes through a narrow valley, and then comes a steep down hill. At the bottom of the hill, on the left side, there is a small meadow, where it’s possible to pitch a tent (-46.26244, 72.35118). Water is available 100m down a steep hill.

Day 5: Camp at (-46.26244, -72.35118) to Carretera Austral / 14.8 km / 4 hours

Following the main car road to Carretera Austral it’s impossible to get lost. We didn’t find any stream on the way, but in case of needing water there are many houses. Just be sure to ask nicely :) Once on the Carretera Austral we hitchhiked to Villa Cerro Castillo. We only had to wait for 30 minutes to get a ride, and considering that we did this during covid times...not too bad. We also had the backup plan of Francisco, who would be driving to Villa Cerro Castillo later that day. Funny enough, we ran into Francisco by chance in Villa Cerro Castillo and he invited us to an ice cream. It was a nice way of ending the trip.

We are extremely grateful to Jan and all the people from wikiexplora for making this adventure possible!

==Season 2019/20==

*'''Section 33: RR(New!) from Ibáñez. Exit via Option 8 to Bahía Murta.'''
Westbound. 11 days. Party (3): Mum, Sis and I.

Ibáñez y Península Levican: Continuing our extended stay in Chile we caught a government subsidised bus from Cerró Castillo to Ibáñez where we learnt after a somewhat lengthy process: talking to the ticket office, boat personnel and then the carabineros (an officer and then his jefe!), everyone passing the buck; that without a certificado de salud (not available in town, and only online) we couldn't board the vessel. The upside was that the Naviera Austral had fantastic baños (yes! they were open!) and the cleaning lady let us have a quick body wash and even do a little laundry before she had to close up. There was also limited WiFi connectivity (only WhatsApp would work) and powerpoints where we could charge our things. It also happens that we bumped into a Zulema Amoroz who was born in Fachinal, most likely a relative of Carloz Amoros who offers the boat service from Fachinal across the lake (we contacted him but no boats were allowed on the lake). If you hang around near where the ferry docks you might find her selling coffee and alfajores.

We quickly decided to walk the new Section 33 Jan recently published, but end in Bahía Murta instead (i.e. explore option 8). Some effort was exhausted trying to organise a lift out to Península Levican. We did find someone for $30k, (it seemed a little steep but that's roughly what to expect), but it wouldn't be till the following day and we needed to get out of town to spend the night. We stocked up on food and started out on foot on the old RR (now Option 1) camping before we reached Río Ibáñez.

I had a little concern about water on the way to Levican, but there are two or three good streams along the way: (-46.31022, -71.97272) (-46.32470, -71.96457) (-46.34091, -71.94069)

In Puerto Ray a lady (also named Zulema!) warmed up to us and let us camp in her fruit orchard. In the morning we bought some eggs and 'bread' from them. Her husband was tanning a chivo hide; he had such a jolly step!

Along Lago General Carrera: We went back to the junction (Div Levican @33H-131.4) where a good emergency shelter exists. The road is still very clear from here, but don't expect any traffic. I think it was a rare sight that we saw an old Mercedes truck full of wood lumbering (pun intended ;) out. The rd deviates a little from the track files maybe due to the pine plantations. There are many new rds., so take care you don't go the wrong way. Taking the RR you will pass through a locked gate (-46.38234, -71.96692), after this keep an eye out for a gate on the left. It's not in the track files and we didn't look for it, so maybe it's not there. The issue we had was that the road continues up the hill, deviating from the RR around (-46.38448, -71.97642). Here you should already be on the small road on the other side of the fence (someone traveling towards Levican/Ibáñez will find this easier to scope I imagine). Though it's not recommended to cross fences, we carefully crossed instead of heading back. A very minor Rd continues down to a dilapidated puesto and a couple of portóns. The road didn't seem to continue as indicated in the track files... but I wasn't following my gps. We CCed across a field until we encountered another road that led back to the RR.

You will finally encounter your first reliable water source since Levican (-46.40196, -71.97831), especially if you are heading towards Ibáñez, make sure you fill up here!

The two camps in the track files at km117 and km114 were the best we saw. The next obvious choice would be around Campo Chico I think, quite a bit further along. Plenty of water along the lake and we had plenty of apples seeing we were walking so late in the walking season. Amazing autumn colours! The track is also in good shape, someone had very recently 'cleaned' the way! The refugio at Los Álamos was a very welcome sight, a great place to spend a night (it's there because of the high winds possible on the lake). The nearby settler was resonably friendly and his dog Puestero even more so! He told us that it was him who 'cleaned' the track along Lago General. It made our walking so much easier! Thanks Armando!

Valle Avellano y Ventisquiero: The old mining road through Valle Avellano was easy to follow. The road actually continues significantly further than indicated in the track files. Taking Variation F to avoid extra crossings of the river we found the road ended about here: (-46.45730, -72.30207). There is an unmarked ford here: (-46.46107, -72.24636)

We took Variation D and just caught Maria and Julio before they headed out with their kids on a horse ride. We bought some bread from them. They called it a tortilla, but I think my Mexican friends would strongly argue the point ;)

Easy walking up into Valle Ventisquiero. Read Jan's track notes. They are quite thorough. The trail to remeet Río Avellano is a little unused (also as mentioned in his write up), but easy to follow. Some good camping before the river. We met some gouchos using the puesto, they were not overly friendly; I think a little scared because of the virus. They pointed out a nearby shelter we could use made from a very old technique using U-shaped logs (I met a carpenter in Murta who told me a little about it).

Option 8: Valle Resbalín/Resfalón(?): It was snowing in the morning. We decided to take Option 8 to Bahía Murta. This meant less road walking and involved a part marked as 'I' (investigation) which would be nice to document. It appears that this route down Valle Resbalín (or "Resfalón" as some locals in Murta told me it was named... anyone know?) is no longer used; quite overgrown, vague and in places difficult to detect at all. Sometimes all we could see was the occasional chainsawed log; and in some chutes: machete marks. Water was plentiful. There was a very old but partially functional puesto en route.

There is a junction ('div') here: (-46.37495, -72.53695). The trail heading up the side valley actually looked quite distinct. I'm not sure what it's name is, or what's up there, but the water was a nice glacier blue and it had a higher flow than the 'main' named river.

The only tricky spot to find the track was where it was washed away by the river, about here: (-46.38527, -72.55201). I cut steps in the bank, crossed, and dropped a rope down for the others. It would be much safer to walk in the river. We explored options to bypass via skirting around in the bosque, but they didn't seem practical. The nearby camp site marked in the track files (Camp ? @33H-08-#008) is not really good. Better to camp 200m upstream If camping around here. We camped at the confluence with Estero Sur, which is the best spot to camp we saw in the entire valley. From this point down the valley, the track is in use: plenty of fresh signs of cattle (maybe they graze in the side valleys?). Ford Estero Sur (-46.39815, -72.58224) and follow the track down the valley with ease. There is camping at (Camp ? @33H-08-#004) but better 300m down the valley near a corral. 50m down valley of (Camp ? @33H-08-#002) camping is possible next to the vague ruins of an old puesto. Further down the valley are several grassy areas good for camping, the most obvious is here (-46.43778, -72.65597) in the vicinity of the old puesto. The track (as opposed to Rd) continues much further than indicated in the track files. The road only starts about here (-46.44697, -72.66655) once you are nearly in Murta. We rested a full day in Murta and I happened to run into Felepé who we'd meet before the trip in Cerró Castillo. Loco!

Thanks Jan for making this trip possible, Tobias Hellwig for recommending the reroute, and all the people on wikiexplora who explored and documented the tracks.

If anyone has any information on the history of Valle Resbalín/Resfalón(?), the mining prospectors in Valle Avellano, or the settlers that abandoned the coast of Lago General Carrera, I'd love to read a bit.

I hope this helps someone. Thanks!

Oh! and we're back in Cochrane now and planning to be in Coyhaique in a week or so. Cheers.

* '''BE AWARE THAT THE BELOW LOGS refer to Option 1 and not to the new Regular Route:'''
Until 2019 the Regular Route followed the Sendero de Chile in the vicinity of Rio Ibañez what is now Option 1. Tobias Hellwig suggested to reroute the GPT via the Torres de Avellano to incorporate this hidden treasure. This proposed new route was investigated and documented in February 2020 by the founders of the GPT. By this time multiple segments of this new route were already published on Wikiexplora by other authors. Only the route from Kilometer 62.2 to 69.9 remained undocumented and had to be researched and ground-proved.

* '''10 Mar 2020 / RH SOBO / Ty / 1 day'''

Super easy in general. I was able to get a hitch for like the last 10 kilometers. There’s a lot of different trail you can wander off on at the start of the sendero de Chile, so just be aware of your navigation at the start. The only good easily accessible water I found was between the two lakes before the intersection where you start walking the road. The ferry to Chile Chico leaves around 8 and takes a couple hours. Otherwise the next ferry leaves at 11 am....but make sure to confirm these times yourself. When arriving in Chile Chico, I climbed up to the viewpoint/mirador close to the ferry landing and found a place protected on the wind and slept on the ground. There is also an abandoned house marked in I-overlander that has an area in a room big enough for a 2 person tent. It’s on your right just before the climb up to the mirador.

* '''Jan 2020 / RH Northbound / Matthieu / 2 days'''

No technical difficulties on this part. However, I was stopped, when the GPT leave the road to go between the two lakes, by a sign : área protegida, ingreso no permitido. For me, it was cristal clear, so I just continued the road, disappointed. I spoke to one of the settler not far, who told me that it was only for cars and it s ok for walkers, and that it is part of the "Sendero de Chile". So the way seems open finally. Anyway, there is another little path just before the lago Ardillas that goes north, and join the GPS tracks above the Valley Ibanez. Well maintained, in the hills, lots of cows, good experience.

* '''2019 Jan/ Olrik / Northbound'''

From Ibanez you walk on a dirt road to the entrance of a Reserva Natural. You are on the Sendero de Chile so it is well marked. In the reserva the trail is easy to follow and there was no one. You end up in Cerro Castillo. We did it in 2.5 days but could be done in 1 day if beginning early.

* '''2019-Nov-28/ Lea Geibel/ 1 day / Northbound / Regular Hiking Route (Puerto Ibañez to Villa Cerro Castillo)'''

After arriving with the ferry at 10.30 a.m., the section can be hiked in one day (around 8 hours of walking). Most of the section is on a dirt road with very little traffic. The part that is following a trail is marked with posts with red / white rings on them. Occasionally the trail is not very visible but numerous animals tracks are usually heading in the right direction before eventually meeting up with a trail marker again.

=Resupply and Accommodation=

==Resupply and Accommodation in nearby Towns==

*2025 / Michael & Kasia:
If entering or exiting via Opt 8 or Opt 4, Bahía Murta (Puerto Murta) has several places that rent cabañas or camping space. There are at least 5 shops in town. The two largest both had tall skinny gas recharge canisters (Minimercado Gemaniar 3.000, Minimercado Estribo 4.000), but no screw type for backpacking stoves. Minimarket Gemaniar across from the tourist information office had generally the best prices and a good selection. The panadería across from the plaza had good pan amasado.

*Section GPT33H starts in Villa Cerro Castillo and terminates in Puerto Ingeniero Ibañez (Resupply information see GPT34H). Hikers that continue southbound may also resupply in Chile Chico after the ferry crossing of Lago General Carrera (Resupply information see GPT35).

*Several shops sell food and camping gas canisters.

*Restaurants offer filling meals.

*Accommodation is provided by hostels, cabañas and camp sites in these towns.

*Hikers that walk GPT33H and its adjacent sections with continuous footsteps can resupply in Cerro Castillo, Puerto Ingeniero Ibañez and Chile Chico and do not need to leave the route to resupply.

==Resupply and Accommodation along the Route==

*There is no plannable resupply along the entire Regular Route but some food may be obtained at the two homestead farms on the route.

[Settler (Maria & Julio) @33H-76.9]: Maria and Julio are one of the few settlers that still make cheese for sale in such a remote location. If you are short on foot you might also ask if they may sell some bread, milk or meat.

[Settler (Luis Diaz) @33H-85.2]: Luis : When passing his home consider a visit. You may also ask if he has bread or meat to sell.

[Puesto @33H-98.5]: The puesto 250 m north of Puerto Avellano is rarely occupied by their owners but the fruit trees might provide some well desired vitamins in summer and early autumn.

=Transport to and from Route=

*2025 / MiaimZelt
Subsidized bus between Puerto Ibañez and Levican every Monday & Friday: Ibañez/levican 8:15 & 17:00, Levican/ibañez 9:00 & 18:00.
Transportes Freddy Morales (+56 9 9506 2906)

*2023 / Maks&Gabi
We hitchhiked from km 136 near Levican to Puerto Ibanez. During the weekend there is only one ferry a day (Saturday morning and Sunday evening).

*2023 / Louis, Rémi & Noé :
Here, at the lake. There is mobile coverage and so we contacted numerus given on the PDF on WhatsApp to find a boat to bring us back to civilisation. I let you the contact of Jairo, that can bring you back to Puerto Tranquilo... for 400.000 CLP.. Jairo : +56 9 6633 9507

*Most buses to Villa Cerro Castillo leave Coyhaique in the morning around 08:00 and pass Villa Cerro Castillo approximately 1:30 hours later. In the opposite direction buses pass Cerro Castillo in the early afternoon.

*Puerto Ingeniero Ibañez has regular public transportation to Coyhaique (1:45 hour by bus) and Chile Chico (2:15 hour by ferry). The ferry over Lago General Carrera that connects Puerto Ingeniero Ibanez with Chile Chico does two round trips each day, one in the morning and one the evening. Buses to and from Coyhaique operate synchronized to these ferries.
Best Call Buses Alejandro: +56 9 7652 9546

*Subsidized bus from Puerto Ingeniero Ibañez to Levicán: Monday and Friday, Approx. 1’000 CLP Morning round trip: Leaving Puerto Ingeniero Ibañez at 08:00, arriving in Levican around 09:00 and returning immediately to Ibañez around 09:00 and arriving at Ibanez around 10:00. Evening round trip: Leaving Puerto Ingeniero Ibañez at 17:00, arriving in Levican around 18:00 and returning to Ibañez at 18:00 arriving at Ibanez at 19:00.

*Private transport from Puerto Ingeniero Ibañez to Levicán: Anytime, Approx. 35´000 CLP
Try to call Luis: +56 9 8648 4075

*Combining GPT35 with GPT33H

Northbound hikers may consider connecting GPT35 directly with GPT33H by exiting Parque Patagonia towards Fachinal and crossing Lago General Carrera by motorboat from Fachinal to the Desembocadura Rio Avellano. Here Lago General Carrera is only 3.5 km wide and a motorboat crossing does not take more than 20 minutes. Unfortunately, in summer this requires some patience as the normally strong wind often impedes this. In the morning or the evening the wind occasionally calms down but rarely during the day.

Carlos Amoroz, a settler in Fachinal owns a motorboat and offers this service on request. Pascual Diaz, a tour operator from Mallin Grande, can also provide this service but he must first haul his motorboat the 42 km on trailer from Mallin Grande to Fachinal what makes his service substantially more expensive.

Settler with motorboat in Fachinal (Location: -46.5568°S / -72.2120°W) Name: Carlos Amoroz Mobile: +56-9-76267029 Price: Approx. 30’000 CLP for 2 persons

Tour operator with motorboat in Mallin Grande Name: Pascual Diaz (Company: “Kalem Patagonia”) Mobile: +56-9-7391 7881 Price: Presumably more expensive and advance notice required

This section combination of GPT35 with GPT33H seems more practical in northbound direction as hikers can first talk directly to the settler with the motorboat in Fachinal, resupply in Chile Chico (by taking a motorized transport from Fachinal to Chile Chico and back) and then cross Lago General Carrera with a refilled backpack. While waiting for the wind to calm down hikers can pitch their tent at a nice wind protected camp site on the shore of Lago General Carrera.

Thanks to the reasonably good mobile phone coverage in Fachinal hikers can check the weather and wind forecast and call the settler with the motorboat when approaching Fachinal. This permits hikers to anticipate or discard a motorboat crossing on arrival.

Hikers that attempt a more complicated southbound crossing of Lago General Carrera should make arrangements with the settler with the motorboat at least one or two weeks before arriving at Puerto Avellano, test communication devices (i.e. InReach to mobile phone), agree on the precise pick-up location (Puerto Avellano or Desembocadura Rio Avellano) and carry enough food to wait some time in Puerto Avellano. Hikers should be prepared that the wind may not calm down while waiting several days in Puerto Avellano. In this case the motorboat transfer should canceled, and the hiker should walk out to Puerto Ingeniero Ibañez before the food reserves deplete. There is mobile phone coverage at Puerto Avellano (entel if I recall correctly).

=Permits, Entry Fees and Right-of-Way Issues=

*To my knowledge paddling on Lago General Carrera requires a permit from the Armada de Chile but complying with all requirements might not be possible even for a well equipped packrafter (i.e. distress signal rockets).

=Links to other Resources=

Retired Section Article [[GPT33H - Puerto Ibañez]]

Retired Section Article [[GPT33H - Torres del Avellano]]

For additional information see the Wikiexplora Articles:

[[Península de Levican - El Avellano]]

[[Torres del Avellano]]

[[Laguna La Plaza]]

For more information see the Wikiexplora Article:

[[Puerto Cristal]]

For more information see the Wikiexplora Articles:

[[Valle Miller]]

[[Estero Jaramillo]]

A part of this route is described in the Wikiexplora Article:

[[Mirador Este de las Torres de Avellano]]

=Images=

Greater Patagonian Trail track files

2025-11-04T02:19:21Z

Aymaynard:

[[category:Greater Patagonian Trail]] The track files of the [[Greater Patagonian Trail]] are provided on personal request by [[user:Jandudeck|the author]] free of charge but not unconditionally. Read in the Hiker's Manual chapter '''1.15 Terms and Conditions for Using the Hiker's Manual and the Trail Files''' to review these conditions and to understand why these conditions were put in place. GPT Hikers's Manual: http://bit.ly/GPTmanual ==Create an account in Wikiexplora (compulsory)== [[File:create account wikiexplora.png|frame|Six (very standard) steps to create an account in Wikiexplora]] To request the files you must first [http://wikiexplora.com/index.php? title=Special:Enter&type=signup create a Wikiexplora account]. It really takes less than a minute. The form is in Spanish, but it's very standard and simple: #User name #Password #Confirm password #Email. Not mandatory but highly recommended to give us the chance to reach you. Wikiexplora has sent only '''one''' non personal email in 13 years. #Real name (optional) #On the final line type '''wikiexplora''', all in lower case ==List of requests== 

*'''Alex&Aoife''' Hi Jan and GPT community :) My Partner and I are planning on hiking SOBO from Santiago Early January 2026. We would love access to the GPX files. Really appreciate all the collective effort that's gone into the manual too. Very special resource. Thanks alot !

*'''Isa&Sander''' Hi GPT community, we are two ecologists from the Netherlands and are travelling to Santiago at the end of November 2025 to hike parts of the GPT. We don't have a set time, so depending on our progress (and how many cool plants and other creatures will distract us ;) ), we will try to do more or less sections. We really look forward to experience the landscape and meet its people.

*'''pearcerichi''' Hello, we are Richard and Emeline, we are french, we plan to Come in Chile one month and half in the early 2026. It is our first Time in Chile. Like people of this community i guess, we like so much hiking paticularly in immersive natural and social environments. The reason why we were very glad to find a trail like GPT and a community like wikiexplora. Our first idea is to start by sections 06 to 12 this year. But maybe the plan might change during the process. Thanks à lot for all you have done to help us planning pour trip. Hope we might contribute. Best regards. Richard and Emeline

*'''AriGPT''' Hello! I'm Ari, and I'm hoping to hike a few sections of the GPT over the course of roughly a month from mid-December 2025 until January 2026. I was in Patagonia about 4 years ago, and I was absolutely impressed by its beauty. I'm really excited to hopefully go back and I think the GPT would be an incredible opportunity to do so and see new places and appreciate the beauty of Patagonia.

*'''Henrik G''' Hi Jan and the extended GPT community. I'm Henrik, from Norway, and I'm planning to spend a month hiking parts of the GPT early spring 2026. I learned about the GPT from a man I sailed with back in 2020, who was a long distance hiker (and also a captain on a sailing boat). We sailed together in Greenland where I especially appreciated the remoteness, the proper wilderness and the fact that your are self dependent and need to plan properly. I would like to request receiving the GPT track-files so I can start the detailed planning process.

*'''Amy G''' Hi Jan. I was lucky enough to be invited to trek with a member that I met in Chile in 2024. We will start in January 2026 until the season is over. While he does the packraft sections, I will trek solo and meet up later. The more I read the Hiker's Manual, the more exited I am becoming, because I agree wholehartedly with the phylosophy. I would appreciate recieving the GPT files so I can plan and coordinate routes with my friend.

*'''Lucie V''' Hi Jan and everyone, I’m Lucie from the Czech Republic. After four years, I’m coming back to Patagonia — a place that really became my second home for a while. I love nature and mountains and would like to experience some of the best parts of Chilean wilderness, while hiking and connecting with local people along the way. I plan to hike selected GPT sections from January to April 2026, heading southbound. I’ll be hiking solo but would be more than happy to meet and maybe join other hikers for parts of the journey.I’d be very grateful to receive the GPT files to be able to plan all the details. Thanks a lot to Jan and all the contributors for the amazing work on mapping and sharing this trail network!

*'''Mor A.''' Hello everyone who might come across this :) My name is Mor, I have just graduated from my Masters in university and now it is my time to take my exploration to a new continent. After wondering through Europe and Israel I would like to do the same this season in South America. I have heard about the GPT from a freind in the Israeli Ultralight community and have fell in love. The idea of wondering through less accessed land with the opportunity of interacting with native communities off the beaten path of Patagonia makes me excited. I am currently looking at the section around GPT06 or further down south around El Chalten. With no clear plan I am looking for the GPX and KMZ files to better plan routes. Reading the user manual was such a relief that so much accurate and to the point information exist and now the files will be the final piece to my plans :)

*'''Antoine B''' Hi, I'm Antoine from France. I just started a sabbatical, leaving space exploration for some time to explore Earth, spending more time in nature and mountains. For many years I have longed for travelling to Chile/Argentina, to discover its wild nature and culture (and finally practise my Spanish!). I read about the GPT earlier this year and it feels like an exciting balance between remote trekking, hiking/packrafting mix and an open adventure where encounters, weather, rivers and time hold surprises. I'm still planning but so far the idea is to reach Santiago by late November 2025, go SOBO and spend ~4 months on various sections of the trail: probably hiking sections between 05-22 and packrafting within 17-31. I will be happy to connect with other hikers on the way, and would be very grateful to receive the track files for planning. Thanks for your huge work Jan!

*'''Julia&Oliver''' Julia is working on a charity project in Mendoza atm. When this finishes we'll hike for a few weeks. We'll start somewhere at Puerto Montt/Bariloche and hike NOBO. Where Julia is more the kind of "Duracell bunny", I am looking more for really remote places where is no information at all available about the track. Discovering a handbook with 1300+ pages was kinda shock to me. 😅

*'''Elisa B''' Hello everyone, my name is Elisa and I'm from Switzerland. I'm planning to hike the GPT between December and January. Why the GPT? I discovered this trail through a book by a French explorer. As I read through the pages, it became clear that Patagonia would be my next destination and I'll be tackling part of the GPT, as I've always wanted to walk long distances. I enjoy wild and authentic landscapes, contact with the local population, and having to fend for myself. Since I have little time to explore the region, I'm planning to spend about 2 months hiking the section between GPT20 and GPT40. Heading north. I'd be very grateful to receive the GPS files. Thanks a lot for your job on the GPT!

*'''Pierrick G''' Hi Juan. 10/2025. I am currently exploring the South American continent with no fixed return date and a strong wish to immerse myself in the local culture. My motivation for hiking the Greater Patagonian Trail is to step off the beaten track and lose myself in nature, seeking an authentic, humble, and challenging way of life. I hope to leave no trace along my journey, connecting deeply with the environment where I am only a simple guest and a temporary visitor. For me, the trail is not only about adventure but also about respect, discovery, and becoming part of a wild and beautiful land, even if only for a while.

*Edwin. Hi Jan. I hope to be flying to Punta Arenas the 10th of november and intend to cherry pick some gpt sections. Hope to get a bit more done than just gpt12 and half a gpt33h two years ago! Of course I would be very happy to receive the latest gpt files.

*'''Alma''' Hi Jan. I hiked three months on the GPT in 2017/18. An amazing experience! Since that time I am longing to explore other regions of Chile whilst on the GPT. I would really appreciate receiving the new track files in preparation for another three months on the GPT starting this mid-November. Thanks for all your research and for sharing your knowledge on thru-hiking (and packrafting) in Chile!

*'''Sandro''' Hi Jan. I am a pretty experienced bikepacker, and I usually create my own routes, but since I don't have that much experience doing this for thru-hiking, and there is already such an exhaustive and well-researched amount of information available, it would be silly not to acquire your files and start from there.

*'''Nicolas''' Hello everyone, my name is Nicolas, I’m a young engineer from France. Between January and March I plan to travel on the GPT, most likely combining hiking and packrafting along parts of the GPT. To better prepare my trip, I would like to request access to the track files. Thank you very much to Jan and all contributors for the amazing work on this project, it’s really inspiring to see such a resource shared with the community!

*'''mts1010''' Hello. I´m planning to do a part of the GPT from January to April. Is it possible to get the track files? That would be helpful. Thank you for your continued work on this project.

*'''Michaela''' Hi everyone, my name is Michaela and I am from Austria. At the end of November 2025, I will start the GPT from Santiago and hike southbound. I will see how far I can get, as I have time until mid-March 2026. I am really looking forward to it!

*I'''guai''' Hello Jan, contributors, and all. Looking to be back in Chile for my first time in almost 20 years starting in January 2026. Excited to hike perhaps 500 km of the GPT over the course of a couple months. Thanks!

*'''LauraAndaGPT''' Hola Jan, I am currently figuring out which parts of the GPT I would like to hike (2025/26). It would be great to have acess to the track files for planning. Such great recourses to explore the Region, thank you very much in advance for all the considerations you made while publishing these informations!

*'''Massa''' Hi Jan, thanks to you and anyone contributing for maintaining and sharing the information (not only the track files). Me and my wife are going to be in Chile two months starting in early in december and returning late in the january 26. We are looking forward to hike some of the sections of the GPT. Thank you, Jan, also for the help with setting up the wiki account.

*'''djunksss''' Hola Jan! This is Julia from Brazil! Last December I went to Cochamo to hike in the region and loved it very much! Now I'm planning on going back to Patagonia, this time to Torres del Avellanos region to again do some hiking and exploring, but this time with plans to do some wild camping. A good friend of mine told me of the wiki and the GPT track files, and I'm sure they would be of the greatest help moving around! Thanks in advance for all the trouble in keeping this awesome site in the air.
*'''Álvaro''' Hi Jan! I´m planning to do a part of the GPT with my son the next summer, probably a couple of weeks in January. Is it possible to get the track files? It would be a great help to have them. Thanks in advance.
*'''Mochi''' Hi Jan! First of all, thanks to you and everybody else who's put so much work into the Greater Patagonian Trail - I'm amazed by your generosity! I would like to hike/packraft parts of the GPT this upcoming season, together with my partner. For more in-depth planning it'd be great to have the track files.

*'''Quentin.FR''' Hello, I plan to travel across Patagonia from january to april 2026, and I would love to take part of some GPT track in order to hike as much as possible. Therefore, I would like to request a GPS track to plan it. I will be alone during my trip. Thanks!

*'''Pierrick M.''' Hello to the GPT community, thank you for the work done on this project. I would like to hike part of the GPT starting from Santiago in November 2025. Therefore, I would like to request a GPS track to plan my route according to the recommendations in the guidebook. Hope to see you soon on the GPT!

*'''Castade''' Hi Jan, I’m planning to start hiking the GPT from Santiago (GPT01) without a fixed end point, just seeing how far I will go as the journey unfolds. I would really appreciate access to the GPS files so that I will be able to look further into the routes and have them for when I start the the trail. Thanks so much for all the work you've done—it’s truly an incredible resource!

*'''Daniel S.''' Hello everyone! Thank you Jan,, for continuing the project! After completing some of the packrafting sections in the 23/24 season, I will be returning to the GPT in November '25 to repeat some sections and probably try a few different ones as well. See you out there!

*'''Roy Kisluk''' Hi Jan, I plan on hiking the GPT starting with GPT69 in October and heading North. I will be hiking solo. I appreciate all that you put into this project. Thank you!

*'''Nimrod Ashkenazy''' Hi, I'm planing to mostly solo hike (I have friends who will join for some sections) in November 25. I first heard about this trail while thru-hiking the TA in New Zealand. Thanks for the great work!!!

*'''Denis Rosa''' Hello everybody, I heard about GPT from Slovakian couple which hiked almost 3000km, after gathering more information and as I have been going through hikers manual this is something we would like to be part of at least a bit. Possible attempt would be with my best friend most likely in the season 2026 November until 2027 March. Only hiking. Not sure yet which parts exactly but we would have few months for that we would like to plan more from track file. And I have to add that really appreciate all the work which Jan did, thank you.

*'''Glacier Kane''' Hi Jan, first of all can't help but smile when I read your document, the hidden codes, the obligatory communal contributions, as a fellow Engineer I appreciate your creativity and effort here :] anyways I'm planning a 3-4 month hike through the GPT in the next 6-12 months and would love the track files! Not 100% sure what section I'll do yet but the files sure would help me plan it, thank you sir.

*'''El Perezoso 91 (Sebastian)''' Hi together, my girlfriend and I hiked part 36H last year, and we would like to to the complete section 32 to 40 from September to January 2026/27. Many thanks @Jan for the GPT compilation, it's an incredible work you've done!

*'''Trix&Tinu''' Hello everyone, we already hiked GPT 21 to GPT 1 in 2018/2019. Now we want to hike further stages in the south (without a packraft). We'll be in Chile from December to February. @Jan: Thanks for your work!

*'''JesseCaro''' Hi Jan, ever since our last visit in Patagonia in 2016 we’ve been dreaming of coming back. In previous years we’ve been hiking trails in Europe and the US. Searching for new experiences we came across your project. We would very much like to hike the GPT next summer (from December 2025) and use your Track files. Thank you very much!

*'''Oelk'''* Hi Jan, A few months ago while planning an open-ended ticket trip to the Americas came across the GPT Hikers' Manual and fell in love, I depart in a month to NA and I plan to arrive at Santiago early October and to hike the Northern Bulk (and continue south if budget and weather allows). Already practicing my Spanish and preparing for the journey physically and logistically. Your passion for this region and this route is contagious! Would love to get access to the Track files, thank you and hope to hear from you soon.

*'''Anso'''* Hi Jan, I am reading about the GPT since years waiting for the right timing for me to come. It finally cames. I took 4 months off between December 2025 and March 2026 to go solo-hiking between Coyhaique and Ushuaia. My goal is not necessarily to connect footsteps between those two locations but rather to take the time to explore the area and enjoy the suprises on the way. Thank you very much

*'''Teebi'''* Hi Jan, I've been traveling the last 9 weeks through south of Chile/Argentina and did a lot of the well known trails. While preparing for Villarica Traverse I found Wikiexplora and the GPT. Now I also really want to do the GPT06 and I think it will be one of my highlights just before time in Chile ends. Many thanks.

*'''Minutetravel'''* hello Jan, my name is jacques this year I discovered northern Chile and fell in love with this country. I would now like to explore Chilean Patagonia. I thank you for the incredible work you have done in mapping all the trails in this region. Thank you for accepting me on this list so I can access the files.

*'''Greg''' Hi Jan, I'm very keen to explore parts of Greater Patagonia, particularly GPT 6-12 from January 2026. I would be very grateful for the track files to be able to achieve this. Many thanks for creating this amazing trail network.

*”Joppe” Hi Jan. I’ve been interested in the GPT since years and have finally got a chance to go to Chile for a month or maybe more. Would love to contribute to this project. I’d love to be granted access to the files. Thank you for your amazing work on this.

*"AthenaJones" Hi Jan. Hoping to solo hike the trail from the beginning of october to the end of january. My goal is not to complete the trail but to explore it until the time runs out. I will need the track files to achieve this. Thankyou for all the information you have provided, its inspiring.

*"Asimo" Hi Jan. I'm currently solo traveling in Patagonia by bike with a packraft for 2 months and for the next 2 months. I learned about the GPT on the way and I'm interresting on several sections. Particularly for packrafting a portion of Río Baker, hiking around Torre de Avallano y glaciar O'Higgins, but also comparing options for hiking and discover more deeply Patagonia between Coyhaique and Puerto Natales.

*'''Schmittenk''' Hi Jan. I'm living in southern Chile and have walked short sections that overlap with the route network. I'd like to look into hiking longer sections within the next couple of years. I'd appreciate being able to access the track files.

*'''UnChamoisEgaré'''* Hi Jan. I already had the chance to walk a part of the GPT 3 years ago alone (Adrien Kunzli) and this time I would like to do it with my 2 brothers for two months. We are preparing a little late but we have all the equipment and are in Valparaiso and we would like to start as soon as possible. I hope this is possible, thank you very much! Let me know :)

*'''Diego Raffaeli'''* Hi Jan. I've been reviewing the GPT Hikers manual in order to planning a trail from Lago Puelo (Arg) to Cochamó (Chi). I would really appreciate if you can share the tracking files with me. Thanks in advance.

*'''Sprocky.''' Hi Jan. I've been studying the GPT hikers manual for some years now with an eye on exploring as much of the route as possible over the next two summer seasons. Keen to be a part of the GPT community and give feedback. I would really appreciate the track files to help me continue with route planning this year. Many thanks for compiling such a detailed resource. Cheers

*'''SteveBehaeghel.''' Hi Jan en Meylin, thx for the recent update on the GPT files. We are currently in Pucon with our 3 kids (3ys, 6ys and 9ys). The upcoming 3 months we will continue to revisit or explore certain GPT sections on small adventures of maximum 5 days. We will trek parts of, and including optional routes, from GPT14-GPT16-GPT19-GPT21-GPT22-GPT30-GPT33-GPT35-GPT37. I will probably do some small uptdates on the FB group, but the wikiexplora pages I will update after our longer trip in the second half of 2025. Thx for all helpfull information.

*'''Martin M.''' Hi Jan, I would like to explore some part of the GPT on foot, starting from GPT32. I only have a few weeks, so it will be just a small taste of what GPT is. Therefore having access to the track files would greatly help. Thanks a lot for all the effort you put into it.

*'''7yson''' Hello, Jan. Thanks for this incredible resource. What an amazing effort that you and your community here have made. Happy to be a part of it. I'll be in the Esquel area in late Feb and am studying the main route for sections to hike in March, northbound likely. Thanks for considering me for access to the track files.

*'''Daniela Montecinos''' Hi Jan! I found GPT while searching for information on packraft routes in Patagonia. Your work is wonderful! I am interested in doing some of GPT's packraft routes and being able to contribute updated information on them. Thank you so much for your work and for sharing it!

*'''Mochilaosabatico''' Hi Jan. Tks for all information about GPT. My husband and I have just finished GPT 6 (Descabezado Grande) and we want to hike sectors 7 and 8. I would appreciate receiving the tracklogs for GPTs 7 and 8. Tks a lot!

*'''Moonshine''' Hi Jan. I have been loving the in depth guide for the GPT. It has been an incredible resource for this upcoming trip. Thank you so much for all you have done. My friend and I are planning on spending a month in March hiking along this trail. We have yet to decide exactly where along GPT06-GPT22. We are hoping we love it so much that next year we will come back with some packrafting knowledge and do more for a longer period of time. We love being in the backcountry, and connecting with local communities. This truly appeals to us in every regard. Excited for this adventure!

*'''Tom Venegas''' Thank you all for the fantastic work in gathering information and building this community! I’ve hiked in the Radal, Lircay, Antuco, Cochamó, and recently I’ve been exploring more of Aysén—specifically Cerro Castillo and Patagonia National Park. I’m really excited to check out Torres del Avellano and the Pioneros Road in Aysén next. Looking forward to connecting with other hikers and sharing experiences to be part of this project!

*'''Benoît''' Hi Jan, thank you for the incredible work you've done with the hiker's manual, it's an invaluable resource ! I started the GPT from Santiago in 2018 (sections 01 to 08), and I would like to continue from the Antuco Volcano and go south. Thanks again for all your work!

*'''einat shvartz''' Hello. I'm einat, i'm 26, i'm arriving solo to patagonia this January (2025), for about 2-3 months. I wish to hike the GPT, or maybe just some sections of it. I am absolutly love being in untouched nature and also meeting authentic people from all around the world. Hiking some of the GPT sounds incredible. I'm experienced with medium-long hikes (several days to 1-2 weeks top), but 0 experience with packrafting. There for I wish, at this point, to do only sections that are duable by foot (probably the more northen parts of GPT). And probably not a lot of difficult parts, at least in the begining, to see how i adapt to this new land, and to the whole thru-hiking experience. I hope that the track files will help me build and plan my own customize trail, and that i will be blessed to expirience some of it.

*'''jhfelner''' Hello. I plan on hiking and maybe packrafting numerous sections of the GPT over the next few years starting with parts of GPT around Section 6 this year. Experienced with remote mountain terrain. Would appreciate the track files for further planning.

*'''Tomek Z''' Hi, I´m from Poland. Right now on the one-year hitchhiking trip through South America. But part of my plan was always hiking some part of Andes. This idea of GPT really looks nice. I am a student mountain guide in Poland,and so far my bigest hike was from Zakopane to Budapest aprox. 350km, 16 days. Now I would love to try someting more challenging. I want to do a part from Trapa Trapa to Santaiago. I speak spanish quite well and curently I am working in a hostel in El Chalten. :) I plan to start a hike in the middle of February.

*'''Matthias Keil''' Hi Jan, we are Kathrin and Matthias from Germany (40yrs/42yrs) and we are both passionate hikers and have already visited lots of countries and its mountains. Since we have a kind of sabbatical in 2025/2026 we are planning to spend around 4 to 5 months on the GPT. My wife is fluent in Spanish and we are both fascinated of exploring remote areas and getting in touch with the locals combined with challenging navigation in barely untouched regions.

*'''Jordan Porter''' Hello. I plan to solo hike and packraft the Gpt starting December 2025 and hiking until April 2026. I spent three months backpacking and exploring Chile and Argentina last Jan-March so I have a decent idea of what to expect weather/transportation/etc. Your hikers guide has been a great resource so far! Looking forward to being in touch.

*'''Ben McLuckie''' Hi Jan, along with my spouse, we want to spend 3 months hiking from PN Hornopirén north to Santiago starting in March. I am currently reading your 2024 Hikers Manual. For 3 months in 2019 we traveled from Dientes de Navarino to El Chaltén and for another 3 months in 2024 traveled from El Chaltén to Valdivia by mountain biking, trekking and connecting ferries. We are most definately "immersion hikers" and not mileage-focused thru-hikers (no judging here).

*'''Fernanda Rodriguez''' Hi Jan, I am visiting Chilean and Argentinian Patagonia for one month. I am interested in doing the GPT 37 to GPT 40. I've been all of 2024 reading your Hikers Manual. I feel so grateful for such a beautiful contribution you have made to this, my country :)

*'''Chloe Derrien''' Hi Jan, with my partner, we would like to go from Ushuaïa up to Peru using some GPT sections. We would like to start end of february. Thank you for the GPT hiking manual, it is a huge help and source of informations.

*'''DavidVidal"" Hola, de a poco he ido haciendo trayectos de varios días por la cordillera, algunos de estos se unen también a ciertas secciones del GPT. Me interesa tener estos tracks para planificar mejor mis salidas. Agradecido de tu trabajo y prolijidad en esta ruta. Leí hace un tiempo el manual, acepto las condiciones claramente.

*'''Jason''' Hi Jan. I'm currently looking into hiking some sections of the GPT in 2025/2026 and would greatly appreciate the track files to aid in planning. I've read the introduction and agree to the terms and conditions. Thank you for all that you do.

*'''Ben Ram''' Hi Jan, I am researching hiking sections of the GPT in the Chilean Lake District with my partner in late 2025 to early 2026. It would be really great to have access to your GPS Files for this. I have read the Terms and Conditions and agree to them. Cheers.

*'''Ana''' Hi Jan, I’m looking into hiking sections of the GPT in late 2025 to early 2026. As part of my planning, I’d love to have a look at the GPS files to decide on sections. Thanks so much for all of the work you’ve put into this, the hikers manual is particularly useful.

*'''EmilieV''' Hi Jan, I am planning to cross Chile from Antofagasta to Ushuaia by foot and bus and I would like to incorporate some of the GPT sections in my adventure. The sections in question are 6 to 12 SOBO and then skipping over some of the middle sections to hop back on it probably after section 32 to finish at 40. I am still figuring out if I want to add a section or two from the southern part of the GPT and would like to access to GPS files to finish my preparation. The hikers manuel and the unbounded documentary were so helpful not only regarding the "trail" but also understanding the different dynamics of the local population, so interesting!

*'''pointatadventure''' Hi Jan, a huge thank you to this wonderful community! I came across GPT after an extensive internet search. As an avid adventurer, I am planning a trip to Patagonia next year to hike and packraft. I have read and of course accepted the terms and conditions. It would be fantastic if you could provide the GPS files for my project.

*'''Steve Hawkins''' Hello Jan and thank you for considering me for the GPT track files. I have read all terms and conditions, and I agree to comply. I also agree to contribute to the community. I am a "soon-to-be" retiree and have backpacked extensively in the United States. I would like to hike sections of the GPT over several years in 60–90-day increments beginning in Winter 2025-2026. I am beginning the research process for the first section hike in Patagonia and would love the assistance of the track files. Thank you for your consideration.

*'''Matias Federici.'''Hi Jan, I am going to do S14-15-16-17 next week, dont have much time for preparations because I was just noticed in my work that i have the vacations abiable, Been years reading About de GPT, this is the first time I have the money and time to try to do some, Im realy looking foward to this, thank you for the incredible job you started, best regards from argentina!

Use the format:
*'''Michael G.''' Hi Jan, I am planning on hiking sections 1 to 22 NoBo of the GPT from early March 2025, beginning in El Chaltén. I would like to thank you for the selfless work you did on making the GPT what it is. I'd be grateful if you could provide the GPS files for my project.

*'''Al and Bee''' Hi Jan, we are planning on hiking parts of the GPT starting in early January 2025, probably beginning in El Chaltén and hiking north. Thank you for the incredible Hikers Manual on the GPT. The GPS files would be extremely helpful for our endeavor.

*'''Juergen''' Hi Jan, My name is Jürgen Wolf. First of all, I want to thank you for the Greater Patagonia Trail project. I'm planning to some chapters in February, probably from stage 21 in northern direction. I'm currently in the process of studying the manual and creating a plan for myself, for which the GPS files would be helpful

*'''Pierre-Marie''' Hi Jan, I have been hiking since 27/11 from Santiago to El Chalten. Thank you for your work and efforts to keep this trail alive.

*'''Dustin''' Hi Jan, I am heading down to Patagonia this summer and planning to explore some of the packrafting sections. I'm planning to start exploring out of Coyhaique in early January. It is really wonderful that you are putting together a resource like this for an area you love. Your passion really comes through in the guide. Thank you so much for all that you do.

*'''Miguel''' Hi Jan, my name is Miguel Rodríguez Letelier, i live in Chile, love hiking and the mountains. I am planning to hike the GPT in the summer. Thank you for all the work and passion you put in this.

*'''Henri''' Hi Jan, let me first say how thrilled I am that the GPT guide exists and that there are all these incredible resources available for free all in the name of hiking! I am looking at the possibility of hiking a section of the GPT this coming February. I have my selection narrowed down to a few different sections but I am still a little indecisive. I will only have about a month to hike the sections of the GPT until I need to go home. I am hoping to get ahold of the Track Files so that I could better understand the scope of what I might be embarking. I've made myself a spread sheet showing every section of the trail from GPT 001 through GPT 040 where I include data and details to more easily narrow down my decision, and with this I feel that I am ready to get into the fine details of planning a relatively short hike on the GPT (3 weeks or a month).

*'''Graham''' Hello Jan, My name is Graham Hall. I am very interested in hiking the GPT between December and February of 2025. I am beginning my planning process, and I would love your insight. I will say, this is somewhat new to me, not in the outdoor sense, but in perspective. I have worked as a backcountry guide leading canoe trips for several years, but thru-hiking is newer for me at least in the packing sense -although I have been doing some smaller trips. I am fluent in spanish and confident in my abilities in the backcountry, specifically in outfitting and planning so I am excited about getting my hands on the most up to date maps and trip notes to plan my route. I also am looking to plan some pit stops to try and attract my other guide friends to join me for sections, but I just need to get to planning. I also would just love to get some more advice. I will say, pack rafting sounds insanely cool (from my canoe experience) but I also know the dangers that come with solo water travel, especially in such windy conditions. I would love to discuss this further, if you have the time. Either way, I hope this gets to you, wikiexplora do me right!
I hope we speak soon,
Graham

*'''Nono''' Hi Jan! I am planning to hike the GPT from Puerto Montt to Santiago. I'll be starting in February. I'm currently planning the hike and the guide is really fantastic. Congrats and thank you for putting together such useful information. I hope I can help contribute too. Best, Arno.

*'''Timotheed''' Hi Jan, I am planning to hike on the GPT from El Chalten to Santiago with a friend. We'll start in February, and we ll make it to Santiago with some junctions by bus. I am currently trying to plan our trip and therefore I would like to use the GPT track files. Thank you so much for the amazing informations you provided.

*'''dmateria''' Hi Jan, I am planning to packraft the packraftable (GPT16+) out of the GPT from end of December onwards, thus I'd gladly make use of the existing tracks. Thanks for the amazing community you have helped building.

*'''Mishun''' Hi Jan, me and my wife Anna plan to hike on GPT as a part our trip to Chile in December. We aim to hike sections GPT 06 and GPT 07 but we keep our plans open to change depending on the current conditions. Thank you for all your effort.

*"'MiaimZelt"' Hi Jan, thank you a lot for sharing so much informations in the GPT Manual. My husband and i are currently in Chile and will be until April. We planned to do a lot of multi-day hikes off the beaten path, which are part of the GPT, without knowing about the GPT. Less than 2 weeks ago an other hiker advised me about the GPT. This way i found out we'll be section hikers on the GPT. Now i'm reading every day in the Manual and try to improve my planning as best as i can without the files. Since then i considered if i should add myself to the list, although i'm definately late. Decided to give it a try. The gpx-files would be a great help to find out about alternative routes of our planned treks and to understand all the log-entrys, which are related to the files.

*'''Elijah Fuller''' My friend Michael and I are experienced thruhikers who are looking to do something very different from our previous experiences; the GPT. We'll have approximately 2 months to complete the GPT in January and February 2025. We're currently route planning, with sections GPT05-22 or GPT32-47 being the two sections we're considering. It's time to jump on Google Earth!

*“Raphael Chevalier” Greetings and thank you for all the research and detailed information found in the Guide Manual. I have read chapter 1 and am further into getting info on that very intriguing trail. I have a GSP and would like to use the GPT gps coordinate to further research the sections I am planning to do starting January 2025. Once again thank you for the community and available information.

* '''Roman''' I already did parts of the GPT in the 23/24 Season and fell in love with it!:) So I want to continue where it stopped GPT82P / GPT 33. Looking forward fore some new explorations and the new stories to tell of the people I meet! :)

* '''gornik''' Me and my grilfriend Gabi would like to hike once again on GPT. Last time we were here in 2023 and now we are planning to come back ready to experience GPT with all its beauty and challanges.

*'''Peggy''' Hi Jan, a lot of gratitude for you work and for charing it. It's a wonderful gift! I plan to start the gpt late december 2024 and walk until march or april wherever I get. Then I probably do the south part next year. For the momeent, I study the manual, analyse the route and my gear so I would be happy to have the gps files to go further in this preparation. Talk with you soon I hope and I am happy too to be a part of this community.

*'''Mttmllr''' Hi Jan, I live in Biobio region Chile, and in the past few years have done some hikes in the Andes that have been on GPT routes. I'm interested in the track files to enable me to continue exploring (slowly, year by year, I don't plan on leaving Chile any time soon) the different segments of the GPT. Many thanks for all your work and dedication to this project.

*'''BeingGarrett''' Jan ... I am looking to start the GPT this year (2024) in Santiago, I have an unlimited timeline and acknowledge that the GPT can not be done in a single season, therefore I would like to directly view the GPS files to map a roughly 1000 mile section. Go far, not fast. Thank you.

*'''Kare-Bare Blvd''' Hi Jan, my GF and I are super stoked to have found such a wealth of knowledge available for our planned adventure to Patagonia. We have 2 months and are very much interested in the Packrafting portions between 17-39, plus all the side quests and hikes along the way. We don't plan to complete all these sections in 2 months but we really think that the track files will help in our planning and prioritizing of sections so that we can get the most out of our adventure and to do it safely. GPT 2026! B-K

*'''ClickClack''' Hi Jan, myself and a friend are planning on doing sections 1 through 40 from mid-November 2024 to March 2025. We hope to complete the whole thing and the track files would really help! Thank you for the incredible amount of effort you have put into this!

*'''Simonlusignan''' Hi Jan, I am planning my 1500km hike through some GPT sections. I am starting from El Chalten in January 2025 and will be doing sections 32 to 40 and 6 to 12. I would love access to the files to help me navigate through river crossings and certain tougher sections. Thank you very much for the incredible ressource!

*'''Tamar''''' hi! we were very excited to hear about this trail! and it's uniqueness!! we hope to hike through some sections along the trail starting from the north in December 2024 until the weather becomes cold. Would love to share photos taken along the way. thank you!!

*''''Thijmen''''' Hola Jan, I'm planning to Packraft part of the GPT for three months in January till March 2025. I would like to receive the track files in order to prepare. Thank you for all the effort in making this adventure possible.

*'''''borruu''''' Hello Jan, thank you for sharing all the information about GPT. I am planning to hike a southern part of the GPT in February 2025, an access to the track files will be greatly appreciated.

*'''''wiiiim''''' Hola Juan, I'm very interested in exploring Patagonia further by hiking & packrafting sections of the GPT from December 2024. I'm still going through a lot of the information, but would love to get request access to the track files to plan more accurately. All the best, Wim

*'''''Kevin4''''' Hello Juan, I am considering the GPT between Section 6 and 20 starting in December 2024. Thank you for your work and manual on the GPT. I would like to have access to the trace file to plan my route. I thank you, Kevin.

*'''''Clara''''' Hey Jan ! I'm planning to hike some sections of the GPT between Decembre 2024 to March 2025. After reeding the amazing GPT hiker's manual, I would like to get access to the track files to continue planning the hike. Thank's for sharing all your work.

*'''''Amazering''''' Hi Jan, first of all thanks for putting together all this info and documentation about the GPT, the pdf in particular has been an amazing read so far! We as a couple have been hiking for a few years and we identify ourselves very much in the slow pace, sharing centered and collaborative philosophy of the GPT, and plan on hiking on parts of the trail from end October 2024 through February 2025. Excited to be able to contribute back too!

*'''''GLOBTUINA''''' Hey Jan, i'm planning to hike parts of the GPT into october 2024 and January 2025, i would like to get access to the track files to properly plan my trip before taking on such a great adventure. Thank you very much for creating and maintaining the GPT!

*'''''Volker''''' Hey Jan, I am planning to hike parts of the GPT starting in December 2024 and would like to get access to the track files you created. You completed a tremendous work to write the excellent manual and create the track files. Thank you very much for creating and maintaining the GPT - and for sharing all your knowledge and experience!

*'''''Farah & Jan''''' Hey Jan, we're planning to hike parts of the GPT in January and February 2025 and would love to get access to the track files to properly plan our trip before taking on such a great adventure. Thank you very much for creating and maintaining the GPT!

*'''''leo_micklem''''' Hello, I'm Leo. I'm planning to Packraft some sections of the GPT with my brother as part of a wider South America trip. The Packraft portion of the trip will likely take place December 2024 into January 2025. We feel strongly that it is important to be properly prepared for a safe and enjoyable adventure.

*'''''Allie''''' Hello, I'm Allie (or Aliénor). I'm planning to visit Patagonia from november 2024 to march 2025, and i would like to discover the region mostly on foot. Thank you for your extensive research and comprehensive guide.

*'''''sigg''''' Hi Jan, I'm Chris and I was thinking about spending some time on the GPT as a solo traveller beginning mid January to beginning of March 25. Yet, as I want to plan thoroughly, I'd love to take a look into the gpx files in order to better understand the terrain to choose to legs I feel confident in mastering.

*'''''HugoT''''' Hi Jan, I'm Hugo and I'm planning to spend 3 weeks on the GPT. Reading the manual was great, a real change on how I normally prepare for more well-known trails in Scandinavia, Scotland, Iceland or Nepal. In my search for true nature, I would like to start on section GTP06 and go south until 1) the trail beats me or 2) go as far as my feet will take me in the time that I have.

*'''''veleslavia''''' Hello, I'm Olga and I'm planning to hike and packraft some sections of the Trail in late December 2024 with my partner. Thank you so much for creating the manual and the community around it!

*'''''Ayrton.debeauffort''''' Hello, first of all thank you so much for all the hard work to put all these incredible resources together. I am looking to travel solo this spring to Patagonia and want to do first 20-30 section of the GPT over 2 months (with flexibility on the number of sections and timing). I have done multi day hikes in the W trek, and Norway and the Dolomites in the past and am looking to do a longer distance trek given I will be taking some time away from work. I look forward to contributing to your amazing research and thank you again!

*'''''Celio''''' Hola, first thing, thank you very much for the passionate job you made in creating this Hiker's manual, it's a gold mine of infos! We are a french couple living in the alps and planning to do the GPT, starting november and going up north. Having worked 4 years in Tierra del fuego in guiding i'll be very happy to help in contribute and support the job you made ! Thank a lot.

*'''''TiMa''''' Hi, we are a german couple planning to hike various treks in Patagonia roughly during Jan+Feb 2025. We didn't decide yet on specific sections of the GPT. Thank you and the contributors for all the work!
*""Morliz"" Hi Jan, I am planning on hiking sections of the GPT from 11/24-5/25, am experienced in long distance (US), alpine (alps, andes, pamir) and would be happy to support the wiki explorer homepage for the GPT during and after the hike. Thank you for the support.
*'''''LukSara''''' Hello Jan, we are Lukas and Sarah, two hikers from the Alps and woud like to hike the first part of the GPT. We are planning to travel to Chile in November 2024. It would be great to hike with your GPS Track Files and of course we would be happy to contribute to your work with your experience. Thank you and everybody who made this possible.

*'''''ErJo''''' Hello Jan, we are passionate hikers that would like to hike parts of the Greater Patagonian Trail in January and February of 2025. We don`t plan on doing packrafting. We are very grateful for your absolutely awesome work and thank you for making such a trip possible! :)

*'''''Mathilde and Jordan''''' Hello Jan, first of all thank you very much for your huge and impressive work. We are two frenchies who would like to participate to this adventure and start in november. We'll be happy to share our experience, help with the tracks and give some updates. Passionate about nature, hike and new culture, The GPT is an adventure that we have in mind for a long time. Thank you very much :)

*'''''Elio''''' Hi Jan, thank you so much for the work you're doing mapping out the most remote parts of Patagonia. I'm a seasoned hiker from France and I'm starting planning my next project (hopefully for December 2024, depending on finance and wife approval :). I would be very interested in the data you've collected over the years to help me come up with a route. I would gladly contribute to this wiki as soon as I find relevant data to provide. Thanks!

*'''''Stefan''''' Hi Jan, we, my wife and I, are experienced hikers from Germany and are looking for a new long-distance hiking trail that is scenically impressive, remote and not overcrowded. We don't have a concrete schedule yet (probably in a few years, for a few months). In our search we finally came up with GPT and your manual. Both are really impressive! Thank you for your work so far! We would be happy to help supplement the manual and keep it up to date. However, we are still at the very beginning of the planning and would therefore like to use the tracks for further information and preparation.

*'''''Keili100''''' Hi Jan, we are Kathrin and Matthias from Germany (40yrs/42yrs) and we are both passionate hikers and have already visited lots of countries and its mountains. Since we have a kind of sabbatical in 2025/2026 we are planning to spend around 4 to 5 months on the GPT. My wife is fluent in Spanish and we are both fascinated of exploring remote areas and getting in touch with the locals combined with challenging navigation in barely untouched regions.
Thanks for your unbelievable huge amount of work you are putting on the GPT

*'''''Karin'''''Hi Jan, I am Karin. I have had the dream of visiting and hiking Patagonia since many years. I am in Latin America for roughly a year for work and I would like to take advantage of being in Latin America to hike in November - December 2024 parts of the GPT. Thank you vera much for your incredible work!

*'''''Charlie''''' Hi Jan! I'm Charlie. I'm planning to hike either two (7-8) of the northern sections or 32 and 33h in the first two weeks of april. I'm an experienced hiker, have led trips and organized my own in the us and recently completed a 3 week thruhike of sicily. beyond excited to get to patagonia - has been a dream for years.

*'''''Marion y Augustin''''' Hello Jan, we are a french couple wich aim to try to hike some sections of the GPT beteen April 2024 and July 2024, mixed with bus travel to join Perù. We are reading the Hikers'Manual, thanks a lot for that huge job !
*'''''Sophie y Gaspar (Dr Jabali)''''' Hello Jan, we are a franco-spanish couple wich aim to try to complete the GPT beteen November 2024 and May 2025 and discover these beautiful landscapes and cultures. Thanks
*'''''Paulus''''' Hey Jan, im very impressed by your detailed planning and knowledge of the patagonian mountains. I really enjoyed reading your short manual for the trail even though I should have actually studied for my exams. In Autumn I will finish university and now have finally the time to do a longer hiking trip again. Since im a biology student, the GPT is extremely interesting, since it would serve me as a transect to observe to Vegetation change from the north to the south. Ive always dreamed of seeing Araucarias!
*'''''gitano''''' Hi Jan I enjoy hiking and I have a lot of expirience hiking patagonia for the last 6 years. I grow up in Osorno and i would like to hike my own land. I will love to cooperate and keep up this exelent job!
*'''''Maxfelis''''' Hi Jan, I'm a hiking enthusiast living in Santiago. I recently did "Sendero del Condor", and I met someone that was doing the GPT06. I would love to collaborate with the GPT project, and explore other sections. Thank you so much for all your work!

*'''''txrx''''' Hello Jan, I'm a hiking enthusiast living in Bariloche. I am always researching new routes and many times I end up scanning the GPT Hikers Manual. I can't believe how much work and love has been put by all the contributors to build this, thank you very much! I would love to help to keep the GPT growing responsibly.

*'''''Bebo'''' Hello Jan, I First heard of GPT while traveling through Peru, Bolivia and Argentina by bike. Rightnow I meet with my Brother in Buenos Aires and we want to hike remote trails for the coming 2 months. The GPT sounds just perfect, so we really would love to get the GPX files. We are aware of the fact that the trails lead through privat Land and nature. We treat both with hugh respect! Thanks for your work! Greetings from germany!

*'''''Marilynemg''''' Hi Jan! I have been discussing the GPT with hiker friends for the last ten years and I finally will be able to visit Chile in March and April. I want to start with sections 1-8 and I have a couple more on the radar, time and weather dependent. Thank you so much for all your work!

*'''''Retezepe''''' Hey Jan, we are very grateful for the invaluable resources you have compiled for the GPT. We're looking forward to being a part of this project! My partner and I are currently in Chile and interested in hiking a couple of sections of the GPT. The sections that currently interest us the most are sections 19 and 37H. We will be in Greater Patagonia from February to March.

*'''''TrailsOfWander''''' Hi Jan. Thank you very much for your envaluable work for the GPT and for your guidance. I am traveling to Chile on Feb 11 to hike GPT06 and partial GPT08 and 09. Unfortunately I don’t have much time for this trip but I will plan future trips for other sections so the Track Files of GPT will be very valuable as the Manual is. Thanks again!

*'''''AlexNecky''''' Hello Jan, thank you for all the work you've done putting this trail together!! My friend and I have been eyeing the GPT for a while. After much researching using your information and additional sources, we have tickets to Santiago for the beginning of March. Our plan is to start with GPT06 and going SOBO thru GPT10 or as far as we can for the month that we have. We're both super excited about this adventure and look forward to contributing back to the community with our experience!! Thanks again!

*'''''Dueser''''' Hi Jan. I am deeply impressed by your work. Not only the time you spent on the GPT, but also all the documentation and the manual. During reading the manual I realized that 10 years ago I explored a few GPT stages in the north without knowing about the GPT. This time I'm deliberately heading south. I'll certainly put my experience to good use for the project.

*'''''CharlieGardner101''''' Hey there Jan! Charlie here! Wow, what an incredible community you've created here. I couldn't be more excited to explore this wonderful and wild part of the world and to become a contributing member of this initiative you've begun! I will be flying into El Chalten in the first week of February and, along with a few friends, hope to hike a variation of GPT sections 38-40. Later on (mid-late march), we hope to move further North to try our hands at a section somewhere between GPT 6 and 12. Thanks for everything you do! Cheers!

*'''''Zsu''''' Hi Jan! I would like to hike parts of GPT32-40 in the upcoming weeks. More details in the email. Thank you very much!

*'''''Fernanda''''' Hi Jan! First and foremost, a sincere thank you for your impressive work. It is so valuable to have this type of initiatives in Patagonia. I am Chilean and mountains have been my backyard since I was a kid. I am planning to do GPT35 and GPT 36H with my brother Francisco. He is also close to nature and a entrepreneur based partially on Puerto Bertand since 2020. I've shared the hikers manual with him and he was very thankful and impressed with this initiative. I would also be interested in contributing with adding highlights and changes to the track. Global warming is slowly but steadily modifying nature.

*'''''Daemos''''' Hi Jan! My name is Andrew, and I am a Canadian travelling in Patagonia for the next two months. I was planning to hike the Condor Circuit, but I've read online of some difficulties lately and am interested in investigating one of the variations of GPT6 as an alternative. I would also be interested in adding some highlights of the GPT to my plans as well.

*'''''PauMau2024''''' Hello Jan! My name is Paulina and I thank you so much for your work. It´s an impressive work that you have done! From february on my partner Flo and I want to explore and hike from Futaleufu to O'Higgins, GPT 71 and GPT35-39. Beginning in Futaleufu we will take around 5 days to get to Chaiten where we will have a resupply and then continue hiking down until the end of the carretera Austral. We are happy to share our GPS log and further information&experience, hopefully support future travelers.

*'''''madnomad''''' Hi! My name is Elias. We are a couple from Greece travelling around the American continent on a campervan, motorcycle, packraft and hiking equipment! We are already on the road for 5 months and we are currently in the Argentinian part of Patagonia. We love it here and it would be great to try a few sections of the GPT. We are not planning to do anything extreme, just enjoy a few highlights of the GPT at first!

*'''''acivs''''' Hi! My name is Agnes. I'm from Switzerland and love trekking. I did several hikes in the Alps, the Andes and in Patagonia. In August 2022 I started backpacking through South America and got trapped in Tortel about a year ago. Last March I read for the first time about the GPT and was fascinated by it. For the moment I am planning on doing my first to sections, GPT36H and GPT35.

*'''''wandering_guanaco''''' Hey all! My name is Jack and I am an American outdoors-person interested in hiking sections 16-23 this austral summer, and hope to continue to complete sections of the GPT as I continue to work in Chile for a few months of the year every year. This project is amazing and I am stunned by the thoroughness of the documents I have read so far. From the intentions of the project as a hike undertaken only by those who are prepared, to the particular comments on the links between fundraising and the inevitable outcome of the trip itself, I really appreciate the time and thought that has been put in to not just the adventure portion, but also the preparation, reputation, and impact of the hike. I feel lucky to have explored chunks of Patagonia in my past and cannot wait to broaden my experiences through these sections and information in the future.

*'''''bistarai.bistarai''''' Hello! My name is Susie, I’m French-Canadian and planning on hiking sections 6 to 18 (although very flexible) as a first attempt on the GPT which I have been eyeing for a while now. Eventually I’d love to try packrafting in more southern sections in a couple of years!

*'''''mollycargill''''' Hello, my name is Molly and I am a medical doctor from Australia with a lifelong love of the outdoors and an interest in wilderness medicine. As a part of an Expedition Medicine course I am currently undertaking I need to create an in depth logistics plan for a trip which I want to go on, which I have chosen as packrafting sections 16-25 of the GPT. I have had my eye on the GPT for a while, and hopefully can use the finished product of this assignment to help me finally attempt some of the GPT in the 2024/25 season.

*'''''HHGTPE''''' (Hitchhikers guide to planet earth) Hey, I am Felix. I hitchhiked around the globe for three years some time ago and now I am doing a semester abroad in Buenos Aires for my uni. While looking for long distance tracks in Patagonia, I came across the GPT and very much fell in love with the whole concept. This year I would like to do some of the shorter and easiest hiking parts of the GPT but hopefully come back in the future to do some longer and connected parts.

*'''''fabianundcecile''''' Hola de San Rafael, Argentina. We are travelling to southern Patagonia and thought we could hike some sections of the PGT along the way. Maybe starting with GPT 7 southbound. Saludos Cécile y Fabian

*'''''czimahi'''''Hola Jan, por favor me podrías enviar el file para ir alguna parte entre GPT18 a GPT5? Muchas gracias

*'''''nico142857''''' Hola desde Chile!. Escribo en español por razones políticas más que practicas. Primero que todo, gracias por recolectar, sintetizar y compartir la información. Me interesa recorrer la parte norte de los 'senderos' y me interesan tener los .kmz para 1) tener una ayuda, 2) no abrir mas senderos y respetar la naturaleza y 3) dar feedback a la comunidad. Saludos

*'''''Ggeoff88''''' Hello everybody ! My name is Guillaume from France and I'm actually in Bariloche preparing my adventure to go to El Chalten by foot. You guys did an incredible Job of research, documentation and exploration... Today I'd like to inspire of your work in order to prepare my road. It's normal for me and will be a pleasure to share my experience after it.

*'''''MysticalMarauder''''' Hi my name is Misha and I'm in Chile with an old friend about to the depart on a greand adventure December 2023 onwards. Heading south in the coming days with the zenith of our travels the Punta Arenas/Puerto Natales area. Then turning around and heading back north after a month or 2. Eager to get on the GPT in either direction in the coming months/years? Not sure how long this adventure will last but hopeful to hike many kilometers on this network. Thank yiou to Jan and this commmunity for establishing this route and creating this excellent resource for those excited to get off the well-traveled roads and disappear into the wild for a bit.

*'''''Lazy_Lemon''''' Kia ora! Looking to get amongst the Patagonia trails so thanks so much for putting all this information together!

*'''''Sam Odin'''''' Hello! Thank you so much for this impressive work. The detail and love put into the GPT manual is truly a gift to us all. Between January 15 and February 5, my partner Sara and I are planning to explore as much of GPT33 as possible. Beginning in Villa Cerro Castillo we will take 8 to 10 days to get to Puerto Ingeniero Ibáñez (where we will have a resupply) and then take about the same time to get back to Villa Cerro Castillo. We would love to share our log and GPS information, hopefully further illuminating future travelers to the less frequented routes and parts of this section

*'''''Jonathan Mudde'''''' Hi Jan, I'm planning to walk a few sections of the GPT in the very south and in the north. I'll start on the first of January around Ushuaia. And after that I like to use the border close to O'Higgins and hike some parts around Laguna de la laja I'm looking forward to use the gpx files. Thanks in advance! I have read many parts with great respect for your work and honering the lokal people. Regards Jonathan Mudde/Abishaloom

*'''Matthias''' Küme naqün antü! I've been following this fascinating idea for years, and now I can hopefully explore a small part of it myself and contribute to its long-term existence. I will arrive in Santiago in January, then I would like to follo'''w the GPT southwards, walking until about GPT20. But I am flexible in my plans on the ground, I am open to spontaneity and ever-changing challenges. Alles Leben ist Problemlösen.

*'''Carina''' Hi! Thank you so much for the detailed GPT resource you have created. It's been a dream of mine to hike/trail run through parts of Patagonia, and it would be really helpful to see the GPT track files to help with my route planning. I'm planning to go in 1-2 years from now, so plenty of time to plan still. Very happy to contribute / provide feedback on route sections once I'm there myself. Thank you :)

*'''Paulina''' Hello everybody. First of all, I would like to thank you for all the huge job you put into this projekt. I'm really amased. I will start a part of GPT in January, I'm especially interested in GPT because it seems wild, unspoilt and very interesting from cultural point of view. I also love the idea that everyone can create its own trail and that three is no one and the best option. Living in Europe where in some parts of the mountain we focus maybe too much on kilometers and speed, it seems that GPT offers something much more important. I will be more than happy to contibute to this beautiful projekt.

*'''Mitschu''' Hello, after spending 9 weeks in Patagonia (pre pandemic) I am back with the aim to explore even more :) I thought about starting in Bariloche, explore the lake area going north (following part of Huella Andina) and finally cross over to chile and start at section 16 southbound mid/end of december. I used the pandemic for some long distance hikes in europe (GR5, half of GR10/11 and TMB) and cant wait to enjoy the beauty of patagonia. I will hike solo but open to meet up with fellow hikers if someone happen to be in the area :) I am following the project since 2 years... impressive work. Happy to contribute as well! Looking forward hearing from you! Thanks

*'''Rainbow16''' Hi Jan & fellow hikers! My name is Tanja and I am currently planning to walk Sections 6-22 starting end of December 2023. Still a bit dizzy from reading the hikers manual (what a great documentation!), I am excited to further explore this Patagonian trail network via the track files. A huge thanks to Jan and Meylin for their adventurous spirit and dedication as well as all other collaborators (what a cool community!). Looking forward to contributing myself once I put my feet on GPT grounds.

*'''Frans van Driel''' Hi Jan, first and foremost I would like to thank you for all the work you put into the GPT. Truly impressive to read the manual! I'm planning to walk a few sections of the GPT. I'll explain more in detail in the upcoming email. My timeframe will be half December 2023 till half January 2024. I'm looking forward to this amazing experience and would like to start some more detailed planning using the gpx files. Thanks in advance! Sincerely, Frans van Driel

*'''Owen Hutchison (elhutcho)''' Hey Jan! Am incredibly impressed with what you have been able to put together with the GPT - it’s an amazing achievement for which I’m sure many are thankful. I have been reading through the manual in preparation for a trip in February and March 2024. My partner and I will make our way down from Lago Puelo (GPT 22/23) to El Chalten via a mix of different segments and pack rafting. To assist in planning and preparation, I’d be really grateful to receive the the KMZ/GPX Files. I am very happy to contribute back to the project in anyway I can. Thanks again! Owen

*'''Piotr Szatkowski''' Hello Jan, primarily I would like to say thank you for the massive amount of dedication you put into creating the whole guide. The quality of it, the precision everything is described with is very impressive.I would like to kindly ask you if you could share with me the KMZ/GPX Files. I am incredibly humbled to be able to discover the beauty of the regions of Patagonia. Can't wait into immerse in to this journey of solitude. I will be starting in end of December for section and or 2 heading south. Will probably hike for 2 months. I am not sure how long exactly.

*'''Ella Meyer''' Hi Jan, I am planning to walk parts of the GPT as part of a project studying and documenting people's relationships to water along long-distance trails. As per your suggestion when we talked on the phone one year ago, I would like to hike Sections 1-12. I may also skip to Sections 21, 22, 63 and 69. I am hoping to depart Southbound around late December (2023). I am very excited to embark on this journey, and welcome anyone else planning on hiking these sections to connect with me (contact info can be found on my website https://ellameyer.com/)

*'''Vlad Ivanchuk (vladdi)''' I'm planning to walk some southern sections of GPT northbound from Ushuaia starting in December 2023 for just over a month. I look forward to immersing myself in the landscapes and culture of Patagonia, and I'd appreciate access to GPS files to enable this adventure.

*'''Robin Marcille''' Hi Jan, hi all, thank you for this immense amount of work. After sailing from France to Ushuaïa, we are planning to walk parts of the GPT norhbound from Puerto Williams on November 2024 for approx. 3 months. We would be very grateful to access the GPS files to prepare our trip ! We are especially interested in the various options between Puerto Williams and Cochrane. We're super excited to participate to this project and would like to propose some mountaineering options !

*'''Cyril AC'H (Cy)''' Hi, can't wait more to get back with GG on the GPT after 2 years break, from El Bolson southbound toward Cochrane and El Chalten in a packrafting mode for those sections. No rush, side trips to fjords, we will see how far we get ! Thx for the KMZ/GPX Files !

*'''Martin_crgt''' Hi all, thanks for your work Jan, and for everyone's contributions to this adventure, My sister and I are planning to do the GPT in February 2024 from section 6 down south. Having the GPS data would be a great help to help us plan.

*'''maddidunster''' Hi Jan, Tom and I are two Australians planning to hike northbound from El Chalten to wherever we make it with the time we have from February to April 2024. Super excited, can't wait!

*'''guswimbo''' Hello Jan, thank you for all of your and others' work on putting together this incredible wealth of information! I'm planning on backpacking/packrafting from Cochamo to El Chalten in January/February 2023.

* '''Oscar Crassous''' Hello Jan, I'm a french men who will travel northbound during 9 months in South America, between november and august. I have planned to walk most of the time and I am very excited to hike some parts of the GPT during my trip. Thanks for your work.

* '''Matthieu''' Hello Meylin and Jan, former hiker on the GPT (season 2019-2020, northbound), would gladly go back on trail this year to hike some other parts southbound (Santiago-Antuco, Puyehue - Coyhaique)!

* '''GriffinWagner13''' Hello Jan, planning to travel to Chile/Argentinia in 2025. I'll be doing some of the sections between GPT01 and GPT40, bussing between routes as possible. I definitely want to hit some of the northern volcanoes as well as the southern routes! Super excited to hike it.

* '''edwinb''' Hello Jan, planning to fly to Santiago in 2 weeks. Thinking about gpt2/3 to do something close to Santiago and especially want to do the tracks in the araucania this time. gpt33h and gpt37h look very attractive to. Thanks again for all the work! Edwin

* '''lilian''' Hello Jan, i'm planning to have a 3-4 months hike through Greater Patagonia, I will travel to Santiago in mid-November 2023 and maybe end my hike about March to April at somewhere south. I would be interested in the trackfiles from 1 to 69, would be incredibly grateful to have the files for further research and planning. Thank you in advance!

* '''zipgerm''' Hey Jan, Thank you for your work and contributing the route information to the world! I'll be in Chile/Argentina from beginning of December until April. If my feet are willing, I want to walk parts of the GPT starting with section 05 or 06 southwards. I read a great part of your guide and already bought a GPS with satellite pager - alhough I never used neither of them on my off-track hiking tours before. Looking forward to Chile and the Andes. Matthias

* '''JordanJennings''' Hi Jan, my plan is to packraft soundbound sections 17-30 over the season, but will likely begin with a few (conditions appropriate) sections between 30-40 from November after completing some packrafting training around Puerto Río Tranquilo. I would like to also thank you for dedication so much time and energy into making this possible for all of us

*'''LottiRummel''' Hi Jan, thank you for all your fantastic work! We are planning to spend January 2024 in Chile and want to hike starting from around GPT 06 southwards. I hope the gpx tracks will help us decide which sections to plan. Thanks! Alex and Lotti

*'''Rowe99''' Hi Jan, first of all, many thanks to you and everyone else who contributed to the manual. I have never seen so much information about such a large network for any other region in an open-source manner. I am planning to hike this year (2023) from December to mid-February starting from El Chaltén northwards with a pakraft. Thanks for all the information so far! Cheers Roman!

*'''Jonas._____''' Hi Jan, I'm planning to hike through Patagonia from December to February/March. I will start in Puerto Montt and then go south from there as far as time and terrain permits. The great GPT Hikers' Manual did already give me a really good insight in what to expect and I would really appreciate having the GPT Track Files as well to prepare for my trip as much as possible! Thanks for your help!

*'''ColineW''' Hi Jan ! Thank you a lot for the amazing work you did with the "Great Patagonian Trail, Hikers Manual" ! It's full of wize advices and ideas I maybe would havenot find myself. I will go in Chili from mid-december to mid-march, meet up with my father who is currently wandering in the south. We'd like the hike northbound from GPT20 to GPT01. The GPS files would be a great help for you, since I tried my plan an itinerary on Google Earth and, as you know, I lost sight of some roads in the forest. My father has a Garmin66i, so we'll be able to send the datas of our trail to you. Have a nice day !

*'''Roi Keler''' Hello Jan, First of all, thank you for the amazing work you did and still do, it's a great inspiration for me. I plan to spend 3-4 months in Patagonia and I want to combine several walking sections of the GPT between section GPT01 - GPT16 & GPT32 - GPT46. After reading the hikers' manual and completing the preparations, I decided not to focus on a meticulous plan because it is important for me to be spontaneous and keep the options open. The GPS files in combination with the hikers' manual will allow me to choose the hiking sactions that suit me and then send the information to you and share with the community. Thanks for everything!

*'''Marmur''' Hi Jan! We are a couple and are planning to hike the GPT from start to end, in 2 seasons (hopefully) starting next season. We have visited Patagonia in the past and can't wait to get to know it more intimately, as we loved it so much. hiking in remote locations with unmarked trails is not new to us, but we are exited about the challenges that are waiting for us at this epic terrain. this is a great chance to thank you for all this impressive work that you've been doing, and you can count on us that after all this ends for us, we will share all inputs and updates with you and the community.

*'''Lukas Deleu''' Hi Jan, my girlfriend and I are planning to do 3-4 months of hiking through Greater Patagonia starting this december. We chose some of the sections that most appealed to us and hope to connect them by public transport. Gpt 6-12, 16-19, 32-40 is what we have in mind for the moment. Having the trackfiles would be a great help offcourse. Cheers.

*'''Huemul''' Hello Jan, I'm Frank from Irlanda. I hope to continue southbound in November from El Chalten to Isla Navarino. Thanks for all your help & advice so far.

*'''RoshiJ''' Hi Jan, what an amazing piece of work you've established in the GPT hiker's manual, and its amazing to see how many people are inspired by it. I am planning on exploring Patagonia starting in November, with no end date as of yet. My only goal is to wander and wonder but I'd like to do so well-informed and as prepared as possible. I already feel so after reading the manual but it would be even better to set out armed with your GPS files. I also love the idea of using wikiexplora as a platform to communicate within a like-minded community with similar goals so am enthusiastic to share my own experiences and read those of others.

*'''Pieper92''' Holá Jan, Thank you for providing this comprehensive manual. I will travel to Patagonia in November 2023 and want to make my way from santiago to tierra del fuego by feet, on my beloved packraft but also longer sections by bus transport. Have not picked all sections but Lagos Chilenos/argentinos, parts of fjord area and tierra del fuego are in focus. Especially I want to circumvent the spoiled national parks in the south. Your guide has already been a great help up to know but the GPT track files would be extraordinary helpfull. I will especially try to provide novel exploration data by packraft.

*'''nickcarter884''' Dear Jan, Thank you so much for all the work you have done on this manual and the route, it's fantastic! Some friends and I are planning to do the section around El Chalten in February 2024 and would really like to follow your routes rather than the roads. Please could I have access to the GPS files so we can be in the real nature, not just the road? :-)

*'''delabien''' Dear Jan, I am very inspired by your manual. My partner and I plan to travel for 4 months starting from the capital Santiago going slowly to the south (starting in November 2023). Thus we would like to hike some of the sections you and the other collaborators assembled. In order to make the expedition more feasible for us we intent to use the local public transportation for some parts. Really looking forward to experience the changing landscapes during the route. Thank you

*'''wbarab''' Hi Jan, thank you for all the extensive and detailed work put into this manual. My partner and I (American & Spanish)plan to hike the GPT from mid November 2023 until late February or March 2024. So far GPT 6-12, 14-16, 19, and 32-40 have stood out to us as a start, but our investigations continue and we plan to add at least another half dozen sections (plus some "maybes" if time permits)! To continue we would really appreciate access to the trackfiles.

*'''ranulph24''' Hi Jan, great manual! Thank you for putting so much passion in this project. I consider hiking on the GPT in November 2024 - April 2025. I am mainly aiming for the northern part 5 - 30 and add a smaller section in the south. For refining my plans I would like to study the GPS Track Files in detail.

*'''MMartinez''' Hi Jan, thank you so much for this incredible amount of work. It is really inspiring and exciting. We are a couple (American and Polish) and we are interested in hiking some of the sections of the GPT later this year. We have been reading the manual and adjusting and readjusting plans the more we learn (there's so much to learn!) We would really appreciate access to the track files to help with the planning. Thank you so much again!

*'''SeanMaskill''' Hi Jan, Thanks for all of your work! I've wanted to hike sections of the GPT for a few years. I've now started the research seriously and tracks would help me decide which sections I'd like to hike. Cheers Sean.

*'''MarmotAndBear''' Dear Jan, Thank you for putting in so much dedicated work, to create the Hiker’s Manual, and in doing so helping others to hike and appreciate this part of the world. We are a German-Singaporean couple and we have been following the GPT community for almost one year now. We have quit our jobs not long ago and have started visiting Central Asia, where we’ve been able to do some amazing hikes. Before setting foot on the GPT this coming (southern) summer, we are planning to improve our Spanish in other South American countries. We hope a few weeks of dedicated learning will do the trick. Once on the trail, we are planning to hike and packraft as much of the GPT as we can during the coming season. Let’s see how far our feet and boat will carry us :)

*'''guaraches80''' Hello and good afternoon Jan. I have been reading and preparing for some sections of the trail you have put together. I, a Mexican American, and a Colombian friend will be backpacking through Brazil and later to Argentina in the coming months and we would love to see some of the wonderful trails you and others have experienced. Obviously, because of our backgrounds we both speak fluent Spanish and have years of backpacking, hiking and bushcrafting experience. This is something I look forward to with the uptmost energy and so will eagerly await the track files to begin further in-depth planning. Thank you for your time. Until next time!

*'''blissfulmisgivings''' Hi Jan, Thank you for providing so much detailed and helpful information about the GPT! We (two Americans) are excited to try packrafting portions of the GPT beginning in November 2023. The guidance you've provided in the manual has already been invaluable to our preparations, and we look forward to reviewing and using the GPT track files in our journey. Thanks again!

*'''YannickCOLL''' Hi Jan, Thank you very much for your work and your dedication to the GPT. We are immersing in the GPT universe with pleasure and a growing sense of adventure. We are a couple (French and Belgian) and we’re looking to hike some sections of the GPT between mid-November 2023 until April 2024 (Sections: 1-12 / 16 / 19 / 32-40). These are the sections that we selected so far and that we are more attracted to, knowing that of course it can change. We were wondering if you could grant us access to the GPS tracks in order for us to prepare for the GPT. We understand that this is an unofficial trail and that it is still a work in progress and we are eager to help in any way we can to continue to build this ‘trail’. Nolwenn & Yannick

*'''daniel.s''' Hi Jan, amazing work with the Hiker's Manual! I hope to meet some of you on the trail next season. I'm planning to do some of the packrafting sections starting at GPT 17. The track files would be very helpful to make it an unforgettable experience. Greetings from Austria, Daniel

*'''hevike''' Hello fellow hiking community, I'm Jens from Germany looking into hiking sections of the GPT this November until the end of February. Thanks for the amazing work you all have put into this project and I'm looking forward to contribute myself.

*'''MartinGilles''' Hola Jan, soy Martin de Belgica y estoy planeando hacer una parte del GPT al principio de noviembre hasta el 20 de diciembre. Me gustaria tener the GPS tracks para organisarme y ver lo que me conviene mas. Muchas gracias por lo que hiciste y para permitir la exploracion de esta parte del mundo. Un placer, Martin.

*'''Marc Altena''' Hi Jan, thanks for all your hard work exploring the hidden trails of Patagonia. I'm hoping to do sections 6 to 10, 16 to 22 and 32 to 40 early next year. The GPS tracks would be helpful. Tanks in advance for sending them. Kind regards, Marc

*'''Lorenzo''' Hi Jan, I don't have specific plans concerning the GPT yet, but that might change soon. After the reading the first 300 pages of your guidebook it seems to me like a real challenge and an unforgettable experience at the same time. I'll call it a dream to hike at least parts of it, and extensive planning is the first step to make your dreams come true.

*'''Joscha97''' Hi Jan, I gonna travel to Chile in the beginning of next year and I am really fascinated by the idea of the GPT. I would love to hike some parts of it, starting in Santiago. Thanks for all the work you put into this project. Greetings

*'''Larix84''' Hello Jan, he hablado contigo con whatsapp hace 2 semanas Mi proyecto de trail para el ano que viene se confirma, un saludo'''

*'''Noemie''' Hi Jan, thank you so much for making us discover those incredible paths and landscapes in an ethical way. I have been hiking in Chilean Patagonia for a few months now and I wish to keep discovering the region more deeply by hiking through a few sections of the GPT, especially GPT36H (ruta de los Pioneros). Depending on how this goes, and on the weather conditions, I may try to go further north around sections 08-09. Thanks for all your work, the resources you provided have been super helpful!

*'''TheRebel''' Hey Jan thanks for the big package of information you provide with tha website/pdf I'm in Argentina since 3 months and hiked many km in the official and more marked areas (bariloche, bolson, esquel, el Chaltén, El Calafate, Ushuaia and more) and now I'm on the way back north and wanna end up in Bolivia or maybe even Columbia in the next 6 months... I've heard about your site from a Canadian guy who did some sections more north and I thought it would be nice to do some more trails in a little more remote areas on my way north
Greatings TheRebel

*'''Jen''' Hi Jan and so, so many thanks for all the incredible work you have done here. I am currently in Peru and planning to fly south to begin the beginning of GPT01 in the next few weeks and see how long I can walk for before things become too off season. I will halt and recommence when the season comes back in. If I manage to journey to Punta Arenas in the end, whenever this might be, then I am happy! Thank you, Jen.

*'''Ollie''' Hello Jan. I am from Wales and currently is
Brazil after sailing here from Europe. My plan is to work my way towards southern Argentina where I will stop and work for a while. Hopefully improving my Spanish, get to know the culture more and spend my weekends in the mountains to prepare. The idea is to start from Tierra Del Fuego, head north and just take it step by step. The manual has been a great read thank you for being so thorough. Love it. Cheers.

*'''Silke & Hans''' Hello, We are a Belgian couple currently on a multiyear bikepacking, trekking & mountaineering trip through South-America. We'd been looking forward to do some sections of the GPT for a long time. We are currently in Chile Chico, and planning to do the GPT35 section. We probably want to do some more sections further South.

*'''Jakub+Veronika''' Hi Jan, we're a couple from Czechia, currently almost one month in Chile getting to know the country, it's history and it's people's culture. We'd like to hike some parts of the GPT south from Puerto Montt, where we are based right now. Thanks for this awesome work!

*'''Alan''' Hola Jan! I'm Alan from California. I'm interested in doing GPT32 and GPT33H. Thanks for all the resources you have provided so far!

*'''Diegoara''' Hi! My name is Diego and I am from Chile and I'm interested in the GPT to do de GPT18 & GPT19, i would be a little more than a week, i think that is amazing the work that you do making this GPT in my country.Thanks!

*'''Jess&Paco''' Hey Jan ! We are from France and we would love to hike the GPT between march and april 2023. We plan to connect a few sections in the great lakes region (between section GPT45 and GPT35, south to north) for about a month. And if the weather is favorable, we would explore in april a little bit of the nothern parts of the GPT (volcanos region) but without necessarily connecting steps, while being around for a workaway. Thanks a lot for all this work !

*'''blklb''' Hi Jan! I'll be leaving for Chile in a few days and would like to do bits and pieces of the sections between Curico and Conaripe, perhaps farther south. I'll be combining trekking with time spent in towns/cities. This is going to be a leisurely exploration of the GPT, with the possiblity of a longer GPT-specific trip in the future. Thanks!

*'''Joachim''' Holà Jan! I'm Joachim from France. I'm coming to Chile in a few weeks, and found your website with a lot of valuable informations on this beautiful itinerary! I don't have a fixed plan yet but my idea is to start around Santiago and go South until winter begins. I'd love to get a hand on those gpx files to help me plan properly, I'll be happy to share feedback when coming home. Many thanks for all the work you put in!

*'''Johnny1968''' Hi Jan! We are a couple from Italy and want to to start mid february 2023 from Santiago for the GPT. We have 2 months of time and want to see how far we get, without hurry, soaking up nature and culture. Thanks for the manual and creating the track files, great respect for the ethics!

*'''derameisenbaer''' Hi, two people from Germany. We'll be hiking part of the GPT (GPT06-GPT12) in February. If there's time left we might be able to hike part of the more southern sections as well. Really looking forward to it and really aprreciate the great work on this page and the Hikers Manual!

*'''ebse''' Hello, I'm Ed from England. Would love to help contribute to this mammoth project by hopefully walking GPT01 - GPT20ish in late 2023. Looks like a remarkable experience all round; I'd be very grateful to be part of it.

*'''Martio''' Saludos, soy Martial ! landing on jan. 14th for a 2 month journey into Chilean natural wonders. I plan to hike a selection of northern GPT sections between 1 and 22. Plans purposely open for this first experience and can't wait to get involved in the community. Ps: Jan, you rock !

*'''Clemgbl''' I'm Clement from France. Currently hiking in Chile from month, I would like to continue my trek on the GPT next month (january and February 2023). I plan to start in Coyhaique and hike until El Chalten (GPT 31 to GPT 40).

*'''Jcoxxx''' I'm Jeff from Alaska. Hopefully I'll be hiking and packrafting section 17 to 39, starting this January. I'm really excited to be a part of this project and share my trackfiles.

*'''Eleebeatriz''' Hi, I'm Elena from Chile. On the 27th of this month we are going to carry out the Gpt7, we will enter through the "Puente Ingles" , in San Fabian de Alico, up to the Polcura mountain range, in Antuco. Greetings and I hope in January I will be editing what I have done to share it with you!

*'''MarcGPT''' Hola! Last year while hiking around Cochrane, I learned about the GPT. Looking forward to return and contribute to the GPT manual.

*'''Franzz''' Hi! I'm Franzz from Switzerland. I'm planning to thru-hike my own version of the GPT next year. Using your tracking files would be a great help planning the itinerary :) I would be more than happy to share back my own track files and experiences once I'm back.

*'''Nicktravels_''' Hey mate, I'm Nick - i'm planning on a hike/packraft of mumtiple segments with my three amigos. Leave only footprints is a big part of our travelling philosophy and I have a lot of respect for the ethos you carry through the information provided.

*'''Timo''' Hi, I'm Timothée. I'm French but also from Munich Germany! I plan on being in Chile beginning of next year and on doing someof the sections (probably 6-22, 32-40 more or less). I'm super impressed by all the gathered and explained documentations and advices form the Manual and would love to contribute !

*'''zozo''' Hi, my name is Zohar. I'm from Israel and plan on doing some trekking in Patagonia in January 2023. planning to do parts of the GPT from south to north starting at section 46.

*'''florianluca''' Hi, my name is Florian. I'm from Germany and plan on doing some trekking in Chile at the Beginning of next year (2023). I appreciate the work that went into this project and would like to use some of it for planning some of our tour.

*'''willcampbell444''' Hi, I'm Will from Canada. I'm interested in hiking some of the trail as I make my way south through Chile! I was thinking of starting at section 6 in mid December, depending on the weather. I really appreciate all the work done putting together the trail, and I hope to contribute with my track files and notes.

*'''Dallas''' Hi, I´m Dallas, from Berkeley, California, USA. I am interested in planning a trip in early 2023 to explore the beauty of Patagonia and indulge in my passion for slow, human-powered travel. This trip is open-ended and intentionally meandering, and the GPT looks like an excellent basis of exploration.

*'''Nicopo''' Hi, I´m Nicolás, from Buenos Aires. My girlfriend and I have been hiking in Patagonia for the last few years and we are planning on hiking sections of the GPT from December to February. We are already getting started with our planning and are looking forward to contributing with what we can. Thank you!

*'''Newt, Birdie, and Possum''' Hi! We are on our way back to Patagonia for the third time. The three of us have hiked in Patagonia and many other places in the world together. We will have 1 month to hike a portion of the GPT, specifically focusing on 33H -38H going northbound. We are inspired by this document and we can't wait to become contributing members of this community. Thank you!

*'''pgantier''' Hi, I'm Pierre from France. I discovered Chile and South America 5 years ago during an exchange semester and look forward to going back there for a long trip (within the next 5 years for around 12 months). I would love to do some part of the Greater Patagonian trail during this future gap year and I want to prepare well it advance to continue to get experience to be ready for this gread adventure !

*'''Jonny6k''' Hi, im planning on hiking some sections of the GPT from late December until March (or until i get tired!) I am planning on sections 6-22, but nothing is certain yet. I hope to add to the track files and contribute with some notes regarding the trails. i look forward to arriving in chile! Jonny

*'''felagund''' Hello, I would like to hike the GPT in December-February, from Santiago till as far as I can get and as long as a I enjoy it. So I would be interested in the trackfiles from 1 till about 40, even though I probably won't reach that far. I am a contributor to OSM so I was thinking that would be my main form of contribution, though I would not want to put paths that are disputed there of course. Tomas

*'''Arnaudlacoste''' Hello Jan! I have been a big fan of the GPT for some years now. I just moved back to Chile after living for the past 8 years in Europe and would love to discover a few sections of the GPT. I will be settling in Araucania region so I would love to have access to the track files and plan which sections I will immerge myself into. I hope I can also contribute to it and meet some of the community in the following months/years. Thanks you and the community for this marvelous work! Cheers, Arnaud.

*"ChristopherT"Hello! Christopher from Austria here. My girlfriend Anna from Germany and I are planning to do the gpt. We are still trying to figure out which sections we would like to trek.We definetly want to explore and hike in Feuerland though.We would very much appreciate the track files to help us with our decision and on our journey. I hope we can contribute a bit as well. Thank you!
Cheers,
Christopher and Anna

* '''Matous'''Hi everyone! Here Matous and Johana. Couple from Czechia. We are planning to hike some sections on GPT at the beginning of next year. We are interested in GPT06 - 22. The track files would be great help in planning. And thank you for amazing work. We´ll be happy to contribute.

* '''guilhermealexs''' Hi! Guilherme Alexsander here from Brazil. Me and some friends are planning to walk some parts of the GPT. We are currently interested in the Los Quenes - Central Cipreces section. I'd like to get the track files to help us with planning. Thanks!

*"nmakepeace" Hello everyone, Natalie here from Canada, thank you to Jan and everyone for their contributions! My plan is to hike southbound on the GPT starting at Termas del Flaco (connect@ GPT05) because I want to do some specific mountains in Central Chile first. I may also look into connecting Volcán Maipo to coya. To make this all easier and more safe I would be not only grateful for the GPS files but honored! Start: mid/late December until begining of March. Hope to hear tales from you all soon!

* '''rom1dwker''' My girlfriend and I will cycle southward patagonian roads and ripio from mid december 22 to mid february 23, and we plan to maybe hike some sections of the GPT, especially the ones in Jenimeini where we have already been a few years ago, dependind on how everything goes with the cycling and and the roads we will actually take.

* '''gornik''' Me and my grilfriend Gabi would like to hike on GPT from January till March 2023. We are on a gap year after our studies, and during that time we would love to enjoy the wilderness of Patagonia. We are planning to first do some singular sections and after gaining some knowledge and experience in Patatagonia hiking, we would like to do some longer distances. We are also exited to combine it with hitchhiking to minimalize environmental impact.

* '''hannahp24''' My partner Eric & I will hike GPT 32-36 in Dec-Jan 2022/2023. Excited to explore new places and give guidance to what we find here.

* '''Jmcantin''' Hi Jan, thanks for the hard work in this awesome guide! I am planning a Southbound hike of the GPT from Santiago de Chile in January 2023 for a couple of months. I would love to have the track files to properly plan my route. Thank you for your help :)

* ''' bforselv''' Hello guys, my wife and I live north of the Artic Circle in Norway and we are planing to go to Chile for hiking January and February. We want to do sections of the GPT.

* ''' Ishaysachs(Ishay)''' Hello Jan! Ishay from Israel here. Just finished the PCT and looking forward to do some sections of the GPT this January-March. Would love to get access to the files in order to plan my route (: thank you for putting so much effort into this. That's an incredible project and I can't wait to start hiking and share the journey with this great community.

*''' greenh3624 (Helen and Craig)''' Hello Hello Jan. Thank you so much for providing all this incredible information from the manual, we are both super grateful and are looking forward to contributing. Looking in to sections GPT 16- 05/06 for 2023 and hopefully some southern route sections from there. Just a quick comment to request track files. Your manual is incredible by the way. Mil gracias!

* ''' Christophe (Alex & Christophe)''' Hi Jan! Thanks a lot for all this informations and for your work. We are now travelling in south America with our van and are planning to sell it and start to hike the GPT in December 2023 for 2 or 3 month. This track files would help us a lot to plan this incredible adventure.

*'''miguelvdvelden (Miguel)''' Hola Jan! I’m in awe of everything you’ve put together for the GPT. It’s so comprehensive and as a sustainability student I am grateful for the focus on both the environmental and social sustainability of the region and its communities. I am hoping to hike or packraft a part of the GPT over six weeks or so in Jan-Feb 2023. I am in full planning mode now, hence my request here. Muchas gracias por todo. Abrazo.

*'''nico142857''' Hola Jan! Hace un tiempo habia leido parte del manual y veo que ahora esta actualizado. Desde ese momento que quede maravillado con la rigurosidad de tu trabajo y lo sigo haciendo ahora. Me suscribo a esta lista para poder obtener los track files, pues me interesa recorrer algunas secciones en las proximas vacaciones de verano 2022/2023. Estare muy agradecido si lo puedes mandar. Saludos desde Chile!. nicolas.

*'''Lore Olivares''' Hola Jan, gracias por compartir esta valiosa información. Soy de Chile y junto a mi amigo queremos hacer la parte norte del GPT desde Santiago. Te agradeceré mucho si nos puedes compartir los datos GPX. Muchas gracias de antemano.
*'''annéesympathique;) (Rémy D.)''' Hi guys, I‘m a student from Belgium and I plan to walk the GPT from december to march. That’s why having the GPX track files would help me realize this project. A big respect about all the work behind the GPT.
* ''' TOBEL ''' Congratulations to the GPT Hikers Manual. I am from Germany and a bit older then the most here. This year I will hike some parts of the GPT, so I would like to get the gpx files.

* ''' Michaelstabile (Mike & Avery) Hi, Thanks for compiling all of this information. We are Backpacking and Pack rafting Guides in Alaska. We are planning to start in 2023 and Continue through all the way back to Alaska. Hiking, bike packing, Packrafting and sea kayaking. Having this track files would be incredible for us helping with planning for this section of our journey.

* ''' Martin&Helena (Martin.h)''' Hello guys! Thanks for the amazing work you’re doing with the GPT. We are a couple from Prague, Czech republic, planning to start hiking from the beginning of December, most likely until the end of March. We would use the track files for planning our hike and navigation. Thank you, Martin&Helena

* '''EDAWILSON (Ed)''' Hello! We are a couple from Scotland who are heading to Patagonia for a couple of months hiking this October/ November, and we are looking to incorporate some elements of the GPT into our trip. 2022 conditions permitting, we will likely explore some sections of the Fjord route; as well as Glacier Chica to El Chaltén; and fingers crossed some sections south of here. I would love to overlay the track files over GE for a better planning experience. We love the spirit of the community you are building here! Great work!

* '''Ridgepathpictures (Jani)''' Hi! Myself and a couple of friends are planning a packrafting trip in Patagonia at the start of 2023. We will be dipping in and out of the regular packrafting route, so sections 17 to 39. The aid of the track files would be greatly appreciated. I'm honestly astounded by the work you have put into this trail, it's truly very inspiring.

* '''Slingshot (Jeremy)''' Hi! My soon to be wife and I are planning a 3 month trek from GPT05 southbound and would greatly benefit from the GPT track files. Thank you so much for your hikers manual and for providing access to these files. It has already greatly benefited us.

* '''Alexis (dm) & Iris''' Hello! We are a 29/28 years old couple from France and are starting a sabbatical in South America for a year in December. We are landing in Puntas Arenas and would like to hike our way, on the GPT or not, through Chile up to the Ecuador. To better plan our trip, we would like to access the GPT track files and are obviously willing to contribute to the initiative. Many thanks.

*'''Max''': Hello, I am from Germany and I really like to hike. Next year, I plan to hike from Santiago de Chile all the way down to Ushuaia with a Packraft. To do that, I would like to get the gpx files, so I can choose from the routes. Thank you for all of this.

*'''Ted''': Hi guys, I'm a 33 year old austrian guy and I plan to hike a few sections of the GPT in October and November. it would be great if i could have the gpx data so i can plan the routes better. great community

*'''Chris and Tara''': Hello!!! We are husband and wife, being 33 and 26 years old respectively. We plan to walk from Barilloche to Santiago incorporating large sections of the GPT. There are no fixed plans for sections and times, just to fully immerse our selves in Patagonia, it’s people and way of life. Thank you and all those who have contributes for your incredible work so far, I look forward to being able to contribute for others to enjoy!

**'''Wannes''': Hello, I'm a 31 year old belgian who plans a two week trek/run in the beginning of November. I would love to do a part of the GPT. Could I receive the gpt tracks to decide which part would be ok to do? Kind regards. Wonderfull work!

*'''Yannic & Mirjam''': Hello together. We are Yannic and Mirjam and since one year on a world trip. We plan to spend a few months in Patagonia next and hike parts of the GPT. Which parts exactly we are currently still working out. Would it be possible to get the GPS tracks? Thank you for you incredible work !

*'''AdriKunz''': Hello, first of all, a huge thank for all your amazing work. I am so grateful for this sharing which will allow me I hope to live a unique experience. I'm a actually working in French Guyana, but were looking for an immersive hick before living this continent. I finally came across this extraordinary adventure, which I think corresponds to me in every way. I plan to try the GTP from Santiago to part 14 or 15 of the GPT in a month and a week. I intend to start the hike in mid november. May i aske you the GPT track of thoses parts ?

*'''Avisito''': Finally going for it - December 2022! Plan to start at GPT05 and go south for several weeks - would love to start exploring the GPS track files. Thanks!!!!!!!!!!

*'''Veronica''': Hello, I am Canadian and will be spending six months in South America from October 2022 to March 2023. While I am there I would love to spend a few of these months hiking various portions of the GPT, which is why I would love to obtain the GPS track files. Thank you so much for all this work and to all those who have compiled all this information. I am very much appreciative of all of this!

*'''Andes et Tentes''': Hello, we are 3 french students taking a year off to explore South America. We are planning to explore Patagonia between February and April 2023 by hiking on some specific sections of the GPT. That's why we are asking for the GPS tracks. Many thanks for the huge work achieved ! It is impressively detailed and complete !

*'''ondra''': Hello! My name is Ondrej and I am from the Czech Republic. I have been reading about Jan's and others' experiences on the GPT for the past two years. I will finally have a chance to walk a part of the trail myself in January - March 2023. I am adding myself to the list to kindly request the track files. Thank you Jan for putting this together.

*'''Mat''': Hi! from France. I’m planning a few months hiking trip to discover south America. I’ll most probably walk parts of the Gpt (as much as I can). I would be grateful to receive the necessary gpx files. Thank you for the this very huge and inspiring work.

*'''Alice & Florian''': Hola! We are Alice & Florian, a french couple who love hiking. We who will travel in South America and especially in Chile in September and October this year (2022), and we read about the GPT and some blogs, which really peaked our interest. Our project is to walk going south along the GPT for about a month, somewhere between September and November. After reading the hiker's manual, we came here in order to do access the GPX files and prepare deeper our project. Muchas Gracias para todo este trabalho.

*'''Thomas - Chilzin, Brah!''': Hola! I'm a thru hiker planning to do a large part of the GPT mostly continuously before heading north on a huge trip to explore South America. I really appreciate this resource and will do my best to contribute before and while I'm on trail. Thank you!

*'''Aneso''': Hola! I'm Aneso, a French woman who loves hiking. I heard about the GPT while doing research following my plan to go to South America for 1 year.
My project on the GPT being to leave from the south in the direction of the north, over a period of 1 month (or even a little more) from January 2023.
In my research I am missing the exact GPX files for my GPS.
Thank you in advance and congratulations again for all the work provided and to which we have access.

*'''Ariane''': Hola! I'm French and I will be hiking in Patagonia in April (and perhaps May); my plans are not yet well defined but I'd like to follow parts of the GPT on my way northward. Thanks for your super useful work!

*'''OriolGirona''': Hola! I'm from Barcelona but living at nearby Girona. Love hiking and cycling, being my longer tours so far between 4 and 6 weeks on the trail. I hear about the GPT two years ago while looking for new ideas during covid lockdown. I already read the manual a couple of times, and I am thrilled to travel to Santiago next November / December for a couple of month, probably starting from section 1. And at this point of planning I will apreciate to have the GPX tracks to get deeper into this process. Awesome work. Thanks a lot!!!

*'''JuanchoUgarte''': Hola! I'm a Chilean guy that loves hiking. I hear about the GPT a few years ago. This year while doing the Travesia Cerro Castillo realized that it was part of the GPT and decided to start planning to do it on summer 2023. During 2021 did the GR11 in Spain and want to do something in Chile this time (the GPX tracks would be very useful for all the planning) Probably will start near Parque Inglés. Thanks a lot!!!

*'''LeanderDc''': Hey hey, we're a crew of 3 hiking-friends from Belgium and Chile. We're planning on walking a part of the GPT starting from around Cochamó till O'Higgins, probably taking some ferries and hitchhikes in between. We're starting to refine our exact route, by reading the manual and analyzing google earth, and would hugely benefit from the exact GPX files. Thanks in advance!

*'''rowanl''': Hello, I'm an avid hiker from Canada looking to explore trails along the carretera austral especially around Cerro Castillo National Park. I hope to use the track files to help refine my plans. I appreciate all the information provided, Thank you!

*'''meotr''': Hi! I'm a french engineer planning to hike some parts of the main route between mid-february and mid-march during a 3-4 months period in Chile and Argentina. Thank you for you incredible work !

*'''Sergio''': Hi! I live in Santiago and I'm planning on hiking some of the first GPTs on early February and hopefully some of the southern parts later on. Thank you very much for all the work you have put into this, it's an incredible thing what you have done!!

*jdhanlon/Jen and Vince''': Hi! I am planning to hike and packraft a number of sections this season, from Jan - March 2022. Thank you for all your efforts and guidance in sharing information about the trail network!

*'''Gianluca/Cerna_Beltz''': Salve a tutti, Hi!! I'm italian and I'm planning to hike some part of the GPT from the end of january to mars/avril. Thank you so much for all this information and for your attitude!

*'''José''': Hi!!. I'm chilean and im planning to hike the GPT05 - 22 southbound. I would really apreciate to have access to the track files. Thank you so much for doing this, its awesome!

*'''Carlos and Ivan''': Hellow. We'll be in Chile in january and february. Track files would be a great help for planning our hike. Thank you for your great work!

*'''Mariia and Misha''': Hi! We are two Russian flying to Argentina in end of December. Fully equipped for packrafting. Planed start January 5, 2022 from Lago Puelo southbound. Sections: 1. GPT23-25P Rio Frey and Lago Amutui Quimei. 2. Then flying to Chile and resume GPT26-28P 3. GPT30P-32 4. GPT33H-35 5. GPT36P 6. 36H Northbound. End before March 25. I would be very greatful for the track files. Thank you so much for your awesome guide and work!

*'''Mawel''': Hello, I'm planning to hike the GPT or at least a part of it. Idealy, I'd like to start from Ushuaïa and travelling up north along the cordilliera. Anything concrete yet but I'm sure the track files will be very helpful to prepare this journey as best as I can.

*'''Alexey''': I will start my trip on 29.11.2021 from Lago Todos Los Santos to the North, until Lago Ranco.

*'''Matthias&Janna''': We will hike parts of the GPT in december - february. Track files would be a great help for planning our hike. Thanks for the enormous work done!

*'''Franck''': I will hike parts of the GPT with a friend in december and january, we're interested in GPT05 to 12, 19 to 22 and 32 to 36. Thanks for the great work !! Can't wait to put my shoes on : D

*'''Nathaniel''': I will be in Chile for a few months starting in December 2021. I am considering packrafting in the vicinity of the Western Fjord Traverse (GPT90P-GPT92P) as well as hiking/packrafting a section of the main route of the GPT in Zones H and I (possibly including GPT32-40).

*'''Laurent and Maxime''': Hi there! We are two Canadians flying to Chile in January. We are fully equiped with lightweight equipment for packrafting, endure all sorts of weather and accomplish a great trip on the greater patagonian trail! We have 3 months to travel and we are very grateful of all the precious information you offer us ! Thank you very much !

*'''Rebeca y Cristián''': Buenas tardes Jan! Estuvimos conociendo distintos lugares de la décima región desde inicios del 2021, "aprovechando" las cuarentenas. Ahora estamos planeando un viaje más largo, el cual incluye packraft. Nos encantaría acceder a los archivos para planificar mejor. Desde ya, muy agradecidos.

*'''David Batguano''': Good day all. I am heading to Chile at the end of November 2021 to get some hiking in, obviously. Fist I am completing the O circuit at Torres del Paine, then will hopefully complete some of the easier sections of the GPT(I do not wish to bushwack or prove a point). I have no time constraints and will just go where I wish at a leisurely pace. I am on page 400 of the hikers manual working on routing. Though difficult, Jan's work so far is an unbelievable resource.

*'''Vera & James''': Hi all! We are planning to head over to Chile for 3 months Jan - Mar 2022 and plan to hike on the GPT. Planning is ongoing but current thinking is start at Puyehue and work north. The main motivation is to be in the mountains/wilderness for a period of time. The manual is an incredible resource! Thanks!

*'''Tobias''': Hi Jan, I'm flying into Chile on the 1 of November. My plan is to hike southwards from Frutillar to El Chaltén and visit Schools along the way. I would be very greatful for the track files GPT 22-40. Thank you so much for your amazing work!

*'''Kris&Stiina''': Greetings, we are going to Chile in November and we plan to hike some sections of the GPT. Track files would be a great help for planning our hike and logistics. Thanks for the enormous work done!

*'''Helmut and Beatrice''': Hi JAN, we are planning to spend two months in Patagonia at the beginning of next year. We want to hike around 1000 km and the tracking data would be a great help for us to choose appropriate sections and plan our hiking adventure. High praise for the great manual!

*'''HolKann & Peanutje''': Hey all, we're planning to visit Chile in January 2022, and hope to hike parts of the GPT for the better part of (at least) 3 months. Our most recent hiking experience was the [https://thepindosway.com Pindos way] in Greece, which consisted of finding "the shadow of an old mule path" to get up or down a mountain ridge, which taught us how to handle packs of angry shepherd dogs, and which forced on us a crash course in rudimentary Greek (as we would have gone hungry otherwise). We hope to get to know Patagonia and its people in the same way, except that our Spanish skills should be a bit better.

*'''Stephan''': Hi folks, Hi Jan, i'm planning to do the GPT 22,Lago todos los santos, from Petrohue to Cochamo, hiking and packrafting. I have planned to go on October 2021. Thanks for the great work!
*'''Stéphane''': Hi folks, Hi Jan, planing a trail trip next summer in Patagonia walking from Villa Cerro Castillo to Villa o Higgins. Could you please Jan send mi the track files beetween Villa Cerro Castillo and Pto Ibanez passing through Torres el Avellano ? GPT33H. Thx a lot and long life to yout project ! Hug

*'''Martin and Kim''': Hi, we are planning to spend two oder three months next year in Patagonia. We want to hike round about 1200 km there and the track file would be very helpful to choose sections and plan our adventure. Thanks for the great manual!

*'''Vicente''': Hi, I'm planning on doing the GPT this spring of 2021, I've done other long trails through Patagonia so I want to take it to the next level. I believe this trail has a great potential to become an icon for my country and its beautiful mountains. I need the track files to prepare the adventure.

*'''Marc''' : We are two guys from Denmark who are hoping to spend a couple of months on the GPT, if possible we will begin this december. We are eager to get our hands on the track files to help us plan which sections to hike. We have a great amount of respect for all the work you have done to make this adventure possible!

*'''Simoncashyt''' : Me and my friend are Planning to spend 2.5 months in the area this December. Hoping to get this Track file and review the trail in gis with other historic route databases to really understand the sections topography, climates and route options to explore off the track file.

*'''Bastian Klein''' : I am a university student from Germany and currently only have vague plans for my hike. With the Covid situation still going on its still to be determined when I will actually get to go hiking, but I think the track files will help me a lot with planing. Greatly appreciate the work done on the GPT manual !.

*'''Tim''' : We are a couple from Germany and around new year we plan to spend a few weeks in the area around GPT05 to GTP07. If possible we might return some time to see southern patagonia as well for multiple months.

*'''Léo''' : I plan to travel one year in Chile from sept 2021 ; I want to start from Puertomontt to reach Santiago (in a whole year, so taking my time), and hike some sections of the GPT ! I have not chosen which exacts sections yet.

*'''Nadfero''': Mi plan is to divide the route in two or three sections, and hike it in the 2021-2022-2023 summers. Obviously it all depends on the covid situation. There is no harm in planning!

*'''Cristóbal''': Estoy aprovechando la cuarentena para estudiar la ruta y comenzar a hacer tramos en la medida que se levanten las restricciones sanitarias este 2021 y 2022.

*'''Jo and Ty''': We are a couple planning to trekk for 3 months or so on the GPT. 2021/2022 depends on Covid 19 situation. Propably starting somewhere at GPT08. We are still in the beginning of planning. We require the track files for a lot of planning and for navigating on the trek it self. We are pretty excited!

*'''Molly og Melissa''': We are two friends, from Denmark. We plan to hike most parts of group B, C and D in December 2021 - February 2022

*'''Patagonico''': Years ago i did the ruta de los pioneros now i would like to complete the GPT in the next few years.

*'''Les Amériques au fil de l'eau''': We are a french couple, planning to use the trail from Puerto Montt to Santiago in 2021-2022 and to realize two short documentary films about wetlands and about the women of America
*'''O Bicho Geográfico''': Para fines de investigación científica, Abril de 2021.
*'''Max Nemeth''': November to Mid-March 21/22, sections to be determined. Thank you for the amazing work on this route!
*'''Memo mcrash''': GPT10 and GPT11. I plan to do it in March with some friends. We are very grateful for the work you have done. Thank you! Guillermo.
*'''nico142857''': GPT01 and GPT02. Im planning to hike these 2 sections on March, and gpx's routes surely will help a lot. Thanks!
*'''MauricioDM''': I am planning to hike the whole trail in parts, but I am not sure where to begin, the GPX will help . Thanks.
*'''Nico busch''': GPT33H. Planning on doing the Torres del Avellano hike. Thanks.
*'''Bjornsether''': GPT 01 to 40. I've been planning a long-distance hike in Chile for some time. February-April 2021 might allow me to spend time on the GPT.
*'''AJForno''':, GPT 01 to 40, I live in Chile and have done some sections, and plan to keep exploring, Thank you! Andres
*'''Thom&Miky''': Hi, we are two friends planning to walk from febrary to april 2021 and we will try to reach from south to north the GPT 14 to GPT 01. Thank you! Thomas and Michael

*'''WhatDoesMyHeartTellMe''': I am very much interested in GPT 01 to 40. I plan to trek in 2021-2022. This endeavor requires a tremendous amount of planning. I hope you can grant me the track files. Thanks very much!

*'''Tom Corbett''': Januray 2021, hiking and packrafting sections of GPT 26 to GPT 33.

*'''Rperezdearce ''': Hi, With my girlfriend we will leave the first days of Nov 2020 from Santiago with the intention of reaching GPT12, then we will try to continue further south.

*'''Tobi & Fang''': Hiking and potentially packrafting in the <s>2021/2022, 2022/2023</s> 2023/2024 season.

*'''Freek van Keulen (Freek)''': Plan to hike 2021-2022 season, starting preparations and research now

*'''Joaquin Munoz (jqnmunozdiaz)''': Plan to hike sections GPT32-40 southbound on summer 2020-2021 if covid allows. I will likely hike some northern sections as well.

*'''Quamen''': I am dreaming to hike the GPT01-16 and to hiking/packrafting GPT17-40 southbound this austral summer 2020-2021 season.

*'''Frambues''': Starting at the end of 2020 if Covid lets. Not sure yet which part to do in one season, but probably start in Santiago.

*'''Ferdinand''': Hi, Ferdinand from germany, I'd like to hike southbound starting from GPT 05 from Dec 2020 - Apr 2021 and see how far I can get. The GPS files would help a lot planning everything more in detail, thanks!

*'''Víctor Valenzuela''': GTP 05-19: Planning on starting end of 2021 with GPT 05-19 and further on. Got one season to explore the GPT.

*'''Isaac Garza (Try431)''': Planning to hike southbound GPT season from ~December 2020 through ~March/April 2021 (weather/COVID permitting). At the moment, planning to do GPT17P - GPT39, and track files will be very helpful in planning out in more detail :)

*'''Pipers''': Hi, I'm from Valdivia, chile, and I am planning to hike or ride in my bike the closest parts of the route, as soon as coronavirus lockdown finishes

*'''Patagoniandreams''': Planning to hike the standard route soundbound, starting at GPT10 until GPT23 and looping back nordbound via the Huella Andina. Due to the Corona crisis we postpone this endeavour to the 2021-2022 season. The hike will be done in family. We will have a 6 year old girl and a 3 year old boy with us. We have 4 months. We have been doing GPT sections back in 2008 - 2010 - 2013.

*'''Olivier1''': Planning to hike the standard route northbound, starting at GPT 40 for the 2021-2022 season.

*'''David Brophy (d.brophy)''': Planning to hike the standard route GPT01-GPT40 over two seasons starting as soon as COVID permits. Will use a pack-raft for the second season.

*'''Peter Mican (ElCondor)''': Planning to hike the GPT in 2020/2021, starting at section 01 and hike as far south as I can, depending on the weather and situations on the track. I am planning to go solo but would be happy to join with a fellow hiker(s) ;-)

*'''jojohoughton''': Planning on hiking/packrafting southbound to section 40, starting either from section 1 or section 13 depending on the conditions. Will be exploring the GPT for the summer 2020-2021 season.

*'''Leonhard''': GTP 1-16: Planning on starting end of 2021 with GPT 1-16 and further on. Got one season to explore the GPT.

*'''Aligator''': GTP 40 to GPT32: Plannning to explore that part of the GPT in February (from 03/02) and March (flexible) with my girlfriend (we both live in Santiago). Thank you for the incredible work you've achieved gathering and updating all those information!

*'''ConnyPflaume''': GTP 14 & 15 or the area between lago Conguillo and Lago Tinquilco. We will start this weekend, 11.1.20 - would be nice we could be supplied with the map so shorthanded.

*'''felixrulz''': Will be in the Andes for around 4 months. Have already completed 3 sections, but looking to do more. Joined specifically for the Puyehue section (GPT 19)

*'''Kelly Swanson''': I plan to solo trek starting at GPT06 in January 2020, continuing till mid March.

*'''phil ro''': i will start in coihayque in mid-january and will head south for more than 4 weeks with a packraft.

*'''johannsteffen''': Going to make a backpack trip starting in February on Ushuaya and going to Bariloche in June.

*'''Claudio Miranda''': Starting from Santiago in January 2020 until April, planing to arrive at least to Chile Chico.

*'''Trinity''': Travelling to SA for 2 years and plan exploring Patagonia.

*'''pirre''': Starting in January 2020 on GPT32 and planning to hike south for 6-8 weeks. Thanks!

*'''Shn0rhelez''': Hi,I am Anton from Sofia,Bulgaria...me and my girlfriend are starting from sec6 in the middle of January...we have around four months...thank you for your remarkable work!!!

*'''Gatodelmonte''': Starting on 2 January from Santiago, planning to hike South for about 45 days & exit near Pucon (sections 1 to 15)

*'''Fedepatagon''': Like to pack raft on the area between Bariloche-Osorno and P.N Los Alerces

*'''Vincent Paquet''': My girlfriend and I are planning to spend 3 weeks walking from december 18 2019 to Jan 10 2020. We're still selecting the exact sections. Cheers!!

*'''Tmattson425''': Plan for this year is to solo trek sections 1 through 19 (southbound) starting in mid-January 2020. I'm an American expat living in Buenos Aires and plan on returning in following seasons to complete the GPT, try packrafting, and explore alternate routes. Extremely excited an grateful that this trek is possible. Thank you!

*'''SalomeS''': Planning for a 6 month trip with my husband starting in Nov/Dec 2020. Planning to hike the sections 40 to 16. We would be incredibly grateful to receive the gps track files. Thank you!

*'''Ianhikes'''* Leaving for Chile in 1 week and looking to spend a month on GPT hiking southbound.

*'''zc0rp10''': Hi! Planning and preparing for an extended hike together with two friends from November 2020 - Feb 2021.

*'''ELLI''': together with a friend we plan to hike the sections of the main route but in opposite direction starting in the area around Lago viedma in first days of January 2020, we have approx. 4 month time

*'''gorskial''': plan to bike/packraft along the carretera austral from Puerto Montt to Villa O'Higgins with hiking side trips. Jan/feb 2020

*'''pitney''': Solo hiking GPT sections 6-22 Southbound beginning early January, 2020.

*'''dirtmonger''': GPT sections 1-24; planning underway for an immersion solo hike ‘20 November to ‘21 February.

*'''bob451''': Planning on solo hiking 2 or 3 sections of the GPT northbound March/April 2019.

*'''Mgabenesch''' : Planning on hiking most parts of the GPT, starting in Ushuaïa then going North. I have on year off. Starting Dec 2019

*'''Family Size''': Planning on hiking parts of the GPT southbound. Starting end of November 2019.

*'''shaunchurch''': Hope to solo hike/packraft a few sections southbound. Section 15 or 17 in Dec 2019. Then maybe a couple more from among sections 21-31 in Jan and Feb 2020.

*'''iank''':2 months jan and feb 2020. Hope to hike isla navarino, cirque of huemuls and then cochrane to chile chico. More northerly secions maybe 2021.

*'''dsmit3000''': Solo hiker planning on hiking GPT40-31 northbound November-January 2019.

*'''2As''': We plan to walk in Chile and Argentina from mid October 2019 to mid march 2020. We don't have precisely planned our trip but the root of our trip is to go by foot through Patagonia and also discover Chile and his people and culture.
*'''A pat''': We plan to do several sections of the GPT (Need to confirm but we are interesting in sections 08-22 and 35- 40) from January to early March 2020.
*'''Aceestrin''': We'll be exploring for 4 weeks in Los Lagos region December-January.
*'''Andrealopezb''': I plan on doing individual sections for the time being, mostly between Santiago-El Maule
*'''annbrnn''': Heya, a friend and I are planning on hiking several sections of the GPT beginning end of December 2019 and are currently in the process of determining our route.
*'''AlexEdge''': Hi, i am planning to hike the lower sections of this route with a couple friends, possibly febuary 2020. thank you!
*'''Arno507''': We plan to do several sections of the GPT starting fom November/December 2019 till early April 2020.
*'''Birdy ''': I plan to mostly walk from Lake Titicaca to Ushuaia starting November 2019.
*'''David''': Hello!! This is David from Barcelona and I'm planning to walk through the Patagonia for 4 month from January 2020. I would love to do all de GPT, but I'm not sure if it's too ambitious... For sure, I'll try it!! :-) I would really appreciate if you can provide me the gps track files. Many thanks!!
*'''Dubrovskiy''': 2 people, January 2020, Foot hiking southern parts, likely around GPT40-33.
*'''Edwinb''': I will be arriving in Chile in Nov and plan to cherry pick parts of the GPT and mix it with other trekking, basically like I did last year. Always interested in a bit of exploring, providing it doesn't get to extreme!
*'''Hendrik Niehaus''': We arrive in Chile early Oktober 2019. From November until January we plan to be on the GPT. Due to the recommendations of the hikers manual we are mainly interested in section 5-16. However, plans might still change and are not too fixed yet. Thank you in advance!
*'''Herman van Horssen''': We plan to do section 47 to 69 of the GPT in 2020.
*'''johansonst333''': Hi! I am planning the sections 30 - 40 during this hiking season, would be incredibly grateful to have the GPS files for further research and planning. Thank you in advance!
*'''Jose Barros''' Hello !Im jose from Santiago de Chile, i will do the sections from Conquillio national park to Puyehue national park, its aprox. 15 days in January, i think it will be great ! If you can provide the track files i will be very thankfull.
*'''Jose Roman''': Hi, my plan is to several sections by bike or hiking staring September 2019 until Abril 2020.
*'''JUNHUI SON''': Hi, I'm from South Korea, I plan to do section 1 to 40 of the GPT in September 2019 till November.
*'''Kendon''': I cycled Patagonia many year ago and have always wanted to return for an extended walk through this wonderful area. I am in preliminary stages of my planning and thank you for your efforts in providing such a great resource. I am looking at the 2020 summer.
*'''Martín H.I.''': Hello, I´m planning to make an attempt to hike from sections GPT01 to GPT22 this summer from December 2019 to February 2020, still deciding on the exact sections, but southbound is my direction. I´m a chilean 25 year old architect who will humbly try to hike this unique trail. Thank you Jan for the amazing creation.
*'''Martin Lizondo''': I will be hiking southbound from Anticura (GPT20) to El Chaltén (GPT39), between December 2019 and February 2020. It's my second season in the GPT, after hiking from Santiago (GPT01) to Anticura (GPT19) in 2018-2019.
*'''martinahaller''': We will be arriving in Chile in Nov and plan to hike parts of the GPT during the next 6 Month, starting in Santiago.
*'''Maturin''': Hi, I am currently figuring out the details to hike GPT06 to GPT08 from the 27th of December 2019 until mid January. I will be doing the Horseriding tour before. I speak fluent spanish and the idea is to go southbound. Thank you!
*'''Matúš Lašan''': We plan to do as much as possible from December 2019 till March 2020.
*'''msantelli''': Hi, Melissa, plan to trek sections 05-22 taking a chance to start mid-late Nov. of ‘19 may need to backtrack and cut a few sections out, if rivers can’t be ford/crossed-flexible schedule
*'''Meylin Ubilla and Jan Dudeck''': We plan to investigate new packrafting and hiking routes in more remote areas between Puerto Montt and El Chalten without making a single long traverse (GPT21 to GPT40, GPT90P to GPT 92P). We will depart in November 2019 and plan to finish in February 2020. Experienced packrafts may join us for these investigations.
*'''Lauric Olrik''': We plan to do several sections of the GPT starting from November 2019, we have a whole year off.
*'''Lea Geibel''': Hi, my plan is to do several sections of the GPT starting fom October/November 2019 until beginning of January 2020 and need to figure out which ones are suitable for such an early start.
*'''Linda''': Hi, I am planning to hike alone southbound the GPT from beginning of December 2019 to mid-February 2020, probably from GPT06 to GPT22, but I am still studying the routes and the sections. I spoke quite good spanish, at least, it will come back there, practicing ! Thank you !
*'''Oreste Marquis''': Hello, i'm planning to hike sections 06-22 and 32-40 if time allows it. My trip will be from January to Abril 2020.
*'''Sanita Heinz''': We plan to do section 1 to 40 of the GPT in December 2019 till March 2020.
*'''Selma''': We are planning to packraft some sections of the GPT during our stay in Nov/Dez '19
*'''Staci Garcia''': Hello, I am planning on doing several sections of the GPT in 2020. I am still in research on what sections.
*'''TrashPanda''': Hi, we plan to do several sections from the end of November 2019 till February 2020.
*'''tom347''': Hola, I plan to do part of parts 1 to 40 with a friend, starting mid october. We will be hitchhiking the parts that are not recomended in particular months. We will be travelling for aproximately 2 months. Gracias.
*'''Tombartlett''': Hello I am planning on hiking many sections over a three month period from November 2019 to February 2020.
*'''Wanderwood18 ''': We plan to make it to El Chalten/Fitz Roy in one season from Santiago. This means I’ll probably skip recommended sections to skip/do what I need to do to make it. I’m flexible, we will see how it goes. My girlfriend, America, and I are planning on starting around Nov. 10th….
*'''LieberWeiter''' Hi, I do not know yet if I ever dare to walk the GPT but meanwhile I would like to plan therefore!
*'''Jarek Wątroba''' Hey, I will spend several months in Patagonia starting in Jan 2024. The information you provided in the Hiker's Guide is already immensely helpful, but the track files would make planning our route so much easier. Thanks.
*'''Wolke7net''' Hi, could you please send me the track without packrafting. Thanks!

*'''''DoloresMonika''''' Hi,my name is Dorota and I am from Poland. I ahve a plan to start from Santiago de Chile at 1 of December 2024. I can pass 4.5 months on the trail . Thanks for preparing this manual and description of trail.
*'''''Randomuser''''' Hi, my name is Victor and my wife and I are planning on spending 3 months in Patagonia starting Jan 25. We are planning on picking some sections to explore and will focus on the land portions, thanks!

*'''"bailey1998christopher"" hi my name is Bailey, I am planning on spending three months hiking the greater patagonia trail south bound, between December and February. Thank you for your great work and consideration. Kind regards bailey

'''wikiexplora'''

Greater Patagonian Trail track files

2025-11-04T02:18:33Z

Aymaynard:

[[category:Greater Patagonian Trail]] The track files of the [[Greater Patagonian Trail]] are provided on personal request by [[user:Jandudeck|the author]] free of charge but not unconditionally. Read in the Hiker's Manual chapter '''1.15 Terms and Conditions for Using the Hiker's Manual and the Trail Files''' to review these conditions and to understand why these conditions were put in place. GPT Hikers's Manual: http://bit.ly/GPTmanual ==Create an account in Wikiexplora (compulsory)== [[File:create account wikiexplora.png|frame|Six (very standard) steps to create an account in Wikiexplora]] To request the files you must first [http://wikiexplora.com/index.php? title=Special:Enter&type=signup create a Wikiexplora account]. It really takes less than a minute. The form is in Spanish, but it's very standard and simple: #User name #Password #Confirm password #Email. Not mandatory but highly recommended to give us the chance to reach you. Wikiexplora has sent only '''one''' non personal email in 13 years. #Real name (optional) #On the final line type '''wikiexplora''', all in lower case ==List of requests== 

*'''Alex&Aoife''' Hi Jan and GPT community :) My Partner and I are planning on hiking SOBO from Santiago Early January 2026. WOuld love access to the GPX files. Really appreciate all thecolective effort thats gone into the manual too. Very special resource. Thanks alot !

*'''Isa&Sander''' Hi GPT community, we are two ecologists from the Netherlands and are travelling to Santiago at the end of November 2025 to hike parts of the GPT. We don't have a set time, so depending on our progress (and how many cool plants and other creatures will distract us ;) ), we will try to do more or less sections. We really look forward to experience the landscape and meet its people.

*'''pearcerichi''' Hello, we are Richard and Emeline, we are french, we plan to Come in Chile one month and half in the early 2026. It is our first Time in Chile. Like people of this community i guess, we like so much hiking paticularly in immersive natural and social environments. The reason why we were very glad to find a trail like GPT and a community like wikiexplora. Our first idea is to start by sections 06 to 12 this year. But maybe the plan might change during the process. Thanks à lot for all you have done to help us planning pour trip. Hope we might contribute. Best regards. Richard and Emeline

*'''AriGPT''' Hello! I'm Ari, and I'm hoping to hike a few sections of the GPT over the course of roughly a month from mid-December 2025 until January 2026. I was in Patagonia about 4 years ago, and I was absolutely impressed by its beauty. I'm really excited to hopefully go back and I think the GPT would be an incredible opportunity to do so and see new places and appreciate the beauty of Patagonia.

*'''Henrik G''' Hi Jan and the extended GPT community. I'm Henrik, from Norway, and I'm planning to spend a month hiking parts of the GPT early spring 2026. I learned about the GPT from a man I sailed with back in 2020, who was a long distance hiker (and also a captain on a sailing boat). We sailed together in Greenland where I especially appreciated the remoteness, the proper wilderness and the fact that your are self dependent and need to plan properly. I would like to request receiving the GPT track-files so I can start the detailed planning process.

*'''Amy G''' Hi Jan. I was lucky enough to be invited to trek with a member that I met in Chile in 2024. We will start in January 2026 until the season is over. While he does the packraft sections, I will trek solo and meet up later. The more I read the Hiker's Manual, the more exited I am becoming, because I agree wholehartedly with the phylosophy. I would appreciate recieving the GPT files so I can plan and coordinate routes with my friend.

*'''Lucie V''' Hi Jan and everyone, I’m Lucie from the Czech Republic. After four years, I’m coming back to Patagonia — a place that really became my second home for a while. I love nature and mountains and would like to experience some of the best parts of Chilean wilderness, while hiking and connecting with local people along the way. I plan to hike selected GPT sections from January to April 2026, heading southbound. I’ll be hiking solo but would be more than happy to meet and maybe join other hikers for parts of the journey.I’d be very grateful to receive the GPT files to be able to plan all the details. Thanks a lot to Jan and all the contributors for the amazing work on mapping and sharing this trail network!

*'''Mor A.''' Hello everyone who might come across this :) My name is Mor, I have just graduated from my Masters in university and now it is my time to take my exploration to a new continent. After wondering through Europe and Israel I would like to do the same this season in South America. I have heard about the GPT from a freind in the Israeli Ultralight community and have fell in love. The idea of wondering through less accessed land with the opportunity of interacting with native communities off the beaten path of Patagonia makes me excited. I am currently looking at the section around GPT06 or further down south around El Chalten. With no clear plan I am looking for the GPX and KMZ files to better plan routes. Reading the user manual was such a relief that so much accurate and to the point information exist and now the files will be the final piece to my plans :)

*'''Antoine B''' Hi, I'm Antoine from France. I just started a sabbatical, leaving space exploration for some time to explore Earth, spending more time in nature and mountains. For many years I have longed for travelling to Chile/Argentina, to discover its wild nature and culture (and finally practise my Spanish!). I read about the GPT earlier this year and it feels like an exciting balance between remote trekking, hiking/packrafting mix and an open adventure where encounters, weather, rivers and time hold surprises. I'm still planning but so far the idea is to reach Santiago by late November 2025, go SOBO and spend ~4 months on various sections of the trail: probably hiking sections between 05-22 and packrafting within 17-31. I will be happy to connect with other hikers on the way, and would be very grateful to receive the track files for planning. Thanks for your huge work Jan!

*'''Julia&Oliver''' Julia is working on a charity project in Mendoza atm. When this finishes we'll hike for a few weeks. We'll start somewhere at Puerto Montt/Bariloche and hike NOBO. Where Julia is more the kind of "Duracell bunny", I am looking more for really remote places where is no information at all available about the track. Discovering a handbook with 1300+ pages was kinda shock to me. 😅

*'''Elisa B''' Hello everyone, my name is Elisa and I'm from Switzerland. I'm planning to hike the GPT between December and January. Why the GPT? I discovered this trail through a book by a French explorer. As I read through the pages, it became clear that Patagonia would be my next destination and I'll be tackling part of the GPT, as I've always wanted to walk long distances. I enjoy wild and authentic landscapes, contact with the local population, and having to fend for myself. Since I have little time to explore the region, I'm planning to spend about 2 months hiking the section between GPT20 and GPT40. Heading north. I'd be very grateful to receive the GPS files. Thanks a lot for your job on the GPT!

*'''Pierrick G''' Hi Juan. 10/2025. I am currently exploring the South American continent with no fixed return date and a strong wish to immerse myself in the local culture. My motivation for hiking the Greater Patagonian Trail is to step off the beaten track and lose myself in nature, seeking an authentic, humble, and challenging way of life. I hope to leave no trace along my journey, connecting deeply with the environment where I am only a simple guest and a temporary visitor. For me, the trail is not only about adventure but also about respect, discovery, and becoming part of a wild and beautiful land, even if only for a while.

*Edwin. Hi Jan. I hope to be flying to Punta Arenas the 10th of november and intend to cherry pick some gpt sections. Hope to get a bit more done than just gpt12 and half a gpt33h two years ago! Of course I would be very happy to receive the latest gpt files.

*'''Alma''' Hi Jan. I hiked three months on the GPT in 2017/18. An amazing experience! Since that time I am longing to explore other regions of Chile whilst on the GPT. I would really appreciate receiving the new track files in preparation for another three months on the GPT starting this mid-November. Thanks for all your research and for sharing your knowledge on thru-hiking (and packrafting) in Chile!

*'''Sandro''' Hi Jan. I am a pretty experienced bikepacker, and I usually create my own routes, but since I don't have that much experience doing this for thru-hiking, and there is already such an exhaustive and well-researched amount of information available, it would be silly not to acquire your files and start from there.

*'''Nicolas''' Hello everyone, my name is Nicolas, I’m a young engineer from France. Between January and March I plan to travel on the GPT, most likely combining hiking and packrafting along parts of the GPT. To better prepare my trip, I would like to request access to the track files. Thank you very much to Jan and all contributors for the amazing work on this project, it’s really inspiring to see such a resource shared with the community!

*'''mts1010''' Hello. I´m planning to do a part of the GPT from January to April. Is it possible to get the track files? That would be helpful. Thank you for your continued work on this project.

*'''Michaela''' Hi everyone, my name is Michaela and I am from Austria. At the end of November 2025, I will start the GPT from Santiago and hike southbound. I will see how far I can get, as I have time until mid-March 2026. I am really looking forward to it!

*I'''guai''' Hello Jan, contributors, and all. Looking to be back in Chile for my first time in almost 20 years starting in January 2026. Excited to hike perhaps 500 km of the GPT over the course of a couple months. Thanks!

*'''LauraAndaGPT''' Hola Jan, I am currently figuring out which parts of the GPT I would like to hike (2025/26). It would be great to have acess to the track files for planning. Such great recourses to explore the Region, thank you very much in advance for all the considerations you made while publishing these informations!

*'''Massa''' Hi Jan, thanks to you and anyone contributing for maintaining and sharing the information (not only the track files). Me and my wife are going to be in Chile two months starting in early in december and returning late in the january 26. We are looking forward to hike some of the sections of the GPT. Thank you, Jan, also for the help with setting up the wiki account.

*'''djunksss''' Hola Jan! This is Julia from Brazil! Last December I went to Cochamo to hike in the region and loved it very much! Now I'm planning on going back to Patagonia, this time to Torres del Avellanos region to again do some hiking and exploring, but this time with plans to do some wild camping. A good friend of mine told me of the wiki and the GPT track files, and I'm sure they would be of the greatest help moving around! Thanks in advance for all the trouble in keeping this awesome site in the air.
*'''Álvaro''' Hi Jan! I´m planning to do a part of the GPT with my son the next summer, probably a couple of weeks in January. Is it possible to get the track files? It would be a great help to have them. Thanks in advance.
*'''Mochi''' Hi Jan! First of all, thanks to you and everybody else who's put so much work into the Greater Patagonian Trail - I'm amazed by your generosity! I would like to hike/packraft parts of the GPT this upcoming season, together with my partner. For more in-depth planning it'd be great to have the track files.

*'''Quentin.FR''' Hello, I plan to travel across Patagonia from january to april 2026, and I would love to take part of some GPT track in order to hike as much as possible. Therefore, I would like to request a GPS track to plan it. I will be alone during my trip. Thanks!

*'''Pierrick M.''' Hello to the GPT community, thank you for the work done on this project. I would like to hike part of the GPT starting from Santiago in November 2025. Therefore, I would like to request a GPS track to plan my route according to the recommendations in the guidebook. Hope to see you soon on the GPT!

*'''Castade''' Hi Jan, I’m planning to start hiking the GPT from Santiago (GPT01) without a fixed end point, just seeing how far I will go as the journey unfolds. I would really appreciate access to the GPS files so that I will be able to look further into the routes and have them for when I start the the trail. Thanks so much for all the work you've done—it’s truly an incredible resource!

*'''Daniel S.''' Hello everyone! Thank you Jan,, for continuing the project! After completing some of the packrafting sections in the 23/24 season, I will be returning to the GPT in November '25 to repeat some sections and probably try a few different ones as well. See you out there!

*'''Roy Kisluk''' Hi Jan, I plan on hiking the GPT starting with GPT69 in October and heading North. I will be hiking solo. I appreciate all that you put into this project. Thank you!

*'''Nimrod Ashkenazy''' Hi, I'm planing to mostly solo hike (I have friends who will join for some sections) in November 25. I first heard about this trail while thru-hiking the TA in New Zealand. Thanks for the great work!!!

*'''Denis Rosa''' Hello everybody, I heard about GPT from Slovakian couple which hiked almost 3000km, after gathering more information and as I have been going through hikers manual this is something we would like to be part of at least a bit. Possible attempt would be with my best friend most likely in the season 2026 November until 2027 March. Only hiking. Not sure yet which parts exactly but we would have few months for that we would like to plan more from track file. And I have to add that really appreciate all the work which Jan did, thank you.

*'''Glacier Kane''' Hi Jan, first of all can't help but smile when I read your document, the hidden codes, the obligatory communal contributions, as a fellow Engineer I appreciate your creativity and effort here :] anyways I'm planning a 3-4 month hike through the GPT in the next 6-12 months and would love the track files! Not 100% sure what section I'll do yet but the files sure would help me plan it, thank you sir.

*'''El Perezoso 91 (Sebastian)''' Hi together, my girlfriend and I hiked part 36H last year, and we would like to to the complete section 32 to 40 from September to January 2026/27. Many thanks @Jan for the GPT compilation, it's an incredible work you've done!

*'''Trix&Tinu''' Hello everyone, we already hiked GPT 21 to GPT 1 in 2018/2019. Now we want to hike further stages in the south (without a packraft). We'll be in Chile from December to February. @Jan: Thanks for your work!

*'''JesseCaro''' Hi Jan, ever since our last visit in Patagonia in 2016 we’ve been dreaming of coming back. In previous years we’ve been hiking trails in Europe and the US. Searching for new experiences we came across your project. We would very much like to hike the GPT next summer (from December 2025) and use your Track files. Thank you very much!

*'''Oelk'''* Hi Jan, A few months ago while planning an open-ended ticket trip to the Americas came across the GPT Hikers' Manual and fell in love, I depart in a month to NA and I plan to arrive at Santiago early October and to hike the Northern Bulk (and continue south if budget and weather allows). Already practicing my Spanish and preparing for the journey physically and logistically. Your passion for this region and this route is contagious! Would love to get access to the Track files, thank you and hope to hear from you soon.

*'''Anso'''* Hi Jan, I am reading about the GPT since years waiting for the right timing for me to come. It finally cames. I took 4 months off between December 2025 and March 2026 to go solo-hiking between Coyhaique and Ushuaia. My goal is not necessarily to connect footsteps between those two locations but rather to take the time to explore the area and enjoy the suprises on the way. Thank you very much

*'''Teebi'''* Hi Jan, I've been traveling the last 9 weeks through south of Chile/Argentina and did a lot of the well known trails. While preparing for Villarica Traverse I found Wikiexplora and the GPT. Now I also really want to do the GPT06 and I think it will be one of my highlights just before time in Chile ends. Many thanks.

*'''Minutetravel'''* hello Jan, my name is jacques this year I discovered northern Chile and fell in love with this country. I would now like to explore Chilean Patagonia. I thank you for the incredible work you have done in mapping all the trails in this region. Thank you for accepting me on this list so I can access the files.

*'''Greg''' Hi Jan, I'm very keen to explore parts of Greater Patagonia, particularly GPT 6-12 from January 2026. I would be very grateful for the track files to be able to achieve this. Many thanks for creating this amazing trail network.

*”Joppe” Hi Jan. I’ve been interested in the GPT since years and have finally got a chance to go to Chile for a month or maybe more. Would love to contribute to this project. I’d love to be granted access to the files. Thank you for your amazing work on this.

*"AthenaJones" Hi Jan. Hoping to solo hike the trail from the beginning of october to the end of january. My goal is not to complete the trail but to explore it until the time runs out. I will need the track files to achieve this. Thankyou for all the information you have provided, its inspiring.

*"Asimo" Hi Jan. I'm currently solo traveling in Patagonia by bike with a packraft for 2 months and for the next 2 months. I learned about the GPT on the way and I'm interresting on several sections. Particularly for packrafting a portion of Río Baker, hiking around Torre de Avallano y glaciar O'Higgins, but also comparing options for hiking and discover more deeply Patagonia between Coyhaique and Puerto Natales.

*'''Schmittenk''' Hi Jan. I'm living in southern Chile and have walked short sections that overlap with the route network. I'd like to look into hiking longer sections within the next couple of years. I'd appreciate being able to access the track files.

*'''UnChamoisEgaré'''* Hi Jan. I already had the chance to walk a part of the GPT 3 years ago alone (Adrien Kunzli) and this time I would like to do it with my 2 brothers for two months. We are preparing a little late but we have all the equipment and are in Valparaiso and we would like to start as soon as possible. I hope this is possible, thank you very much! Let me know :)

*'''Diego Raffaeli'''* Hi Jan. I've been reviewing the GPT Hikers manual in order to planning a trail from Lago Puelo (Arg) to Cochamó (Chi). I would really appreciate if you can share the tracking files with me. Thanks in advance.

*'''Sprocky.''' Hi Jan. I've been studying the GPT hikers manual for some years now with an eye on exploring as much of the route as possible over the next two summer seasons. Keen to be a part of the GPT community and give feedback. I would really appreciate the track files to help me continue with route planning this year. Many thanks for compiling such a detailed resource. Cheers

*'''SteveBehaeghel.''' Hi Jan en Meylin, thx for the recent update on the GPT files. We are currently in Pucon with our 3 kids (3ys, 6ys and 9ys). The upcoming 3 months we will continue to revisit or explore certain GPT sections on small adventures of maximum 5 days. We will trek parts of, and including optional routes, from GPT14-GPT16-GPT19-GPT21-GPT22-GPT30-GPT33-GPT35-GPT37. I will probably do some small uptdates on the FB group, but the wikiexplora pages I will update after our longer trip in the second half of 2025. Thx for all helpfull information.

*'''Martin M.''' Hi Jan, I would like to explore some part of the GPT on foot, starting from GPT32. I only have a few weeks, so it will be just a small taste of what GPT is. Therefore having access to the track files would greatly help. Thanks a lot for all the effort you put into it.

*'''7yson''' Hello, Jan. Thanks for this incredible resource. What an amazing effort that you and your community here have made. Happy to be a part of it. I'll be in the Esquel area in late Feb and am studying the main route for sections to hike in March, northbound likely. Thanks for considering me for access to the track files.

*'''Daniela Montecinos''' Hi Jan! I found GPT while searching for information on packraft routes in Patagonia. Your work is wonderful! I am interested in doing some of GPT's packraft routes and being able to contribute updated information on them. Thank you so much for your work and for sharing it!

*'''Mochilaosabatico''' Hi Jan. Tks for all information about GPT. My husband and I have just finished GPT 6 (Descabezado Grande) and we want to hike sectors 7 and 8. I would appreciate receiving the tracklogs for GPTs 7 and 8. Tks a lot!

*'''Moonshine''' Hi Jan. I have been loving the in depth guide for the GPT. It has been an incredible resource for this upcoming trip. Thank you so much for all you have done. My friend and I are planning on spending a month in March hiking along this trail. We have yet to decide exactly where along GPT06-GPT22. We are hoping we love it so much that next year we will come back with some packrafting knowledge and do more for a longer period of time. We love being in the backcountry, and connecting with local communities. This truly appeals to us in every regard. Excited for this adventure!

*'''Tom Venegas''' Thank you all for the fantastic work in gathering information and building this community! I’ve hiked in the Radal, Lircay, Antuco, Cochamó, and recently I’ve been exploring more of Aysén—specifically Cerro Castillo and Patagonia National Park. I’m really excited to check out Torres del Avellano and the Pioneros Road in Aysén next. Looking forward to connecting with other hikers and sharing experiences to be part of this project!

*'''Benoît''' Hi Jan, thank you for the incredible work you've done with the hiker's manual, it's an invaluable resource ! I started the GPT from Santiago in 2018 (sections 01 to 08), and I would like to continue from the Antuco Volcano and go south. Thanks again for all your work!

*'''einat shvartz''' Hello. I'm einat, i'm 26, i'm arriving solo to patagonia this January (2025), for about 2-3 months. I wish to hike the GPT, or maybe just some sections of it. I am absolutly love being in untouched nature and also meeting authentic people from all around the world. Hiking some of the GPT sounds incredible. I'm experienced with medium-long hikes (several days to 1-2 weeks top), but 0 experience with packrafting. There for I wish, at this point, to do only sections that are duable by foot (probably the more northen parts of GPT). And probably not a lot of difficult parts, at least in the begining, to see how i adapt to this new land, and to the whole thru-hiking experience. I hope that the track files will help me build and plan my own customize trail, and that i will be blessed to expirience some of it.

*'''jhfelner''' Hello. I plan on hiking and maybe packrafting numerous sections of the GPT over the next few years starting with parts of GPT around Section 6 this year. Experienced with remote mountain terrain. Would appreciate the track files for further planning.

*'''Tomek Z''' Hi, I´m from Poland. Right now on the one-year hitchhiking trip through South America. But part of my plan was always hiking some part of Andes. This idea of GPT really looks nice. I am a student mountain guide in Poland,and so far my bigest hike was from Zakopane to Budapest aprox. 350km, 16 days. Now I would love to try someting more challenging. I want to do a part from Trapa Trapa to Santaiago. I speak spanish quite well and curently I am working in a hostel in El Chalten. :) I plan to start a hike in the middle of February.

*'''Matthias Keil''' Hi Jan, we are Kathrin and Matthias from Germany (40yrs/42yrs) and we are both passionate hikers and have already visited lots of countries and its mountains. Since we have a kind of sabbatical in 2025/2026 we are planning to spend around 4 to 5 months on the GPT. My wife is fluent in Spanish and we are both fascinated of exploring remote areas and getting in touch with the locals combined with challenging navigation in barely untouched regions.

*'''Jordan Porter''' Hello. I plan to solo hike and packraft the Gpt starting December 2025 and hiking until April 2026. I spent three months backpacking and exploring Chile and Argentina last Jan-March so I have a decent idea of what to expect weather/transportation/etc. Your hikers guide has been a great resource so far! Looking forward to being in touch.

*'''Ben McLuckie''' Hi Jan, along with my spouse, we want to spend 3 months hiking from PN Hornopirén north to Santiago starting in March. I am currently reading your 2024 Hikers Manual. For 3 months in 2019 we traveled from Dientes de Navarino to El Chaltén and for another 3 months in 2024 traveled from El Chaltén to Valdivia by mountain biking, trekking and connecting ferries. We are most definately "immersion hikers" and not mileage-focused thru-hikers (no judging here).

*'''Fernanda Rodriguez''' Hi Jan, I am visiting Chilean and Argentinian Patagonia for one month. I am interested in doing the GPT 37 to GPT 40. I've been all of 2024 reading your Hikers Manual. I feel so grateful for such a beautiful contribution you have made to this, my country :)

*'''Chloe Derrien''' Hi Jan, with my partner, we would like to go from Ushuaïa up to Peru using some GPT sections. We would like to start end of february. Thank you for the GPT hiking manual, it is a huge help and source of informations.

*'''DavidVidal"" Hola, de a poco he ido haciendo trayectos de varios días por la cordillera, algunos de estos se unen también a ciertas secciones del GPT. Me interesa tener estos tracks para planificar mejor mis salidas. Agradecido de tu trabajo y prolijidad en esta ruta. Leí hace un tiempo el manual, acepto las condiciones claramente.

*'''Jason''' Hi Jan. I'm currently looking into hiking some sections of the GPT in 2025/2026 and would greatly appreciate the track files to aid in planning. I've read the introduction and agree to the terms and conditions. Thank you for all that you do.

*'''Ben Ram''' Hi Jan, I am researching hiking sections of the GPT in the Chilean Lake District with my partner in late 2025 to early 2026. It would be really great to have access to your GPS Files for this. I have read the Terms and Conditions and agree to them. Cheers.

*'''Ana''' Hi Jan, I’m looking into hiking sections of the GPT in late 2025 to early 2026. As part of my planning, I’d love to have a look at the GPS files to decide on sections. Thanks so much for all of the work you’ve put into this, the hikers manual is particularly useful.

*'''EmilieV''' Hi Jan, I am planning to cross Chile from Antofagasta to Ushuaia by foot and bus and I would like to incorporate some of the GPT sections in my adventure. The sections in question are 6 to 12 SOBO and then skipping over some of the middle sections to hop back on it probably after section 32 to finish at 40. I am still figuring out if I want to add a section or two from the southern part of the GPT and would like to access to GPS files to finish my preparation. The hikers manuel and the unbounded documentary were so helpful not only regarding the "trail" but also understanding the different dynamics of the local population, so interesting!

*'''pointatadventure''' Hi Jan, a huge thank you to this wonderful community! I came across GPT after an extensive internet search. As an avid adventurer, I am planning a trip to Patagonia next year to hike and packraft. I have read and of course accepted the terms and conditions. It would be fantastic if you could provide the GPS files for my project.

*'''Steve Hawkins''' Hello Jan and thank you for considering me for the GPT track files. I have read all terms and conditions, and I agree to comply. I also agree to contribute to the community. I am a "soon-to-be" retiree and have backpacked extensively in the United States. I would like to hike sections of the GPT over several years in 60–90-day increments beginning in Winter 2025-2026. I am beginning the research process for the first section hike in Patagonia and would love the assistance of the track files. Thank you for your consideration.

*'''Matias Federici.'''Hi Jan, I am going to do S14-15-16-17 next week, dont have much time for preparations because I was just noticed in my work that i have the vacations abiable, Been years reading About de GPT, this is the first time I have the money and time to try to do some, Im realy looking foward to this, thank you for the incredible job you started, best regards from argentina!

Use the format:
*'''Michael G.''' Hi Jan, I am planning on hiking sections 1 to 22 NoBo of the GPT from early March 2025, beginning in El Chaltén. I would like to thank you for the selfless work you did on making the GPT what it is. I'd be grateful if you could provide the GPS files for my project.

*'''Al and Bee''' Hi Jan, we are planning on hiking parts of the GPT starting in early January 2025, probably beginning in El Chaltén and hiking north. Thank you for the incredible Hikers Manual on the GPT. The GPS files would be extremely helpful for our endeavor.

*'''Juergen''' Hi Jan, My name is Jürgen Wolf. First of all, I want to thank you for the Greater Patagonia Trail project. I'm planning to some chapters in February, probably from stage 21 in northern direction. I'm currently in the process of studying the manual and creating a plan for myself, for which the GPS files would be helpful

*'''Pierre-Marie''' Hi Jan, I have been hiking since 27/11 from Santiago to El Chalten. Thank you for your work and efforts to keep this trail alive.

*'''Dustin''' Hi Jan, I am heading down to Patagonia this summer and planning to explore some of the packrafting sections. I'm planning to start exploring out of Coyhaique in early January. It is really wonderful that you are putting together a resource like this for an area you love. Your passion really comes through in the guide. Thank you so much for all that you do.

*'''Miguel''' Hi Jan, my name is Miguel Rodríguez Letelier, i live in Chile, love hiking and the mountains. I am planning to hike the GPT in the summer. Thank you for all the work and passion you put in this.

*'''Henri''' Hi Jan, let me first say how thrilled I am that the GPT guide exists and that there are all these incredible resources available for free all in the name of hiking! I am looking at the possibility of hiking a section of the GPT this coming February. I have my selection narrowed down to a few different sections but I am still a little indecisive. I will only have about a month to hike the sections of the GPT until I need to go home. I am hoping to get ahold of the Track Files so that I could better understand the scope of what I might be embarking. I've made myself a spread sheet showing every section of the trail from GPT 001 through GPT 040 where I include data and details to more easily narrow down my decision, and with this I feel that I am ready to get into the fine details of planning a relatively short hike on the GPT (3 weeks or a month).

*'''Graham''' Hello Jan, My name is Graham Hall. I am very interested in hiking the GPT between December and February of 2025. I am beginning my planning process, and I would love your insight. I will say, this is somewhat new to me, not in the outdoor sense, but in perspective. I have worked as a backcountry guide leading canoe trips for several years, but thru-hiking is newer for me at least in the packing sense -although I have been doing some smaller trips. I am fluent in spanish and confident in my abilities in the backcountry, specifically in outfitting and planning so I am excited about getting my hands on the most up to date maps and trip notes to plan my route. I also am looking to plan some pit stops to try and attract my other guide friends to join me for sections, but I just need to get to planning. I also would just love to get some more advice. I will say, pack rafting sounds insanely cool (from my canoe experience) but I also know the dangers that come with solo water travel, especially in such windy conditions. I would love to discuss this further, if you have the time. Either way, I hope this gets to you, wikiexplora do me right!
I hope we speak soon,
Graham

*'''Nono''' Hi Jan! I am planning to hike the GPT from Puerto Montt to Santiago. I'll be starting in February. I'm currently planning the hike and the guide is really fantastic. Congrats and thank you for putting together such useful information. I hope I can help contribute too. Best, Arno.

*'''Timotheed''' Hi Jan, I am planning to hike on the GPT from El Chalten to Santiago with a friend. We'll start in February, and we ll make it to Santiago with some junctions by bus. I am currently trying to plan our trip and therefore I would like to use the GPT track files. Thank you so much for the amazing informations you provided.

*'''dmateria''' Hi Jan, I am planning to packraft the packraftable (GPT16+) out of the GPT from end of December onwards, thus I'd gladly make use of the existing tracks. Thanks for the amazing community you have helped building.

*'''Mishun''' Hi Jan, me and my wife Anna plan to hike on GPT as a part our trip to Chile in December. We aim to hike sections GPT 06 and GPT 07 but we keep our plans open to change depending on the current conditions. Thank you for all your effort.

*"'MiaimZelt"' Hi Jan, thank you a lot for sharing so much informations in the GPT Manual. My husband and i are currently in Chile and will be until April. We planned to do a lot of multi-day hikes off the beaten path, which are part of the GPT, without knowing about the GPT. Less than 2 weeks ago an other hiker advised me about the GPT. This way i found out we'll be section hikers on the GPT. Now i'm reading every day in the Manual and try to improve my planning as best as i can without the files. Since then i considered if i should add myself to the list, although i'm definately late. Decided to give it a try. The gpx-files would be a great help to find out about alternative routes of our planned treks and to understand all the log-entrys, which are related to the files.

*'''Elijah Fuller''' My friend Michael and I are experienced thruhikers who are looking to do something very different from our previous experiences; the GPT. We'll have approximately 2 months to complete the GPT in January and February 2025. We're currently route planning, with sections GPT05-22 or GPT32-47 being the two sections we're considering. It's time to jump on Google Earth!

*“Raphael Chevalier” Greetings and thank you for all the research and detailed information found in the Guide Manual. I have read chapter 1 and am further into getting info on that very intriguing trail. I have a GSP and would like to use the GPT gps coordinate to further research the sections I am planning to do starting January 2025. Once again thank you for the community and available information.

* '''Roman''' I already did parts of the GPT in the 23/24 Season and fell in love with it!:) So I want to continue where it stopped GPT82P / GPT 33. Looking forward fore some new explorations and the new stories to tell of the people I meet! :)

* '''gornik''' Me and my grilfriend Gabi would like to hike once again on GPT. Last time we were here in 2023 and now we are planning to come back ready to experience GPT with all its beauty and challanges.

*'''Peggy''' Hi Jan, a lot of gratitude for you work and for charing it. It's a wonderful gift! I plan to start the gpt late december 2024 and walk until march or april wherever I get. Then I probably do the south part next year. For the momeent, I study the manual, analyse the route and my gear so I would be happy to have the gps files to go further in this preparation. Talk with you soon I hope and I am happy too to be a part of this community.

*'''Mttmllr''' Hi Jan, I live in Biobio region Chile, and in the past few years have done some hikes in the Andes that have been on GPT routes. I'm interested in the track files to enable me to continue exploring (slowly, year by year, I don't plan on leaving Chile any time soon) the different segments of the GPT. Many thanks for all your work and dedication to this project.

*'''BeingGarrett''' Jan ... I am looking to start the GPT this year (2024) in Santiago, I have an unlimited timeline and acknowledge that the GPT can not be done in a single season, therefore I would like to directly view the GPS files to map a roughly 1000 mile section. Go far, not fast. Thank you.

*'''Kare-Bare Blvd''' Hi Jan, my GF and I are super stoked to have found such a wealth of knowledge available for our planned adventure to Patagonia. We have 2 months and are very much interested in the Packrafting portions between 17-39, plus all the side quests and hikes along the way. We don't plan to complete all these sections in 2 months but we really think that the track files will help in our planning and prioritizing of sections so that we can get the most out of our adventure and to do it safely. GPT 2026! B-K

*'''ClickClack''' Hi Jan, myself and a friend are planning on doing sections 1 through 40 from mid-November 2024 to March 2025. We hope to complete the whole thing and the track files would really help! Thank you for the incredible amount of effort you have put into this!

*'''Simonlusignan''' Hi Jan, I am planning my 1500km hike through some GPT sections. I am starting from El Chalten in January 2025 and will be doing sections 32 to 40 and 6 to 12. I would love access to the files to help me navigate through river crossings and certain tougher sections. Thank you very much for the incredible ressource!

*'''Tamar''''' hi! we were very excited to hear about this trail! and it's uniqueness!! we hope to hike through some sections along the trail starting from the north in December 2024 until the weather becomes cold. Would love to share photos taken along the way. thank you!!

*''''Thijmen''''' Hola Jan, I'm planning to Packraft part of the GPT for three months in January till March 2025. I would like to receive the track files in order to prepare. Thank you for all the effort in making this adventure possible.

*'''''borruu''''' Hello Jan, thank you for sharing all the information about GPT. I am planning to hike a southern part of the GPT in February 2025, an access to the track files will be greatly appreciated.

*'''''wiiiim''''' Hola Juan, I'm very interested in exploring Patagonia further by hiking & packrafting sections of the GPT from December 2024. I'm still going through a lot of the information, but would love to get request access to the track files to plan more accurately. All the best, Wim

*'''''Kevin4''''' Hello Juan, I am considering the GPT between Section 6 and 20 starting in December 2024. Thank you for your work and manual on the GPT. I would like to have access to the trace file to plan my route. I thank you, Kevin.

*'''''Clara''''' Hey Jan ! I'm planning to hike some sections of the GPT between Decembre 2024 to March 2025. After reeding the amazing GPT hiker's manual, I would like to get access to the track files to continue planning the hike. Thank's for sharing all your work.

*'''''Amazering''''' Hi Jan, first of all thanks for putting together all this info and documentation about the GPT, the pdf in particular has been an amazing read so far! We as a couple have been hiking for a few years and we identify ourselves very much in the slow pace, sharing centered and collaborative philosophy of the GPT, and plan on hiking on parts of the trail from end October 2024 through February 2025. Excited to be able to contribute back too!

*'''''GLOBTUINA''''' Hey Jan, i'm planning to hike parts of the GPT into october 2024 and January 2025, i would like to get access to the track files to properly plan my trip before taking on such a great adventure. Thank you very much for creating and maintaining the GPT!

*'''''Volker''''' Hey Jan, I am planning to hike parts of the GPT starting in December 2024 and would like to get access to the track files you created. You completed a tremendous work to write the excellent manual and create the track files. Thank you very much for creating and maintaining the GPT - and for sharing all your knowledge and experience!

*'''''Farah & Jan''''' Hey Jan, we're planning to hike parts of the GPT in January and February 2025 and would love to get access to the track files to properly plan our trip before taking on such a great adventure. Thank you very much for creating and maintaining the GPT!

*'''''leo_micklem''''' Hello, I'm Leo. I'm planning to Packraft some sections of the GPT with my brother as part of a wider South America trip. The Packraft portion of the trip will likely take place December 2024 into January 2025. We feel strongly that it is important to be properly prepared for a safe and enjoyable adventure.

*'''''Allie''''' Hello, I'm Allie (or Aliénor). I'm planning to visit Patagonia from november 2024 to march 2025, and i would like to discover the region mostly on foot. Thank you for your extensive research and comprehensive guide.

*'''''sigg''''' Hi Jan, I'm Chris and I was thinking about spending some time on the GPT as a solo traveller beginning mid January to beginning of March 25. Yet, as I want to plan thoroughly, I'd love to take a look into the gpx files in order to better understand the terrain to choose to legs I feel confident in mastering.

*'''''HugoT''''' Hi Jan, I'm Hugo and I'm planning to spend 3 weeks on the GPT. Reading the manual was great, a real change on how I normally prepare for more well-known trails in Scandinavia, Scotland, Iceland or Nepal. In my search for true nature, I would like to start on section GTP06 and go south until 1) the trail beats me or 2) go as far as my feet will take me in the time that I have.

*'''''veleslavia''''' Hello, I'm Olga and I'm planning to hike and packraft some sections of the Trail in late December 2024 with my partner. Thank you so much for creating the manual and the community around it!

*'''''Ayrton.debeauffort''''' Hello, first of all thank you so much for all the hard work to put all these incredible resources together. I am looking to travel solo this spring to Patagonia and want to do first 20-30 section of the GPT over 2 months (with flexibility on the number of sections and timing). I have done multi day hikes in the W trek, and Norway and the Dolomites in the past and am looking to do a longer distance trek given I will be taking some time away from work. I look forward to contributing to your amazing research and thank you again!

*'''''Celio''''' Hola, first thing, thank you very much for the passionate job you made in creating this Hiker's manual, it's a gold mine of infos! We are a french couple living in the alps and planning to do the GPT, starting november and going up north. Having worked 4 years in Tierra del fuego in guiding i'll be very happy to help in contribute and support the job you made ! Thank a lot.

*'''''TiMa''''' Hi, we are a german couple planning to hike various treks in Patagonia roughly during Jan+Feb 2025. We didn't decide yet on specific sections of the GPT. Thank you and the contributors for all the work!
*""Morliz"" Hi Jan, I am planning on hiking sections of the GPT from 11/24-5/25, am experienced in long distance (US), alpine (alps, andes, pamir) and would be happy to support the wiki explorer homepage for the GPT during and after the hike. Thank you for the support.
*'''''LukSara''''' Hello Jan, we are Lukas and Sarah, two hikers from the Alps and woud like to hike the first part of the GPT. We are planning to travel to Chile in November 2024. It would be great to hike with your GPS Track Files and of course we would be happy to contribute to your work with your experience. Thank you and everybody who made this possible.

*'''''ErJo''''' Hello Jan, we are passionate hikers that would like to hike parts of the Greater Patagonian Trail in January and February of 2025. We don`t plan on doing packrafting. We are very grateful for your absolutely awesome work and thank you for making such a trip possible! :)

*'''''Mathilde and Jordan''''' Hello Jan, first of all thank you very much for your huge and impressive work. We are two frenchies who would like to participate to this adventure and start in november. We'll be happy to share our experience, help with the tracks and give some updates. Passionate about nature, hike and new culture, The GPT is an adventure that we have in mind for a long time. Thank you very much :)

*'''''Elio''''' Hi Jan, thank you so much for the work you're doing mapping out the most remote parts of Patagonia. I'm a seasoned hiker from France and I'm starting planning my next project (hopefully for December 2024, depending on finance and wife approval :). I would be very interested in the data you've collected over the years to help me come up with a route. I would gladly contribute to this wiki as soon as I find relevant data to provide. Thanks!

*'''''Stefan''''' Hi Jan, we, my wife and I, are experienced hikers from Germany and are looking for a new long-distance hiking trail that is scenically impressive, remote and not overcrowded. We don't have a concrete schedule yet (probably in a few years, for a few months). In our search we finally came up with GPT and your manual. Both are really impressive! Thank you for your work so far! We would be happy to help supplement the manual and keep it up to date. However, we are still at the very beginning of the planning and would therefore like to use the tracks for further information and preparation.

*'''''Keili100''''' Hi Jan, we are Kathrin and Matthias from Germany (40yrs/42yrs) and we are both passionate hikers and have already visited lots of countries and its mountains. Since we have a kind of sabbatical in 2025/2026 we are planning to spend around 4 to 5 months on the GPT. My wife is fluent in Spanish and we are both fascinated of exploring remote areas and getting in touch with the locals combined with challenging navigation in barely untouched regions.
Thanks for your unbelievable huge amount of work you are putting on the GPT

*'''''Karin'''''Hi Jan, I am Karin. I have had the dream of visiting and hiking Patagonia since many years. I am in Latin America for roughly a year for work and I would like to take advantage of being in Latin America to hike in November - December 2024 parts of the GPT. Thank you vera much for your incredible work!

*'''''Charlie''''' Hi Jan! I'm Charlie. I'm planning to hike either two (7-8) of the northern sections or 32 and 33h in the first two weeks of april. I'm an experienced hiker, have led trips and organized my own in the us and recently completed a 3 week thruhike of sicily. beyond excited to get to patagonia - has been a dream for years.

*'''''Marion y Augustin''''' Hello Jan, we are a french couple wich aim to try to hike some sections of the GPT beteen April 2024 and July 2024, mixed with bus travel to join Perù. We are reading the Hikers'Manual, thanks a lot for that huge job !
*'''''Sophie y Gaspar (Dr Jabali)''''' Hello Jan, we are a franco-spanish couple wich aim to try to complete the GPT beteen November 2024 and May 2025 and discover these beautiful landscapes and cultures. Thanks
*'''''Paulus''''' Hey Jan, im very impressed by your detailed planning and knowledge of the patagonian mountains. I really enjoyed reading your short manual for the trail even though I should have actually studied for my exams. In Autumn I will finish university and now have finally the time to do a longer hiking trip again. Since im a biology student, the GPT is extremely interesting, since it would serve me as a transect to observe to Vegetation change from the north to the south. Ive always dreamed of seeing Araucarias!
*'''''gitano''''' Hi Jan I enjoy hiking and I have a lot of expirience hiking patagonia for the last 6 years. I grow up in Osorno and i would like to hike my own land. I will love to cooperate and keep up this exelent job!
*'''''Maxfelis''''' Hi Jan, I'm a hiking enthusiast living in Santiago. I recently did "Sendero del Condor", and I met someone that was doing the GPT06. I would love to collaborate with the GPT project, and explore other sections. Thank you so much for all your work!

*'''''txrx''''' Hello Jan, I'm a hiking enthusiast living in Bariloche. I am always researching new routes and many times I end up scanning the GPT Hikers Manual. I can't believe how much work and love has been put by all the contributors to build this, thank you very much! I would love to help to keep the GPT growing responsibly.

*'''''Bebo'''' Hello Jan, I First heard of GPT while traveling through Peru, Bolivia and Argentina by bike. Rightnow I meet with my Brother in Buenos Aires and we want to hike remote trails for the coming 2 months. The GPT sounds just perfect, so we really would love to get the GPX files. We are aware of the fact that the trails lead through privat Land and nature. We treat both with hugh respect! Thanks for your work! Greetings from germany!

*'''''Marilynemg''''' Hi Jan! I have been discussing the GPT with hiker friends for the last ten years and I finally will be able to visit Chile in March and April. I want to start with sections 1-8 and I have a couple more on the radar, time and weather dependent. Thank you so much for all your work!

*'''''Retezepe''''' Hey Jan, we are very grateful for the invaluable resources you have compiled for the GPT. We're looking forward to being a part of this project! My partner and I are currently in Chile and interested in hiking a couple of sections of the GPT. The sections that currently interest us the most are sections 19 and 37H. We will be in Greater Patagonia from February to March.

*'''''TrailsOfWander''''' Hi Jan. Thank you very much for your envaluable work for the GPT and for your guidance. I am traveling to Chile on Feb 11 to hike GPT06 and partial GPT08 and 09. Unfortunately I don’t have much time for this trip but I will plan future trips for other sections so the Track Files of GPT will be very valuable as the Manual is. Thanks again!

*'''''AlexNecky''''' Hello Jan, thank you for all the work you've done putting this trail together!! My friend and I have been eyeing the GPT for a while. After much researching using your information and additional sources, we have tickets to Santiago for the beginning of March. Our plan is to start with GPT06 and going SOBO thru GPT10 or as far as we can for the month that we have. We're both super excited about this adventure and look forward to contributing back to the community with our experience!! Thanks again!

*'''''Dueser''''' Hi Jan. I am deeply impressed by your work. Not only the time you spent on the GPT, but also all the documentation and the manual. During reading the manual I realized that 10 years ago I explored a few GPT stages in the north without knowing about the GPT. This time I'm deliberately heading south. I'll certainly put my experience to good use for the project.

*'''''CharlieGardner101''''' Hey there Jan! Charlie here! Wow, what an incredible community you've created here. I couldn't be more excited to explore this wonderful and wild part of the world and to become a contributing member of this initiative you've begun! I will be flying into El Chalten in the first week of February and, along with a few friends, hope to hike a variation of GPT sections 38-40. Later on (mid-late march), we hope to move further North to try our hands at a section somewhere between GPT 6 and 12. Thanks for everything you do! Cheers!

*'''''Zsu''''' Hi Jan! I would like to hike parts of GPT32-40 in the upcoming weeks. More details in the email. Thank you very much!

*'''''Fernanda''''' Hi Jan! First and foremost, a sincere thank you for your impressive work. It is so valuable to have this type of initiatives in Patagonia. I am Chilean and mountains have been my backyard since I was a kid. I am planning to do GPT35 and GPT 36H with my brother Francisco. He is also close to nature and a entrepreneur based partially on Puerto Bertand since 2020. I've shared the hikers manual with him and he was very thankful and impressed with this initiative. I would also be interested in contributing with adding highlights and changes to the track. Global warming is slowly but steadily modifying nature.

*'''''Daemos''''' Hi Jan! My name is Andrew, and I am a Canadian travelling in Patagonia for the next two months. I was planning to hike the Condor Circuit, but I've read online of some difficulties lately and am interested in investigating one of the variations of GPT6 as an alternative. I would also be interested in adding some highlights of the GPT to my plans as well.

*'''''PauMau2024''''' Hello Jan! My name is Paulina and I thank you so much for your work. It´s an impressive work that you have done! From february on my partner Flo and I want to explore and hike from Futaleufu to O'Higgins, GPT 71 and GPT35-39. Beginning in Futaleufu we will take around 5 days to get to Chaiten where we will have a resupply and then continue hiking down until the end of the carretera Austral. We are happy to share our GPS log and further information&experience, hopefully support future travelers.

*'''''madnomad''''' Hi! My name is Elias. We are a couple from Greece travelling around the American continent on a campervan, motorcycle, packraft and hiking equipment! We are already on the road for 5 months and we are currently in the Argentinian part of Patagonia. We love it here and it would be great to try a few sections of the GPT. We are not planning to do anything extreme, just enjoy a few highlights of the GPT at first!

*'''''acivs''''' Hi! My name is Agnes. I'm from Switzerland and love trekking. I did several hikes in the Alps, the Andes and in Patagonia. In August 2022 I started backpacking through South America and got trapped in Tortel about a year ago. Last March I read for the first time about the GPT and was fascinated by it. For the moment I am planning on doing my first to sections, GPT36H and GPT35.

*'''''wandering_guanaco''''' Hey all! My name is Jack and I am an American outdoors-person interested in hiking sections 16-23 this austral summer, and hope to continue to complete sections of the GPT as I continue to work in Chile for a few months of the year every year. This project is amazing and I am stunned by the thoroughness of the documents I have read so far. From the intentions of the project as a hike undertaken only by those who are prepared, to the particular comments on the links between fundraising and the inevitable outcome of the trip itself, I really appreciate the time and thought that has been put in to not just the adventure portion, but also the preparation, reputation, and impact of the hike. I feel lucky to have explored chunks of Patagonia in my past and cannot wait to broaden my experiences through these sections and information in the future.

*'''''bistarai.bistarai''''' Hello! My name is Susie, I’m French-Canadian and planning on hiking sections 6 to 18 (although very flexible) as a first attempt on the GPT which I have been eyeing for a while now. Eventually I’d love to try packrafting in more southern sections in a couple of years!

*'''''mollycargill''''' Hello, my name is Molly and I am a medical doctor from Australia with a lifelong love of the outdoors and an interest in wilderness medicine. As a part of an Expedition Medicine course I am currently undertaking I need to create an in depth logistics plan for a trip which I want to go on, which I have chosen as packrafting sections 16-25 of the GPT. I have had my eye on the GPT for a while, and hopefully can use the finished product of this assignment to help me finally attempt some of the GPT in the 2024/25 season.

*'''''HHGTPE''''' (Hitchhikers guide to planet earth) Hey, I am Felix. I hitchhiked around the globe for three years some time ago and now I am doing a semester abroad in Buenos Aires for my uni. While looking for long distance tracks in Patagonia, I came across the GPT and very much fell in love with the whole concept. This year I would like to do some of the shorter and easiest hiking parts of the GPT but hopefully come back in the future to do some longer and connected parts.

*'''''fabianundcecile''''' Hola de San Rafael, Argentina. We are travelling to southern Patagonia and thought we could hike some sections of the PGT along the way. Maybe starting with GPT 7 southbound. Saludos Cécile y Fabian

*'''''czimahi'''''Hola Jan, por favor me podrías enviar el file para ir alguna parte entre GPT18 a GPT5? Muchas gracias

*'''''nico142857''''' Hola desde Chile!. Escribo en español por razones políticas más que practicas. Primero que todo, gracias por recolectar, sintetizar y compartir la información. Me interesa recorrer la parte norte de los 'senderos' y me interesan tener los .kmz para 1) tener una ayuda, 2) no abrir mas senderos y respetar la naturaleza y 3) dar feedback a la comunidad. Saludos

*'''''Ggeoff88''''' Hello everybody ! My name is Guillaume from France and I'm actually in Bariloche preparing my adventure to go to El Chalten by foot. You guys did an incredible Job of research, documentation and exploration... Today I'd like to inspire of your work in order to prepare my road. It's normal for me and will be a pleasure to share my experience after it.

*'''''MysticalMarauder''''' Hi my name is Misha and I'm in Chile with an old friend about to the depart on a greand adventure December 2023 onwards. Heading south in the coming days with the zenith of our travels the Punta Arenas/Puerto Natales area. Then turning around and heading back north after a month or 2. Eager to get on the GPT in either direction in the coming months/years? Not sure how long this adventure will last but hopeful to hike many kilometers on this network. Thank yiou to Jan and this commmunity for establishing this route and creating this excellent resource for those excited to get off the well-traveled roads and disappear into the wild for a bit.

*'''''Lazy_Lemon''''' Kia ora! Looking to get amongst the Patagonia trails so thanks so much for putting all this information together!

*'''''Sam Odin'''''' Hello! Thank you so much for this impressive work. The detail and love put into the GPT manual is truly a gift to us all. Between January 15 and February 5, my partner Sara and I are planning to explore as much of GPT33 as possible. Beginning in Villa Cerro Castillo we will take 8 to 10 days to get to Puerto Ingeniero Ibáñez (where we will have a resupply) and then take about the same time to get back to Villa Cerro Castillo. We would love to share our log and GPS information, hopefully further illuminating future travelers to the less frequented routes and parts of this section

*'''''Jonathan Mudde'''''' Hi Jan, I'm planning to walk a few sections of the GPT in the very south and in the north. I'll start on the first of January around Ushuaia. And after that I like to use the border close to O'Higgins and hike some parts around Laguna de la laja I'm looking forward to use the gpx files. Thanks in advance! I have read many parts with great respect for your work and honering the lokal people. Regards Jonathan Mudde/Abishaloom

*'''Matthias''' Küme naqün antü! I've been following this fascinating idea for years, and now I can hopefully explore a small part of it myself and contribute to its long-term existence. I will arrive in Santiago in January, then I would like to follo'''w the GPT southwards, walking until about GPT20. But I am flexible in my plans on the ground, I am open to spontaneity and ever-changing challenges. Alles Leben ist Problemlösen.

*'''Carina''' Hi! Thank you so much for the detailed GPT resource you have created. It's been a dream of mine to hike/trail run through parts of Patagonia, and it would be really helpful to see the GPT track files to help with my route planning. I'm planning to go in 1-2 years from now, so plenty of time to plan still. Very happy to contribute / provide feedback on route sections once I'm there myself. Thank you :)

*'''Paulina''' Hello everybody. First of all, I would like to thank you for all the huge job you put into this projekt. I'm really amased. I will start a part of GPT in January, I'm especially interested in GPT because it seems wild, unspoilt and very interesting from cultural point of view. I also love the idea that everyone can create its own trail and that three is no one and the best option. Living in Europe where in some parts of the mountain we focus maybe too much on kilometers and speed, it seems that GPT offers something much more important. I will be more than happy to contibute to this beautiful projekt.

*'''Mitschu''' Hello, after spending 9 weeks in Patagonia (pre pandemic) I am back with the aim to explore even more :) I thought about starting in Bariloche, explore the lake area going north (following part of Huella Andina) and finally cross over to chile and start at section 16 southbound mid/end of december. I used the pandemic for some long distance hikes in europe (GR5, half of GR10/11 and TMB) and cant wait to enjoy the beauty of patagonia. I will hike solo but open to meet up with fellow hikers if someone happen to be in the area :) I am following the project since 2 years... impressive work. Happy to contribute as well! Looking forward hearing from you! Thanks

*'''Rainbow16''' Hi Jan & fellow hikers! My name is Tanja and I am currently planning to walk Sections 6-22 starting end of December 2023. Still a bit dizzy from reading the hikers manual (what a great documentation!), I am excited to further explore this Patagonian trail network via the track files. A huge thanks to Jan and Meylin for their adventurous spirit and dedication as well as all other collaborators (what a cool community!). Looking forward to contributing myself once I put my feet on GPT grounds.

*'''Frans van Driel''' Hi Jan, first and foremost I would like to thank you for all the work you put into the GPT. Truly impressive to read the manual! I'm planning to walk a few sections of the GPT. I'll explain more in detail in the upcoming email. My timeframe will be half December 2023 till half January 2024. I'm looking forward to this amazing experience and would like to start some more detailed planning using the gpx files. Thanks in advance! Sincerely, Frans van Driel

*'''Owen Hutchison (elhutcho)''' Hey Jan! Am incredibly impressed with what you have been able to put together with the GPT - it’s an amazing achievement for which I’m sure many are thankful. I have been reading through the manual in preparation for a trip in February and March 2024. My partner and I will make our way down from Lago Puelo (GPT 22/23) to El Chalten via a mix of different segments and pack rafting. To assist in planning and preparation, I’d be really grateful to receive the the KMZ/GPX Files. I am very happy to contribute back to the project in anyway I can. Thanks again! Owen

*'''Piotr Szatkowski''' Hello Jan, primarily I would like to say thank you for the massive amount of dedication you put into creating the whole guide. The quality of it, the precision everything is described with is very impressive.I would like to kindly ask you if you could share with me the KMZ/GPX Files. I am incredibly humbled to be able to discover the beauty of the regions of Patagonia. Can't wait into immerse in to this journey of solitude. I will be starting in end of December for section and or 2 heading south. Will probably hike for 2 months. I am not sure how long exactly.

*'''Ella Meyer''' Hi Jan, I am planning to walk parts of the GPT as part of a project studying and documenting people's relationships to water along long-distance trails. As per your suggestion when we talked on the phone one year ago, I would like to hike Sections 1-12. I may also skip to Sections 21, 22, 63 and 69. I am hoping to depart Southbound around late December (2023). I am very excited to embark on this journey, and welcome anyone else planning on hiking these sections to connect with me (contact info can be found on my website https://ellameyer.com/)

*'''Vlad Ivanchuk (vladdi)''' I'm planning to walk some southern sections of GPT northbound from Ushuaia starting in December 2023 for just over a month. I look forward to immersing myself in the landscapes and culture of Patagonia, and I'd appreciate access to GPS files to enable this adventure.

*'''Robin Marcille''' Hi Jan, hi all, thank you for this immense amount of work. After sailing from France to Ushuaïa, we are planning to walk parts of the GPT norhbound from Puerto Williams on November 2024 for approx. 3 months. We would be very grateful to access the GPS files to prepare our trip ! We are especially interested in the various options between Puerto Williams and Cochrane. We're super excited to participate to this project and would like to propose some mountaineering options !

*'''Cyril AC'H (Cy)''' Hi, can't wait more to get back with GG on the GPT after 2 years break, from El Bolson southbound toward Cochrane and El Chalten in a packrafting mode for those sections. No rush, side trips to fjords, we will see how far we get ! Thx for the KMZ/GPX Files !

*'''Martin_crgt''' Hi all, thanks for your work Jan, and for everyone's contributions to this adventure, My sister and I are planning to do the GPT in February 2024 from section 6 down south. Having the GPS data would be a great help to help us plan.

*'''maddidunster''' Hi Jan, Tom and I are two Australians planning to hike northbound from El Chalten to wherever we make it with the time we have from February to April 2024. Super excited, can't wait!

*'''guswimbo''' Hello Jan, thank you for all of your and others' work on putting together this incredible wealth of information! I'm planning on backpacking/packrafting from Cochamo to El Chalten in January/February 2023.

* '''Oscar Crassous''' Hello Jan, I'm a french men who will travel northbound during 9 months in South America, between november and august. I have planned to walk most of the time and I am very excited to hike some parts of the GPT during my trip. Thanks for your work.

* '''Matthieu''' Hello Meylin and Jan, former hiker on the GPT (season 2019-2020, northbound), would gladly go back on trail this year to hike some other parts southbound (Santiago-Antuco, Puyehue - Coyhaique)!

* '''GriffinWagner13''' Hello Jan, planning to travel to Chile/Argentinia in 2025. I'll be doing some of the sections between GPT01 and GPT40, bussing between routes as possible. I definitely want to hit some of the northern volcanoes as well as the southern routes! Super excited to hike it.

* '''edwinb''' Hello Jan, planning to fly to Santiago in 2 weeks. Thinking about gpt2/3 to do something close to Santiago and especially want to do the tracks in the araucania this time. gpt33h and gpt37h look very attractive to. Thanks again for all the work! Edwin

* '''lilian''' Hello Jan, i'm planning to have a 3-4 months hike through Greater Patagonia, I will travel to Santiago in mid-November 2023 and maybe end my hike about March to April at somewhere south. I would be interested in the trackfiles from 1 to 69, would be incredibly grateful to have the files for further research and planning. Thank you in advance!

* '''zipgerm''' Hey Jan, Thank you for your work and contributing the route information to the world! I'll be in Chile/Argentina from beginning of December until April. If my feet are willing, I want to walk parts of the GPT starting with section 05 or 06 southwards. I read a great part of your guide and already bought a GPS with satellite pager - alhough I never used neither of them on my off-track hiking tours before. Looking forward to Chile and the Andes. Matthias

* '''JordanJennings''' Hi Jan, my plan is to packraft soundbound sections 17-30 over the season, but will likely begin with a few (conditions appropriate) sections between 30-40 from November after completing some packrafting training around Puerto Río Tranquilo. I would like to also thank you for dedication so much time and energy into making this possible for all of us

*'''LottiRummel''' Hi Jan, thank you for all your fantastic work! We are planning to spend January 2024 in Chile and want to hike starting from around GPT 06 southwards. I hope the gpx tracks will help us decide which sections to plan. Thanks! Alex and Lotti

*'''Rowe99''' Hi Jan, first of all, many thanks to you and everyone else who contributed to the manual. I have never seen so much information about such a large network for any other region in an open-source manner. I am planning to hike this year (2023) from December to mid-February starting from El Chaltén northwards with a pakraft. Thanks for all the information so far! Cheers Roman!

*'''Jonas._____''' Hi Jan, I'm planning to hike through Patagonia from December to February/March. I will start in Puerto Montt and then go south from there as far as time and terrain permits. The great GPT Hikers' Manual did already give me a really good insight in what to expect and I would really appreciate having the GPT Track Files as well to prepare for my trip as much as possible! Thanks for your help!

*'''ColineW''' Hi Jan ! Thank you a lot for the amazing work you did with the "Great Patagonian Trail, Hikers Manual" ! It's full of wize advices and ideas I maybe would havenot find myself. I will go in Chili from mid-december to mid-march, meet up with my father who is currently wandering in the south. We'd like the hike northbound from GPT20 to GPT01. The GPS files would be a great help for you, since I tried my plan an itinerary on Google Earth and, as you know, I lost sight of some roads in the forest. My father has a Garmin66i, so we'll be able to send the datas of our trail to you. Have a nice day !

*'''Roi Keler''' Hello Jan, First of all, thank you for the amazing work you did and still do, it's a great inspiration for me. I plan to spend 3-4 months in Patagonia and I want to combine several walking sections of the GPT between section GPT01 - GPT16 & GPT32 - GPT46. After reading the hikers' manual and completing the preparations, I decided not to focus on a meticulous plan because it is important for me to be spontaneous and keep the options open. The GPS files in combination with the hikers' manual will allow me to choose the hiking sactions that suit me and then send the information to you and share with the community. Thanks for everything!

*'''Marmur''' Hi Jan! We are a couple and are planning to hike the GPT from start to end, in 2 seasons (hopefully) starting next season. We have visited Patagonia in the past and can't wait to get to know it more intimately, as we loved it so much. hiking in remote locations with unmarked trails is not new to us, but we are exited about the challenges that are waiting for us at this epic terrain. this is a great chance to thank you for all this impressive work that you've been doing, and you can count on us that after all this ends for us, we will share all inputs and updates with you and the community.

*'''Lukas Deleu''' Hi Jan, my girlfriend and I are planning to do 3-4 months of hiking through Greater Patagonia starting this december. We chose some of the sections that most appealed to us and hope to connect them by public transport. Gpt 6-12, 16-19, 32-40 is what we have in mind for the moment. Having the trackfiles would be a great help offcourse. Cheers.

*'''Huemul''' Hello Jan, I'm Frank from Irlanda. I hope to continue southbound in November from El Chalten to Isla Navarino. Thanks for all your help & advice so far.

*'''RoshiJ''' Hi Jan, what an amazing piece of work you've established in the GPT hiker's manual, and its amazing to see how many people are inspired by it. I am planning on exploring Patagonia starting in November, with no end date as of yet. My only goal is to wander and wonder but I'd like to do so well-informed and as prepared as possible. I already feel so after reading the manual but it would be even better to set out armed with your GPS files. I also love the idea of using wikiexplora as a platform to communicate within a like-minded community with similar goals so am enthusiastic to share my own experiences and read those of others.

*'''Pieper92''' Holá Jan, Thank you for providing this comprehensive manual. I will travel to Patagonia in November 2023 and want to make my way from santiago to tierra del fuego by feet, on my beloved packraft but also longer sections by bus transport. Have not picked all sections but Lagos Chilenos/argentinos, parts of fjord area and tierra del fuego are in focus. Especially I want to circumvent the spoiled national parks in the south. Your guide has already been a great help up to know but the GPT track files would be extraordinary helpfull. I will especially try to provide novel exploration data by packraft.

*'''nickcarter884''' Dear Jan, Thank you so much for all the work you have done on this manual and the route, it's fantastic! Some friends and I are planning to do the section around El Chalten in February 2024 and would really like to follow your routes rather than the roads. Please could I have access to the GPS files so we can be in the real nature, not just the road? :-)

*'''delabien''' Dear Jan, I am very inspired by your manual. My partner and I plan to travel for 4 months starting from the capital Santiago going slowly to the south (starting in November 2023). Thus we would like to hike some of the sections you and the other collaborators assembled. In order to make the expedition more feasible for us we intent to use the local public transportation for some parts. Really looking forward to experience the changing landscapes during the route. Thank you

*'''wbarab''' Hi Jan, thank you for all the extensive and detailed work put into this manual. My partner and I (American & Spanish)plan to hike the GPT from mid November 2023 until late February or March 2024. So far GPT 6-12, 14-16, 19, and 32-40 have stood out to us as a start, but our investigations continue and we plan to add at least another half dozen sections (plus some "maybes" if time permits)! To continue we would really appreciate access to the trackfiles.

*'''ranulph24''' Hi Jan, great manual! Thank you for putting so much passion in this project. I consider hiking on the GPT in November 2024 - April 2025. I am mainly aiming for the northern part 5 - 30 and add a smaller section in the south. For refining my plans I would like to study the GPS Track Files in detail.

*'''MMartinez''' Hi Jan, thank you so much for this incredible amount of work. It is really inspiring and exciting. We are a couple (American and Polish) and we are interested in hiking some of the sections of the GPT later this year. We have been reading the manual and adjusting and readjusting plans the more we learn (there's so much to learn!) We would really appreciate access to the track files to help with the planning. Thank you so much again!

*'''SeanMaskill''' Hi Jan, Thanks for all of your work! I've wanted to hike sections of the GPT for a few years. I've now started the research seriously and tracks would help me decide which sections I'd like to hike. Cheers Sean.

*'''MarmotAndBear''' Dear Jan, Thank you for putting in so much dedicated work, to create the Hiker’s Manual, and in doing so helping others to hike and appreciate this part of the world. We are a German-Singaporean couple and we have been following the GPT community for almost one year now. We have quit our jobs not long ago and have started visiting Central Asia, where we’ve been able to do some amazing hikes. Before setting foot on the GPT this coming (southern) summer, we are planning to improve our Spanish in other South American countries. We hope a few weeks of dedicated learning will do the trick. Once on the trail, we are planning to hike and packraft as much of the GPT as we can during the coming season. Let’s see how far our feet and boat will carry us :)

*'''guaraches80''' Hello and good afternoon Jan. I have been reading and preparing for some sections of the trail you have put together. I, a Mexican American, and a Colombian friend will be backpacking through Brazil and later to Argentina in the coming months and we would love to see some of the wonderful trails you and others have experienced. Obviously, because of our backgrounds we both speak fluent Spanish and have years of backpacking, hiking and bushcrafting experience. This is something I look forward to with the uptmost energy and so will eagerly await the track files to begin further in-depth planning. Thank you for your time. Until next time!

*'''blissfulmisgivings''' Hi Jan, Thank you for providing so much detailed and helpful information about the GPT! We (two Americans) are excited to try packrafting portions of the GPT beginning in November 2023. The guidance you've provided in the manual has already been invaluable to our preparations, and we look forward to reviewing and using the GPT track files in our journey. Thanks again!

*'''YannickCOLL''' Hi Jan, Thank you very much for your work and your dedication to the GPT. We are immersing in the GPT universe with pleasure and a growing sense of adventure. We are a couple (French and Belgian) and we’re looking to hike some sections of the GPT between mid-November 2023 until April 2024 (Sections: 1-12 / 16 / 19 / 32-40). These are the sections that we selected so far and that we are more attracted to, knowing that of course it can change. We were wondering if you could grant us access to the GPS tracks in order for us to prepare for the GPT. We understand that this is an unofficial trail and that it is still a work in progress and we are eager to help in any way we can to continue to build this ‘trail’. Nolwenn & Yannick

*'''daniel.s''' Hi Jan, amazing work with the Hiker's Manual! I hope to meet some of you on the trail next season. I'm planning to do some of the packrafting sections starting at GPT 17. The track files would be very helpful to make it an unforgettable experience. Greetings from Austria, Daniel

*'''hevike''' Hello fellow hiking community, I'm Jens from Germany looking into hiking sections of the GPT this November until the end of February. Thanks for the amazing work you all have put into this project and I'm looking forward to contribute myself.

*'''MartinGilles''' Hola Jan, soy Martin de Belgica y estoy planeando hacer una parte del GPT al principio de noviembre hasta el 20 de diciembre. Me gustaria tener the GPS tracks para organisarme y ver lo que me conviene mas. Muchas gracias por lo que hiciste y para permitir la exploracion de esta parte del mundo. Un placer, Martin.

*'''Marc Altena''' Hi Jan, thanks for all your hard work exploring the hidden trails of Patagonia. I'm hoping to do sections 6 to 10, 16 to 22 and 32 to 40 early next year. The GPS tracks would be helpful. Tanks in advance for sending them. Kind regards, Marc

*'''Lorenzo''' Hi Jan, I don't have specific plans concerning the GPT yet, but that might change soon. After the reading the first 300 pages of your guidebook it seems to me like a real challenge and an unforgettable experience at the same time. I'll call it a dream to hike at least parts of it, and extensive planning is the first step to make your dreams come true.

*'''Joscha97''' Hi Jan, I gonna travel to Chile in the beginning of next year and I am really fascinated by the idea of the GPT. I would love to hike some parts of it, starting in Santiago. Thanks for all the work you put into this project. Greetings

*'''Larix84''' Hello Jan, he hablado contigo con whatsapp hace 2 semanas Mi proyecto de trail para el ano que viene se confirma, un saludo'''

*'''Noemie''' Hi Jan, thank you so much for making us discover those incredible paths and landscapes in an ethical way. I have been hiking in Chilean Patagonia for a few months now and I wish to keep discovering the region more deeply by hiking through a few sections of the GPT, especially GPT36H (ruta de los Pioneros). Depending on how this goes, and on the weather conditions, I may try to go further north around sections 08-09. Thanks for all your work, the resources you provided have been super helpful!

*'''TheRebel''' Hey Jan thanks for the big package of information you provide with tha website/pdf I'm in Argentina since 3 months and hiked many km in the official and more marked areas (bariloche, bolson, esquel, el Chaltén, El Calafate, Ushuaia and more) and now I'm on the way back north and wanna end up in Bolivia or maybe even Columbia in the next 6 months... I've heard about your site from a Canadian guy who did some sections more north and I thought it would be nice to do some more trails in a little more remote areas on my way north
Greatings TheRebel

*'''Jen''' Hi Jan and so, so many thanks for all the incredible work you have done here. I am currently in Peru and planning to fly south to begin the beginning of GPT01 in the next few weeks and see how long I can walk for before things become too off season. I will halt and recommence when the season comes back in. If I manage to journey to Punta Arenas in the end, whenever this might be, then I am happy! Thank you, Jen.

*'''Ollie''' Hello Jan. I am from Wales and currently is
Brazil after sailing here from Europe. My plan is to work my way towards southern Argentina where I will stop and work for a while. Hopefully improving my Spanish, get to know the culture more and spend my weekends in the mountains to prepare. The idea is to start from Tierra Del Fuego, head north and just take it step by step. The manual has been a great read thank you for being so thorough. Love it. Cheers.

*'''Silke & Hans''' Hello, We are a Belgian couple currently on a multiyear bikepacking, trekking & mountaineering trip through South-America. We'd been looking forward to do some sections of the GPT for a long time. We are currently in Chile Chico, and planning to do the GPT35 section. We probably want to do some more sections further South.

*'''Jakub+Veronika''' Hi Jan, we're a couple from Czechia, currently almost one month in Chile getting to know the country, it's history and it's people's culture. We'd like to hike some parts of the GPT south from Puerto Montt, where we are based right now. Thanks for this awesome work!

*'''Alan''' Hola Jan! I'm Alan from California. I'm interested in doing GPT32 and GPT33H. Thanks for all the resources you have provided so far!

*'''Diegoara''' Hi! My name is Diego and I am from Chile and I'm interested in the GPT to do de GPT18 & GPT19, i would be a little more than a week, i think that is amazing the work that you do making this GPT in my country.Thanks!

*'''Jess&Paco''' Hey Jan ! We are from France and we would love to hike the GPT between march and april 2023. We plan to connect a few sections in the great lakes region (between section GPT45 and GPT35, south to north) for about a month. And if the weather is favorable, we would explore in april a little bit of the nothern parts of the GPT (volcanos region) but without necessarily connecting steps, while being around for a workaway. Thanks a lot for all this work !

*'''blklb''' Hi Jan! I'll be leaving for Chile in a few days and would like to do bits and pieces of the sections between Curico and Conaripe, perhaps farther south. I'll be combining trekking with time spent in towns/cities. This is going to be a leisurely exploration of the GPT, with the possiblity of a longer GPT-specific trip in the future. Thanks!

*'''Joachim''' Holà Jan! I'm Joachim from France. I'm coming to Chile in a few weeks, and found your website with a lot of valuable informations on this beautiful itinerary! I don't have a fixed plan yet but my idea is to start around Santiago and go South until winter begins. I'd love to get a hand on those gpx files to help me plan properly, I'll be happy to share feedback when coming home. Many thanks for all the work you put in!

*'''Johnny1968''' Hi Jan! We are a couple from Italy and want to to start mid february 2023 from Santiago for the GPT. We have 2 months of time and want to see how far we get, without hurry, soaking up nature and culture. Thanks for the manual and creating the track files, great respect for the ethics!

*'''derameisenbaer''' Hi, two people from Germany. We'll be hiking part of the GPT (GPT06-GPT12) in February. If there's time left we might be able to hike part of the more southern sections as well. Really looking forward to it and really aprreciate the great work on this page and the Hikers Manual!

*'''ebse''' Hello, I'm Ed from England. Would love to help contribute to this mammoth project by hopefully walking GPT01 - GPT20ish in late 2023. Looks like a remarkable experience all round; I'd be very grateful to be part of it.

*'''Martio''' Saludos, soy Martial ! landing on jan. 14th for a 2 month journey into Chilean natural wonders. I plan to hike a selection of northern GPT sections between 1 and 22. Plans purposely open for this first experience and can't wait to get involved in the community. Ps: Jan, you rock !

*'''Clemgbl''' I'm Clement from France. Currently hiking in Chile from month, I would like to continue my trek on the GPT next month (january and February 2023). I plan to start in Coyhaique and hike until El Chalten (GPT 31 to GPT 40).

*'''Jcoxxx''' I'm Jeff from Alaska. Hopefully I'll be hiking and packrafting section 17 to 39, starting this January. I'm really excited to be a part of this project and share my trackfiles.

*'''Eleebeatriz''' Hi, I'm Elena from Chile. On the 27th of this month we are going to carry out the Gpt7, we will enter through the "Puente Ingles" , in San Fabian de Alico, up to the Polcura mountain range, in Antuco. Greetings and I hope in January I will be editing what I have done to share it with you!

*'''MarcGPT''' Hola! Last year while hiking around Cochrane, I learned about the GPT. Looking forward to return and contribute to the GPT manual.

*'''Franzz''' Hi! I'm Franzz from Switzerland. I'm planning to thru-hike my own version of the GPT next year. Using your tracking files would be a great help planning the itinerary :) I would be more than happy to share back my own track files and experiences once I'm back.

*'''Nicktravels_''' Hey mate, I'm Nick - i'm planning on a hike/packraft of mumtiple segments with my three amigos. Leave only footprints is a big part of our travelling philosophy and I have a lot of respect for the ethos you carry through the information provided.

*'''Timo''' Hi, I'm Timothée. I'm French but also from Munich Germany! I plan on being in Chile beginning of next year and on doing someof the sections (probably 6-22, 32-40 more or less). I'm super impressed by all the gathered and explained documentations and advices form the Manual and would love to contribute !

*'''zozo''' Hi, my name is Zohar. I'm from Israel and plan on doing some trekking in Patagonia in January 2023. planning to do parts of the GPT from south to north starting at section 46.

*'''florianluca''' Hi, my name is Florian. I'm from Germany and plan on doing some trekking in Chile at the Beginning of next year (2023). I appreciate the work that went into this project and would like to use some of it for planning some of our tour.

*'''willcampbell444''' Hi, I'm Will from Canada. I'm interested in hiking some of the trail as I make my way south through Chile! I was thinking of starting at section 6 in mid December, depending on the weather. I really appreciate all the work done putting together the trail, and I hope to contribute with my track files and notes.

*'''Dallas''' Hi, I´m Dallas, from Berkeley, California, USA. I am interested in planning a trip in early 2023 to explore the beauty of Patagonia and indulge in my passion for slow, human-powered travel. This trip is open-ended and intentionally meandering, and the GPT looks like an excellent basis of exploration.

*'''Nicopo''' Hi, I´m Nicolás, from Buenos Aires. My girlfriend and I have been hiking in Patagonia for the last few years and we are planning on hiking sections of the GPT from December to February. We are already getting started with our planning and are looking forward to contributing with what we can. Thank you!

*'''Newt, Birdie, and Possum''' Hi! We are on our way back to Patagonia for the third time. The three of us have hiked in Patagonia and many other places in the world together. We will have 1 month to hike a portion of the GPT, specifically focusing on 33H -38H going northbound. We are inspired by this document and we can't wait to become contributing members of this community. Thank you!

*'''pgantier''' Hi, I'm Pierre from France. I discovered Chile and South America 5 years ago during an exchange semester and look forward to going back there for a long trip (within the next 5 years for around 12 months). I would love to do some part of the Greater Patagonian trail during this future gap year and I want to prepare well it advance to continue to get experience to be ready for this gread adventure !

*'''Jonny6k''' Hi, im planning on hiking some sections of the GPT from late December until March (or until i get tired!) I am planning on sections 6-22, but nothing is certain yet. I hope to add to the track files and contribute with some notes regarding the trails. i look forward to arriving in chile! Jonny

*'''felagund''' Hello, I would like to hike the GPT in December-February, from Santiago till as far as I can get and as long as a I enjoy it. So I would be interested in the trackfiles from 1 till about 40, even though I probably won't reach that far. I am a contributor to OSM so I was thinking that would be my main form of contribution, though I would not want to put paths that are disputed there of course. Tomas

*'''Arnaudlacoste''' Hello Jan! I have been a big fan of the GPT for some years now. I just moved back to Chile after living for the past 8 years in Europe and would love to discover a few sections of the GPT. I will be settling in Araucania region so I would love to have access to the track files and plan which sections I will immerge myself into. I hope I can also contribute to it and meet some of the community in the following months/years. Thanks you and the community for this marvelous work! Cheers, Arnaud.

*"ChristopherT"Hello! Christopher from Austria here. My girlfriend Anna from Germany and I are planning to do the gpt. We are still trying to figure out which sections we would like to trek.We definetly want to explore and hike in Feuerland though.We would very much appreciate the track files to help us with our decision and on our journey. I hope we can contribute a bit as well. Thank you!
Cheers,
Christopher and Anna

* '''Matous'''Hi everyone! Here Matous and Johana. Couple from Czechia. We are planning to hike some sections on GPT at the beginning of next year. We are interested in GPT06 - 22. The track files would be great help in planning. And thank you for amazing work. We´ll be happy to contribute.

* '''guilhermealexs''' Hi! Guilherme Alexsander here from Brazil. Me and some friends are planning to walk some parts of the GPT. We are currently interested in the Los Quenes - Central Cipreces section. I'd like to get the track files to help us with planning. Thanks!

*"nmakepeace" Hello everyone, Natalie here from Canada, thank you to Jan and everyone for their contributions! My plan is to hike southbound on the GPT starting at Termas del Flaco (connect@ GPT05) because I want to do some specific mountains in Central Chile first. I may also look into connecting Volcán Maipo to coya. To make this all easier and more safe I would be not only grateful for the GPS files but honored! Start: mid/late December until begining of March. Hope to hear tales from you all soon!

* '''rom1dwker''' My girlfriend and I will cycle southward patagonian roads and ripio from mid december 22 to mid february 23, and we plan to maybe hike some sections of the GPT, especially the ones in Jenimeini where we have already been a few years ago, dependind on how everything goes with the cycling and and the roads we will actually take.

* '''gornik''' Me and my grilfriend Gabi would like to hike on GPT from January till March 2023. We are on a gap year after our studies, and during that time we would love to enjoy the wilderness of Patagonia. We are planning to first do some singular sections and after gaining some knowledge and experience in Patatagonia hiking, we would like to do some longer distances. We are also exited to combine it with hitchhiking to minimalize environmental impact.

* '''hannahp24''' My partner Eric & I will hike GPT 32-36 in Dec-Jan 2022/2023. Excited to explore new places and give guidance to what we find here.

* '''Jmcantin''' Hi Jan, thanks for the hard work in this awesome guide! I am planning a Southbound hike of the GPT from Santiago de Chile in January 2023 for a couple of months. I would love to have the track files to properly plan my route. Thank you for your help :)

* ''' bforselv''' Hello guys, my wife and I live north of the Artic Circle in Norway and we are planing to go to Chile for hiking January and February. We want to do sections of the GPT.

* ''' Ishaysachs(Ishay)''' Hello Jan! Ishay from Israel here. Just finished the PCT and looking forward to do some sections of the GPT this January-March. Would love to get access to the files in order to plan my route (: thank you for putting so much effort into this. That's an incredible project and I can't wait to start hiking and share the journey with this great community.

*''' greenh3624 (Helen and Craig)''' Hello Hello Jan. Thank you so much for providing all this incredible information from the manual, we are both super grateful and are looking forward to contributing. Looking in to sections GPT 16- 05/06 for 2023 and hopefully some southern route sections from there. Just a quick comment to request track files. Your manual is incredible by the way. Mil gracias!

* ''' Christophe (Alex & Christophe)''' Hi Jan! Thanks a lot for all this informations and for your work. We are now travelling in south America with our van and are planning to sell it and start to hike the GPT in December 2023 for 2 or 3 month. This track files would help us a lot to plan this incredible adventure.

*'''miguelvdvelden (Miguel)''' Hola Jan! I’m in awe of everything you’ve put together for the GPT. It’s so comprehensive and as a sustainability student I am grateful for the focus on both the environmental and social sustainability of the region and its communities. I am hoping to hike or packraft a part of the GPT over six weeks or so in Jan-Feb 2023. I am in full planning mode now, hence my request here. Muchas gracias por todo. Abrazo.

*'''nico142857''' Hola Jan! Hace un tiempo habia leido parte del manual y veo que ahora esta actualizado. Desde ese momento que quede maravillado con la rigurosidad de tu trabajo y lo sigo haciendo ahora. Me suscribo a esta lista para poder obtener los track files, pues me interesa recorrer algunas secciones en las proximas vacaciones de verano 2022/2023. Estare muy agradecido si lo puedes mandar. Saludos desde Chile!. nicolas.

*'''Lore Olivares''' Hola Jan, gracias por compartir esta valiosa información. Soy de Chile y junto a mi amigo queremos hacer la parte norte del GPT desde Santiago. Te agradeceré mucho si nos puedes compartir los datos GPX. Muchas gracias de antemano.
*'''annéesympathique;) (Rémy D.)''' Hi guys, I‘m a student from Belgium and I plan to walk the GPT from december to march. That’s why having the GPX track files would help me realize this project. A big respect about all the work behind the GPT.
* ''' TOBEL ''' Congratulations to the GPT Hikers Manual. I am from Germany and a bit older then the most here. This year I will hike some parts of the GPT, so I would like to get the gpx files.

* ''' Michaelstabile (Mike & Avery) Hi, Thanks for compiling all of this information. We are Backpacking and Pack rafting Guides in Alaska. We are planning to start in 2023 and Continue through all the way back to Alaska. Hiking, bike packing, Packrafting and sea kayaking. Having this track files would be incredible for us helping with planning for this section of our journey.

* ''' Martin&Helena (Martin.h)''' Hello guys! Thanks for the amazing work you’re doing with the GPT. We are a couple from Prague, Czech republic, planning to start hiking from the beginning of December, most likely until the end of March. We would use the track files for planning our hike and navigation. Thank you, Martin&Helena

* '''EDAWILSON (Ed)''' Hello! We are a couple from Scotland who are heading to Patagonia for a couple of months hiking this October/ November, and we are looking to incorporate some elements of the GPT into our trip. 2022 conditions permitting, we will likely explore some sections of the Fjord route; as well as Glacier Chica to El Chaltén; and fingers crossed some sections south of here. I would love to overlay the track files over GE for a better planning experience. We love the spirit of the community you are building here! Great work!

* '''Ridgepathpictures (Jani)''' Hi! Myself and a couple of friends are planning a packrafting trip in Patagonia at the start of 2023. We will be dipping in and out of the regular packrafting route, so sections 17 to 39. The aid of the track files would be greatly appreciated. I'm honestly astounded by the work you have put into this trail, it's truly very inspiring.

* '''Slingshot (Jeremy)''' Hi! My soon to be wife and I are planning a 3 month trek from GPT05 southbound and would greatly benefit from the GPT track files. Thank you so much for your hikers manual and for providing access to these files. It has already greatly benefited us.

* '''Alexis (dm) & Iris''' Hello! We are a 29/28 years old couple from France and are starting a sabbatical in South America for a year in December. We are landing in Puntas Arenas and would like to hike our way, on the GPT or not, through Chile up to the Ecuador. To better plan our trip, we would like to access the GPT track files and are obviously willing to contribute to the initiative. Many thanks.

*'''Max''': Hello, I am from Germany and I really like to hike. Next year, I plan to hike from Santiago de Chile all the way down to Ushuaia with a Packraft. To do that, I would like to get the gpx files, so I can choose from the routes. Thank you for all of this.

*'''Ted''': Hi guys, I'm a 33 year old austrian guy and I plan to hike a few sections of the GPT in October and November. it would be great if i could have the gpx data so i can plan the routes better. great community

*'''Chris and Tara''': Hello!!! We are husband and wife, being 33 and 26 years old respectively. We plan to walk from Barilloche to Santiago incorporating large sections of the GPT. There are no fixed plans for sections and times, just to fully immerse our selves in Patagonia, it’s people and way of life. Thank you and all those who have contributes for your incredible work so far, I look forward to being able to contribute for others to enjoy!

**'''Wannes''': Hello, I'm a 31 year old belgian who plans a two week trek/run in the beginning of November. I would love to do a part of the GPT. Could I receive the gpt tracks to decide which part would be ok to do? Kind regards. Wonderfull work!

*'''Yannic & Mirjam''': Hello together. We are Yannic and Mirjam and since one year on a world trip. We plan to spend a few months in Patagonia next and hike parts of the GPT. Which parts exactly we are currently still working out. Would it be possible to get the GPS tracks? Thank you for you incredible work !

*'''AdriKunz''': Hello, first of all, a huge thank for all your amazing work. I am so grateful for this sharing which will allow me I hope to live a unique experience. I'm a actually working in French Guyana, but were looking for an immersive hick before living this continent. I finally came across this extraordinary adventure, which I think corresponds to me in every way. I plan to try the GTP from Santiago to part 14 or 15 of the GPT in a month and a week. I intend to start the hike in mid november. May i aske you the GPT track of thoses parts ?

*'''Avisito''': Finally going for it - December 2022! Plan to start at GPT05 and go south for several weeks - would love to start exploring the GPS track files. Thanks!!!!!!!!!!

*'''Veronica''': Hello, I am Canadian and will be spending six months in South America from October 2022 to March 2023. While I am there I would love to spend a few of these months hiking various portions of the GPT, which is why I would love to obtain the GPS track files. Thank you so much for all this work and to all those who have compiled all this information. I am very much appreciative of all of this!

*'''Andes et Tentes''': Hello, we are 3 french students taking a year off to explore South America. We are planning to explore Patagonia between February and April 2023 by hiking on some specific sections of the GPT. That's why we are asking for the GPS tracks. Many thanks for the huge work achieved ! It is impressively detailed and complete !

*'''ondra''': Hello! My name is Ondrej and I am from the Czech Republic. I have been reading about Jan's and others' experiences on the GPT for the past two years. I will finally have a chance to walk a part of the trail myself in January - March 2023. I am adding myself to the list to kindly request the track files. Thank you Jan for putting this together.

*'''Mat''': Hi! from France. I’m planning a few months hiking trip to discover south America. I’ll most probably walk parts of the Gpt (as much as I can). I would be grateful to receive the necessary gpx files. Thank you for the this very huge and inspiring work.

*'''Alice & Florian''': Hola! We are Alice & Florian, a french couple who love hiking. We who will travel in South America and especially in Chile in September and October this year (2022), and we read about the GPT and some blogs, which really peaked our interest. Our project is to walk going south along the GPT for about a month, somewhere between September and November. After reading the hiker's manual, we came here in order to do access the GPX files and prepare deeper our project. Muchas Gracias para todo este trabalho.

*'''Thomas - Chilzin, Brah!''': Hola! I'm a thru hiker planning to do a large part of the GPT mostly continuously before heading north on a huge trip to explore South America. I really appreciate this resource and will do my best to contribute before and while I'm on trail. Thank you!

*'''Aneso''': Hola! I'm Aneso, a French woman who loves hiking. I heard about the GPT while doing research following my plan to go to South America for 1 year.
My project on the GPT being to leave from the south in the direction of the north, over a period of 1 month (or even a little more) from January 2023.
In my research I am missing the exact GPX files for my GPS.
Thank you in advance and congratulations again for all the work provided and to which we have access.

*'''Ariane''': Hola! I'm French and I will be hiking in Patagonia in April (and perhaps May); my plans are not yet well defined but I'd like to follow parts of the GPT on my way northward. Thanks for your super useful work!

*'''OriolGirona''': Hola! I'm from Barcelona but living at nearby Girona. Love hiking and cycling, being my longer tours so far between 4 and 6 weeks on the trail. I hear about the GPT two years ago while looking for new ideas during covid lockdown. I already read the manual a couple of times, and I am thrilled to travel to Santiago next November / December for a couple of month, probably starting from section 1. And at this point of planning I will apreciate to have the GPX tracks to get deeper into this process. Awesome work. Thanks a lot!!!

*'''JuanchoUgarte''': Hola! I'm a Chilean guy that loves hiking. I hear about the GPT a few years ago. This year while doing the Travesia Cerro Castillo realized that it was part of the GPT and decided to start planning to do it on summer 2023. During 2021 did the GR11 in Spain and want to do something in Chile this time (the GPX tracks would be very useful for all the planning) Probably will start near Parque Inglés. Thanks a lot!!!

*'''LeanderDc''': Hey hey, we're a crew of 3 hiking-friends from Belgium and Chile. We're planning on walking a part of the GPT starting from around Cochamó till O'Higgins, probably taking some ferries and hitchhikes in between. We're starting to refine our exact route, by reading the manual and analyzing google earth, and would hugely benefit from the exact GPX files. Thanks in advance!

*'''rowanl''': Hello, I'm an avid hiker from Canada looking to explore trails along the carretera austral especially around Cerro Castillo National Park. I hope to use the track files to help refine my plans. I appreciate all the information provided, Thank you!

*'''meotr''': Hi! I'm a french engineer planning to hike some parts of the main route between mid-february and mid-march during a 3-4 months period in Chile and Argentina. Thank you for you incredible work !

*'''Sergio''': Hi! I live in Santiago and I'm planning on hiking some of the first GPTs on early February and hopefully some of the southern parts later on. Thank you very much for all the work you have put into this, it's an incredible thing what you have done!!

*jdhanlon/Jen and Vince''': Hi! I am planning to hike and packraft a number of sections this season, from Jan - March 2022. Thank you for all your efforts and guidance in sharing information about the trail network!

*'''Gianluca/Cerna_Beltz''': Salve a tutti, Hi!! I'm italian and I'm planning to hike some part of the GPT from the end of january to mars/avril. Thank you so much for all this information and for your attitude!

*'''José''': Hi!!. I'm chilean and im planning to hike the GPT05 - 22 southbound. I would really apreciate to have access to the track files. Thank you so much for doing this, its awesome!

*'''Carlos and Ivan''': Hellow. We'll be in Chile in january and february. Track files would be a great help for planning our hike. Thank you for your great work!

*'''Mariia and Misha''': Hi! We are two Russian flying to Argentina in end of December. Fully equipped for packrafting. Planed start January 5, 2022 from Lago Puelo southbound. Sections: 1. GPT23-25P Rio Frey and Lago Amutui Quimei. 2. Then flying to Chile and resume GPT26-28P 3. GPT30P-32 4. GPT33H-35 5. GPT36P 6. 36H Northbound. End before March 25. I would be very greatful for the track files. Thank you so much for your awesome guide and work!

*'''Mawel''': Hello, I'm planning to hike the GPT or at least a part of it. Idealy, I'd like to start from Ushuaïa and travelling up north along the cordilliera. Anything concrete yet but I'm sure the track files will be very helpful to prepare this journey as best as I can.

*'''Alexey''': I will start my trip on 29.11.2021 from Lago Todos Los Santos to the North, until Lago Ranco.

*'''Matthias&Janna''': We will hike parts of the GPT in december - february. Track files would be a great help for planning our hike. Thanks for the enormous work done!

*'''Franck''': I will hike parts of the GPT with a friend in december and january, we're interested in GPT05 to 12, 19 to 22 and 32 to 36. Thanks for the great work !! Can't wait to put my shoes on : D

*'''Nathaniel''': I will be in Chile for a few months starting in December 2021. I am considering packrafting in the vicinity of the Western Fjord Traverse (GPT90P-GPT92P) as well as hiking/packrafting a section of the main route of the GPT in Zones H and I (possibly including GPT32-40).

*'''Laurent and Maxime''': Hi there! We are two Canadians flying to Chile in January. We are fully equiped with lightweight equipment for packrafting, endure all sorts of weather and accomplish a great trip on the greater patagonian trail! We have 3 months to travel and we are very grateful of all the precious information you offer us ! Thank you very much !

*'''Rebeca y Cristián''': Buenas tardes Jan! Estuvimos conociendo distintos lugares de la décima región desde inicios del 2021, "aprovechando" las cuarentenas. Ahora estamos planeando un viaje más largo, el cual incluye packraft. Nos encantaría acceder a los archivos para planificar mejor. Desde ya, muy agradecidos.

*'''David Batguano''': Good day all. I am heading to Chile at the end of November 2021 to get some hiking in, obviously. Fist I am completing the O circuit at Torres del Paine, then will hopefully complete some of the easier sections of the GPT(I do not wish to bushwack or prove a point). I have no time constraints and will just go where I wish at a leisurely pace. I am on page 400 of the hikers manual working on routing. Though difficult, Jan's work so far is an unbelievable resource.

*'''Vera & James''': Hi all! We are planning to head over to Chile for 3 months Jan - Mar 2022 and plan to hike on the GPT. Planning is ongoing but current thinking is start at Puyehue and work north. The main motivation is to be in the mountains/wilderness for a period of time. The manual is an incredible resource! Thanks!

*'''Tobias''': Hi Jan, I'm flying into Chile on the 1 of November. My plan is to hike southwards from Frutillar to El Chaltén and visit Schools along the way. I would be very greatful for the track files GPT 22-40. Thank you so much for your amazing work!

*'''Kris&Stiina''': Greetings, we are going to Chile in November and we plan to hike some sections of the GPT. Track files would be a great help for planning our hike and logistics. Thanks for the enormous work done!

*'''Helmut and Beatrice''': Hi JAN, we are planning to spend two months in Patagonia at the beginning of next year. We want to hike around 1000 km and the tracking data would be a great help for us to choose appropriate sections and plan our hiking adventure. High praise for the great manual!

*'''HolKann & Peanutje''': Hey all, we're planning to visit Chile in January 2022, and hope to hike parts of the GPT for the better part of (at least) 3 months. Our most recent hiking experience was the [https://thepindosway.com Pindos way] in Greece, which consisted of finding "the shadow of an old mule path" to get up or down a mountain ridge, which taught us how to handle packs of angry shepherd dogs, and which forced on us a crash course in rudimentary Greek (as we would have gone hungry otherwise). We hope to get to know Patagonia and its people in the same way, except that our Spanish skills should be a bit better.

*'''Stephan''': Hi folks, Hi Jan, i'm planning to do the GPT 22,Lago todos los santos, from Petrohue to Cochamo, hiking and packrafting. I have planned to go on October 2021. Thanks for the great work!
*'''Stéphane''': Hi folks, Hi Jan, planing a trail trip next summer in Patagonia walking from Villa Cerro Castillo to Villa o Higgins. Could you please Jan send mi the track files beetween Villa Cerro Castillo and Pto Ibanez passing through Torres el Avellano ? GPT33H. Thx a lot and long life to yout project ! Hug

*'''Martin and Kim''': Hi, we are planning to spend two oder three months next year in Patagonia. We want to hike round about 1200 km there and the track file would be very helpful to choose sections and plan our adventure. Thanks for the great manual!

*'''Vicente''': Hi, I'm planning on doing the GPT this spring of 2021, I've done other long trails through Patagonia so I want to take it to the next level. I believe this trail has a great potential to become an icon for my country and its beautiful mountains. I need the track files to prepare the adventure.

*'''Marc''' : We are two guys from Denmark who are hoping to spend a couple of months on the GPT, if possible we will begin this december. We are eager to get our hands on the track files to help us plan which sections to hike. We have a great amount of respect for all the work you have done to make this adventure possible!

*'''Simoncashyt''' : Me and my friend are Planning to spend 2.5 months in the area this December. Hoping to get this Track file and review the trail in gis with other historic route databases to really understand the sections topography, climates and route options to explore off the track file.

*'''Bastian Klein''' : I am a university student from Germany and currently only have vague plans for my hike. With the Covid situation still going on its still to be determined when I will actually get to go hiking, but I think the track files will help me a lot with planing. Greatly appreciate the work done on the GPT manual !.

*'''Tim''' : We are a couple from Germany and around new year we plan to spend a few weeks in the area around GPT05 to GTP07. If possible we might return some time to see southern patagonia as well for multiple months.

*'''Léo''' : I plan to travel one year in Chile from sept 2021 ; I want to start from Puertomontt to reach Santiago (in a whole year, so taking my time), and hike some sections of the GPT ! I have not chosen which exacts sections yet.

*'''Nadfero''': Mi plan is to divide the route in two or three sections, and hike it in the 2021-2022-2023 summers. Obviously it all depends on the covid situation. There is no harm in planning!

*'''Cristóbal''': Estoy aprovechando la cuarentena para estudiar la ruta y comenzar a hacer tramos en la medida que se levanten las restricciones sanitarias este 2021 y 2022.

*'''Jo and Ty''': We are a couple planning to trekk for 3 months or so on the GPT. 2021/2022 depends on Covid 19 situation. Propably starting somewhere at GPT08. We are still in the beginning of planning. We require the track files for a lot of planning and for navigating on the trek it self. We are pretty excited!

*'''Molly og Melissa''': We are two friends, from Denmark. We plan to hike most parts of group B, C and D in December 2021 - February 2022

*'''Patagonico''': Years ago i did the ruta de los pioneros now i would like to complete the GPT in the next few years.

*'''Les Amériques au fil de l'eau''': We are a french couple, planning to use the trail from Puerto Montt to Santiago in 2021-2022 and to realize two short documentary films about wetlands and about the women of America
*'''O Bicho Geográfico''': Para fines de investigación científica, Abril de 2021.
*'''Max Nemeth''': November to Mid-March 21/22, sections to be determined. Thank you for the amazing work on this route!
*'''Memo mcrash''': GPT10 and GPT11. I plan to do it in March with some friends. We are very grateful for the work you have done. Thank you! Guillermo.
*'''nico142857''': GPT01 and GPT02. Im planning to hike these 2 sections on March, and gpx's routes surely will help a lot. Thanks!
*'''MauricioDM''': I am planning to hike the whole trail in parts, but I am not sure where to begin, the GPX will help . Thanks.
*'''Nico busch''': GPT33H. Planning on doing the Torres del Avellano hike. Thanks.
*'''Bjornsether''': GPT 01 to 40. I've been planning a long-distance hike in Chile for some time. February-April 2021 might allow me to spend time on the GPT.
*'''AJForno''':, GPT 01 to 40, I live in Chile and have done some sections, and plan to keep exploring, Thank you! Andres
*'''Thom&Miky''': Hi, we are two friends planning to walk from febrary to april 2021 and we will try to reach from south to north the GPT 14 to GPT 01. Thank you! Thomas and Michael

*'''WhatDoesMyHeartTellMe''': I am very much interested in GPT 01 to 40. I plan to trek in 2021-2022. This endeavor requires a tremendous amount of planning. I hope you can grant me the track files. Thanks very much!

*'''Tom Corbett''': Januray 2021, hiking and packrafting sections of GPT 26 to GPT 33.

*'''Rperezdearce ''': Hi, With my girlfriend we will leave the first days of Nov 2020 from Santiago with the intention of reaching GPT12, then we will try to continue further south.

*'''Tobi & Fang''': Hiking and potentially packrafting in the <s>2021/2022, 2022/2023</s> 2023/2024 season.

*'''Freek van Keulen (Freek)''': Plan to hike 2021-2022 season, starting preparations and research now

*'''Joaquin Munoz (jqnmunozdiaz)''': Plan to hike sections GPT32-40 southbound on summer 2020-2021 if covid allows. I will likely hike some northern sections as well.

*'''Quamen''': I am dreaming to hike the GPT01-16 and to hiking/packrafting GPT17-40 southbound this austral summer 2020-2021 season.

*'''Frambues''': Starting at the end of 2020 if Covid lets. Not sure yet which part to do in one season, but probably start in Santiago.

*'''Ferdinand''': Hi, Ferdinand from germany, I'd like to hike southbound starting from GPT 05 from Dec 2020 - Apr 2021 and see how far I can get. The GPS files would help a lot planning everything more in detail, thanks!

*'''Víctor Valenzuela''': GTP 05-19: Planning on starting end of 2021 with GPT 05-19 and further on. Got one season to explore the GPT.

*'''Isaac Garza (Try431)''': Planning to hike southbound GPT season from ~December 2020 through ~March/April 2021 (weather/COVID permitting). At the moment, planning to do GPT17P - GPT39, and track files will be very helpful in planning out in more detail :)

*'''Pipers''': Hi, I'm from Valdivia, chile, and I am planning to hike or ride in my bike the closest parts of the route, as soon as coronavirus lockdown finishes

*'''Patagoniandreams''': Planning to hike the standard route soundbound, starting at GPT10 until GPT23 and looping back nordbound via the Huella Andina. Due to the Corona crisis we postpone this endeavour to the 2021-2022 season. The hike will be done in family. We will have a 6 year old girl and a 3 year old boy with us. We have 4 months. We have been doing GPT sections back in 2008 - 2010 - 2013.

*'''Olivier1''': Planning to hike the standard route northbound, starting at GPT 40 for the 2021-2022 season.

*'''David Brophy (d.brophy)''': Planning to hike the standard route GPT01-GPT40 over two seasons starting as soon as COVID permits. Will use a pack-raft for the second season.

*'''Peter Mican (ElCondor)''': Planning to hike the GPT in 2020/2021, starting at section 01 and hike as far south as I can, depending on the weather and situations on the track. I am planning to go solo but would be happy to join with a fellow hiker(s) ;-)

*'''jojohoughton''': Planning on hiking/packrafting southbound to section 40, starting either from section 1 or section 13 depending on the conditions. Will be exploring the GPT for the summer 2020-2021 season.

*'''Leonhard''': GTP 1-16: Planning on starting end of 2021 with GPT 1-16 and further on. Got one season to explore the GPT.

*'''Aligator''': GTP 40 to GPT32: Plannning to explore that part of the GPT in February (from 03/02) and March (flexible) with my girlfriend (we both live in Santiago). Thank you for the incredible work you've achieved gathering and updating all those information!

*'''ConnyPflaume''': GTP 14 & 15 or the area between lago Conguillo and Lago Tinquilco. We will start this weekend, 11.1.20 - would be nice we could be supplied with the map so shorthanded.

*'''felixrulz''': Will be in the Andes for around 4 months. Have already completed 3 sections, but looking to do more. Joined specifically for the Puyehue section (GPT 19)

*'''Kelly Swanson''': I plan to solo trek starting at GPT06 in January 2020, continuing till mid March.

*'''phil ro''': i will start in coihayque in mid-january and will head south for more than 4 weeks with a packraft.

*'''johannsteffen''': Going to make a backpack trip starting in February on Ushuaya and going to Bariloche in June.

*'''Claudio Miranda''': Starting from Santiago in January 2020 until April, planing to arrive at least to Chile Chico.

*'''Trinity''': Travelling to SA for 2 years and plan exploring Patagonia.

*'''pirre''': Starting in January 2020 on GPT32 and planning to hike south for 6-8 weeks. Thanks!

*'''Shn0rhelez''': Hi,I am Anton from Sofia,Bulgaria...me and my girlfriend are starting from sec6 in the middle of January...we have around four months...thank you for your remarkable work!!!

*'''Gatodelmonte''': Starting on 2 January from Santiago, planning to hike South for about 45 days & exit near Pucon (sections 1 to 15)

*'''Fedepatagon''': Like to pack raft on the area between Bariloche-Osorno and P.N Los Alerces

*'''Vincent Paquet''': My girlfriend and I are planning to spend 3 weeks walking from december 18 2019 to Jan 10 2020. We're still selecting the exact sections. Cheers!!

*'''Tmattson425''': Plan for this year is to solo trek sections 1 through 19 (southbound) starting in mid-January 2020. I'm an American expat living in Buenos Aires and plan on returning in following seasons to complete the GPT, try packrafting, and explore alternate routes. Extremely excited an grateful that this trek is possible. Thank you!

*'''SalomeS''': Planning for a 6 month trip with my husband starting in Nov/Dec 2020. Planning to hike the sections 40 to 16. We would be incredibly grateful to receive the gps track files. Thank you!

*'''Ianhikes'''* Leaving for Chile in 1 week and looking to spend a month on GPT hiking southbound.

*'''zc0rp10''': Hi! Planning and preparing for an extended hike together with two friends from November 2020 - Feb 2021.

*'''ELLI''': together with a friend we plan to hike the sections of the main route but in opposite direction starting in the area around Lago viedma in first days of January 2020, we have approx. 4 month time

*'''gorskial''': plan to bike/packraft along the carretera austral from Puerto Montt to Villa O'Higgins with hiking side trips. Jan/feb 2020

*'''pitney''': Solo hiking GPT sections 6-22 Southbound beginning early January, 2020.

*'''dirtmonger''': GPT sections 1-24; planning underway for an immersion solo hike ‘20 November to ‘21 February.

*'''bob451''': Planning on solo hiking 2 or 3 sections of the GPT northbound March/April 2019.

*'''Mgabenesch''' : Planning on hiking most parts of the GPT, starting in Ushuaïa then going North. I have on year off. Starting Dec 2019

*'''Family Size''': Planning on hiking parts of the GPT southbound. Starting end of November 2019.

*'''shaunchurch''': Hope to solo hike/packraft a few sections southbound. Section 15 or 17 in Dec 2019. Then maybe a couple more from among sections 21-31 in Jan and Feb 2020.

*'''iank''':2 months jan and feb 2020. Hope to hike isla navarino, cirque of huemuls and then cochrane to chile chico. More northerly secions maybe 2021.

*'''dsmit3000''': Solo hiker planning on hiking GPT40-31 northbound November-January 2019.

*'''2As''': We plan to walk in Chile and Argentina from mid October 2019 to mid march 2020. We don't have precisely planned our trip but the root of our trip is to go by foot through Patagonia and also discover Chile and his people and culture.
*'''A pat''': We plan to do several sections of the GPT (Need to confirm but we are interesting in sections 08-22 and 35- 40) from January to early March 2020.
*'''Aceestrin''': We'll be exploring for 4 weeks in Los Lagos region December-January.
*'''Andrealopezb''': I plan on doing individual sections for the time being, mostly between Santiago-El Maule
*'''annbrnn''': Heya, a friend and I are planning on hiking several sections of the GPT beginning end of December 2019 and are currently in the process of determining our route.
*'''AlexEdge''': Hi, i am planning to hike the lower sections of this route with a couple friends, possibly febuary 2020. thank you!
*'''Arno507''': We plan to do several sections of the GPT starting fom November/December 2019 till early April 2020.
*'''Birdy ''': I plan to mostly walk from Lake Titicaca to Ushuaia starting November 2019.
*'''David''': Hello!! This is David from Barcelona and I'm planning to walk through the Patagonia for 4 month from January 2020. I would love to do all de GPT, but I'm not sure if it's too ambitious... For sure, I'll try it!! :-) I would really appreciate if you can provide me the gps track files. Many thanks!!
*'''Dubrovskiy''': 2 people, January 2020, Foot hiking southern parts, likely around GPT40-33.
*'''Edwinb''': I will be arriving in Chile in Nov and plan to cherry pick parts of the GPT and mix it with other trekking, basically like I did last year. Always interested in a bit of exploring, providing it doesn't get to extreme!
*'''Hendrik Niehaus''': We arrive in Chile early Oktober 2019. From November until January we plan to be on the GPT. Due to the recommendations of the hikers manual we are mainly interested in section 5-16. However, plans might still change and are not too fixed yet. Thank you in advance!
*'''Herman van Horssen''': We plan to do section 47 to 69 of the GPT in 2020.
*'''johansonst333''': Hi! I am planning the sections 30 - 40 during this hiking season, would be incredibly grateful to have the GPS files for further research and planning. Thank you in advance!
*'''Jose Barros''' Hello !Im jose from Santiago de Chile, i will do the sections from Conquillio national park to Puyehue national park, its aprox. 15 days in January, i think it will be great ! If you can provide the track files i will be very thankfull.
*'''Jose Roman''': Hi, my plan is to several sections by bike or hiking staring September 2019 until Abril 2020.
*'''JUNHUI SON''': Hi, I'm from South Korea, I plan to do section 1 to 40 of the GPT in September 2019 till November.
*'''Kendon''': I cycled Patagonia many year ago and have always wanted to return for an extended walk through this wonderful area. I am in preliminary stages of my planning and thank you for your efforts in providing such a great resource. I am looking at the 2020 summer.
*'''Martín H.I.''': Hello, I´m planning to make an attempt to hike from sections GPT01 to GPT22 this summer from December 2019 to February 2020, still deciding on the exact sections, but southbound is my direction. I´m a chilean 25 year old architect who will humbly try to hike this unique trail. Thank you Jan for the amazing creation.
*'''Martin Lizondo''': I will be hiking southbound from Anticura (GPT20) to El Chaltén (GPT39), between December 2019 and February 2020. It's my second season in the GPT, after hiking from Santiago (GPT01) to Anticura (GPT19) in 2018-2019.
*'''martinahaller''': We will be arriving in Chile in Nov and plan to hike parts of the GPT during the next 6 Month, starting in Santiago.
*'''Maturin''': Hi, I am currently figuring out the details to hike GPT06 to GPT08 from the 27th of December 2019 until mid January. I will be doing the Horseriding tour before. I speak fluent spanish and the idea is to go southbound. Thank you!
*'''Matúš Lašan''': We plan to do as much as possible from December 2019 till March 2020.
*'''msantelli''': Hi, Melissa, plan to trek sections 05-22 taking a chance to start mid-late Nov. of ‘19 may need to backtrack and cut a few sections out, if rivers can’t be ford/crossed-flexible schedule
*'''Meylin Ubilla and Jan Dudeck''': We plan to investigate new packrafting and hiking routes in more remote areas between Puerto Montt and El Chalten without making a single long traverse (GPT21 to GPT40, GPT90P to GPT 92P). We will depart in November 2019 and plan to finish in February 2020. Experienced packrafts may join us for these investigations.
*'''Lauric Olrik''': We plan to do several sections of the GPT starting from November 2019, we have a whole year off.
*'''Lea Geibel''': Hi, my plan is to do several sections of the GPT starting fom October/November 2019 until beginning of January 2020 and need to figure out which ones are suitable for such an early start.
*'''Linda''': Hi, I am planning to hike alone southbound the GPT from beginning of December 2019 to mid-February 2020, probably from GPT06 to GPT22, but I am still studying the routes and the sections. I spoke quite good spanish, at least, it will come back there, practicing ! Thank you !
*'''Oreste Marquis''': Hello, i'm planning to hike sections 06-22 and 32-40 if time allows it. My trip will be from January to Abril 2020.
*'''Sanita Heinz''': We plan to do section 1 to 40 of the GPT in December 2019 till March 2020.
*'''Selma''': We are planning to packraft some sections of the GPT during our stay in Nov/Dez '19
*'''Staci Garcia''': Hello, I am planning on doing several sections of the GPT in 2020. I am still in research on what sections.
*'''TrashPanda''': Hi, we plan to do several sections from the end of November 2019 till February 2020.
*'''tom347''': Hola, I plan to do part of parts 1 to 40 with a friend, starting mid october. We will be hitchhiking the parts that are not recomended in particular months. We will be travelling for aproximately 2 months. Gracias.
*'''Tombartlett''': Hello I am planning on hiking many sections over a three month period from November 2019 to February 2020.
*'''Wanderwood18 ''': We plan to make it to El Chalten/Fitz Roy in one season from Santiago. This means I’ll probably skip recommended sections to skip/do what I need to do to make it. I’m flexible, we will see how it goes. My girlfriend, America, and I are planning on starting around Nov. 10th….
*'''LieberWeiter''' Hi, I do not know yet if I ever dare to walk the GPT but meanwhile I would like to plan therefore!
*'''Jarek Wątroba''' Hey, I will spend several months in Patagonia starting in Jan 2024. The information you provided in the Hiker's Guide is already immensely helpful, but the track files would make planning our route so much easier. Thanks.
*'''Wolke7net''' Hi, could you please send me the track without packrafting. Thanks!

*'''''DoloresMonika''''' Hi,my name is Dorota and I am from Poland. I ahve a plan to start from Santiago de Chile at 1 of December 2024. I can pass 4.5 months on the trail . Thanks for preparing this manual and description of trail.
*'''''Randomuser''''' Hi, my name is Victor and my wife and I are planning on spending 3 months in Patagonia starting Jan 25. We are planning on picking some sections to explore and will focus on the land portions, thanks!

*'''"bailey1998christopher"" hi my name is Bailey, I am planning on spending three months hiking the greater patagonia trail south bound, between December and February. Thank you for your great work and consideration. Kind regards bailey

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